Breaking free from habitual sin
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Works of the flesh
Paul tells us this in the 5th Chapter of Galatians. The entire Book of Galatians, but especially the 5th Chapter, is a warning from Paul to the Church at Galatia, which is also meant for us. The warning is that if they place their faith in anything except “Christ and Him Crucified,” that “Christ shall profit you nothing” (Gal. 5:2).
The Apostle goes on to say that if the Believer doesn’t adhere to the Way of the Spirit, which is the Way of the Cross, then works of the flesh will manifest themselves. He said:
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21).
Now let me say it again, because it is so very important:
If the Believer doesn’t understand the Cross of Christ, as it regards Sanctification, then, in some way, one or more of these “works of the flesh” are going to manifest themselves in his life. As stated, such is inevitable! The first four, “Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, and lasciviousness,” are obvious and easily understood. But the modern Christian quickly dismisses “idolatry, witchcraft, and heresies,” thinking they do not really apply today.
Let us address that:
First of all, any suggested way of victory other than the Cross of Christ, such as the “Purpose Driven Life,” the “Government of Twelve,” the “Word of Faith,” or “Denominationalism,” etc., constitutes idolatry. In effect, it is the same as Old Testament times, when Israel would begin to worship idols instead of Jehovah. To be sure, Israel actually referred to these idols as Jehovah; but the Lord definitely did not look at it in the same manner! And neither does He look any differently at modern idolatry!
Furthermore, all of this constitutes “heresies,” in which the modern Church abounds.
Let me say it more clearly:
Any doctrine, way, scheme, or direction made up by men, which means it is devised by men and not by God, is constituted by the Lord as “heresy,” which is a “work of the flesh.” Let me say it again, and because it is so very, very important! Any way other than “Christ and Him Crucified” is, in the eyes of God, “heresy.” Once one begins to understand these “works of the flesh,” these things become more obvious.
JSM
Paul tells us this in the 5th Chapter of Galatians. The entire Book of Galatians, but especially the 5th Chapter, is a warning from Paul to the Church at Galatia, which is also meant for us. The warning is that if they place their faith in anything except “Christ and Him Crucified,” that “Christ shall profit you nothing” (Gal. 5:2).
The Apostle goes on to say that if the Believer doesn’t adhere to the Way of the Spirit, which is the Way of the Cross, then works of the flesh will manifest themselves. He said:
“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God” (Gal. 5:19-21).
Now let me say it again, because it is so very important:
If the Believer doesn’t understand the Cross of Christ, as it regards Sanctification, then, in some way, one or more of these “works of the flesh” are going to manifest themselves in his life. As stated, such is inevitable! The first four, “Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, and lasciviousness,” are obvious and easily understood. But the modern Christian quickly dismisses “idolatry, witchcraft, and heresies,” thinking they do not really apply today.
Let us address that:
First of all, any suggested way of victory other than the Cross of Christ, such as the “Purpose Driven Life,” the “Government of Twelve,” the “Word of Faith,” or “Denominationalism,” etc., constitutes idolatry. In effect, it is the same as Old Testament times, when Israel would begin to worship idols instead of Jehovah. To be sure, Israel actually referred to these idols as Jehovah; but the Lord definitely did not look at it in the same manner! And neither does He look any differently at modern idolatry!
Furthermore, all of this constitutes “heresies,” in which the modern Church abounds.
Let me say it more clearly:
Any doctrine, way, scheme, or direction made up by men, which means it is devised by men and not by God, is constituted by the Lord as “heresy,” which is a “work of the flesh.” Let me say it again, and because it is so very, very important! Any way other than “Christ and Him Crucified” is, in the eyes of God, “heresy.” Once one begins to understand these “works of the flesh,” these things become more obvious.
JSM
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Only one tribe of the twelve tribes of Israel came out from among the Golden Calf worshippers in Exodus 32. The Way of the Cross might feel lonely, but we are never alone!
We March On!
Pastor Curtis
Out of 603,550 men who were readied for war that came out of Egypt under the power of God (Numbers 1:44-46), only two took their inheritance; Joshua (a type of Christ) and Caleb (a type of the body of Christ) (Matthew 7:14). There is only one message that changes the body of Christ into the image of Christ, and that is Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.
