Page 50 - Power Guide - January week 1 2019 FINAL

Scripture References for the Written Text: Philippians 2:9, I John 4:4, Psalm
9:1-2, 9-10, Psalm 18:1-3, John 8:36, James 5:16, Matthew 5:13-14,
Matthew 6:13, Romans 1:20, Deuteronomy 3:24

4. Concepts to Consider

Religious addiction can generally be defined as a
preoccupation with “spirituality” or “supernatural
phenomena” that may drive an individual to
abandon personal responsibilities, suspend critical
thinking, embrace rigidity and legalism, and/or
cloud self-awareness, and prevents a person
from truly experiencing a vital, loving relationship
with God.

As faithful followers of Jesus, we must remain ever
watchful to resist the temptation to use any “form of
religion” as a subtle substitute for actual relationship
with the Living God. In its most extreme form,
religious addiction can lead to destructive and
irrational behaviors, such as persons believing they
are “doing God’s will” by committing horrific acts,
such as murder or gross negligence. In its more
typical form, religious addiction can “appear as an
angel of light,” and become a tool of the evil one to
lure sincere persons away from the holistic
(shalom-based), daily, process-oriented,
“ordinariness” of growing in relationship with
God through Jesus Christ, empowered by His
Spirit.

When one abandons the step-by-step journey into a life
with God for primarily chasing after the next religious
fad (“every wind of doctrine,” Ephesians 4:14), or
next “mountain-top experience,” then one is in
danger of tipping toward religious addition.

50