For a number of issues of this Health Tip, we have been dealing with the subject of addictions. We have named a number of addictive substances that man indulges in and learned that there are many who desire to be freed of these addictions but are struggling.

In an effort to help people free themselves of these addictions, I began a three-part series to help folks better understand their addiction. First, we dealt with the subject of “Why Do People Struggle With Addictions?” Then last week we dealt with the subject “Why Doesn’t God Take Away My Addictions When I Pray?”

In this issue we are going to answer the question: How do I overcome my addictions?

Before we get to today’s subject, I want to share a few excerpts from letters I received from readers in response to the last article.

“Just read your Health Tip on Why God Seldom Answers Prayers For Addictions and Healing. George, how can we get this message to faith healers? If we want to experience healing, we must take control of our own health and not ask God to do it for us! May God continue to bless your ministry!”
Roger

“Hi George, I wanted to concur about your military and discipline comments. I often tell people that I was afraid to go to college after high school because I didn’t trust myself. The reality is that I knew I didn’t have the self-discipline needed to excel in college, but I learned it in the Navy. I was less afraid of going into the military because I knew in the military I would have boundaries around me to help keep myself in line. What I didn’t realize was how quickly I would learn the art of self-discipline. “
Health Minister Jerrod Sessler

(Jerrod was featured on the cover of our Back to the Garden publication dated Winter 2003. He overcame terminal, metastasized, melanoma cancer in 1999 after adopting The Hallelujah Diet. He is still alive and well and cancer free after being on The Hallelujah Diet for over 10 years. Jerrod published his story this year in the book, 5% Chance – Winning the Cancer Race. This book is available from Hallelujah Acres. Our VP of Health Olin Idol, ND, CNC says, “Jerrod will lead you on a pathway to optimal health.”)

“Thank you, Rev. Malkmus, for all your Health Tips, and especially for this most-excellent one. I agree totally with what you had to say about self-discipline. I, too, have always said that everyone should have to serve in the military . . . especially now with all the broken homes and no one to teach discipline and self-reliance. My vote goes to George Malkmus for President!!!”
Jennifer

“Thank you so much, Rev. Malkmus, for your article on ‘Addictions and Healing.’ I am not always faithful to The Hallelujah Diet, but I do understand that it is my responsibility and no one else’s if I fail. Churches are the worst for feeding their members bad food. I have stopped going to mid-week service because the list of illnesses is so long and I know that if these people are going to get well, they MUST take control of their own health. I love your ministry and pass out your books all the time.”
Beverly

The above letters are just a small sampling of the types of letters I received in response to that article. Now let’s see if we can’t offer some suggestions to those who desire to break an addiction.

SUGGESTIONS FOR OVERCOMING AN ADDICTION

When we put things into our physical body that were never designed by God to enter it, there is an adverse chemical reaction that takes place.

Take refined sugar for instance. When a person puts concentrated sugar into their body, terrible things start to happen. Refined sugar is probably the most widely used addictive drug in the world. This drug is found in almost every manufactured food product and consumed by most people every day.

But it is not just the sugar that is addictive, because almost every item found in the average persons diet, is also addictive: meat, dairy, cheese, white flour, caffeine, salt, etc. However, it would appear that sugar is the most addictive. People who attempt to adopt The Hallelujah Acres Diet and Lifestyle tell me sugar is by far the most difficult to give up, with animal products being the second most addictive.

Now some suggestions for overcoming these food addictions, and let me say that these suggestions can also be used as an aid in overcoming an addiction to any substance – including caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, marijuana, etc.

NUMBER ONE: PRAYER

Prayer helps, but prayer alone will usually not produce victory over an addiction. The Bible tells us in Galatians 6:7: “Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”

God will usually not do for us what we can do for ourselves. Way too many people think that all they have to do is ask God to take away some addiction, while they go merrily along their way, continuing to place this addictive substance into their body.

If a person is going to have victory over an addiction, they must take responsibility and become accountable for their own actions. Isn’t this what the Bible is trying to tell us in James 2:26: “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”

NUMBER TWO: TAKE CONTROL

A person desiring to break an addiction must understand that this is a physical body God has given them, and although it was probably initially in ignorance they put that addictive substance into their body, nonetheless they are now addicted.