Jesus Christ and Him Crucified alone is the only answer for mankind...not human reasoning!
We March On!
Pastor Curtis
Out of 603,550 men who were readied for war that came out of Egypt under the power of God (Numbers 1:44-46), only two took their inheritance; Joshua (a type of Christ) and Caleb (a type of the body of Christ) (Matthew 7:14). There is only one message that changes the body of Christ into the image of Christ, and that is Jesus Christ and Him Crucified.
Jesus Christ and Him Crucified alone is the only answer for mankind...not human reasoning!
Acts of sin are sometimes things we are doing that either we don't know its a sin or don't believe its a sin. Practicing sins, we know what we are doing is wrong, yet we keep doing it. Our "sin nature" is never dormant. We fight it everyday. Sometimes we when the battle and sometimes we lose the battle. But remember, Jesus won the war for us! Thank you Jesus!
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Acts of sin will turn into practicing sinning (the works of the flesh Gal. 5:19-21) when the Believer Faith is not placed exclusively in Christ and the Cross, i.e., "The Finished Work," i.e., "The Blood of Jesus."
God does not give victory to the flesh. All victory is in Jesus Christ; all victory is in Who He Is and What He accomplished for us at Calvary. Those who are proclaiming Jesus, but forsaking the Cross are wrestling with God. They are trying to bring about victory other than by the "Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus-God's prescribed order of victory over sin, the world, the flesh, and the Devil (Rom. 8:2)."
This is why God (Jehovah, i.e., "a pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ") touched the hollow of Jacob thigh (type of the flesh). We learn from this, "Jacob the heel catcher," went from wrestling to clinging, (the flesh is now crippled) depending on God's blessing(s). The sentence of death must be written on the flesh-the power of the Cross must be entered into before we can steadily walk with God.
Remember, if you leave the Cross, you walk away from God! Most Christians have left their First Love. They are proclaiming Jesus, but forsaking the Cross (lukewarm-The Law of sin and death). This is called "Spiritual Adultery (Rom. 7:1-4)." If it continues, the scripture says the light is removed! Revelation 2:1-7; Revelation 3:14-19
The only way to God is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6)...the only way to Jesus Christ is by the Means of the Cross (Luke 14:27). The only way to the Cross is a denial of self (Luke 9:23). If any person tries to come any other way, Jesus says, "they are a thief and a robber" (John 10:1).
...have no confidence in the flesh (Phil. 3:3)
God does not give victory to the flesh. All victory is in Jesus Christ; all victory is in Who He Is and What He accomplished for us at Calvary. Those who are proclaiming Jesus, but forsaking the Cross are wrestling with God. They are trying to bring about victory other than by the "Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus-God's prescribed order of victory over sin, the world, the flesh, and the Devil (Rom. 8:2)."
This is why God (Jehovah, i.e., "a pre-incarnate appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ") touched the hollow of Jacob thigh (type of the flesh). We learn from this, "Jacob the heel catcher," went from wrestling to clinging, (the flesh is now crippled) depending on God's blessing(s). The sentence of death must be written on the flesh-the power of the Cross must be entered into before we can steadily walk with God.
Remember, if you leave the Cross, you walk away from God! Most Christians have left their First Love. They are proclaiming Jesus, but forsaking the Cross (lukewarm-The Law of sin and death). This is called "Spiritual Adultery (Rom. 7:1-4)." If it continues, the scripture says the light is removed! Revelation 2:1-7; Revelation 3:14-19
The only way to God is through Jesus Christ (John 14:6)...the only way to Jesus Christ is by the Means of the Cross (Luke 14:27). The only way to the Cross is a denial of self (Luke 9:23). If any person tries to come any other way, Jesus says, "they are a thief and a robber" (John 10:1).
...have no confidence in the flesh (Phil. 3:3)
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What Jesus accomplished on the Cross has given the Holy Spirit the legal right to live in us, to help us. The Cross has given us access into the Most Holy Place by the Blood of Jesus (Hebrews 10:19 NIV). Every single blessing received by the Child of God comes through Calvary.
If the Cross of Christ is not strictly the Object of our Faith, God looks at everything else as "worldliness." No matter how religious our efforts may be otherwise, it is still looked at by the Lord as "friendship with the world." This means the Believer in essence becomes an "enemy of God."
