A good friend of mine recently recommended a video to me entitled,  “Chasing the Dragon: The Life of an Opiate Addict,” a documentary aimed at educating students and adults about the dangers of drug addiction. The director of the FBI, James Comey, and the acting DEA Administrator, Chuck Rosenberg introduce the video. You can watch the video by clicking here (this video contains unscripted interviews with actual drug users and is raw in its content).

Rosenberg tells us “Each year more than 46,000 people die from a drug overdose. That’s more people than die from car accidents or from gun violence, and half of those 46,000 deaths are related to opioid abuse.” The sad truth is that many of those whose lives are taken over by drug addiction are often kids from stable homes with strong families. These are everyday people who had good childhoods and as Comey says, “were given everything they wanted, and had everything going for them. But they took one wrong turn and they were hooked. And once you’re hooked, it is so very hard to get off these drugs and the spiral down is so quick.”

The sad truth is you can’t maintain an opiate addiction and a normal life for very long. Some people have asked me, “Does the Bible address the use of drugs? Yes, the Bible warns of the dangers of drugs, but it may not seem readily apparent. As the Apostle Paul is enumerating the sins of the flesh, he mentions sorcery,

idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, (Galatians 5:20)

The word that is translated “sorcery” is the Greek word  pharmakeia from which we derive our English word pharmacy. This word was used for the administration of drugs and by extension came to refer to sorcery and witchcraft. Sorcery involved the use of drugs, and was generally accompanied by incantations and appeals to occult powers. Drug addiction is so strong you may wonder is there any hope for those who ensnared?

Several years ago I read Fearless which chronicles the story of Adam Brown. On the football field Adam always chose to line up across from the strongest and biggest players. During his early 20’s, finding that rush put Adam in a dark place – from drinking to marijuana to an addiction to crack cocaine, Adam accumulated sixteen felony warrants. Adam’s father told the sheriff where his son was so Adam could be arrested and put in jail. Adam’s life was turned around when he spent a year at a Christian ministry in Florida known as Teen Challenge to help control his addiction.

Adam enlisted in the Navy and trained to become a Navy SEAL. Adam lost sight in his right eye when he was shot by a simulation round, but he made the best of it by playing a pirate for his two kids. Adam was also in an armored car accident that ripped off three of his fingers. In Afghanistan, Adam noticed how badly the children around him needed shoes, and with a call to his pastor, Adam put shoes on dozens of Middle Eastern children, showing that he was just as compassionate, as he was tough. On March 17, 2010, the Brown family got a knock at the door no military family wants to get. Adam’s team fell under heavy fire and he was shot and killed. You can watch a brief video of Adam’s life here (you may want some tissues handy).

Drugs have an addictive quality that controls a person; however, Jesus Christ has the ability to set the captive free. Regardless of where you live, drugs are present – but there is freedom,

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1)

There is hope and it is in the person of Jesus Christ!

Associate Pastor – Discipleship.  The Church at LifePark

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University

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