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Freedom
Journey 1 by Paul Cook YOU CAN BE FREE! This is a study to help you walk to freedom from whatever you may be struggling with. I have written the study with the sex addict in mind, but the principles apply to anyone seeking a closer walk with Jesus. My prayer is that you, like me, will discover the freedom that is yours in Jesus. Freedom Journey is based on the teachings of the Bible. If you have not placed your trust in Jesus, we encourage you to first my Peace with God page (Appendix B), before proceeding through Freedom Journey. To maximize the effectiveness of this study, I recommend that you keep a written journal of your progress through each page of the study. I also suggest that you keep a Bible handy as you go through the study. Also, please work through the pages in the order that they are presented in the study. Skipping ahead will be like trying to build a house without the proper foundation. Each page builds on the foundation established in the pages that precede it. Study Outline:
Appendix:
Getting Started on Freedom Journey As you take your first steps on this journey, I'd like to assure you that through faith in Jesus, you have peace with God. People often feel separated from God because of their bad deeds. The scriptures assure us that since Jesus bore the penalty for our sin on the cross, we have peace with God. He is not angry with us for our sins. Instead, he offers us the forgiveness that Jesus' death bought for us. You can now boldly approach God (Hebrews 4:16) in prayer and have full assurance that he will hear our prayers. God's Holy Spirit, who lives in you, will help you walk to purity (Romans 8:11,13). Believe that you CAN be completely free! Breaking addiction is a healing process and believing that you can be free is an important part. Jesus said, "If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23 NKJV). We exercise our faith when we believe in God's word and confess it with our mouth (Romans 10:10). It could be as simple as saying to ourselves each day when we get out of bed, "I believe that in Christ I can be and will be free of my struggle." Often our natural circumstances may not appear to be lining up with God's word. The challenge is to not allow our circumstances (or past failures) to steal our hope. Faith believes in what is yet unseen (Hebrews 11:1-3). It releases God's power in us to perform the impossible and bring the unseen into reality! As you go through Freedom Journey, we encourage you to tap into as many faith-building sources as possible. Here are some examples of faith-builders:
Recognize that you need God's help: Pride is something that keeps us at a distance from God (James 4:6-8). Pride says things like, "I don't need God," or "I can get free on my own." The scriptures affirm that God resists proud people, but he draws near to humble people. The first step toward humility is to tell God that we need him. The prayer below will help you make that first step. A prayer for the journey "Heavenly Father, I have sinned against you in many ways (name your sins as they come to mind). I ask for your forgiveness, cleansing and healing for every step of this journey. Lord, I need your help to get free of the sins that hold me. Please forgive me for any pride I have harbored in my heart. Father, please create in me a clean heart, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Please re-ignite the Holy Spirit's fire within me. Please restore the joy of Your salvation in me. Please uphold me by Your generous Spirit. I commit myself to serving you from this point on in my life, and ask that you will accomplish Your will in my life and not my own. You are my King and I am Your servant. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth shall praise You. Teach me Your ways, that I may walk in them for the rest of my life. Thank You, Father. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen." (based on Psalm 51) Deal with SinBefore you read this page, please take a moment to ask God to prepare your heart and mind for what you will read. Because people often encounter difficulty in going through this page, I encourage you to also bind any evil spirits that may be influencing you. Here is an example prayer: "Lord God, I praise you for leading me to this place. I recognize that I need your help. Please help me identify and turn from the sin in my life. In the name of Jesus Christ, I bind any evil spirits from interfering with my reading of this page or my confession of sin. I loose the peace of God in my mind and body right now. Lord please send your holy angels to assist me and minister to me as I work through this page. Thank you, Father! In Jesus' name I pray, Amen." When you received