Christians must start thinking Spiritually, which refers to the fact that everything is furnished to us through the Cross, and is obtained by Faith and not works. Many Christians say you put too much emphasis on the Cross. I remind you that the Apostle Paul said, "We preach Christ Crucified (1 Cor. 1:23). He also said, "For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him Crucified (1 Cor. 2:2). Notice two subjects: Christ and the Cross. Why would the Apostle Paul say such a thing? Because that is the only way we receive victory over sin, the world, the flesh, and the Devil!
And he said to them all, If any man will come after Me (the criteria for Discipleship), let him deny himself (not asceticism as many think, but rather that one denies one's own willpower, self-will, strength, and ability, depending totally on Christ), and take up his cross (the benefits of the Cross, looking exclusively to what Jesus did there to meet our every need) daily (this is so important, our looking to the Cross; that we must renew our Faith in what Christ has done for us, even on a daily basis, for Satan will ever try to move us away from the Cross as the Object of our Faith, which always spells disaster), and follow Me (Christ can be followed only by the Believer looking to the Cross, understanding what it accomplished, and by that means alone [Rom. 6:3-5, 11, 14; 8:1-2, 11; 1 Cor. 1:17-18, 21, 23; 2:2; Gal. 6:14; Eph. 2:13-18; Col. 3:14-15]). Luke 9:23
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it (try to live one's life outside of Christ and the Cross): but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it (when we place our Faith entirely in Christ and the Cross, looking exclusively to Him, we have just found "more Abundant Life" [John 10:10]) Luke 9:24
As far as trying to do something as it concerns taking up the Cross daily, we are to do nothing. In fact, it was already done at Calvary some two thousand years ago. On a daily basis, we should reinforce our Faith in Christ and what He has done for us at the Cross (Rom. 6:3-5; 8:2, Gal. 2:20-21, Col. 2:10-15). This is the "Truth" which we must learn, act upon, and continue to act upon, which guarantees the help of the Holy Spirit.
We are not wrestling against flesh and blood. Satan has been defeated through the Cross. Principalities and powers have been spoiled (Col. 2:15). We are enforcing this victory through applying the Cross of Calvary to the pulling down strongholds by placing and maintain our Faith exclusively in Christ and the Finished Work at Calvary Cross where the victory was won, i.e., "The Blood of Jesus." Our source of Power is the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
The LORD shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace (Exodus 14:14). "In Justification, the Lord fights 'for' us, and in Sanctification, He fights 'in' us."
Two kinds of peace
Sanctifying peace allows the Holy Spirit to deliver the Believer into the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ so that the Life of Christ is manifested through the Believer by the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 4:11, Gal. 2:20-21, Romans 8:2; 13, John 14:21). We must remember, it is His Life (Christ) that brings the victory, and not ours.
JSM
If the Cross of Christ is not strictly the Object of our Faith, God looks at everything else as "worldliness." No matter how religious our efforts may be otherwise, it is still looked at by the Lord as "friendship with the world." This means the Believer in essence becomes an "enemy of God."
Christians must start thinking Spiritually, which refers to the fact that everything is furnished to us through the Cross, and is obtained by Faith and not works. Many Christians say you put too much emphasis on the Cross. I remind you that the Apostle Paul said, "We preach Christ Crucified (1 Cor. 1:23). He also said, "For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him Crucified (1 Cor. 2:2). Notice two subjects: Christ and the Cross. Why would the Apostle Paul say such a thing? Because that is the only way we receive victory over sin, the world, the flesh, and the Devil!
And he said to them all, If any man will come after Me (the criteria for Discipleship), let him deny himself (not asceticism as many think, but rather that one denies one's own willpower, self-will, strength, and ability, depending totally on Christ), and take up his cross (the benefits of the Cross, looking exclusively to what Jesus did there to meet our every need) daily (this is so important, our looking to the Cross; that we must renew our Faith in what Christ has done for us, even on a daily basis, for Satan will ever try to move us away from the Cross as the Object of our Faith, which always spells disaster), and follow Me (Christ can be followed only by the Believer looking to the Cross, understanding what it accomplished, and by that means alone [Rom. 6:3-5, 11, 14; 8:1-2, 11; 1 Cor. 1:17-18, 21, 23; 2:2; Gal. 6:14; Eph. 2:13-18; Col. 3:14-15]). Luke 9:23
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it (try to live one's life outside of Christ and the Cross): but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it (when we place our Faith entirely in Christ and the Cross, looking exclusively to Him, we have just found "more Abundant Life" [John 10:10]) Luke 9:24
As far as trying to do something as it concerns taking up the Cross daily, we are to do nothing. In fact, it was already done at Calvary some two thousand years ago. On a daily basis, we should reinforce our Faith in Christ and what He has done for us at the Cross (Rom. 6:3-5; 8:2, Gal. 2:20-21, Col. 2:10-15). This is the "Truth" which we must learn, act upon, and continue to act upon, which guarantees the help of the Holy Spirit.
