Overcoming Bad Habits and Addictions — Part 14
Any thoughts or actions that used to lead you to engage in bad habits in the past need to be replaced with thoughts and actions that lead you in a positive, healthy direction. You can kill those old thoughts and old ways of doing things by starving them to death. You do this by not giving them any of your time or attention. When you don’t “feed” those old thoughts and actions, their voices gradually become weaker until you no longer hear them. They lose more and more of their strength until they die.
You can do this by making a retraining plan. Take time now to decide on actions that you will take whenever old thoughts or actions come up that, in the past, would have led you to engage in bad habits. But instead of doing what your old self used to do to give in to bad habits, now use those thoughts or actions as signals to immediately do something different—something positive! In this way, any old thoughts that arise are actually working for you to push you closer to your new goals and your new purpose in life!
For example, the Bible gives you a plan to immediately put into action whenever you are tempted by lust.
Step 1: Flee
“But people who long to be rich fall into temptation and are trapped by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. And some people, craving money, have wandered from the true faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
“But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses.”—1 Timothy 6:9-12 (NLT)
“Run away from sexual immorality [in any form, whether thought or behavior, whether visual or written].* Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the one who is sexually immoral sins against his own body.”—1 Corinthians 6:18 (AMP)*
“Run away from youthful lusts*—pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace with those [believers] who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”—2 Timothy 2:22 (AMP)*
The first step in God’s action plan is to remove yourself quickly from the area of lust and temptation. Get out! Get away! This is even more critical when you are alone with your thoughts and there is no one else to turn to for support and help.
If alcohol was a problem in your old life and those thoughts come back to tempt you when you are in a restaurant with a bar, or in a grocery store that sells alcohol,—LEAVE! FLEE IMMEDIATELY! Remove yourself from the area of temptation.
If pornography was a problem in your old life, and a thought arises that tempts you to just take one look, GET OUT! LEAVE! FLEE IMMEDIATELY!
You should condition yourself to immediately flee when lust tries to enter your thoughts in the same way that you would flee a burning house. If you take time to think of other things you must do first, your life could be in danger. FLEE! GET OUT NOW!
Step 2: Do something healthy and positive
Fleeing from temptation is the first step in God’s action plan, but you must do more than that. Fleeing takes you away from harmful influences, but it creates a void that must be filled. You can’t just do nothing. You must refocus your efforts immediately on doing something healthy and positive. The best actions to turn to are the ones that keep your hands busy.
Are you tempted to slip back into old ways of doing something in secret? Then purposefully go out in public where you can be seen by others. Work in the yard, drive to a shopping mall, go to a coffee shop … . Are you tempted to get back together with old friends who are still enslaved to old habits? Then call up new friends instead who support your new freedom and will encourage you to stay strong. Visit them, hang out with them, and grow in your strength and resolve to maintain your freedom.
Make a plan now and have it ready to go if temptation comes. Plan ahead in detail, and then if temptation comes, do not rethink things, just immediately put the plan into action.
Step 3: Refocus on the Truth
Changing your actions to do something positive keeps your body occupied, but it does not deal with your thoughts. The real battle will be won or lost in your thoughts.
As you are fleeing the source of temptation, you must also refocus your thoughts on the truth that you are dead to all lust and sin. Your old self that was addicted and vulnerable to temptation is dead. You are free from all bad habits, addictions, and their cravings.
Have Bible verses memorized that you can quote to yourself in these times of temptation, like Galatians 5:2:
“And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites.” (AMP)
and 2 Corinthians 5:17:
“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (NLT)
Take your focus completely off of your old ways and your old self, and focus completely on your new freedom and your new self! Reinforce the truth in your mind. Visualize yourself living completely free of your old habits and cravings, because you *are *free! In this way, you will transform your mind from old thinking to new thinking that is consistent with your new life!
This 3-step plan is effective in “emergency” situations in which you may feel bombarded with sudden temptations to engage in old habits, but these three steps are also the basis for the re-training that we all need to ensure our successful transition from the old life of addiction to the new life of freedom in Jesus Christ. These three basic steps are described over and over in the New Testament.
