Gambling Freedom in 60 Days: Day 9

Why do people slip up?

Example #1 We have a gambler clean for 5 days now. He has been reading a book on controlling his emotions because he knows that when things go bad he always gambles. On Sunday he wakes up highly determined to stay clean. He goes to church, after he gets home he reads his book and even underlines the parts he wants to think about later in the day and meditate on. Very strong indeed. Then his wife starts to nag him about their finances. He immediately blows up and gives her a long thorough piece of his mind. I don’t need to tell you how this story ends. But I will, with a wild trip to the casino.

Increase self-control with prayer. When we pray Father, help me to care only about quitting my addiction, we are directly asking God to help us pause before blowing up. We are asking Him to make us realize how important it is to fight to control our emotions. Our partner or boss wants to start a fight but we now care only about quitting our addiction.

Let’s continue to watch people who are trying to quit to see what they are doing. Mike decided to pray every day: Father, give me the wisdom to understand that I must move on to other things. Help me to realize that someday I will enjoy other things just as much as this addiction and that I will not have the destruction that gambling always adds.

Lisa decided to make it a habit to pray at least 3 times per day “Lord, help me to develop positive addictions.”

Details to assist the gambling freedom program: Read books that will help you control your emotions or the things that are out of control in your life. Underline key points of advice and review that advice often until it becomes a habitual part of your life.

Example #2 We have the hardcore gambler. Clean for 6 days now she is in the mood for a good movie. She loves her HBO and likes to rent movies often. She starts to watch a movie and notices that there is a major theme of gambling and partying going on. Well, she is not going to give up that quickly for a movie that she paid good money for. After the movie ends she can’t stop the urge to gamble online no matter how hard she tries.

Does sin lead to addiction. One of the reasons the Bible was written was to guide you in a way that would help you avoid destruction and another reason it was written was to help you find joy. #1 Never let sin kill your joy. #2 get the sin out because it may lead you back to gambling.

Make it a goal to be clean in all ways. Even when you stay clean from your addiction, if your mind is filled with dark evil things you will never find real joy. When we pray Father, help me to care only about quitting my addiction, we are directly asking God to show us if our movie channels or our this, or our that, are leading us directly back to our addiction. This is exactly the type of prayer that God answers. He wants you to be clean, filled with light and be fighting to get the darkness (sin) out.

Key Point #2 Always be analyzing what you are doing that leads you back to your addiction. Then find ways to make the changes that will help you succeed.

Read John 6, 1st Corinthians 6 and Proverbs 4 from the Bible.

Continue to read “The Purpose Driven Life”.

Jim determined to pray morning noon and night: Father take away my anger. If other emotions are a problem for you pray about them as well.

Psalm 33:5
The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.

Lisa decided to make it a habit to say “my focus is to care first about quitting my addiction” 3 times today.

Mike determined to say three times every day: “This temptation will go away if I don’t act on it. If I give in it will return and it may be even stronger next time. If I don’t give in it will go away and someday it will go away for good. I have the self control to change”.

Thank you for reading day 9 that will provide you the power of self-control to stay away from thoughts of gambling!

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Index

Day one: Quitting addiction exercises

Day two: It is important to admit you are powerless

Day 3: Learn the right way to live

Day 4: Getting rid of negative emotions

Day 5: Remember – money lost is not yours. Don’t try to get it back or you will lose more.

Day 6: can you increase your pleasure by gambling?

Day 7: Staying clean in all ways helps you quit the addiction

Day 8: Decide what pain and pleasure you want