We are not wrestling against flesh and blood. Satan has been defeated through the Cross. Principalities and powers have been spoiled (Col. 2:15). We are enforcing this victory through applying the Cross of Calvary to the pulling down strongholds by placing and maintain our Faith exclusively in Christ and the Finished Work at Calvary Cross where the victory was won, i.e., "The Blood of Jesus." Our source of Power is the Holy Spirit and the Word of God.
The LORD shall fight for you, and you shall hold your peace (Exodus 14:14). "In Justification, the Lord fights 'for' us, and in Sanctification, He fights 'in' us."
Two kinds of peace
- Justifying Peace - This is Peace with God, a legal standing. Rom. 8:7; Eph. 2:14-15
- Sanctifying Peace - This is the Peace of God in the heart. Rom. 8:6; 14:19; 15:13; Gal. 1:3
Sanctifying peace allows the Holy Spirit to deliver the Believer into the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ so that the Life of Christ is manifested through the Believer by the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 4:11, Gal. 2:20-21, Romans 8:2; 13, John 14:21). We must remember, it is His Life (Christ) that brings the victory, and not ours.
JSM
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What I am preaching here is to be studied! Most will reject it because they are enemies of the Cross (Philippians 3:18-19). Search the scriptures I have posted. Every jot and tittle must point to Calvary (The Blood of Jesus)! There are very few Righteous preachers and teachers as it was in the "Days of Noah" - Noah was the only one). Matthew 7:14
I will be praying for you. God delivered me from alcohol the same day he saved me. It was glorious. Over the next 2 years, it became obvious to me that something I had not known was a sin, was destroying my walk with Christ.
"Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these," Gal 5:19-21a NASB
I was grateful God delivered me from drunkenness. I had left the occult and New Age movement (sorcery and idolatry), and wasn't naturally inclined to envying/jealously or immorality. But God convicted me in my second reading of the Bible, that "outbursts of anger" needed to go. My whole family, including extended family tended to losing their tempers. I just thought it was what normal people do. But it obviously was a grave sin to God.
My sister is a lawyer, and she said that the above passage was a "sin list" in terms of the law, and that each one is just as bad as every other sin in that passage. So I made it my goal, with the help of the Holy Spirit to shed the sin of anger and a temper. It took a long time to recognize I had lost my temper AFTER I lost it. Maybe decades? It didn't help that I was on the minor hockey executive, and lost it often in the ice arena. My boys were embarassed.
Then, I had a break through and I could realize I was losing my temper as I was doing it. I prayed constantly for God to rid me of this sin. After about 30 years, I finally started catching myself before I lost my temper. Then one day, I found real peace and a lot of objectivity. If someone/something angered me, I analyzed the reasons why I was upset, and stayed peaceful. Even my husband noticed.
So a long story to say, I understand your dilemma! I didn't understand why God delivered me from things like the occult, drunkenness and idolatry, but not my temper. I believe God allows us to work on some sins, very slowly. Plus, as we learn to stop sinning in certain areas, it helps us to help others caught in a similar situation. Don't give up on stopping e-cigs. I think it can be very damaging to the lungs, plus, who wants to be addicted to anything? When you did stop, and gained 40 lbs overeating, all you did was substitute your addiction to ecigs for gluttony.
"Heavenly Father, I pray this person would learn that only God truly reforms us from within, and trying to "Reform yourself" is very difficult even impossible. Show him the way to break free of this terrible addiction, by holding onto You! Give him strength and peace to conquer this addiction, but also to realize he is on a walk or journey with God, and that he does need to persevere, but there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!
