August 25, 2013
Self destructive behaviors and spirituality
e·go·ism – which is the habit of valuing everything only in reference to one’s self, or personal interest
Self destructive behaviors are any and all behaviors that abnormally impact our mind or body by the bad choices we make throughout our life. Satan is inconspicuous in his attempt to conceal the obvious. Since it is not drugs or alcohol we become unaware of what it does to us spiritually. Despite the wide separation between an addiction to drugs, and the addiction to the relatively benign activity of things like compulsive television-watching.
We become self destructive physically, mentally and most of all spiritually when we as Christians maintain a potentially destructive pattern in our day to day life in how we spend our time or misuse our bodies. In Ephesians 5:15-17 Paul states “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. God offers to assist us with every behavior in life we encounter that takes our attention away from Christ, and the saving grace of Calvary.
Romans 8:6 tells me “The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.” Our behavior sometimes turns us into walking zombies who are easily manipulated by Satan’s desire that we all lose sight of Christ saving grace, that saves us from these Self destructive behaviors, while forgetting that life is too short to squander away on things that are not Christ centered.
Our thinking gets off track when we forget how God is willing to express His presence in our lives for “He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.”Romans 8:27 Remember Romans 8:5-6 tells us “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.”
So If your behavior no matter what it might be is not in accordance with the will of God and His desire to save us from every sin that controls the mind and body, will allow Satan to become the 
Master of our lives, and if Satan controls us He controls our destiny which in the end is Salvation lost. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind and body, there is life peace and eternal life in God’s pure and holy kingdom.
Many people don’t have success overcoming their self-defeating behavior, because all they do is try to quit instead of given their problem to Christ. But we must always Have something to replace our self-defeating behavior with. Remember in Luke when Jesus says: “an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. Then it says, ’I will return to the house I left.’
When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first.” For our heartfelt words each day must be “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” (Gal. 2:20)
So friends there must be a passion within us to change our behavior and focus our path on the footsteps of Christ instead of the things of this world that gives us the desire to self destruct in front of a television or at the shopping center or sex outside of marriage. But our passion must be the desire to replace it with a daily desire to look at the life of Christ and ask yourself how can my life exemplify the life of Christ.
There must be a daily passion from within to allow Gods Word into our lives as we pray without ceasing while seeking Gods Holy Spirit to control our destiny instead and Satan. Their must be an urgency and a driving force that seeks Salvation through Christ, because our life does depend on it. But where we most often fail is in thinking, well I still have time. Friends tomorrow is not promised.
Christ Is calling His Children at this moment for a unrestricted dependence on Him and not on TV or A relationship, or overeating, or smoking cigarettes which we all can have a debate on weather cigarettes are a drug, or not, but however we define it, it is a instrument that Satan uses to deteriorate the body God has given us. For Paul tells us in Romans 12: 1
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Remember our God continually allows what seems humanly impossible to become totally possible through Him. And we as Christians are constantly stating or deriving to some conclusion what we cannot possibly justify or explain.
I will name several behaviors and explain to you in five words why they controls us. First; why do you eat to much or the improper things? ans. Satan why do I spend hours in front of the TV? ans. Satan. Why do I smoke cigarettes? ans Satan. why do I continue to enter into a bad relationships. I know you will say I just make bad choices in my search for a good man or woman when it comes to my love life.
But most of the time bad choices comes about because we do not ask God to guide, and become the focal point of our lives and decisions. “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (1 Cor. 10:13)
“Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you” (James 4:7). We cannot overcome the smallest habit without God. But God will not overcome sin in our lives without us 
asking him to take control. If TV consumes precious time that should be spent with God it is a sin for we have broken the first commandment Ex. 20:3 “You shall have no other gods before me.”
But As we submit to His will and open our hearts to receive His power, the Holy Spirit will take control of our lives, along with all habits not of God. We will still be tempted my friends; but the power to resist now is controlled by Gods Spirit not Satan’s, but only if we have faith, and believe with a burning desire for Eternity. For it is written: “Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.”
So friends stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY
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