
# Free Indeed

### A Devotional for Saints Who Still Struggle WithSin

## Dr. Gary Webb

### Contents

Copyright

Learning from a God Who Hears

Acknowledgments

Why You Need This Book

How to Use This Book

1. Day One

2. Day Two

3. Day Three

4. Day Four

5. Day Five

6. Day Six

7. Day Seven

8. Day Eight

9. Day Nine

10. Day Ten

11. Day Eleven

12. Day Twelve

13. Day Thirteen

14. Day Fourteen

15. Day Fifteen

16. Day Sixteen

17. Day Seventeen

18. Day Eighteen

19. Day Nineteen

20. Day Twenty

21. Day Twenty-One

22. Day Twenty-Two

23. Day Twenty-Three

24. Day Twenty-Four

25. Day Twenty-Five

26. Day Twenty-Six

27. Day Twenty-Seven

28. Day Twenty-Eight

29. Day Twenty-Nine

30. Day Thirty

31. Day Thirty-One

32. Day Thirty-Two

33. Day Thirty-Three

34. Day Thirty-Four

35. Day Thirty-Five

36. Day Thirty-Six

37. Day Thirty-Seven

38. Day Thirty-Eight

39. Day Thirty-Nine

40. Day Forty

Untitled

Afterword

12 Steps TO OVERCOMING

Endnotes

About the Author
**© 2011 by Gary Webb,**

**ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.**

**S criptures marked CEV **are taken from the **** Contemporary English Version® Copyright © 1995 American Bible Society. All rights reserved.

**Scriptures marked GW** are taken from GOD'S WORD®, © 1995 God's Word to the Nations. Used by permission of Baker Publishing Group.

**Scriptures marked KJV** are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

**Scriptures marked (NIV)** are taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

**Scripture quotations marked (TLB)** are taken from The Living Bible copyright © 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189. All rights reserved.

**Scripture quotations marked (NASB)** are taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

**Scripture quotations marked "NCV™"** are taken from the New Century Version®. Copyright © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

**Scriptures marked NKJV** are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

**Scripture quotations marked (NLT)** are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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# Learning from a God Who Hears

_N othing I've ever said or done could ever be worthy of my Lord Jesus. He graciously allowed me to fall lower than I might have imagined. The depths of my personal sin showed me the truth about life without Him. I was a "self-made man." I made a mess of myself! When I was on the edge of suicide; He gave me Life!_

_Months later, I was on my face again, this time in prayer. I was 24 years old, but I didn't know how to talk to a girl without a drink in my hand or drugs in my system. I was a Christian now and was going to church, but I was dying of loneliness. I fell to my knees in prayer, asking God to give me a wife. As I was praying, I soon grew frustrated because of the public telephone ringing in the hallway. How can a man get an answer from God with such distractions?_

_I went to the phone, answered it, and met my future wife through that phone call. Interrupted prayer? I didn't even recognize God answering a prayer!_

_In the 40 years since coming to know Him, I have had many sorrows and tears, but I've also experienced eternal life. (John 17:3)_

# Acknowledgments

The famous Westminster Shorter Catechism raises life's ultimate question: "What is the chief end of man?" That question is profound, but the answer is simple: "Man's chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever." God has brought people into my life who have been keys to my relationship with Him. No one has impacted and blessed me more than my wonderful wife, Jane. She was, she is, and she always will be an answer to prayer. Jane, I love you more than my words or deeds can show.

Dr. Donald M. Joy is now retired from decades of ministry as Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. Our relationship began when he sat beside me in the Atlanta airport and became Christ's angel (messenger) sharing God's Word with me. Through the years, we've had limited contact with one another. Nevertheless, he has always been there in those moments when my life took an unexpected turn. His assistance as I have sought to produce this book has been invaluable. Don, I am so thankful for your steadfast concern for so many like me who are today scattered around the world.

# Why You Need This Book

**Y ou are an addict.** I don't expect you to admit it now, but it's still true. Like most addicts, you have a deep and unconscious determination to deny the awful truth about your addictions. I made that plural because you probably have several, or perhaps many, addictions that drive you along through life. As an addict, you are naturally blind to how those addictions have robbed you of the fullness of what God offers in this life and beyond.

