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duct] in times past in the lusts of
the flesh, fulfilling the desires of
the flesh and of the mind ... ,;
(verse 3).
But God calls sorne in every
age to a life of overcoming these
lusts and desires. For these called
out ones, the change process (re–
pentance and conversion) is to be
so far-reaching that only the
power of God joined with human
will and effort can produce a new
man or woman .
Notice the way to begin break–
ing bad habits:
" Let the wicked
forsake his
way,
and the unrighteous man his
thoughts.
and Jet him return unto
the Lord ..." (l saiah 55:7).
"Repent," said Peter in Acts
2:38. That means a change in
lifestyle and an about-face in
thinking. For a wholly repentant
individual it means demonstrat–
ing total surrender to God by
be ing imme rsed in water, o r
baptism. This pictures the death
of the old man and his wrong
habitual ways, and the emer–
gence of the new man- one
desirous of fo rsaking his old
habits and of totally going God's
way. (Write for our free expla–
natory booklet
All About Water
Baptism.)
lt Takes God' s Power
Then God promises the gift of the
Holy Spirit to help a newly con–
verted person unders tand right
and wrong and develop right spir–
itual habits and attitudes.
Converted humans then begin
a life-long process in which they
are to, " ... put off concerning
the former [conduct of] the old
man [the old sin fu l habits], which
is corrupt according to the deceit–
ful lusts: and be renewed [note,
this is a process] in the spiri t of
your mind ; and ... put on the
new man, which after God is
created in righteousness and true
holiness" (Ephesians 4:22-24).
" Let us cleanse ourselves from
all filthiness [foul habits] of the
flesh and spirit, perfect ing [again ,
a process] holiness in the fear of
God," (11 Corinthians 7: 1).
Many bad habi ts and emotions
are too deep, too powerful, to be
overcome by human power alone.
30
Why? Because they are spi ritual
in nature. God has set in motion
spirituallaws (Romans
7:14),
and
they cannot be fully fulfilled (as
good habits) by human power and
effor t alonc.
In addition, Satan and his evil
host of fallen angels (demons)
work to discourage humans from
changing their wrong habits or
si ns (see Ephesians
6:10-18).
And
social organizat ion and c us toms
often mil itate against maki ng
such changes.
God knows all these difficul–
ties. That is why human beings
are offered such fantastic rewards
of rulership in God's Kingdom
for overcoming.
God offers "exceeding great
and precious promises [His Holy
Spirit among them]; that by these
ye might be partakers of the
divine nature,
having escaped the
corruption that is in the world
through
lust"
(If
Peter l :3-4).
"For the weapons of our war–
fare are not carnal [or fl esh–
powered], but mighty through
God to the pulling down of st rong
holds; casting down imaginations
[or reasonings], and every high
thing that exalteth itself against
the knowledge of God, and bring–
ing into captivity every thought to
the obedience of Christ" (11 Co–
rinthians
10:4-5).
Scripture commands, " ... be
not conformed to this world [with
its wrong outlook and habits], but
be ye transformed by the
renewing
of your mind ..." (Roma ns
12:2).
Character developmen t in–
volves
meditating
on doing what
is right. The book of Psalms is
full of material on which to medí–
tate. See also a grand summation
of what our minds should center
upon in Philippians
4:8,9.
C har–
acter involves
doing
what is right,
not just agreeing with what is
right. If you are a hearer but not
a doer you deceive yo urself
(James 1:22).
Overcoming sorne bad habits
will be possible on ly through
humbly yielding to God and ask–
ing Him for your needs
dai/y–
like getting strength from eating
food severa! times a day.
" ... work out your salvation
with [godly] fear and t rembling.
For it is God which worketh in
you both to
wi/1
and to
do
of his
good pleasure" (Philippians 2:12-
13).
But what if you slip? Get total–
ly discouraged and momentarily
give up? That's the attitude Satan
would like you to fall into!
"If
we confess our sins [falling
into bad spiritual habits that vio–
late God's Law], He [God] is
faithful and just to forgive us and
cleanse us from all unrighteous–
ness"
(J
J ohn 1:9).
In this human life, you may
never totally overcome all bad
habits or sinful pulls. But God
wants to know the direction you
have irrevocably chosen to go in
your mind and life.
When need be, overcomers are
instructed to seek help and en–
courageme n t from p r oper
sources: " ... if a man be over–
taken in a fau lt, ye which are
spiritual [that ·is, those more
mature in outlook and knowl–
edge], restore such an one in the
spirit of meekness, considering
thyself, lest thou also be tempted.
Bear ye one another's burdeos,
and so fulfil the law of Christ"
(Galatians 6: 1-2) .
A mature person realizes hu–
mans are creatures of habi ts–
good habits, bad habits. He never
condones bad habits. He knows
he
cannot change anyone who
does not want to change them. He
will, however, try to set an exam–
ple by overcoming bad habits in
his life. He wi ll encourage others
who are trying to change bad
habits in thei r lives, realizing giv–
en similar ci rcumstances or expe–
riences he could have simil ar
problems.
All of our habits-whether act–
ing, thinking or feeling habits–
are "at firs t cobwebs, then ca–
bles."
But the miracle of conversion
and a godly life and true spiri tual
understanding is that wrong "ca–
bles" can be snapped-their dom–
inance broken in one's life. New
and right habits of thinking, act–
ing and feeling are developed in
their place.
What kind of habits do you
instill in your life?
o
The
PLAIN TRUTH