1 John 4:4 CSB

You are from God, little children, and you have conquered them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

John 1:14, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.” Ponder that Jesus experienced everything we do while He was walking on the earth. He was a baby. He was fed and changed. He had to learn to walk. He grew out of clothes. He wrestled family dynamics. He grew up. He had a job. He faced hunger, homelessness, poverty, abuse, and I pause at addiction. Did Jesus struggle with addiction? No, because Jesus used His free will to say no when he was tempted, and it’s the temptation that leads to doing what then creates addiction. Addiction is a hard hole to dig out of, but it still boils down to using free will. You are free to say no, just as much as you are free to say yes.

A woman giving a beautiful message used the example of an avocado. She held up the whole avocado. God wants us to be fully whole, in union with Him. When we aren’t in union, we separate ourselves from Him. She cut it in two halves. What struck me with this illustration was the hole on one side where the pit would be. When we are separated from God, there is a hole in our lives that is perfectly shaped to be filled and made whole by God. But instead, we use our free will to fill it with other things, drugs, alcohol, porn, food, overwork…whatever! We try forcing it to fit when the only thing that will fit is union with God.

When the Devil tempted Jesus after forty days in the wilderness, Jesus could have easily used His free will for bread. Afterall, the man hadn’t eaten in forty days! But Jesus saw beyond the right now moment to see future consequences. What would have happened to us, if Jesus would have made a self-centered choice to feed his physical hunger with bread that came with an eternal consequences price tag.

When we are faced with the decision to take a drink, or hit, or push play, we aren’t thinking of the consequences later, we are thinking in the right now moment. God loves us so much that He doesn’t restrict our use of our free will, but are we? Are we restricting our own free will? If we are free to say yes, aren’t we as equally as free to say no? When faced with a choice, why don’t we pause to look beyond the right now moment and envision the future? A “yes” to addiction’s darkness leads to and fixes nothing! While a “no” takes you on a path of light and life.  The choice seems like it should be easy to make, but yet time and time again people are swallowed up by the darkness. 

You say things like, “It’s so hard, it has power over me.” But does it? Did you know the same power that brought a dead man back to life can live your heart? “The Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you,” Romans 8:11. Don’t you think that kind of power could be used to walk away from temptation? Jesus sure did! Matthew 4:10-11, “Jesus said to him, ‘Away from me, Satan! For it is written: Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’ 11 Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him.”

Do you think, “Well, that’s Jesus, He’s perfect. I’m not!” Remember, He was fully man using the same free will you have. Then you think, “Well, it’s too late now for me. I’m past hope. Surely my behavior has separated me from Jesus. I’m sure He is disappointed in me.” No! He loves you! He’s waiting for you. He won’t force you to come to him, but His arms are wide open and inviting at any moment in time.

Pastor Breck Boyd of the Resting Place states, “Every temptation you’ll ever face will be about the same thing: to steal the identity of your sonship, to separate you from the Father’s love.” Even if you grasp that He loves, do you love him? Maybe you have some misguided belief that a life with Jesus won’t be exciting anymore, that He is some sort of fun killer. Really? Waking up in the morning with a hangover, shame, guilt, broken relationships, in jail, or worse is fun?

The only wall of separation between you and Jesus is built by you! So, I’m calling you out Avocado Person…stop making excuses, tear down that wall and walk into a whole avocado union with Jesus! Let Him fill that hole in your life then you will know “the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world,” 1 John 4:4.