timcia
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Jesus fasted and prayed “Before” temptation. Jesus instantly quoted scripture regarding the temptation to satan when He was tempted.
Before temptation, it is wise to have a couple of scriptures from (Google search “Verses drinking/drugs”) memorized.
Consider fasting from food and memorizing a couple of verses, or fasting from TV, or from your computer.
When tempted “instantly” quote quitting verses. In Jesus temptation in Matthew 4, He did not consider His options for even 1 second, He instantly quoted specific Bible verses that fought off the temptation.
Key point: Put in the work, prayer, and memorization “Before” the temptation happens.
Secondly, satan tempts us with what we want. Psalm 1 says “Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law does he meditate day and night.” #1 Consider setting a goal to be blessed. #2 Meditate often on the verses that will set you free (Which will also start you toward blessings). #3 Remember, satan tempts us with what we want. How can he continue tempting you if blessings are what you want? If he tries to continue, he will be fighting God’s very Word, and His promises. Satan is smart, he will bother you less, and find easier victims. Consider praying often:
“Lord, help me to use Your technique for fighting off temptation.”
Why is thinking right so important? Example, life knocks us down again. We want to think about our (bad) options. If we don’t think about the Philippians command to “Think about these things, we will think in ways that start the big slide. Instead, consider often asking yourself this question:
“How can I think toward love?” If you are angry, forgive. If sad, praise the Lord. If frustrated with life, decide to make life better for people around you. How can I help others? If Christians would focus more on thinking “Toward love,” what would the church look like?
The Bible says to think about lovely things. Think about being a peacemaker. Think about valuing what is important to others so that you can show them a bit of God’s love. Think about forgiving others. We are obeying what Philippians says to think about when we practice “Rapid forgiveness.” Consider praying:
“Father, help me to turn from lust and teach me the habit of rapid forgiveness.”
Here is an example of a lovely thought. “How can I promote love today?
Second, we all like a person who is “pleasant.” They are always nice and kind to others. They notice the good in the day and the beauty in the world. Consider praying:
“Father, help me to think about better things. Please change my thoughts.”
Consider picking two new thought patterns to think about from this list, then see how many times this week you can refocus your mind to thinking about things the Bible says to think about.
#1 How can I change my situation toward love?
#2 Rapid forgiveness is real love
#3 Can I be the person who is pleasant, positive, and nice?
#4 Can I act in a way that someone might see Jesus in me?
Great thoughts replace bad thoughts. How will you plan to think Bible thoughts?
The Bible says “If the Son sets you free you will be free indeed.” Many reading this have heard this before, right before they went back. What happened? Does the Son pick and choose who He sets free?
The Bible says “If we abide in Christ and He abides in us, we can ask for anything we want, and receive it.” How can we make this verse true for us? #1 Ask to be set free. #2 Have Christ abide in you. If scripture is always on your mind, He is abiding in you.
What percentage of people would quit it they always quoted one of the verses for quitting every 30 minutes (When not busy). What percentage of people would quit if they always quoted one of the verses for quitting every other time every 30 minutes, and quoted any verse of their choice every other time every 30 minutes (When not busy)?
A massive percentage of people would quit if they quoted the verses for quitting every 30 minutes. A large percentage would also quit if they used the 2nd option.
Second, print out the verses for quitting so that you can easily access them. If you are always out and about, put them in your phone, or search “Verses drinking” to get the same thing.
Third, consider what commitment will you make for quitting. A verse every hour, a verse every two hours?
Fourth, This commitment plus going to war with sin, plus submitting to His ways, are three key ways we abide in Christ.
Fifth, when we abide in Christ we can ask for other things as well. Then life gets good.
Either the Bible will keep you from sin, or temptation will keep you from the Bible.
The Bible says “The wages of sin is death.
Sin “always” has long term consequences.Some die from intoxication but many who do this do not die a physical death, so what dies? Emotions partially die, or are damaged. Anger breaks out, fear is boosted. Purpose dies or is damaged. When we choose other things over God’s purpose and will, a place in our heart dies. We feel empty. We need something.
Proverbs 20:Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”
Second, many read this article, only a few read the key verse from Proverbs 20 until they have a proper fear of consequences.
Third, someday I hope to be approached in heaven by a man who says:
“I read your article about Proverbs 20, then I read the key verse over and over again until I had it memorized word for word. From that day forward I started to understand the consequences. From that day forward I used the Bible as my tool to quit.”
