Lisa and Gambling

Addiction is a powerful bondage that binds us to the sins of the world. It is an evil spirit that is sent by Satan into our lives to deceive us and destroy our lives ever so slowly. It is like a long, long line that he has hooked us with and is ever so slowly reeling us closer and closer. When you get close enough he has you in his grasp forever. All the fun that you thought you were having along the way is over and you live a life of hell.

Some people choose to commit suicide as they begin to feel the pain of his hook pulling and tugging them in. They kill themselves to try and escape the destruction that they feel in their lives. Little do they know that by pulling the trigger or popping the pills that they are caught for everlasting eternity and cast into hell. Satan smiles as he puts another soul into his net.

There are many types of bondage’s or addictions in the world that Satan tries to hook us with: alcohol, drugs, sex, and gambling are some of the big ones. No matter what your addiction is, no matter how long you’ve been bound to it, it is not too late to get released and free from it. Don’t let Satan reel you in any closer! Break free from that line and get away while you can! But you ask, “How?” How do you free yourself? Let me tell you. You cannot do it by yourself. You have to have help. You have to ask for help and then be willing to receive your rescue.

I was a gambler. That was my bondage. I was very addicted to the game. Horse races, casino’s, the lottery, etc. However, video poker was my main game. I’ve heard it is the “cocaine of gambling”. I started off innocently, so I thought, playing bingo, around 1983.That is when the reel was cast by the devil himself. From bingo I was pulled into horse races, the lottery, casino’s, and video poker. I gambled away at least $30,000, that I know of, in about a year and a half. I almost lost it all, and I’m not talking about money. I have a beautiful family with a husband of 16 years and 2 great children. I nearly lost them to my gambling addiction. It nearly destroyed my marriage. My husband tried to get me to quit gambling. He threatened to leave me and I begged and promised him that I would never play again. And I quit. For a few weeks or months, then I would gradually start back.

I hocked all my jewelry one time and would hide my hands from my husband so that he wouldn’t notice that the diamond ring he’d bought me for Christmas wasn’t on my finger. I depleted my precious children’s savings account of $10,000 that their grandmother had been saving for them through the years.

I took out loan after loan just to make it until the next “big win.” I can even remember the time I sat on a stool in front of a video poker machine, (down several hundred dollars and too scared to go home and admit it to my husband) and I actually prayed to God, “Lord if You let me win my money back I’ll never play again.” The next play of the machine I won everything back, cashed out, and left.

For months I didn’t play. I was scared that I’d get struck by lightening or something if I lied to God. But, even that was not enough to keep me away. Satan pulled the line even harder and I was right back on the stool playing the machines again.

Unfortunately, it took something very tragic in my life to make me see where I was heading. My dear mother, my best friend, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had to have a total mastectomy. I am a nurse and that helped me to be able to help her. I stayed right by her side through it all.

You see, she was right by my side throughout all the gambling years. We were gambling buddies. During her surgery the Lord spoke to her and in an indirect way to me also. I knew that I had to change my lifestyle. I didn’t want to continue on that path that I was headed. I no longer wanted to be played by Satan. I no longer wanted my life to rule me. I had tried to quit gambling so many times in the past. I even picked up the phone a couple of times and called Gamblers Anonymous to find out when the next meeting was, but I could never make myself go. But, now the time had come that I had to do something. I turned to God in my time of need as many people do.

He is so loving and merciful. It was hard for me to ask Him for forgiveness for lying to Him, but by His grace I am forgiven for that and all my sins! I asked the Lord to help me get over the desire to gamble. I know that God answered that prayer, because for nearly 2 years now I haven’t gambled and the best thing is that I don’t want to!

My life has changed more than I can ever tell you. I am so happy now. I have such a peace about me, a peace that passes all understanding. My marriage has never been better. God has placed us in a wonderful church with a great church family. I now give everything I can to God’s kingdom work and am claiming everything that I let Satan rob from me. Satan is not the only one who knows how to fish. I am now a fisherman of men and I want everyone to feel the happiness that I have.

God can deliver you too. He can cut that line that you’ve allowed Satan to hook you with. All you have to do is ask God to help you. Do you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to save you from your sins? Read John 3:16. Ask Jesus to come into your heart. Ask for forgiveness of your sins. You too can have a new life. A life without guilt and shame and destruction. Please don’t wait for something tragic to happen in your life to ask God for help.

I pray that this testimony may help you or someone you know. May God bless you, too.

Lisa