How to Defeat Harmful Habits (Counseling Through the Bible Series)

“After frequently trying and failing to break the bondage of addiction, too many lose hope. Soon ‘failure’ becomes their identity. June deals with the roots of addiction and reveals the right route to freedom.”

—F
RANK
M
INIRTH
, MD

President, The Minirth Clinic

Best-selling author/coauthor of more than 80 books or booklets

“Well aware that answers for overcoming addictions aren’t ‘one-size-fits-all,’ June lays out a multilayered solution addressing the emotional, physical and spiritual dimensions. This comprehensive, practical handbook provides hope for those struggling with
any
form of addiction.”

—M
ARIAN
C. E
BERLY
, MSW, LCSW, RN, P
H
D/
CAND

Coauthor,
Eating Disorders: A Handbook of Christian Treatment

“For those struggling with an addiction, ‘hope for the heart’ is in short supply…but not for June Hunt, who, for 25-plus years, has been helping the hopeless push past their debilitating strongholds. Here is your hope—June knows how to help!”

—T
ODD
M C
LEMENTS
, MD

Founder, The Clements Clinic Coauthor,
Blue Genes

“After decades of counseling men and women from all walks of life, June knows how to lead readers to truth—truth that liberates because is it truth from God. In these pages, discover the precepts of life June masterfully presents…and the freedom that follows.”

—K
AY
A
RTHUR

CEO, Precept Ministries International

Author,
When the Hurt Runs Deep—Healing and Hope for Life’s Desperate Moments

“As an Addiction Specialist, I can assure you: June knows how to speak into the stronghold of addiction…and provide God’s way out. Read this landmark book for yourself or a loved one—it could save a life.”

—G
REGORY
J
ANTZ
, P
H
D

Founder, The Center for Counseling and Health Resources (
aplaceofhope.com
)

Author,
Turning the Tables on Gambling

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS

EUGENE, OREGON

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version
^®
, NIV
^®
. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

Verses marked
NKJV
are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Verses marked
KJV
are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Verses marked
NLT
are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reserved.

Verses marked
ESV
are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Verses marked
NASB
are taken from the New American Standard Bible
^®
, © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (
www.Lockman.org
)

Cover by Garborg Design Works, Savage, Minnesota

Cover photo © iStockphoto / ImagineGolf

HOW TO DEFEAT HARMFUL HABITS

Copyright © 2011 by Hope for the Heart, Inc.

Published by Harvest House Publishers

Eugene, Oregon 97402

www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Hunt, June.

How to defeat harmful habits / June Hunt.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references.

ISBN 978-0-7369-2329-3 (pbk.)

ISBN 978-0-7369-4148-8 (eBook)

1. Habit breaking—Religious aspects—Christianity. I. Title.

BV4598.7.H86 2011

248.8'62—dc23

2011024631

All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means—electronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any other—except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
LB-SK
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

With genuine delight I dedicate this book to my dear friend and dedicated partner in ministry, Jim Cress. Initially an announcer for our teaching program,
Hope For The Heart
, Jim also began cohosting my live two-hour call-in counseling program,
Hope In The Night
on opening night, 1996. Since then he has contributed immeasurably to its success on hundreds of stations.

Jim’s deep, warm voice opens our program each weeknight, welcoming listeners and inviting their calls. Because he himself is a wise, seasoned counselor, I’ve relied on Jim countless times to help me think past a caller’s
presenting problem
to get to the
real problem
. His insights have proven invaluable—especially helping me help strugglers caught in various addictions. And no one has been more used by God to help me understand the world of
dual addictions
.

With two master’s degrees, Jim adroitly addresses these issues based on his specialized training as a Certified Sexual Addiction Therapist. But he also speaks from personal experience. As you can see on pages 328-30, Jim was a struggler-turned-overcomer who had an addiction that impacted every aspect of his life. And, instead of hiding his painful past, he has been willing to share how God has taken his “mess” and turned it into a ministry!

Having made the arduous climb to
the top of the mountain
, Jim maintains a thriving, private counseling practice in Charlotte, North Carolina. (That’s right—thanks to the wonders of technology, he is the call screener and cohosts the broadcast “virtually”!) He also leads intensive workshops on a bimonthly basis for men seeking freedom from sexual addiction.

Jim’s personality is disarmingly fun and winsome—the perfect balance to his bright, razor-sharp intellect. (Little-known factoid you won’t hear from him: Jim aced New Testament Greek in seminary—coming in at the very top of his class!) Many times during a difficult call, I’ve asked Jim (off mic), “What do you think?”…and sure enough, Jim’s insights were just what I needed.

Jim and his talented wife, Jessica, have three children—Jonathan, Joseph, and Julianna.

So, my dear friend Jim, thank you for the many years you have stayed up with me into the wee hours, offering help, healing, and hope in the night. And because of the spiritual growth I’ve seen in you over the years, I also
thank you for being an authentic man of God whom I genuinely respect
.