The Bible says, "All have sinned." When most of us hear those words, we shrug them away by thinking, "Yeah, none of us is perfect." Since we see sin as a common matter, we comfort ourselves by accepting our imperfections, while also reassuring ourselves that many others are even worse. In a world of imperfect people, our own sin doesn't seem so bad, much less threatening! We reason that if all of us are infected with this same condition, then it can't be that serious. Or can it? As with an addiction, the natural response to being told about our sin is a denial rather than a confession.

Addiction is a modern term for obsessive, habitual, destructive behaviors. Every addiction is also what the Bible calls sin. We can become addicted to many kinds of attitudes and actions that give us an immediate sense of pleasure. Because addiction is often viewed as a medical condition, many people use it as an excuse for why they are continuing in their "favorite sin." They may say, "It's a disease! I can't help it!" Some even defend themselves by claiming that God made them that way!

Having an addiction does not remove our responsibility for our confused decisions and actions. In a way, knowing the problem places a greater burden on us to make needed changes. If your doctor told you that you have entered the late stages of pancreatic cancer, you might panic. It wouldn't help if you were told that millions of others around the world are in the same position. You would desperately search for every option, regardless of expense or difficulty. You wouldn't say, "Oh, well, no big deal! Lots of people have this same thing." That news wouldn't exactly be comforting. It would be scary. It would mean months or years of terrible suffering. It would certainly rob you of energy, of money, of opportunities to pursue exciting goals. Life would collapse into what might seem like an unfair shortage of time. Even though millions are facing the same prospects, that knowledge offers little comfort.

Like a cancer patient, your condition is terminal. Whether you call it sin or call it an addiction, it's still destructive and ultimately fatal. You are responsible to turn your life around; but when you try, you discover that you have the desire to change, but can't.

The Bible often associates sin with disease, sometimes exposing sin as the cause of particular illnesses. At other times, certain diseases are seen as pictures of the devastating, obnoxious nature of sin. Leprosy is such a symbol. With leprosy, body parts go numb with loss of feeling. Then, the skin begins to wither and decay with an offensive odor. Eventually, members begin to fall off, and internal organs begin failing. Death is all too slow and often cruel.

Many diseases, left untreated, are like pain sirens announcing approaching death. With early diagnosis and proper treatment, they may be completely curable. Sin is not just physically disastrous; it is eternally terminal. Even so, God has provided healing salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. Without Him, there is no hope and no remedy. With Him, you can be delivered from the penalty of sin (hell), from the power of sin (continuing evil in our attitudes and actions), and ultimately from the presence of sin (living forever with Him in heaven).

**So, what is it? What is your "favorite sin"?** Until you see it for what it is, you will continue to protect it, pamper it, feed it, and watch it grow stronger every day. The following pages are just the beginning of a lifelong journey with Christ, the Liberator and Great Physician. He alone has all the answers, but we can share the insights He has most plainly taught us in His Word, the Bible. Following Him is the only pathway to your personal freedom.

MGW

June 2012

# How to Use This Book

If you don't believe you need a life-changing experience from God, I encourage you to find someone who does. You can give them this little book. **_Free Indeed_** isn't intended for those who don't need change in their lives. If all you plan to do is to read and study it for amusement, you might fill your head with ideas, but you won't get what you need. You will not become different. You need more than information. You need re-creation–being born again as a new person in Christ.

**As you begin each day, set apart some time to meet with God.** If you are only going to read, study, and think, then you shouldn't expect much change. That's an individual, intellectual game. You may have done that for years–without having a life-changing encounter with the real God and Savior. You need a relationship change that produces the inner spiritual transformation.

Each day is a fresh start. It doesn't really matter what happened yesterday—except for the lessons you learned. If it was an exciting day of victory, you should be thankful to the Lord, but you must also avoid becoming overly confident in your own strength. If it was a day of defeat, you should be thankful that you have been spared to live another day. The failures of your past do not determine your future. Yesterday's defeat does not need to continue today. For a Christian, no failure is final.

