MMORPG (how to break the addiction)

I have a friend who has written me. She is very upset and shared that her marriage is in trouble. She shared that her husband has been playing a MMORPG for along time and he has gotten so that he spends all of his non work time playing this game. This couple are both christian but she is at her breaking point with him. She does not know how to get him to stop. Anyone else here struggle with this and have anything to share that I might pass along to my friend she is really upset.

Thanks
rdg

If he is truly a Christian and she cannot convince him of the multiple sins represented in this addiction and breach of Christian life, then she needs to hold him accountable through the church (a believer should be cognizant of this already). Hopefully the church is transparent, as many would be shocked and flabbergasted that such an issue was brought before them. If they cannot help with this then you can be assured there are a bevy of other issues that go undelt with.

I recently gave up "World of Warcraft" two weeks ago, mainly because it was taking up too much time, money, and Hard Drive space (30gb+) plus I simply wasn't getting anywhere with it.

Anywhoo, what made me throw the game into the digital trash can was when last week, after a hard day's work I decided to take an afternoon nap where I had this really weird nightmare:
I was getting ready for my Wedding Day (no idea who to!), and on the drive to the chapel, I was chased by a... Death Knight (picture a zombie dressed in shing armor) from "World of Warcraft" on horseback that wanted to kill me! Very weird, but the symbolism speaks for itself.

I'm not trying to condemn computer/video games altogether; all things are permissible within moderation, but yes, what may be a liberty for some may stumble others.

I posted this thread on here last year pertaining to this topic. I hope it helps.

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?topic_id=33885&forum=35&start=0&viewmode=flat&order=0

Not too long ago, I quit games altogether. There's just no way for me to justify them whatsover. My conscience condemns them. That could be time on your knees spent with Christ. He is so much more satisfying than videogames could ever be.

Ahhhmmmm....how far do you want to go with this electronic games?

I love sudoku..I could pray for hours BUT it is a time killer, time robber. We are called to give account on how we use our time, are we not? Are we not also stewards of our time?

Yes, one can use his time far more wisely in some other creative pursuits.

Actually, years ago we used to get the "The Commercial Appeal" newspaper from Memphis. It had a crossword puzzle in it. I loved to do it. It got to the point where I eagerly awaited its delivery so I can do it and to see how fast I could finish it. I think I could do it in ten minutes. Anyhow, I got good at it. BUT the LORD spoke to me about it,convicted me about my obsession with it...I repented and lost my interest and drive to do any. In fact I can hardly do them anymore unless it deals with Biblical topics.

My experience.
ginnyrose

I as well have been dealt with in this area. I am 22, so mostly all my friends, even Christain friends, play games. We all have a line that we know this is wrong. I believe people justify this line away and the conviction fades, but I think we all know this. I believe, for me at least, it would be better for me to do nothing I mean nothing, than to play games. The same for movies and t.v. also.

This is a good topic for us to search for truth in this age. May God bless you with His love and conviction.

In love,
Joe

So I spoke with my friend this morning and she is in a much better place. She has repented of her anger towards her husband and admitted that the time he is spending playing this game has really caused her to feel angry and resentful. She said that friends prayers over the past few days have helped her with the attitude of her heart toward her husband. I believe she was really coming under attack from the enemy in all of this. She said that she is now in a place where she can lovingly, patiently be in prayer for her husband.

I just wanted to say thanks for the responses. I agree that all things in moderation is what is needed here. I also see that for some playing these games is as addicting as other forms of entertainment and should be avoided altogether. I will pass along some of the thoughts shared here, as with everything I think prayer is the real key.

rdg

Amen RDG. It is very important for wives in this situation to be in serious prayer for their husbands, my wife's prayers helped enormously.

She has repented of her anger towards her husband and admitted that the time he is spending playing this game

rdg, is there a possibility that there are some other issues at work in this couple's life that need to be dealt with? The husband may be using this to escape from the stresses in the home and from facing up to his responsibility, but in reality it only exacerbates it.

Just a thought....

I used to be a gamer. Even though I did not admit it, games were my life. Over a year ago, the Lord brought me face to face with my idolatry and in his great mercy brought me to repentance. It was a great battle but He delivered me from gaming all together. Similarly to ginnyrose and her obsession of crossword, I no longer have any interest in them.

Not too long ago, one morning I was reading in Proverbs 1 and the following passages really hit me. You know it’s the kind of passage you’ve read many times and never though it could have anything to do with you. Well the Lord showed me what I had been doing all those years playing MMORPGs. For those who played these kind of games in the past, read it with WoW in mind.

Proverbs 1:10-19
(10) My son, if sinners lure you, do not be willing.
(11) If they say, Come with us, let us lie in wait for blood, we will watch secretly for the innocent without cause;
(12) let us swallow them up alive as the grave, and whole, as those who go down into the pit;
(13) we shall find all precious goods; we shall fill our houses with plunder;
(14) cast in your lot among us, and let us have one purse.
(15) My son, do not walk in the way with them! Keep back your foot from their path,
(16) for their feet run to evil and make haste to shed blood.
(17) Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird,
(18) And they lie in wait for their own blood; they watch secretly for their own lives.
(19) So are the ways of everyone who gains unjust gain; it takes away its owners' life.

This is a pretty good description of what we do virtually when we play these games. When you consider the following words from Jesus, I now believe that the sins we commit in these games are spiritually deadly even if they are not physically real.

