When I last addressed this issue, I referred you to a book by Dutch Sheets called Becoming Who You Are: Embracing the Power of Your Identity in Christ. Today I wanted to expand on the advice he gives in the book about overcoming strongholds. If food is a stronghold for you, then you must handle it in such a way that you can (1) overcome the stronghold of food, (2) learn new ways of eating that replace your old ways, and (3) resist the temptation to let food overtake you again. Particular areas that should be looked at are self-control, discipline, wisdom, and discernment.
Self-Control & Discipline
This is a big one. It is hard to say no to things that you want to eat. In fact, sometimes it is downright unfair. Why is it that foods that taste so delicious are the very ones you are supposed to avoid if you are ever going to lose weight? You could practically write your own book of Lamentations in which you reminisce over that scrumptious, mouth-watering food that has landed on your list of forbidden things to eat. Here is where self-control and discipline come in. Because these qualities can be difficult to obtain on your own, God willingly offers to teach them to you. The Bible is full of His promises. Claim them as yours! Dutch Sheets tells you to say them out loud – for the words that you speak can give life. Proverbs 18:21 says, “The tongue has the power of life and death (NIV)”. Here are some verses for you to pray:
- Knowing God leads to self-control. Self-control leads to patient endurance, and patient endurance leads to godliness. – 2 Peter 1:6 (NLT)
- It is better to be patient than powerful; it is better to have self-control than to conquer a city. – Proverbs 16:32 (NLT)
- But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control; against such things there is no law. – Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV)
- All athletes practice strict self-control. They do it to win a prize that will fade away, but we do it for an eternal prize. – 1 Corinthians 9: 25 (NLT)
- God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. – 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)
- No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. – 1 Corinthians 10:13 (ESV)
Wisdom & Discernment
When I had to learn new ways of eating, it was hard. What was I supposed to eat? Did that mean that I had to give up foods I loved? I grew up eating delicious Mexican food. That is part of the reason I struggled with my weight. I gained more in college, when my dad’s cooking sent my taste buds soaring, and I ate so much that I reasoned that food that tasted this good should not go to waste! God understands that you love to eat. What if He could guide you to make wiser choices when it came to what you ate, when you ate it, and how much of it you ate? Seek His wisdom so that you can learn new ways to eat. Ask Him for discernment so that you can incorporate the knowledge you gain into your lifestyle. Here are some verses you can pray:
- If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. – James 1:5 (NIV)
- Blessed is the man who finds wisdom, the man who gains understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold. – Proverbs 3:13-14 (NIV)
- I [the Lord] will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you. – Psalm 32:8 (NIV)
- Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. – Psalm 25:4 (NIV)
- “I guide you in the way of wisdom and lead you along straight paths. When you walk, your steps will not be hampered; when you run, you will not stumble,” declares the Lord. – Proverbs 4:11-12 (NIV)
- Then you will understand what is right and just and fair – every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul. – Proverbs 2: 9-10 (NIV)
Do this everyday until you start noticing some changes. After I read his book, I put his advice to the test. What area did I pray verses on? Discouragement. I was so discouraged with everything. It was just too much for me to handle my responsibilities with the kids, homeschooling, the finances, cooking, cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping, running errands, etc, etc. I prayed out loud verses that applied to being discouraged. I did this everyday. And you know what? Discouragement went away. It simply drifted off of me, like a black cloud floating away. Since then, God has indeed blessed me by showing me things I could do to be a better manager of my household. He has given me ideas on how to make my life easier. He has even blessed me with things I never asked Him for, but wanted in my heart. What a sweet gentleman He is.
Where to Go From Here
Start by looking up verses that are specific to your area of need. Once you have them, you can meditate on them, pray them out loud, and claim them as yours. Here are some search engines that can help:
Two books that I have found especially helpful are Zondervan NIV Nave’s Topical Bible, which lists thousands of topics in the Bible and their corresponding verses, and Zondervan NIV Exhaustive Concordance, which gives you access to every word in the NIV text. This is particularly useful when you don’t remember an entire verse, but know one or two words. Although these books are applicable to the NIV version, there are probably similar resources for different versions. Just check with your local Christian bookstore.
Recommended Reading:
Overcoming the Stronghold of Food – Here is where I first discuss the stronghold of food, and how it can be overcome by applying the techniques in Dutch Sheets’ book
It’s a New Day – how much of a difference can having this attitude make? A HUGE one. I am not asking you to forget about your mistakes or failures, but simply learn from them, forgive yourself, and move on. Give yourself a new chance to make things right in your life.
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