Get Practical
Mrs Eniola James looked fresh and cute in her ankara jacket and black skirt with a black wedge shoe to match. She sang for some minutes and asked the audience to greet one another before taking their seat.
This edition of her monthly Life Class will be dealing with sexual addiction. For over a month she has been opportune to speak in several places on the topic but knowing that a single message will not suffice, she decided to invite all the people she counselled to the monthly life class.
She looked at the young people and tears welled up in her eyes. Few years ago she was like them, desperate for change after her life was messed by immorality. She pretended in church, she acted like all was okay when with her family but she knew her life was going towards destruction.
She finally met a woman of God that helped her. She led her to Christ, discipled and led her to discover God’s purpose for her life. It wasn’t an easy journey but with God’s grace, determination and discipline she was able to pull through.
“My brothers and sisters I am going to be very frank with you today and your response to all the issues we discuss today will determine if you will get your victory or not.
The first thing that you should know is that the only way you can have a relationship with God is by living holy. It is not a matter of choice but a command to be obeyed. You can’t live an impure life and claim you are a christian, it is either you are for God or you are for the devil, there is no middle ground.
But then many of you want to live for God but besetting sins are destroying your testimony. Many of you are hooked to masturbation,premarital sex, smoking, etc. Some of you have lost count of the abortions you have done. There is mercy for you here today.
So because I have personally sat with all of you and addressed individual issues, I will not be going again through the importance of salvation or deliverance for those who need it but will be discussing practical ways to keep your decision.
God has given us the victory but it is our duty to walk in it, he won’t do it for us. This is so important so that we won’t open up our lives to invasions from the pit of hell.
Also because all these habits were developed over time, you will need to unlearn them by developing new habits. This is so important because this is the only way to overcome a negative habit–BY DEVELOPING A NEW ONE.
What should I do to keep my victory and develop a new habit?
1. Let the word of God be your companion. Always and everywhere read it. David said in Ps 119:11 “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I may not sin against you.”
Become a word addict, schedule times to read your Bible and even when you are busy with work or studies, let there be a verse of the Bible on your mind that you are brooding on.
2. Identify your habit routine: The location, the time, the emotional state, what makes you desire the habit and every peculiar thing about your habit routine.
For example, if you have problem with masturbation; identify where you masturbate(bathroom, on the bed etc), the time you masturbate(in the morning etc), the emotional state(you watched a movie,or you are bored or idle).
You need to identify this because that is the only way you can prepare a plan to deal with it.
3. Develop a plan: At those times that you feel the urge to go back into that habit, plan ahead another course of action that you will take.
For example, the case of masturbation, if you have identified that you masturbate in the bathroom early in the morning. You can set up a plan that you will take your bible, read Ps 119:11 before going to the bathroom and then play gospel songs when you are having your bath and determine not to spend a long time there. Prepare the plan before the temptation comes.
That is a practical way to deal with it, don’t just say you will pray. Replace the routine with another habit and stick with for seven days to start with and then go fourteen days straight.
If you fall, go back to God and start your spiritual discipline all over again. Never give up, take your destiny into your hands.
4. Pray: Bath yourself in prayer…literally pray without ceasing. Ask for the help of the Holy Spirit and regularly plead the blood of Jesus on your spirit,soul and body.
To be continued tomorrow.
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@ohteehem
@ohteehem…committed to 2 Timothy 2:2