Jesus into your life and accepted his sacrifice for your sin, how much of your life did you surrender to his control? I spent years living as a "carnal Christian" after I asked Jesus into my life. I continued to live as though Jesus was not my master. The results were disastrous. Porn addiction was just one of the many bad habits I developed during this time. The Bible describes the need for us to submit all areas of our lives to God (James 4:7). Why is sin so bad?: Sin is rebellion against God. It brings an offense between us and God that can only be removed by death (Romans 6:23). When we practice the same sin over and over, we can "grieve" or "put out the fire" of the Holy Spirit in our lives. The result of this can be a feeling of separation from God and a "sapping" of our strength to live in righteousness. By accepting Jesus' payment for our sin, we receive forgiveness for our sins and can then reconnect with the Holy Spirit. What does God want me to do with my sin? God wants us to agree with him that our sin is wrong (confess it) and then turn away from it and no longer practice it (repent from it). Confession and repentance will open doors of forgiveness, cleansing and healing in our lives that we need in order to walk free of sex addiction. Here are three references for this:
Identify your sin: Before we confess and repent, we should take an inventory of the sins we've been committing. I've listed below some of the common sin areas involved with sexual addictions. As you read through this list, be sure to note which areas seem to apply to you. It may be helpful to print this page out and circle the areas that apply to you. If the Lord reminds you of additional sins, please write them down and include them in the confession & repentance prayers in the next section. Common sins involved with sex addiction
Other sins that often hinder freedom from sex addiction
Confession and Repentance If you are ready to confess and repent, please pray the below prayers specifically for each area that you noted: “Father God, I believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, who was crucified and resurrected from the dead. I confess that I have sinned in the following ways: _____________(list the sin). I renounce these sins and the use of my body for any sinful purpose. Please forgive me, Father, for quenching the Holy Spirit by these repeated acts of rebellion. Please cleanse me with the blood of Jesus and fill me afresh with the Holy Spirit. I receive your Spirit now. Please unite my heart to live for you in righteousness. Please sharpen my ears to hear your voice and train my eyes see the truth in the scriptures. From today forward, I will present my members as instruments for righteousness and not for sin. I rejoice in the salvation I have in you! Thank you, Father! In Jesus' name, Amen." Note: If you experience any "spiritual resistance" that prevents or inhibits your completion of the above prayers, do not fear. For example, persons who have been heavily involved in sex sin and/or occult sin may experience difficulty in confessing & renouncing the root sin. Symptoms may include: difficulty speaking, shortness of breath, sudden hot or cold flash, loss of train of thought, uncontrolled shaking, sudden headache or other bodily pain, heaviness, mocking thoughts or severe distraction. We share this not to cause fear, but simply to prepare you in advance for what you may experience. If the devil has you in bondage, he will be reluctant to let you go. No matter what happens, know that the Lord Jesus is with you and lives in you and is greater than any power of the devil. If any such manifestations occur, you can take authority over them in the name of Jesus Christ and command them to stop. An example statement you can make is, "In the name of Jesus Christ, I command the evil spirit causing this manifestation to stop. I am saved by the blood of Jesus and I have authority over you. Release me right now." At that point you should be able to proceed. If not, you may want to obtain help from a trusted group of believers who will help you pray and work through the root area. It may be that you will need "deliverance ministry" to be able to completely deal with that area. Please let us know if you experience resistance, so we may pray for you. Receive God's Forgiveness: If you confessed and repented from your sin, be assured that God has forgiven you and purified you of your sin (more on receiving God's forgiveness). In fact, God doesn't even remember your sin once you've confessed it. He said in Isaiah 43:25: "I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more." You can move forward now in securing your freedom without condemnation concerning your past! You may have noticed that I didn't