How to Overcome Temptations
We often have a hard time giving up the desires of our flesh to be a better steward of what God has given us. Despite a person having good health they may have a day where they just splurge and eat a bunch of unhealthy food through the day and then they don't feel good and beat themselves up because they know it is gluttony and sinful.
Although many of us know that we should not beat ourselves up about eating some junk food here and there and that we should not be overly hard on ourselves and expect total perfectionism in everything we eat, long gluttonous binges are a different story.
Fortunately, we can still repent after these binges and get back on track, but wouldn't you rather just not have those days to begin with? Here is some biblical strategy to help avoid making this mistake (and other similar ones - like watching pornography or any other obviously sinful act that you may be having difficulty stopping).
This is a powerful way to shift from a "rules-based" mindset to an "identity-based" one. By using the Law of Expectation, you aren't just "trying harder" - you are aligning your mind with a spiritual reality that has already been won by Jesus. After all, you can do everything through Christ who gives you strength (Philippians 4:13).
Daily Stewardship Self-Examination
1. Identity & Expectations
Have you spoken of your health and healthy habits today as a promise already fulfilled, or have you let your "old name" and past failures dictate your expectations for today?
The Lesson: Just as God changed Abram's name to Abraham ("Father of Nations") right before he had Isaac, we must speak of our health in the present tense. If you call yourself a "glutton" or a "failure," you are subconsciously expecting to fail. By the Law of Expectation, when you identify as a "disciplined steward," your mind begins to look for ways to fulfill that identity.
2. The Miraculous Middle
Are you standing firm and expecting God’s strength to bridge the gap between your current cravings and His promised discipline?
The Lesson: We live in the tension where our spirit is redeemed (Already), but our body still craves the "fleshpots of Egypt" (Not Yet). Miracles, like the healing of the epileptic boy in Matthew 17, happen when we refuse to let the "Not Yet" symptoms waver our "Already" faith. Stand firm in the middle, knowing God's power is the bridge.
3. The Second Coming Perspective
If Jesus were to return tomorrow, would you be able to look back and be pleased overall with what you did today, or are there "big things" you would wish you had done differently?
The Lesson: This creates immediate "Kingdom Urgency." It moves stewardship from a matter of "calories and carbs" to a matter of eternal readiness. It asks if your current actions are a worthy offering to the King, helping you distinguish between a minor treat and a "big thing" (like a day of gluttony) that dims your spiritual lamp.
4. The Power of the Cross
Have you been utilizing the fact that Jesus paid for you to be able to nail your passions to His cross, and are you actively trusting that He will take them from you?
The Lesson: Galatians 5:24 says those who belong to Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. You don't have to "kill" these desires yourself; you literally hand them over to the Cross (to make this really real you can visualize nailing your problem to the cross). This is an active exchange: you provide the "nailing" (the firm decision to stop), and He provides the "taking" (the spiritual weight-lifting).
5. Desire Transformation
Have you been consistently asking Him to supernaturally replace your cravings for "splurging" with a genuine hunger for healthier desires?
The Lesson: We often ask for "strength to resist," but we rarely ask for "different desires." Persistent Faith involves believing that God can actually change what you find appetizing. When you ask Him to make healthy food taste like a blessing and junk food taste like "vanity," you are asking for a heart transplant, not just a diet.
6. The Source of Strength
Have you been keeping your sights on Him and clinging to Him the moment temptations arise, or have you been trying to battle them in your own strength?
The Lesson: The disciples failed because they relied on their own history rather than their current connection to the Source. Clinging to Him means that at the very moment a craving hits, your first move is a "breath prayer" or a scripture, rather than an internal argument with yourself. If you fight in your own strength, you are essentially gambling; if you cling to Him, the victory is guaranteed.
Strategy for Use
Repetition will rewrite your identity. You can review these every morning and night before bed and whenever temptation occurs.