"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1 NASB
You cannot lose your salvation because of sin, if you are trying to overcome. Be gentle on yourself, but also firm and disciplined. Maybe find a support group online to talk about how others got free of ecigs. I'll finish with a passage I meditated in for 2 years straight every morning, which taught me to trust God.
"5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight." Prov 3:5-6
You are on my prayer list!
"Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these," Gal 5:19-21a NASB
I was grateful God delivered me from drunkenness. I had left the occult and New Age movement (sorcery and idolatry), and wasn't naturally inclined to envying/jealously or immorality. But God convicted me in my second reading of the Bible, that "outbursts of anger" needed to go. My whole family, including extended family tended to losing their tempers. I just thought it was what normal people do. But it obviously was a grave sin to God.
My sister is a lawyer, and she said that the above passage was a "sin list" in terms of the law, and that each one is just as bad as every other sin in that passage. So I made it my goal, with the help of the Holy Spirit to shed the sin of anger and a temper. It took a long time to recognize I had lost my temper AFTER I lost it. Maybe decades? It didn't help that I was on the minor hockey executive, and lost it often in the ice arena. My boys were embarassed.
Then, I had a break through and I could realize I was losing my temper as I was doing it. I prayed constantly for God to rid me of this sin. After about 30 years, I finally started catching myself before I lost my temper. Then one day, I found real peace and a lot of objectivity. If someone/something angered me, I analyzed the reasons why I was upset, and stayed peaceful. Even my husband noticed.
So a long story to say, I understand your dilemma! I didn't understand why God delivered me from things like the occult, drunkenness and idolatry, but not my temper. I believe God allows us to work on some sins, very slowly. Plus, as we learn to stop sinning in certain areas, it helps us to help others caught in a similar situation. Don't give up on stopping e-cigs. I think it can be very damaging to the lungs, plus, who wants to be addicted to anything? When you did stop, and gained 40 lbs overeating, all you did was substitute your addiction to ecigs for gluttony.
"Heavenly Father, I pray this person would learn that only God truly reforms us from within, and trying to "Reform yourself" is very difficult even impossible. Show him the way to break free of this terrible addiction, by holding onto You! Give him strength and peace to conquer this addiction, but also to realize he is on a walk or journey with God, and that he does need to persevere, but there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus!
"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1 NASB
You cannot lose your salvation because of sin, if you are trying to overcome. Be gentle on yourself, but also firm and disciplined. Maybe find a support group online to talk about how others got free of ecigs. I'll finish with a passage I meditated in for 2 years straight every morning, which taught me to trust God.
"5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
6 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight." Prov 3:5-6
You are on my prayer list!
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Whosoever abides in [Christ] does not sin: whosoever sins has not seen him, neither known him...He that commits sin is of the devil (1 John 3:6,8).
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake...for he that has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin (Philippians 1:29; 1 Peter 4:1-2).
The problem is that most professing believers will not take the route of suffering to accomplish this task. This is the narrow gate the Jesus spoke about.
Then said one unto [Jesus], Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. (Luke 13:23-24).
I never knew you: depart from me ye that work iniquity (Matthew 7:23).
So, you heard the gospel, believed, and got saved. Now beware:
Thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto you (John 5:14).
For if after they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way [the truth, and the life - John 14:6] of righteousness, than, after they have know it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them (2 Peter 2:20).
As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity (Psalm 125:5).
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake...for he that has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin (Philippians 1:29; 1 Peter 4:1-2).
The problem is that most professing believers will not take the route of suffering to accomplish this task. This is the narrow gate the Jesus spoke about.
Then said one unto [Jesus], Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. (Luke 13:23-24).
I never knew you: depart from me ye that work iniquity (Matthew 7:23).
So, you heard the gospel, believed, and got saved. Now beware:
Thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto you (John 5:14).
For if after they have escaped the pollution of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way [the truth, and the life - John 14:6] of righteousness, than, after they have know it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them (2 Peter 2:20).
As for such as turn aside unto their crooked ways, the LORD shall lead them forth with the workers of iniquity (Psalm 125:5).
Unless it is for some kind of correction, real, not imagine, I do not believe in such things.