mention masturbation on this page. Masturbation often plays a key role in sex addiction, so I've created a special online course addressing it (see Freedom from Masturbation study). Cut Free Now that we have dealt with the sin involved in our struggle, we can address some of the potential "complicating factors" that could inhibit our walk to freedom. Not everyone will have problems in these areas, but it is helpful to at least be aware of them. Generational sin A person's sin can incur consequences, sometimes called "generational curses", that affect his or her descendants down to the 4th generation. The basis for this is found in Exodus 34:6-7 and other scriptures. These consequences can manifest in several ways, including sickness, tendencies toward certain sins, emotional disorders, familiar spirits and demonic oppression. To evaluate the possibility of generational sin affecting you, construct a family tree diagram, noting any patterns of sin that run down the family line. Certain types of sin, such as occult sin, sexual sin, false religion and idolatry are often the causes of generational curses. Once we've identified generational sin, we can take our place in Christ for our family and confess the sin of our ancestors. This is basically a legal transaction where we are transferring the payment of our ancestors' sin to Christ's account. By doing so, we cancel out the effects of any generational effects that may have been caused by their sin (Galatians 3:13-14). Here is a prayer you can pray to address generational sin: "Heavenly Father, Thank you for the precious blood of Jesus that brings forgiveness and cleansing from sin. Thank you for redeeming me from the curse of the law and giving me new life. I take my place in Christ for my family and confess all the sins committed by my ancestors that I know of. Specifically I confess: __________________(list). Father, I ask for your forgiveness and cleansing of my family and I. Please cut us free from all curses or ill effects caused by these sins. If any evil spirits have gained entry into my life on account of my ancestors' sin, I bind them in the name of Jesus Christ and command them to leave me and go to Jesus right now! Thank you Father for the freedom that is mine through Jesus. I praise you now and forever, Amen." (further study:
Generational Sin)
A soul tie is a spiritual connection between our soul and that of another person. Soul ties are most commonly formed through sexual activity, though they can also be formed through strong emotional bonds and even idolatry. Beneficial soul ties are commonly created in marriage and healthy friendships (Malachi 2:15; Genesis 2:24, 1 Chronicles 12:17, Colossians 2:2). God intended these to strengthen our marriages, family relationships and friendships. Harmful soul ties are created through sexual sin and abusive or unhealthy relationships. They can affect us in a variety of ways, including:
Take a moment to ask God in prayer to show you if you have soul ties that need to be severed. As you consider the relationships you had over the years, look at the "fruit" that they have produced in your life. Using the rule Jesus explained in Matthew 7:16-18, good soul ties will bear good fruit (ex. love, blessing, fidelity, peace, joy, freedom, strengthened walk with God, etc.). Bad soul ties will bear bad fruit (ex. hatred, resentment, bondage, manipulation, anger, strife, jealousy, bitterness, fear, lust). If the Lord brings people to mind or you think there is a possibility of a soul tie with someone, write their names down in your journal or the below table and proceed to pray to cut the soul tie.
Pray to cut soul ties: We can ask God in prayer to cut the unhealthy soul ties in our lives. First we should identify the source and confess the sin we committed related to it. We can then ask the Lord to cut the soul ties cut the ties, remove all negative effects and restore us to wholeness. If you are cutting soul ties related to an object (ex. favorite porn picture, former lover's clothing), be sure to destroy the object and remove it from your home. Here's a sample prayer: "Father God, Thank you for saving me from destruction. I praise you for sending Jesus to die for my sins. Specifically, I confess that I have sinned in the following ways: ______________(details of the sin & names). I repent from those sins and renounce them now. Please forgive me and cleanse my conscience with the blood of Jesus. Lord, please cut the unhealthy soul ties between me and _______ (list name (s)). Please restore me to wholeness in spirit, soul and body and reintegrate any part of me that was involved with those soul ties. I also ask for the salvation and restoration of those people that I was involved with. I commit him/her/them to