Addiction and the Church’s Role

Addiction does not always come with a needle or a bottle. Sometimes it comes in the form of scrolling, spending, bingeing, or chasing approval. It can wear a suit or a hoodie. Addicted people are in suburban kitchens and city streets, in churches, schools, bedrooms, and boardrooms. It is not always visible.

At its root, addiction is less about indulgence than it is about escape as a way of quieting the ache, filling the void, silencing the fear, or outrunning the shame. It begins with a promise of relief but slowly becomes a prison of repetition. What once offered comfort becomes a master. And what once numbed the pain begins to deepen it.

In our culture, addiction is everywhere. Prescription pills swallowed in secret. Pornography hidden behind browser tabs. Instagram feeds endlessly refreshed for a momentary hit of validation. Overwork disguised as ambition. Wine poured just a little too early, a little too often. We are told to cope, to self-sooth, to escape.

At some point, numbing stops working. And the thing we turned to for control begins to control us. Some addictions destroy lives in a moment. Others erode them slowly, imperceptibly, over years. But the effect is the same captivity.

In Romans 7, the apostle Paul describes the agony of being aware of God’s standard and yet completely unable to meet His perfect will in our own strength. The war between the flesh and the spirit reveals that our minds may agree with God’s law, but the human nature keeps reaching for what is forbidden.

But there’s hope. Paul writes, “Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25).

The only way out of addictive thoughts and behaviors is through surrender to Jesus, His will, not through willpower. He breaks the power of habitual sin by giving us a new nature.

I have learned that healing starts when we tell the truth, stop pretending that we are stronger than we are, and invite Jesus into the places where we are most ashamed saying, “I cannot do this without You.”

That is where freedom begins.

No diagnosis, no therapy, no detox can heal what only the Holy Spirit can transform. Friend, this is one of the key advantages you and I have in this fight as champions. We are looking through the lens of spiritual truth, seeing the bigger picture, because we know that every battle is ultimately a battle of our soul.

Freedom is possible because of Jesus. His death broke the power of sin, and His resurrection makes new life available. The Holy Spirit gives discernment, strength, and conviction. He renews minds and transforms hearts. He sustains people through temptation and empowers them to walk in truth.

The Church is called to live inside this work. Addiction affects millions of families, communities, and churches. This is not a peripheral issue. It reaches into every generation and every neighborhood. The Church has the Word of God, the presence of Christ, and the indwelling of the Spirit! These are not resources to be observed. They are meant to be deployed.

Presence is one of the Church’s greatest responsibilities. The addicted need consistency, prayer, and people who will stay. Many carry shame and have been abandoned by those they trusted. The Church can offer something different: faithful love rooted in truth.

This calling includes discipleship, hospitality, and prayer. It includes sitting in hard moments without judgment. It includes speaking Scripture aloud when someone has forgotten how to hope. It includes walking with people through long recoveries and difficult decisions.

Some people will experience deliverance in a single moment. Others will walk through a long process that requires patience, truth, and endurance. God is present in both. He is not measuring outcomes. He is drawing hearts. His mercy is steady through every relapse and every return. His kindness leads people to repentance. His truth restores dignity. His presence does not waver.

If you are in a battle, do not believe the lie that you are alone. You are not hidden from God. You are not disqualified. You are not unloved. Freedom is possible. Your life matters. And there are people, many people, ready to walk with you toward healing.

Adapted from Champions for the Brokenhearted by Nick Vujicic. Copyright © 2025 by NickV Ministries. Published by NickV Ministries. Tune in to LIFE TODAY on Feb. 4 and 5 to learn more about Nick Vujicic’s powerful ministry.