Transition to a New Lifestyle
We are exhorted over and over again to (1) “put off the old self,” (2) “put on the new self,” and (3) “be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”
“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”—Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)
The apostles of the New Testament repeated this exhortation many times in different words. Paul described this transitional lifestyle in Colossians 3:5-17. First he wrote of putting to death things of the old self. You can do this through making a firm decision not to engage in any thoughts or actions that were part of your old lifestyle of bad habits and addictions. You can starve these things to death by not “feeding” them. Do not give them any of your thoughts or cooperation at all.
It may help to also perform a daily routine of going through the motions of physically taking off old clothes in the morning, symbolically representing putting off the old lifestyle, and putting on new clothes to represent your new lifestyle.
Step 1: Put off the old self
***“5 ****So put to death the parts of your life that belong to the earth, such as sexual immorality, moral corruption, lust, evil desire, and greed (which is idolatry). ****6 ****The wrath of God is coming upon disobedient people because of these things. ****7 ****You used to live this way, when you were alive to these things. ****8 ****But now set aside these things, such as anger, rage, malice, slander, and obscene language. ****9 ****Don’t lie to each other. Take off the old human nature with its practices *
**Step 2: Put on the new self, and Step 3: Be transformed by thinking new thoughts **
***“10 ****and put on the new nature, which is renewed in knowledge by conforming to the image of the one who created it. ****11 ***In this image there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave nor free, but Christ is all things and in all people.
***“12 ****Therefore, as God’s choice, holy and loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. ****13 ****Be tolerant with each other and, if someone has a complaint against anyone, forgive each other. As the Lord forgave you, so also forgive each other. ****14 ****And over all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. ****15 ****The peace of Christ must control your hearts—a peace into which you were called in one body. And be thankful people. ****16 ****The word of Christ must live in you richly. Teach and warn each other with all wisdom by singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing to God with gratitude in your hearts. ****17 ***Whatever you do, whether in speech or action, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus and give thanks to God the Father through him.”—Colossians 3:5-17 (CEB)
As Paul described, it is not enough to put off the old lifestyle with its thoughts and actions. You cannot live in a void. You can’t just do nothing. You must fill the void that is left by putting on your new lifestyle with new thoughts and new actions.
To be successful in your transition to your new lifestyle, you must transform your thinking. You must exchange old thoughts for new ones. Reading and meditating on the words of God in the Bible will transform your thoughts so that you will make a successful transition to your new lifestyle, and you will become stronger and stronger as you are faithful to transform your thoughts daily by renewing your mind with meditation on the words of God.
Paul spoke of this transition to a new lifestyle again in Ephesians chapter 4:
Step 1: Put off the old self
***“17 ****So I’m telling you this, and I insist on it in the Lord: you shouldn’t live your life like the Gentiles anymore. They base their lives on pointless thinking, ****18 ****and they are in the dark in their reasoning. They are disconnected from God’s life because of their ignorance and their closed hearts. ****19 ***They are people who lack all sense of right and wrong, and who have turned themselves over to doing whatever feels good and to practicing every sort of corruption along with greed.
***“20 ****But you didn’t learn that sort of thing from Christ. ****21 ****Since you really listened to him and you were taught how the truth is in Jesus, *
**Step 2: Put on the new self, and Step 3: Be transformed by thinking new thoughts **
“22 change the former way of life that was part of the person you once were, corrupted by deceitful desires. 23 Instead, renew the thinking in your mind by the Spirit 24 and clothe yourself with the new person created according to God’s image in justice and true holiness.
***“25 ****Therefore, after you have gotten rid of lying, Each of you must tell the truth to your neighbor because we are parts of each other in the same body. ****26 ****Be angry without sinning. Don’t let the sun set on your anger. ****27 ****Don’t provide an opportunity for the devil. ****28 ***Thieves should no longer steal. Instead, they should go to work, using their hands to do good so that they will have something to share with whoever is in need.
***“29 ****Don’t let any foul words come out of your mouth. Only say what is helpful when it is needed for building up the community so that it benefits those who hear what you say. ****30 Don’t make the Holy Spirit of God unhappy—you were sealed by him for the day of redemption. 31 ****Put aside all bitterness, losing your temper, anger, shouting, and slander, along with every other evil. ****32 ***Be kind, compassionate, and forgiving to each other, in the same way God forgave you in Christ.”—Ephesians 4:17-32 (CEB)
Paul continues in the next chapter:
(Put on the new self)
***“1 ****Therefore, imitate God like dearly loved children. ****2 ***Live your life with love, following the example of Christ, who loved us and gave himself for us. He was a sacrificial offering that smelled sweet to God.”
