FREEDOM FROM STRONGHOLDS

As stated by Tony Evans, Author of Let It Go, [The world's word for things that hold people hostage is Addiction.  We hear it said that people are addicted to drugs, alcohol, sex, or whatever it may be. The problem I have with this word is the implication it often has that we are powerless victims of our circumstances.  In other words, calling something an addiction suggests that we have an excuse for what we are doing, either because we don't have the ability to break it, someone else caused it and thus it isn't our fault, or we have bad genes or a bad environment that sets us up for this problem. Some people may even say their addiction has all of these elements]. In my opinion Tony Evans has offered us the truth concerning freedom from what the world calls addiction. I have first hand experience with having a stronghold on my Life. I have listened to all the confessions of being powerless in the rooms of Narcotics Anonymous. Never would I have believed that I would take part in the meetings, but in the beginning of my recovery process I did not believe that I was an Addict, I would not confess that over my life in the rooms of NA. I studied the word, which told me who I was and what I was to become.  So I continued to walk in my newness and victory, even though it opposed everything this institution had set up. Tony Evans also states in his book that he believes the average person thinks of an addiction as something that is somehow not the victim's responsibility, which often helps the person dodge the real issue. He also states that calling something an addiction doesn't address the spiritual dimension of the problem, which is needed to find the answer. Tony Evans final paragraph in this chapter of the book states, " The word Stronghold  takes us to the real issue because it takes us to our spiritual makeup and to the Word of God. When we get the spiritual part of the equation fixed, the emotional and the physical parts, will begin to fall in Line.
I believe this is the reason why I was so against the ways and literature of Narcotics Anonymous. I had given my Life to Christ before I went to treatment. My spirit had been renewed in the Lord and I was told who I am through Christ. People need to be spiritually awakened  and Know that they are Kings and Queens. Your past does not define who you are, or who you will become. If any man be in Christ, he is a new creation, Old things are past away, Behold, all things have become new....
This is the first scripture God gave me to meditate on. I knew at that very moment that I was FREE.

IDENTITY IS DETERMINED BY BIRTH

According to Tony Evans book, Free at Last, [The world wants us to believe that people are homosexuals by birth, not by choice. But a homosexual who believes that has badly confused identity with performance. That's what Satan wants, because he knows we will function based on our perception of ourselves[ what we believe ]. Once he gets us thinking we are someone we're not, he's got us. Nobody is born a drug addict or a homosexual. Christians may be performing in these unacceptable ways, but that's not who they are.It's an identity issue. Don't misunderstand. Just because we are not to identify ourselves by our actions doesn't mean we can deny or excuse our wrong actions. Make no mistake, a Christian who is battling the sins I mentioned above, or any other problem, needs to confess it and deal with it, no matter what takes place. But the principle still stands. Identity is determined by birth.] It reminds me of the late Teena Marie. Teena Marie is white by birth and most of her friends were black. She grew up in West Los Angeles in a neighborhood that was nicknamed, "Venice Harlem" because of the heavy black population (http://www.starpulse.com/Music/Marie,_Teena/Biography/).  Her mentor was the legendary Rick James. I remember when I first heard her voice, I couldn't tell if she was black or white. Her voice didn't sound like any white women I have ever heard. But when Teena fills out an official form that asks for her race, guess what race she marks? Not black, even though her" performance" is black. Teena marked white because that's what she is by birth, not performance, that determines identity.
Now the born again experienced could be explained in the same manner.  2 Corinthians 5:17 states, " If any man be in Christ he is a new creation, old things have pasted away behold all things have become new.
So who are you inspite of your sinful actions that are covered in the blood of Jesus. This is what Gods grace is for. Time to get it right and to walk in your TRUE IDENTITY.

EXPOSING THE ENEMY IN RECOVERY

The only way to expose the enemy is to reveal the truth to the deceived.[counterfeit]
According to Proverbs 23:7, "As a man thinks in his heart...he is!" In other words, unless a person in recovery pulls away from the "ADDICT" identity, he will maintain a mentality that will make it convenient to use drugs. (Hunt, 2010)
I'll use another example so you can grasp at this analogy a little better. If a man thinks of himself as an adulterer, then he is not surprised to find himself in bed with someone other than his wife. If he is confronted with this issue, he will simply think to himself, "This is who I am." This type of identity crisis must be exposed and turned towards Christ. Individuals must lose their identity of "Drug Addict" and embrace their true identity as "A child of God."
Our past does not define who we are. What are your thoughts concerning the importance of your identity in recovery?