How To Be Successful In Self-Control
1 Peter 1:13-14 "So prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the gracious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. So you must live as God’s obedient children. Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then."
Wow! This hit about my health, weight, and life! Our mind is a wonderful thing! Yet, it is the one thing that can build us up, tear us down, keep us on the right path, or cause us to stumble. And, we cannot run or hide from our mind. It is always with us!
I have learned, that the mind IS "controllable"! Yes it is! The mind can NOT think TWO different thoughts at the same time! It can only think of and address one thing at a time. Its focus can be redirected and trained, and therefore controlled. How? By following these verses: preparing and exercising your mind and thoughts, which either come from or lead to feelings. Then, putting all of our hope in Jesus. Believing all that He says, trusting that it is true and right. Obey Gods laws, be obedient to the Holy Spirit. RUN from our old ways of living! RUN from the old desires that were trouble. Anything that we have truly learned about and know the difference in - we are to keep away from those desires that so easily tripped us up before.
Ok, this is way easier said than done! I KNOW this first hand! However, I also KNOW first hand, that it is possible to listen to the Holy Spirit while relying on the strength in Jesus to increase our faith and keep us from falling back into old patterns of life! The first part, to me - the main part - is praying. Praying for a heart and mind that is ready, wiling and able to do or go through whatever changes it is that is needed at the time. For me and my weight/health - I had to pray for a changed desire in ALL sorts of things!! First for my tastes to change. Then for my thoughts and desires or cravings to change. Then the BIG one, and probably the hardest to overcome - I had to pray against the "Bully" in my head. Right there, with me all the time, in the form of negative-self-talk. I had to STOP focusing on the LIES of the enemy, and focus on the TRUTH from God! Was it easy? NO!! Did it get easier? YES!! Do I stumble? Yes, but even if I fall, I don't stay 'down' for very long!
My 'old way of living' got me in a lot of trouble! Both physically with my health and weight, as well as in my 'secret thought life'. How did I break the chains of bondage that I was in? Well, NOT on my own, nor in my own strength or 'ideas' LOL I'm pretty good at leading myself astray, so I knew that "I" couldn't be trusted LOL Who could I trust? Who could I go to that understood? Who would be there no matter what I thought, said, or did - unconditionally and not judging me - especially if a "slipped"? Well, even though I have an amazing support system around me, they too are imperfect people and have come up short in some ways (as have I for them). So, my only constant, was God! His still-small-voice of the Holy Spirit, speaking to me at each and every choice I make. The wonderful understanding and power that comes from knowing and trusting that Jesus really DID go through it all on the cross - FOR ME! THAT is where I started. As I read through the bible, I was 'nudged' to write out what/who God says I am to Him. Valuable, precious, a treasure, His child, chosen, wanted, loved.... THESE were the new things that I HAD to focus on! THESE were the new thoughts that I needed to think! These new thoughts - guess what? They lead to knew actions and thoughts!! What?!?! Yes, they did, and still do! When we "fight" thoughts, they actually become stronger. However, when we "change" or "replace" our thoughts, THOSE become stronger!
WE ARE God's children! Just like here and now, living and following our parents' or bosses "rules" - we are blessed when we do so! Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13 tell us that we cannot serve two masters. We cannot serve the "negative thoughts" and the "positive thoughts" at the same time. Then in Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, and in Luke 10:27 - we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. THIS is being obedient. THIS is how we can change our lives. THIS is how to change our behaviors and actions and thoughts. Both towards others as well as towards ourselves. THIS is how to get rid of the old habits, the Big Bully, and our negative self-talk. Loving God isn't just for us to 'love Him' but it is for us to be 'loved by Him'.
Today, my prayer for you (and for me) is this: 2 Cor 13:14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Wow! This hit about my health, weight, and life! Our mind is a wonderful thing! Yet, it is the one thing that can build us up, tear us down, keep us on the right path, or cause us to stumble. And, we cannot run or hide from our mind. It is always with us!
I have learned, that the mind IS "controllable"! Yes it is! The mind can NOT think TWO different thoughts at the same time! It can only think of and address one thing at a time. Its focus can be redirected and trained, and therefore controlled. How? By following these verses: preparing and exercising your mind and thoughts, which either come from or lead to feelings. Then, putting all of our hope in Jesus. Believing all that He says, trusting that it is true and right. Obey Gods laws, be obedient to the Holy Spirit. RUN from our old ways of living! RUN from the old desires that were trouble. Anything that we have truly learned about and know the difference in - we are to keep away from those desires that so easily tripped us up before.
Ok, this is way easier said than done! I KNOW this first hand! However, I also KNOW first hand, that it is possible to listen to the Holy Spirit while relying on the strength in Jesus to increase our faith and keep us from falling back into old patterns of life! The first part, to me - the main part - is praying. Praying for a heart and mind that is ready, wiling and able to do or go through whatever changes it is that is needed at the time. For me and my weight/health - I had to pray for a changed desire in ALL sorts of things!! First for my tastes to change. Then for my thoughts and desires or cravings to change. Then the BIG one, and probably the hardest to overcome - I had to pray against the "Bully" in my head. Right there, with me all the time, in the form of negative-self-talk. I had to STOP focusing on the LIES of the enemy, and focus on the TRUTH from God! Was it easy? NO!! Did it get easier? YES!! Do I stumble? Yes, but even if I fall, I don't stay 'down' for very long!
My 'old way of living' got me in a lot of trouble! Both physically with my health and weight, as well as in my 'secret thought life'. How did I break the chains of bondage that I was in? Well, NOT on my own, nor in my own strength or 'ideas' LOL I'm pretty good at leading myself astray, so I knew that "I" couldn't be trusted LOL Who could I trust? Who could I go to that understood? Who would be there no matter what I thought, said, or did - unconditionally and not judging me - especially if a "slipped"? Well, even though I have an amazing support system around me, they too are imperfect people and have come up short in some ways (as have I for them). So, my only constant, was God! His still-small-voice of the Holy Spirit, speaking to me at each and every choice I make. The wonderful understanding and power that comes from knowing and trusting that Jesus really DID go through it all on the cross - FOR ME! THAT is where I started. As I read through the bible, I was 'nudged' to write out what/who God says I am to Him. Valuable, precious, a treasure, His child, chosen, wanted, loved.... THESE were the new things that I HAD to focus on! THESE were the new thoughts that I needed to think! These new thoughts - guess what? They lead to knew actions and thoughts!! What?!?! Yes, they did, and still do! When we "fight" thoughts, they actually become stronger. However, when we "change" or "replace" our thoughts, THOSE become stronger!
WE ARE God's children! Just like here and now, living and following our parents' or bosses "rules" - we are blessed when we do so! Matthew 6:24 and Luke 16:13 tell us that we cannot serve two masters. We cannot serve the "negative thoughts" and the "positive thoughts" at the same time. Then in Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30, and in Luke 10:27 - we are to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. THIS is being obedient. THIS is how we can change our lives. THIS is how to change our behaviors and actions and thoughts. Both towards others as well as towards ourselves. THIS is how to get rid of the old habits, the Big Bully, and our negative self-talk. Loving God isn't just for us to 'love Him' but it is for us to be 'loved by Him'.
Today, my prayer for you (and for me) is this: 2 Cor 13:14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
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