Matthew 5:27-28
(27) You have heard that it was said to the ancients, "You shall not commit adultery."
(28) But I say to you that whoever looks on a woman to lust after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

I love playing games. The Lord won't let me play them though; hasn't for years. The Holy Spirit convicts me so terribly if I get started on one that I cannot continue for the pain. It used to lead me to other temptations and sin as well. I know well the satanic warfare involved in this pursuit.

I recall once when I was playing a game wherein I was building an empire that the Lord asked me if I wanted to rule in that game or if I wanted to reign with Him in His kingdom. That got my attention.

Rainydaygirl....
Your friend must pray hard. This is a demonic stronghold. It is very alluring to a man b/c it fulfills such a core desire in our hearts. It also literally becomes an addiction b/c of the chemicals released while playing. Maybe a vacation can be planned with no way of playing so as to get him out of the delirium, the "drunkened state" he's in. During this time get him with godly men in the outdoors. The Wild at Heart bootcamp would be good for his soul. Intimacy deadens the lust that strengthens this sin. He also needs to see the adventure , the war and the real kingdom in this life to help him want to avoid the counterfeit. I've said so little, but I hope it helps. I'm very concerned what the evil one is doing in this area with our young men.

I used to be a "softcore" gamer. I always knew it was wrong, since I was always looking forward for a time to play instead of sharing this spare time with The Lord (in prayer, worship, etc.). In fact, The Lord delivered me from this boundage by removing (little by little) the interest i had for it, I mean, I couldn't testify of a dramatic experience or a brutal sense of conviction. For me, it seems that the more I indulged myself to play, the less I could get pleasure out of it. Now, this might make you (the former "hardcore" gamer) laugh/smile but I could relate of a "spirit" of losing, I mean, it seems that I lost all the time, and at last, I couldn't even remember why I was sticking on the screen, and when I got on my nerve and about to shout out loud / curse myself (or my opponent), the Spirit of God (which I "managed" few minutes before by saying, it's not really bad, I'm not sinning, I'm not cursing,etc.) remind me that on my own, I'm not able to keep "the promises" I made about playing "clean game". This "pattern" repeated itself over and over again regardless of the video game (I always thought I was good on PES and other fight game), it was almost like, I woke up one morning and I found myself so 'not-fit' for this stuff that I cast myself unto the nail-pierced foot of the Son of God and (re)committed myself to love/serve/enjoy every moment of my life with Him and Him alone.
The same went for T.V. I often listened to "old-fashioned" preaching "against" spending hours and hours on T.V (by Ravenhill, Wilkerson, etc.) but I always found a reason to resist the Spirit, and it was mostly "I have to be aware of the news, what if the political situation get better- there was a 'coup d'Etat' in M/car in 2009, and for two long years, things are getting worse, The Lord shows us another meaning of man's 'Total Depravity', I mean the politicians are just unable to solve this mess out, probably because they don't want to leave office -, etc." Again, the 'morosity' of the national news, the 'filthiness' of the broadcastedmovies (we used to zap them when things were getting 'unholy'). Weeks went by, months went by, we (we are 3 roommates) noticed that the T.V set has not been turned on for months, and then we realized that it was not THAT tough to get rid of T.V. I mean, I'm not boasting- all credits to THE LORD- but, you see when you come to the point when The Lord reveals to you how futile your idolatry, how stupid you were clinging to them, you just go "Thank you Lord, I don't need it". On this regard, I'd like to give a 'balanced' view: It is not so that I CANNOT/MUST NOT/ watch T.V., it's just that DON'T want... I mean, if this thing is not a "huge deal" then, why clinging on it?

In closing, I would like to tell my roommate testimony. he was HOOKED to P.C games/video games, he spent like 8h/12h on it. he was just UNABLE to get rid of a game he began. Obviously, he knew it was wrong for him to keep playing video games and keep following The Lord. A month ago, he told us that The Lord was dealing with him, confronting him with the truth, and one morning he broke all the C.D's he got and uninstalled all the games on the P.C Since that day, he had more time to spend with The Lord, and he has never backsliden ever since.

I'd like to share this sermon from David Wilkerson, it deals more with T.V but it did convince me not to indulge myself in the things of this world...

https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/myvideo/photo.php?lid=2244

Now, a precious thought:"For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory." Colossians 3:3-4.

As Paul Washer said "if you are a child of the Kingdom, NOTHING in this world will satisfy you", and it's 'funny' to confess it, but it is TRUE, I mean, SO TRUE, and I thank God every day that I'm no longer hooked on those addiction...

Blessings

I was a hardcore gamer before. I knew that what it was wrong to play so much. For exemple for the new year with some friend we played LAN at DOTA (defence of the ancient), we started at 9 am, until 4 pm the next day, I think I just slept for 30 mn. I was really addicted to video games. I thought that I just had to play less. I was able for a few time but, I always wanted more, it was never enough. I was like, "I'll stop in a hour" and after the hour was passed "another hour and I'll stop for sure", but only stopped when it was midnight.

But on january I was playing at mmorpg and I was wasting a lot of money. God convicted me that I must stop those games. So I took all my DVD and crushed them under my feet, and prayed God to protect me from further temptation, and now I'm free, my life really changed, I have more time to pray, and read the BIble. I Love just more than before

Glory be to God

"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."
Philippians 4:13