Drinking/drugs has a purpose. Satan’s purpose with habits is to destroy your spiritual destiny. Satan uses Drinking/drugs to make you content with life as is. This habit is a literal fight for your purpose. When tempted, you need to see satan’s plan in that temptation. Consider praying:
“Father, help me to flee from triggers, and help me to pursue righteousness, and love.”
Today, when you start to see temptation… Start praying immediately, and imagine seeing next to your temptation – satan standing there planning your downfall just like he did with Adam and Eve. Consider praying:
“Father, help me to turn from triggers and keep reminding me about who is trying to destroy me.”
1 Peter 5:8 ESV Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.”
Finally, we need a great weapon against satan. The Bible is the sword. A great weapon. The more you get it in you, the better you will fight.
Barry Bonds smashed baseballs. He was the king of the steroid era players (allegedly). Pitchers were scared of him and he walked 232 times in 2004 including 120 intentional walks. Barry annihilated the home run record with 73.
The million-dollar question is, can we annihilate drinking/drugs? If we include specific scriptures about drinking/drugs in our prayers they start to become powerful. Consider praying:
“Father, help me to abstain from every form of evil.”
At home, we can read drinking/drugs verses when overwhelmed. #2 If we have several prayers that use verses about quitting for busy times, they will start to change our thought patterns. Consider praying:
“If my thoughts are darkness how great is that darkness.”
Consider praying those prayers until you “know” that this habit causes darkness and depression. It is easier to quit if you start to become fully aware of the dark side to the party.
Pure thoughts are clean thoughts. Pure thinking involves thinking in a pure way about what we will read, watch, listen to, or think about. Consider praying David’s prayer:
“Create in me a pure heart Oh God, and renew a right Spirit within me.”
Step one in thinking pure thoughts is to plan to think pure thoughts. Plan pure thoughts if you are out and about where temptation may pop up. Plan pure thoughts before you turn on the TV.
Second, pure thoughts are: What is God’s will right now, not Wow, how can I have (wrongful) fun. Pure thoughts only happen when we avoid evil.
Finally, pure thoughts are writing prayers that say what Job said about keeping his eyes pure.
“Father, I will keep my mind pure, help me to run from sin.”
Purity and positivity lead to a clean mind, and a clean mind keeps us free. Consider a focus on purity.
Yesterday I pushed turning from triggers. But, if 100% of our thoughts are either temptation or turning from triggers, it may be a rough battle. Some days we are restless, frustrated, wanting to go back to our destruction. So yes, start with turning from triggers and fighting triggers, but quickly transition to something like insisting on having peace and contentment in your life.
Second, yesterday was a disaster for me. I fought back by mentally listing 5 things to be thankful for. That did really help, but in hindsight, I could have turned my day completely around if I had studied peace.
Third, think… What would Jesus do if He had my current problems? What would Paul do? How would he think, and react?
Fourth, David was a disaster, then a great example. When you need peace, read a Psalm, or, search “Best Psalm for Peace.”
Fifth, quitting sin is vitally important. And, being the person who is a shining light handling life’s problems is vitally important.
Finally, it is shocking how we can fight back life’s challenges when we attack with scripture and prayer. Plus, doing that is a great attack on bad habits.
Consider the habit of turning to scripture to solve your problems. If your energy is low search “Verses strength” and study and pray over that. If your anger is high study/pray “Verses anger,” if your relationships stink, study/pray “Verses contentment.”
Why? Because problems lead back to habits. But, if we work on solving them God’s way we get closer to God. Being closer to God helps us fight temptation.
Second, solving problems Biblically allows God’s light to shine through us. A person who is mad at their spouse, coworker, teacher, or brother does not promote the Kingdom of God. Instead, forgive rapidly and study verses on the problem. Consider praying:
“Father, take away this ______ so that I live in love and do Your will.”
Third, tells others to solve their problems with Google scripture searches. Many people’s lives would improve greatly if they simply were told, “Study/pray “Verses peace.” If people talk about their problems to you, ask them, “Are you open to scripture solutions? They have really worked well for me.”
Finally, turning to scripture to solve your problem allows God’s power to work in your life. Once His power is completely working in your life… Lust will die. Consider embracing this habit. Every time you solve specific problems with specific scripture, the power increases in you. The more you make this a habit, the easier it will be to quit.
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