your care. I rebuke any evil spirits that may have gained a foothold in me from that sin. I command you to leave me and go to Jesus Christ now! Thank you, Lord, for setting me free to live as the new person in Christ you made me to be! I praise you now and forever, Amen!" (further study: Cut Soul Ties). Cherishing Sin One of the problems with sexual sin is that it creates lasting memories. Those memories can then become stumbling blocks for us to continue to sin by lust and idolatry (i.e. cherishing the memories). When we cherish these sinful memories, we are create obstacles in our path to freedom that could block our prayers and ultimate healing (Psalm 66:18). If we want to gain complete victory, we will have to stop cherishing the memories of past. Thankfully, God has given us the Holy Spirit to help us put the sinful desires of our flesh to death (Romans 8:11,13). This includes dying to the pleasure of cherishing sin memories. The first step toward healing is to identify the memories we've been cherishing. Please take a moment to ask God to bring to mind the sin memories that you've been cherishing. As they come to mind, please write them down in your journal or in the below table. Cherished Sin Memories:
Now we can take our list before God in prayer to accomplish the following:
Here is a sample prayer that addresses those points: "Father God, thank you that I can be forgiven and cleansed from my sin. I confess my sin of cherishing the memories of past sin. Specifically, I confess these memories: _______________ (list). I turn away from these memories and renounce them in Jesus' name. Please forgive me and cleanse my conscience from the dead works of sin with the blood of Jesus. Lord, I commit my thoughts to You. Please strengthen me to never dwell on these memories again. By faith I have the mind of Christ and I am a new creation. I direct my thoughts to pure and wholesome things. Help me to have your view of sin, Lord. Help me to hate it and the memories of it. I invite the Holy Spirit to fill me afresh and continue the renewal process of my body, mind and spirit. Thank You, Father! I praise you in Jesus name, Amen." After having prayed that prayer, you can tear or burn up the list of the memories. This can be an act of faith, symbolizing the cleansing of your conscience through the blood of Christ. Moving forward, we now must exercise control over our thoughts and redirect them to pure topics whenever we're tempted to let them stray back into the areas we just prayed about. We'll discuss this more in-depth later in the study. (further study: Cherishing memories of sex sin) Healing Prayer for the Roots of Sexual Addiction Working through the Deal with Sin and the Cut Free sections may have surfaced some troublesome memories from the past. Though everyone has negative experiences in life, some people are more deeply damaged than others and may carry emotional scars that affect them for years to come. People can easily turn to the pleasures of sexual sin or other things (alcohol, tobacco, drugs, etc.) in attempt to medicate the pain from the scars of the past. Examples:
God’s will for each of us is that we are restored to wholeness in our body, soul and spirit (Psalm 103:2-5, 3 John 1:2, Isaiah 61:1-3). God wants to help us deal with the troublesome memories and remove the current obstacles that hinder our wholeness. He wants us to enjoy life and no longer be enslaved to sin or the memories of it. Jesus confirmed this as he announced his mission on earth: 18The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19To preach the acceptable year of the Lord. Luke 4:18-19 KJV (see also Isaiah 61:1-3) Jesus stands ready to help us and heal us from the brokenness, bruising and bondage of the past. Identify root memories The first step in the healing process is to find the roots that are causing or contributing to our current struggles. As in the examples above, common roots include:
We can ask Jesus to reveal the root experiences that are contributing to our current problems. James wrote, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.” (James 1:5 NKJV). With that in mind, here is a prayer we can pray: “Lord Jesus, please reveal to me any root memories that are causing or contributing to the problems I am having. Thank you, Jesus. Amen.” As you wait on the Lord, take some time to think back through your life and write down any negative memories that could be roots in the table below. Be sure to note any unusual events that occurred while you were developing in your mother's womb (examples: unwanted pregnancy, negative words spoken, parents wanted opposite gender, depression in mother, etc.). Even in the womb babies can sense rejection and other emotions in the mother or other family members.
