I Want What I Want

II Timothy 3:13

But evil men and impostors (seducers) will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived.

Evil men...
How evil do you have to be, to be evil? No one likes to think of themselves as evil. No one actually makes it their life ambition on their first day of school in the first grade, to be evil. But the nature that we all carry around, that we are born with...that old sin nature, left unchecked and outside the saving grace of God, will gravitate toward "evil".

As the number of such people increase, society begins to embrace the beliefs and values that become defined as evil.

How about the word "impostors". When I hear that word, impostor, I think of something that is fake, or not real, such as counterfeit money. It looks like the real thing and may even be very close to real currency, but under scrutiny it cannot pass the test. Here again, no one likes to think themselves as being an impostor.

Notice what direction the verse from II Timothy takes......such men (and women), those who are evil and those who are impostors, will find themselves going deeper and deeper into the deception until they themselves are deceived, not seeing or understanding the truth.

I have seen this self-deception before. I have seen it ingrained in individuals that when confronted with the truth, they will embrace wrong choices, knowing full well that it means their destruction. No matter what you might say to them, they put such a spin on it that, in their own minds, they validate their values, or lack of them, and their choices.

Take the sin nature we are all born with, and add addiction on top of it and you have a deadly combination. One that, without the salvation and Power of Christ, will take a person all the way down to death and beyond. 

Step # 1 tells us that we must come to the place where we admit we are powerless because of our addiction, and that our lives, in every area, have become unmanageable.

Deception will allow us to say the words...."I am powerless", but won't allow us to truly believe it.

Step # 2 tells us that we must come to the place where we acknowledge that there must be a Power, someone who possesses greater abilities than we do, who can restore us to sanity. Sanity in this case means the ability to make sound decisions. Contrary to what most may think, addictive insanity occurs during our periods of sobriety. When, with a sober mind, we choose to take another drink, another pill, another shot, knowing full well of the destruction that is to follow. That is not only insanity, but a heart that is self-deceived. Deception doesn't want us to see the truth concerning a Power greater than ourselves. Deception whispers softly and seductively..."You can do this recovery thing on your own....you don't need any steps."

Step #3 tells us that we are now at the point of making a decision. One that involves letting go of  our own self-control to run our life. We now turn our will and our life over to the care of Jesus. Here is where the deception really begins to do a number on people. Deception tells us to go 50-50 on this decision. Once again that lying voice comes to us and whispers....."It's o.k. to turn your life over to this God.......but be careful about letting go of your will." Since the heart of addiction is defined as "Self-will run riot," we have actually made no decision what so ever. We have engaged in a religious ritual that has no significant bearing on dealing with our addiction. In II Timothy we see such thought and behavior defined  this way..."Having a form of godliness but denying its power." I look like I'm doing the right thing. I'm saying all the right words, but the very thing that can save my life...the Power and Presence of Jesus Christ, is absent in my life.
The verse goes on to say...."From such people turn away." In other words, you cannot run with such folks as this. They are no good for your own recovery and will lead you down the path of self-deception.

So what will you do?
Maybe today is a day of introspection.

Looking at ourselves and allowing God's Holy Spirit to show us who we truly are.
Strip away all the facade and all the image we try to create and let truth and healing come to us.

God on you....

mb