I was moved by the Holy Spirit when hearing her on this subject, however it is true that God will use what is not to bring down what is...my smoking habit.. brought down by the Father, and I am still feeling that great blessing.
I was moved by the Holy Spirit when hearing her on this subject, however it is true that God will use what is not to bring down what is...my smoking habit.. brought down by the Father, and I am still feeling that great blessing.
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R
Wow! Thankyou for that verse. I have had anger outbursts more recently, but thought it was justified...Just when you think youre over a sin, you spot another ‘plank’.
And Gluttony 🙄honestly didn’t think it would affect me. I always thought fat people were weak (Mum has eating disorder half her life) wow humbled 🙏
And Gluttony 🙄honestly didn’t think it would affect me. I always thought fat people were weak (Mum has eating disorder half her life) wow humbled 🙏
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R
My deciding to be an athlete isn’t an addiction. It’s an identity. It wasn’t obsessive. I was explaining to you that weight gain is inevitable. I was seriously eating mostly vegetables and went from lean 145lbs to muscular 175lbs in two months. You don’t have to choose to be fat. ALL addiction is based on the serotonin/dopamine response. It’s an imbalance based on excess. The only way to stop any addiction is to just stop doing whatever is throwing off the balance, then you stop craving it. Regardless, even the self help gurus tapped into what the Bible has stated for millennia, you must believe to receive. Or fake it ‘til, you make it. True forgiveness comes from acceptance. You can’t control other people. All you can control is your reaction to their action. Wisdom plays a huge role in this. Being able to accurately assess the situation is key. Sometimes there is truth in what people said, but you wish they hadn’t said it. Maybe somebody did something to you, maybe something horrible. Sometimes people are psychopaths, sociopaths and narcissists who literally have no conscience. The Bible tells us to forgive our debtors and “brothers” who sin against us. In Revelation the martyrs were asking how long until they were avenged. That doesn’t sound like forgive and forget. Forgiveness is a way we can truly lay down the burden of carrying someone else’s sin. You can rationalize, “That person is just evil.” Then let it go. You don’t have to best friends or share time with evil family members. Or, if they are actually repentant like the case of a thoughtless “brother” then talk it out a bit and forgive them. Part of the reason that we need to forgive others is because we can’t go before the Lord feeling guilt. So if someone who sinned against us goes before the Lord with guilt in his heart, the Lord won’t hear him. The way to ensure the Lord hears them is by forgiving them and releasing their guilt. Psychopaths will not go before the Lord, so the point is moot. In that case you just pray for healing.
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R
Sorry, I wasn’t having a go at you, and good on you 👍...I kind of agree that becoming an athlete would certainly distract me from gluttony and make me look better, by not being so fat. It’s just that I want to be free from ALL of it. My mum still has her eating disorder, she’s in her 70’s, and She looks great for her age. But she’s lost.
I don’t want that. I have known deliverance, and it wasnt my doing. I know the difference between my ‘filthy’ works and His ‘amazing’ work...I have to be honest about that ‘to give an account of His work and what HE has done’. God bless you dear brother✝️
I don’t want that. I have known deliverance, and it wasnt my doing. I know the difference between my ‘filthy’ works and His ‘amazing’ work...I have to be honest about that ‘to give an account of His work and what HE has done’. God bless you dear brother✝️
Are you familiar with the power of placebo effect? It’s not some psychological kung fu, it’s the way we were designed. Faith, any faith has power. That was the purpose of animal sacrifices and Christ’s ultimate sacrifice. There isn’t magic in the spilling of blood. There is supernatural power in the belief associated with spilling blood. The faith in the sacrifice frees us from the guilt of our sin. No sin, no guilt. Guilt is the fruit of the knowledge of good from evil, knowing right from wrong. When the metaphysical power of guilt is lifted, this opens up the connection to our Father so we can hear His voice and be a conduit for His power to work through us. This is meat! Regardless, this is too much for most people to chew. It’s not saying, “I want to be an athlete,” that makes you an athlete. It’s forcing yourself to already believe you are an athlete, that ignites the placebo effect into you, fulfilling your role as an athlete. The same has spiritual benefits and consequences. If I say “I am a sinner”, then I will sin. If I say “I am a child of God, and am dead to sin. Temptation has no grip on me because I have been set free” then temptation has no power. Renew your mind. Your mind will renew your body.