Preparation for prayer Having identified the possible root memories, we can now prepare for a prayer session addressing them. Here are some things to consider as you prepare: Pray alone or with someone? Going back to the troublesome memories can be difficult because you are revisiting the wounds that occurred. Having a loving brother or sister in the Lord can help strengthen you and encourage you as you face the memories. It will be best if such persons are sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit and have faith in the current healing work of Jesus Christ. If you’re not ready to break secrecy with a prayer partner about your struggles, the Lord will still work with you. He will lead you in the healing process as you are able to deal with each area. Where to pray: A peaceful location is best for prayer. Since dealing with unpleasant memories can be upsetting, choose a private place that will have minimal distractions. It will also help to create a “God-focused” atmosphere in the location you choose. For example, prior to prayer you might play some worship CD’s in the room or recite psalms of praise or other scriptures. How many sessions? If you have several memories to deal with, you may need more than one prayer session. Allow sufficient time for each prayer session. An hour or so will be probably the most you’ll want to tackle in a session, as this kind of prayer can be exhausting. What to expect: God can work in many different ways in a prayer session. Peace will characterize whatever the Lord does in you, so you need not fear that he will violently “possess” you or force you to do something you’re not ready to do. Sometimes during these prayer sessions Jesus will take people back to the memory in a type of vision and comfort them with his presence. He may give them a new perspective on the event that helps them process what happened and heal from the wounds it caused. In some cases, people “rest in the Spirit.” This is where the Lord may temporarily place you in a relaxed, conscious state while he heals you in many areas simultaneously. This may also be referred to as “spiritual surgery.” If this happens to you, do not fear. God is the God of peace and uses such experiences to speed up the healing process. Other people may not sense anything happening at all while they pray, but later may discover that the sting of the memories has been removed by the Lord. What to Pray Taking your list of root memories from the above section, you can now go to Jesus in prayer and ask for healing for each memory. I suggest using a simple set of prayers that include:
Here is an example prayer that you can use for each memory: Lord Jesus, I believe that you are God and that you are a rewarder of those who diligently seek you. I believe that you are the God who heals. I take authority over every spirit or power that is not of God and I bind them from interfering in any way during this prayer session. I declare this room and this temple (or body) as holy ground, dedicated to Jesus Christ exclusively. I release the peace of God in this place and in my mind right now. Lord, I lift up this memory of ____________ to you now. I confess any sin that I committed in conjunction with this memory: _______________(specify). If I have harbored any unforgiveness toward the people involved, I now forgive them. Please forgive me and cleanse me from my sin. Thank you, Jesus! I ask that you please heal me from any binding effects that this memory has had on my life. Please heal all the inner wounds from this memory that continue to affect me today, consciously or subconsciously. Please help me to see that incident from your perspective and no longer rehearse the pains of the past. I release that memory to your care right now. (Pause and take some time now to pray silently and/or pray in the Spirit, waiting on the Lord) Lord, please now fill me afresh with your love, peace and joy. I receive your life and healing in my body, soul and spirit. (Again, pause and take some time to pray silently and/or pray in the Spirit, and receive from the Lord) Thank you, dear Jesus, for all that you have done in me today. I praise you and glorify your name! Amen.” As you pray through each memory, be patient and don’t try to rush the Lord. The Lord will help you know when you’ve received healing and are ready to move forward in the Freedom Journey I study. This will typically be indicated by your ability through Christ to face the reality of each memory without the pain, fear, anger, bitterness, or other negative emotions that you previously had. Because of the potential heaviness and other negative emotions that can be stirred up inside us as a result of this type of prayer, I highly recommend that you pray a "Cutting Free" prayer following these exercises. Here is an example: "Lord God, thank you for this time of prayer and healing. Please cut me free from all heaviness, sadness and negativity that may have been stirred up inside me as a result of these prayers. Please wash my conscience with the blood of Jesus and help me to not place any undue focus on the memories we have worked on today. Please help me to fix my thoughts on you, Lord, and now move forward in my walk with you. Come Holy Spirit, renew me, fill me with your power, life and joy. Strengthen me where I have felt weak and clothe me with your light. Also, Lord God, please send your holy angels to minister to me. I praise you and thank you, in Jesus' name, Amen." Clean House The Bible discusses the importance of removing "detestable" objects from our homes in several passages. For example, God told the Israelites, "Do not bring a detestable thing into your house or you, like it, will be set apart for destruction. Utterly abhor and detest it, for it is set apart for destruction "(Deuteronomy 7: 26). God repeated this warning in several other scriptures: 2 Kings 23:24; Deuteronomy 13:17; Joshua 6:18; Joshua 7:1. These warnings were for good reason. He did not want his people to experience the unpleasant consequences associated with those objects. Modern day examples of detestable objects include pornography in all its forms and things associated with the "the Occult." God wants us to have nothing to do with these things primarily because they are forms of idolatry. He jealously yearns for our total devotion (James 4:4-5). Keeping such things in our homes dishonors God, creates a potential snare for sin and gives the enemy an open door to attack us. The sensible