(Put off the old self)
***“3 ****Sexual immorality, and any kind of impurity or greed, shouldn’t even be mentioned among you, which is right for holy persons. ****4 ***Obscene language, silly talk, or vulgar jokes aren’t acceptable for believers.”
(Put on the new self)
*“Instead, there should be thanksgiving. ****5 ***Because you know for sure that persons who are sexually immoral, impure, or greedy—which happens when things become gods—those persons won’t inherit the kingdom of Christ and God.
***“6 ****Nobody should deceive you with stupid ideas. God’s anger comes down on those who are disobedient because of this kind of thing. ****7 ****So you shouldn’t have anything to do with them. 8 You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, so live your life as children of light. ****9 ****Light produces fruit that consists of every sort of goodness, justice, and truth. ****10 ***Therefore, test everything to see what’s pleasing to the Lord,
(Put off the old self)
***“11 ****and don’t participate in the unfruitful actions of darkness. *
(Put on the new self)
*“Instead, you should reveal the truth about them. ****12 ****It’s embarrassing to even talk about what certain persons do in secret. ****13 ****But everything exposed to the light is revealed by the light. ****14 ***Everything that is revealed by the light is light. Therefore, it says, Wake up, sleeper! Get up from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.
***“15 ****So be careful to live your life wisely, not foolishly. ****16 ****Take advantage of every opportunity because these are evil times. ****17 ****Because of this, don’t be ignorant, but understand the Lord’s will. *
(Put off the old self)
***“18 ****Don’t get drunk on wine, which produces depravity. *
(Put on the new self)
*“Instead, be filled with the Spirit in the following ways: ****19 ****speak to each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; sing and make music to the Lord in your hearts; ****20 ****always give thanks to God the Father for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; ****21 ***and submit to each other out of respect for Christ.”—Ephesians 5:1-21 (CEB)
Throughout the New Testament, Paul and other apostles emphasized the importance of this vital transition. It is important to consciously and daily (1) put off the old self, (2) put on the new self, and (3) be transformed by thinking new thoughts.
“For the [remarkable, undeserved] grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to reject ungodliness and worldly (immoral) desires, and to live sensible, upright, and godly lives [lives with a purpose that reflect spiritual maturity] in this present age,”—Titus 2:11-12 (AMP)
“For we too once were foolish, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various sinful desires and pleasures, spending and wasting our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the goodness and kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared [in human form as the Man, Jesus Christ], He saved us, not because of any works of righteousness that we have done, but because of His own compassion and mercy, by the cleansing of the new birth (spiritual transformation, regeneration) and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out richly upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we would be justified [made free of the guilt of sin] by His [compassionate, undeserved] grace, and that we would be [acknowledged as acceptable to Him and] made heirs of eternal life [actually experiencing it] according to our hope (His guarantee). This is a faithful and trustworthy saying; and concerning these things I want you to speak with great confidence, so that those who have believed God [that is, those who have trusted in, relied on, and accepted Christ Jesus as Savior,] will be careful to participate in doing good and honorable things. These things are excellent [in themselves] and profitable for the people.”—Titus 3:3-8 (AMP)
“[Live] as obedient children [of God]; do not be conformed to the evil desires which governed you in your ignorance [before you knew the requirements and transforming power of the good news regarding salvation]. But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves in all your conduct [be set apart from the world by your godly character and moral courage]; because it is written, “You shall be holy (set apart), for I am holy.”—1 Peter 1:14-16 (AMP)
“As a result, they don’t live the rest of their earthly life for evil human desires. Instead, they live to do what God wants.”—1 Peter 4:2 (NIRV)
“In the past you wasted too much time doing what the non-believers like to do. You lived for the body and evil desires.”—1 Peter 4:3 (ICB)
“The dark night of evil is nearly over. The day of Christ’s return is almost here. So let us get rid of the works of darkness that harm us. Let us do the works of light that protect us. Let us act as we should, like people living in the daytime. Have nothing to do with wild parties, and don’t get drunk. Don’t take part in sexual sins or evil conduct. Don’t fight with each other or be jealous of anyone. Instead, put on the Lord Jesus Christ as if he were your clothing. Don’t think about how to satisfy sinful desires.”—Romans 13:12-14 (NIRV)
