It seems like it is always easier to develop bad habits than it is to develop good ones. It seems like the world is full of people practicing bad habits. I Corinthians 6:9-11 says, “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.”
But such were some of you. If you have been saved, you have been changed. II Corinthians 5:17 says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
In the Bible God gives us 10 keys to overcoming bad habits.
I. Acknowledge the theological basis for victory
Romans 6 verses 1-6 and 14 says, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin… For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.”
Once you are saved, you are dead to sin. Therefore, sin should not have any more dominion over you.
Each of us needs to be changed. Each of us can be better Christians than we already are. God has given us the ability to have victory over sin.
II. Convert theological truth into practical knowledge.
A. Simply knowing good theology does not guarantee right practice
B. Think of yourself as dead to sin. Reckon (or consider) yourself to be dead to sin.
“Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:11
C. Think, “God saved me to be different.”
Every time we sin, we deny something in the word of God.
Do not excuse your sin.
III. Acknowledge God’s ownership of your body and spirit.
“Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of an harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to an harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.” I Corinthians 6:15-20
A. You do not belong to yourself
B. Your body is the temple, or dwelling place, of the Spirit of God
IV. Rid your heart of all bitterness
“Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled.” Hebrews 12:14,15
A. Dig out every bitter root
B. A bitter person is a terrible influence on others
If you have an expectation that God did not fulfill, that expectation did not come from God because God has promised to be completely fulfilling to you.
All bitterness is against God.
Nobody has every wronged you more than Jesus Christ has been wronged.
V. Yield your mind to God
“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” Romans 8:5-9
A. There is a battle in your mind.
B. The things you think about are what you are involved in.
C. Sin starts in the thought life. The devil tries to make you think that sin will be a wonderful experience.
You have a choice of what things you think about. You can choose to think about right things. Philippians 4:8 says, “Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.” We can train our minds to think God’s thoughts. God wants to cleanse our minds with His information.
VI. Memorize specific Scripture dealing with the temptations you face
Psalm 119:9-11 says, “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
Also I John 2:15-17 says, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.”
A. Memorizing Scripture will allow you to have specific answers to specific temptations
B. Take heed to yourself lest you fall.
VII. Stop allowing your body to be Satan’s tool
In areas of
A. Dress
B. Habits of the flesh – drugs, immorality, overeating, and so forth; any area in which a fleshly desire has control rather than the spirit of God.
"Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God… Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?” Romans 6:12,13, and 16
VIII. Use your body for positive service for God.
“…yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” Romans 6:13b
A. None of us goes through life “in neutral.”
B. We either serve the devil or God
C. Consciously choose to yield your body to God rather than to the devil.
D. Replace bad habits with good habits.
IX. Value control more than freedom
“All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.” I Corinthians 6:12
Though we have freedom to do things, we should not allow any of these things control us. Control over our lives spiritually is more important than freedom to do things.
X. Value victory more than health or even life itself.
“But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, cut if off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. " Matthew 5:28-30
You may have to take drastic steps to have victory. But victory must be important enough to you that you are willing to take drastic steps. It is more important to have victory than to have all your body parts intact.
But you can have victory. You can have it through the strength the Lord has provided. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” I Corinthians 10:13