If they want to stop the addiction, they must starve the body of this addictive substance, and not allow the smallest amount to enter the body.

However, and this is so vitally important we understand, starving the body of an addictive substance will cause the body to go into withdrawal symptoms as the body continues to crave and demand this stimulant.

Withdrawal symptoms are not pleasant. Not wanting to experience these unpleasant withdrawal symptoms, the person continues to place these addictive substances into their body, and the vicious cycle continues.

Victory over an addiction will never occur until the person stops putting the addictive substance into their body! No matter how much they pray and ask God for the victory, the addiction will continue as long as they continue placing that addictive substance into their body.

In order to achieve victory over an addiction, a person must mentally take control of their physical body by denying the body its demand for more of the addictive substance.

In other words, the person must mentally take control of their body, and not continue to allow the body to control the mind, as they have done in the past. Yielding to the bodies demand for more, even one time, will bring defeat, and make it increasingly difficult for the person to achieve victory.

NUMBER THREE: ADOPT THE HALLELUJAH ACRES DIET AND LIFESTYLE

The most powerful tool a person who desires to break an addiction has is to adopt The Hallelujah Diet. Why is this so powerful?

Most addictions have their beginning at the cellular level of the body! When the body’s cells are not being properly nourished there is lack of satisfaction at cellular level. Because the cells are not being satisfied with good nutrition, the cells plead for nutritional satisfaction.

Addictions begin when a person subconsciously attempts to satisfy the cell’s desire for good nutrition by the placing a non-nutritional substance called a stimulant into their body. This stimulant tricks the body into believing cellular needs have been met, and thus subdues the body’s cry for good nutrition.

The problem is that now the person is addicted to that non-nutritional stimulant, which is causing the body to believe it is being satisfied nutritionally when the addictive substance is placed into it.

This begins a vicious cycle – The body craves the addictive stimulant – and is only satisfied when more of that stimulant is provided. Deny the body that stimulant, and the body goes into withdrawal, and withdrawal symptoms go away only when more of that stimulant is provided. It is a vicious cycle!

“O wretched man that i am, who shall deliver me . . .”

The apostle Paul, in Romans 8:15-25, went through a similar experience although for a totally different reason. Following are a few exerts from that passage:

“For the good that I would I do not: the evil which I would not, that I do… But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members… O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?”

How can a person turn things around, break the addiction to this non-food stimulant, and achieve victory over that addictive substance? The first step in breaking an addiction is to start satisfying the cell’s nutritional needs, and that can be accomplished by adopting The Hallelujah Acres Diet and Lifestyle.

If a person will simultaneously stop the intake of the addictive substance through will and mind power and start flooding the body with living nutrients found in the raw vegetables and juices, this will help take the edge off the problem. Now the cells are being satisfied nutritionally.

It is also extremely important that a person start moving their body through daily vigorous exercise, which will cause toxins to start moving out of the body. Vigorous bodily movement also causes the body to take in copious amounts of oxygen, which helps satisfy the cells, clear the mind, and help empower the person.

VICTORY OVER ADDICTIONS IS POSSIBLE

Following is your Scriptural path to victory over an addiction.

• Pray – “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16)

• Request God’s help – “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)

• Take control by of the situation by denying self – “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mark 8:34)

• Start nourishing the body’s cells with the living nutrients God told us in Genesis 1:29 that we should nourish our bodies with – “And God said, Behold I have given you every herb [vegetable] bearing seed, which is upon the face of all the earth, and every tree, in the which is the fruit of a tree yielding seek: to you it shall be for meat [food].”

• Start exercising – “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread . . .” (Genesis 3:19) and “…if any would not work, neither should he eat.” (II Thessalonians 3:10)

• Think only positive thoughts – “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue and if there be any praise, think on these things. Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.” (Philippians 4:8,9)

Whether you experience victory over your addiction is entirely up to YOU – not God, this editor, nor anyone else! Rhonda and I will be praying for you, but our prayers will not be to ask the Lord to take your addiction away from you, but rather that you will have the strength and courage to take control of your own body and do what you now know you need to do to achieve victory.

Remember, Philippians 4:13 says: “I CAN DO ALL THINGS through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

(If you would like Rhonda and this editor to include you in our prayers as we kneel by our bedside each evening, send us an email here.)