Relapse

““When an unclean spirit comes out of a man, it roams through waterless places looking for rest, and not finding rest, it then says, ‘I’ll go back to my house where I came from.’ And returning, it finds the house swept and put in order. Then it goes and brings seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and settle down there. As a result, that man’s last condition is worse than the first.”” (Luke 11:24–26, HCSB)

Addiction is like an unclean spirit. A person overcomes a drug or a drink and without any discipline, he thinks he has beaten it. However, it takes discipline because the drink or the drug will come back calling. Yet now when it calls, it will bring some friends. The call is stronger and more powerful, and more enticing. Like an addict who has a relapse, an unclean spirit continues to attack. The spirit returns with more power than the last time. The unclean spirit that returns with more spirits later to taunt the person. In the same way, a person tries to overcome an addiction. However, other potential addictions come calling. They entice the addict with more power than before.

A Christian who decides to overcome this kind of temptation needs to always be disciplined against the potential for a relapse.