thing to do is to purge our homes of all detestable objects that we know of and/or that God reveals to us. Before you start cleaning out your house, please take a moment to ask God to give you wisdom on what to remove. Suggested prayer: "Lord God, please show me the things in my home that are not pleasing to you. Please convict me of what I should do with them. Thank you, Father, Amen." The below suggestions come from our own "house cleaning" experiences over the years. We've gone through about 4 of them since we started serving the Lord. You may find that after getting rid of the obvious things, God may later show you other objects that need to go. I encourage you to cooperate fully with the Holy Spirit and follow through on the convictions he gives you. One of the challenges we faced in our house cleanings was the desire to sell the detestable objects to recover the value, or at least give them to someone who could use them. The Lord showed us that either course would only help others to fall into sin. Therefore, we recommend that you destroy the objects and resist temptations to sell or give them away. By destroying them, you are making a sacrifice to God similar to what the people in Acts did by burning their magic books (Acts 19:19). House-cleaning suggestions: Change your computer setup:
Other actions:
After you've cleaned out your house, please take time to ask God's forgiveness for having kept the detestable objects in your home. Suggested prayer: "Heavenly Father, I confess that I have kept these detestable objects in my home. Please forgive me for this. I renounce my possession of those objects and turn from them now to pursue Jesus wholeheartedly. In the name of Jesus, I break any curse or foothold that may have been created as a result of my having those objects. Thank you, Lord, that I am cleansed and forgiven by the blood of Jesus Christ. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen." Fill the House Now that you have cleaned your house, fill it with good things that will point you to God and encourage wholesome living. Consider Colossians 3:1-2 NIV: "Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things." We can bolster a "God-focused" heart and mindset by what we keep in our homes and what we do for entertainment. We can ask God to give us wisdom on what actions to take in filling our homes. Here is a suggested prayer: "Lord God, I desire to set my mind on things above, not on carnal things. Please give me wisdom about how and what to fill my home with. Thank you, Lord, Amen." House-filling suggestions:
Personal Application Questions
Old Self New Self The Bible talks about the daily discipline of putting off our "old self" and putting on our "new self" in Christ. This is a skill that is critical to maintaining our freedom from sin. It is something that we'll be perfecting for the rest of our earthly lives. Paul wrote: 22You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Ephesians 4:22-24 NIV The old self must be put off, because it is being corrupted by sinful desires and will otherwise lead us back into sin. Simultaneously, we must put on the new self and be "made new in the attitude" of our minds. Note that it is our responsibility to put off the old and put on the new, while God renews us in the attitude our minds. How to put off the old self Putting off the old self is synonymous with putting it to death. The old self is the part of us that is continually trying to pull us back into sinful habits and thought patterns (Romans 6:11-14). The lure of the old self can be powerful, especially when our memories remind us of the pleasures of past sin. Here are some suggestions on how to put off the old self:
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. Galatians 2:20 NKJV Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV 1There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. 2For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. Romans 8:1-2 NKJV He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 1 Peter 2:24 NKJV Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Romans 6:4 NKJV
Another aspect of this found in the ways that we have been making provisions to gratify lust. Paul wrote, "Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts" (Romans 13:14 NKJV). Some examples of making provision for lust are: hiding a favorite porn magazine or image file, keeping an adult video store membership card, going to places where we know we'll be tempted, flirting on the job or with our neighbors, keeping unfiltered internet access or keeping a favorite list of porn sites on the computer. Leaving such unlocked doors for the enemy will likely lead us back into bondage at some point. The key is to remove the obvious things that could tempt us to fall back in sin. Solomon wrote, "A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is arrogant and careless" (Proverbs 14:16 NASB). Exercise: Take a moment to identify the ways that you've been making provision for lust in your life. Next, consider what actions you can take to eliminate each provision. You can ask God to help you in doing this: "Dear Lord, Please reveal the ways I've been making provision for lust in my life and show me how to eliminate each item. Thank you, Father. Amen." Feel free to use the below table to record your findings:
How to put on the new self Our new self is the person that God created us to be. This new self is "created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness" (Ephesians 4:24 NIV). God gives us the ability through the Holy Spirit to live in the reality of the new self (Romans 8:11). There are some basic actions we can take to put on the new self each day:
When God speaks to us (and we know it is him), it is vital to heed what he tells us, no matter how insignificant the instructions may seem. Sometimes God uses seemingly mundane situations to test our willingness to obey him. A friend of mine was getting discouraged because he hadn't heard from God in a long time. One day as he was driving down the highway at lunch time, he craved a McDonald's hamburger, but couldn't remember the exit number of the restaurant. "Lord, please help me remember where the McDonald's is," he prayed. Very plainly the Spirit said to him, "Take this exit, now!" Though he didn't think that was the right exit, he obeyed and discovered that it was the right exit after all. That little incident helped strengthen my friend's faith that God was still with him and cared for him.
