Looking to Break a Bad Habit?

I know you may have made your New Year resolutions concerning some bad habits you want to drop and the good ones you really love to develop. Or perhaps, you fall into the category of those who no longer believe in New Year resolutions because you tried many times and failed. But whether you believe in resolutions or not, I am sure that deep within your heart, there are issues you love to get rid of.  That is good because on this post, I want to show you how I broke off from my own bad habit of over 20 years.

For the records, there is nothing wrong with New Year resolutions, but I am sure you know by now even through your own experience that only about 8% of those who make these resolutions actually follow through. When I look at these number, it confirms how weak we are as humans. With your good self and all determination, qualifications, sophistication, wisdom, and prowess, don’t you see there is something very revealing about the human nature that we may wish and will, but fail to do, even when we know the dire consequences of our habits?  

But how can you stay away from sweets when sweet calls out your name from every nook and cranny?  How easy can you break away from addiction to pornography when the lead is constantly presented to you in words and images everywhere you look?  Few days ago, my wife and I were in total disbelief when we saw the erotic ad for a wedding gown.  Can you imagine? Even for a wedding gown? No wonder the Master says, in this world, you shall have troubles. We vote the sexiest man or woman alive but never the most virtuous.   

So, I am not here to remind you of the consequences of your habit because you are already aware. Some of you may have lost valuable relationships, sources of income; gaining more weight, dealing with failing health or even with contracted diseases. I am also not here to tell you to stop because if you could, you should have by now. I know you have gone beyond self-help since you have tried many times but fall back deeper and deeper.

It is here that religious people often make the error of thinking that if we can hammer the dangers of pornography, alcohol,  drug, and sexual immorality into the head of people, then it will make them stop. They believe that these people can stop if we can frighten them well enough with images of hell fire, and remind them so passionately of how God’s rage and anger is burning over them. Well if it works, for example, Utah - one of the most religious states in America will not rank eight out of the 50 states in prescription drugs overdose deaths. (CNN report).

It goes also to show how love, the center piece of everything God is and Jesus came to reveal has been overshadowed in the heart of men by the cold hands of religion. While people suffer, we teach them religious obligations. In their misbelief, they think that if we can preach more about sin, tell people not to drink coffee in defense of their religious believes, it will make them clean. It is no wonder we have more sinners today preaching to a greater number of sinners. I do not want you to believe me just by reading this, but take a little bit of time and read the gospels: Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John, and see for yourself what Jesus would have said to an addict.

Here is how to break your bad habit or addiction: Stop trying by your own efforts.  You are looking at the wrong place for help. “You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule.” (Mathew 5:33 – MSG).  Nomatter how big or small your habit is, I want to remind you of this unchanging fact: God is love. His love for you is not like that of a man – It is totally and completely unconditional. He loves you so deeply even with the crack pipe or needle in your hands, and even as you spend hours staring endlessly at those images. When everyone has given up on you and walked away, you are the best person He is looking for.

If you have been trying to forgive that person, but just can’t seem to make it happen or feel powerless or shameful because you just can’t stop eating and drinking that thing you know is not good for you. Yes my dear, in that situation, His love and grace super-abounds for you. The power of his love is shown mightily in the midst of your weaknesses.  It is specifically for these kind of issues that He came so that you can receive the good news you are reading now. He came looking for the weak, the oppressed, and those held in captivity by any kind of negative force or addiction. You are the one He came looking for. Listen to me, if you can deal with these issues by yourself, then you have no need of Him. It is the very idea that you can fix yourself that makes the grace and power of God less effective in your life.

There is so much conflict with religious doctrines. When you are broke and poor, they tell you to confess that you are rich. When you are sick, they tell you to confess that you are healed. When you are weak, they tell you to confess that you are strong. But when you sin or struggling with a habit, they tell you to confess your sin. Unknown to them, the same principle applies here: For those who are born again, when you fall into sin or a bad habit and you desire to get out of it (not that you want to stay in it), then confess who you are in Christ, and not who you are not.

But you say 1 John 1:9 says, if we confess our sins. Please read the same verse in context from both the Amplified and Message Bibles. John warns against self righteousness and encourages the acceptance and admitting of sin, and says that total reliance on the finished work of Christ for the forgiveness of all sins is the only way to be clean. If you are in Christ, you are no longer a sinner because He paid for your sins. Remind yourself that Christ paid for your sins and confess these words even in the midst of your habit and see the power of God at work in your life. I AM THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST JESUS. Friend, it is these words that set me free in one day from habits I had struggled with for more than 20 years.

If you confess it in one day and it does not happen, keep confessing it over and over especially when the pressure comes or when you actually fall into the habit. if your habit is not sinful in nature, confess this. I KNOW YOUR POWER IS MADE PERFECT IN MY WEAKNESS. I RECEIVE YOUR GRACE TO OVERCOME (MENTION YOUR HABIT). What you are doing is taking your eyes of yourself and your human efforts and putting all your trust on Jesus and what He has already accomplished for you.  You are bearing witness to the truth of who you are in Christ.

For some, God will take away the problem and others, you might receive directions of what to do. Several testimonies abound on this. I heard that of a guy who desperately wanted to quit smoking, as he confessed his righteousness over and over, it was led in his heart to start running. In the natural, who could have thought that developing this new habit could replace another totally different habit? As he began to jog regularly, it was weeks before he realized he hadn’t smoked. Please listen to me, it is not steps of human wisdom that we need, it is the freely given power and grace of God through the leading of His Spirit.

Remember, if you are in Christ and not under the law, sin shall no longer exert dominion over you (Romans 6:14). For this reason and contrary to what religious people tell you, The Holy Spirit NEVER comes to convict you of sin. How can, when Jesus already paid for your sins. Let me show you how for too long, we have read our own meanings into the bible and remain oblivious to what the scripture actually says. As a result, where we expected freedom we got deeper into bondage.

Have you heard religious people talk about how the Holy Spirit convicts you of sin? Yes, I was taught that and I believed it for many years. Well, please read for yourself. First pay attention to the attributes of the Holy Spirit as amplified in the brackets below. His function is of three folds: to convict and convince THE WORLD of their sin because they do not believe in Jesus. But for you, who already believe in Jesus, He comes to remind you of your righteousness in Jesus.  And of judgment, because the devil (not you) is judged. Jesus Himself said so:

John 16:8-11 (AMP)

⁸ And when He comes, He will convict and convince the world and bring demonstration to it about sin and about righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God) and about judgment: ⁹ About sin, because they do not believe in Me [trust in, rely on, and adhere to Me]; ¹⁰ About righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God), because I go to My Father, and you will see Me no longer; 11 About judgment, because the ruler (evil genius, prince) of this world [Satan] is judged and condemned and sentence already is passed upon him

Here is the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer:

John 14:26 (AMP)

But the Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, Whom the Father will send in My name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will cause you to recall (will remind you of, bring to your remembrance) everything I have told you.

Learn the truth, when you hear any voice or witness trying to remind you of your shortcomings or bad habit, it is NOT the Holy Spirit. It is either the voice of your religious mind or that of the devil;  he might even quote scriptures for you. The goal is to accuse and condemn you so you feel less of who you are and lack boldness before God. To break free, confess the truth of who you are: I am the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. For those who have not accepted Jesus, this is the opportunity to come into the kingdom where all things are possible to them who truly believe, including the power to overcome any addiction.

Let me know if you need help and please do not hesitate to share this good news with others. Remember also to share your own experience of God's love, so we might encourage the many who are suffering because they are unaware of how much God loves them.