There are many possible ways to study the Bible, but in general it is best to develop a daily habit of Bible study, including scripture memory work. There is no shortcut to learning the scriptures, but the time and effort you put in will strengthen your faith and bolster your walk with Christ. I'll offer suggestions on this in the next section (Quiet Times).
Before proceeding to the next page of the study, please take a moment to review your answers to the questions on this page. Ask God to help you make the needed changes that will help you put off the old self and put on the new self daily. Quiet Times Our daily transformation into the new self will hinge upon a daily devotion time with God. This is often referred to as a "quiet time." The quiet time helps us get connected with God, learn his word and worship him. If we want to walk in enduring freedom, we will have to be having regular quiet times. Suggestions for effective quiet times:
Main activities to include in your quiet time Praise and worship God: Praise and worship helps set our minds on God for the day. It also glorifies God and establishes a protective spiritual covering over us. Thanksgiving is a key ingredient in praise and worship. The Psalmist writes, "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name" in Psalm 100:4 NKJV. We should approach God in thanksgiving as we praise and worship him. There are many ways to express thanksgiving. We can start by thanking God for every good thing he has done in our life. When I thank God, I go through areas like my salvation in Christ, health, family, possessions, freedom from addiction, power for living, love God has for me, and identity as a son of God. I find that I have many things to be thankful for! Worshiping God is something we do by how we live, how we use our bodies and how we think. Our worship in the quiet time should be the start of an all-day activity. Here are some suggestions for worshiping God in the quiet time:
Pray: Prayer is our communication link with God. Prayer connects us with God, the source of the life and power we need to walk in purity. We can't afford to be disconnected from God! Are you talking to God on a regular basis? If you do not, the quiet time is a great place to begin. Here are some suggested things to pray:
"My body is a temple for the Holy Spirit, redeemed, cleansed, and sanctified by the Blood of Jesus. My members, the parts of my body, are instruments of righteousness, yielded to God for His service and for His glory. The devil has no place in me, no power over me, no unsettled claims against me. All has been settled by the Blood of Jesus. I overcome Satan by the Blood of the Lamb and by the word of my testimony, and I love not my life unto death. My body is for the Lord and the Lord is for my body." Amen" (Reprinted from Derek Prince Ministries Intl.) Don't feel that you need to talk the whole time. It's good to allow some silent time in case God wants to speak to you! Sometimes just being quiet before the Lord can bring tremendous peace, comfort and revelation. Pray expectantly, knowing that your requests are being heard and acted on by God. God may choose to answer your prayer differently from what you asked, or in a different time frame than you expected. Don't allow that to hinder your faith. When you combine faith with prayer, things will start to happen! Study the Bible: Jesus said that he was the "bread of life," and encouraged his followers to feed on his flesh. He said in John 6:56, “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.” He was talking spiritually, and meant that our |