**As you approach the Lord this morning and every morning to come, I'm asking that you bow to Him.** That's right. . . If it is physically possible, get down on your knees in His honor. Speak aloud to Him, even if it must be softly to avoid disturbing others. Ask Him to open your eyes to see wonderful things out of His law (Psalm 119:18). Ask Him to use His Word to change your heart and mind in any way it needs to be changed.

The Bible is God's unchanging Word, but it is designed to change us. It is His chosen means to communicate with His people while we are still in this world. God did not simply choose the men who wrote the Scriptures; He guided them and superintended their efforts in recording His message for you. That isn't dictation, but it did insure that every word is just what He intended to say. Since it was written, God has preserved His Word in a remarkable way so that it reveals Him and His purposes to those with ears to hear it.

**As you begin to read through the passages from God's Word in this book, read them slowly and thoughtfully.** It may also help if you read them aloud and really reflect on what you are hearing. Constantly depend on God's Spirit to give you understanding. I even ask Him directly to do just that.

**As you read each verse from the Bible, pause frequently (even if in mid-sentence) to ask the Lord, "What do You mean**?" You may have only read one sentence, but without divine help, you won't get what you need. He has promised that if we keep on asking, we will receive. If we keep on seeking, we will find. If we keep on knocking at the door, it will be opened for us (Matthew 7:7). Sometimes, you may also need to ask, "Lord, what would You have me to do?" (Acts 9:6). Even a genuine encounter with the Lord may need special explanation from Him.

When the Lord shows you something that you need in your life, be sure to thank Him immediately. It's a privilege to hear from God. Not everyone does.

**As you read this book, you may also need to make quick notes so that you don't forget what you the Lord has shown you.** Either write it in the margins, or get yourself a small notebook to record your thoughts during this journey to freedom. Whatever you do, don't get caught in the trap of writing down more than is necessary for a future review. You can repeat this cycle many times, each time with a deeper understanding. Never think you have gotten all you can from God's Word. There's always more to be discovered.

Be patient with yourself. You are starting something new and wonderful. These may be only baby steps, but they are in the right direction. Your progress will sometimes be quicker than at other times, but don't quit.

**The book is written for followers of Jesus.** It is intended to help you learn how to follow Him as He leads you into a life of freedom and joy.

Each daily reading is short, but it is intended for you to use throughout the day.

**Here are some suggestions for how to approach each day's reading.**

  1. To the right of the heading, record the date when you complete your first reading. That will help you chart your progress and faithfulness as you progress through the book.
  2. Consider writing a brief paraphrase of the Scripture you have read. Make it personal–applying it to your own life. For example, Romans 5:8 says, "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." You might write, "God has already shown me how much He loves me. He did that by sending Christ to die for my sins, even before I knew anything about Him."
  3. Write out a brief sentence describing what God wants you to do in response to this reading.
  4. Write out a plan for what you will do with it that day. Will you read it again at lunch or in the evening? Will you take some time at the end of the day to review whether you've actually done what God has told you to do?
  5. Write out the references of other Bible verses that this reading reminds you of.
  6. Write down a brief description of something that has happened in your life that fits the principle you are learning that day.
  7. Since each day begins with a summary sentence at the top of the page, why not try to write down a better one yourself.
  8. Set some times throughout the day to pray about what you've read this morning. Perhaps during morning break or at lunch! Maybe while taking a walk after work.
  9. Share with a friend what you believe God has said to you from the Scriptures. Sharing can seal it into your memory for when you need it again as well as giving someone else the opportunity to benefit.

You are engaged in a battle with a powerful enemy, but don't forget that you have the most powerful Ally anyone could hope to have! The Son of God has triumphed already, and He is the One Who can give you victory day by day.

Some may question why I have used a variety of translations. Let me only say that many of the verses included in this book are _too well-known_ to many of us. We may casually overlook an important truth just because we are so very familiar with the wording of a verse. If you feel more comfortable with your King James or other version, please use it, but compare what it says with the wording in **_Free Indeed_** if only to shake loose the cobwebs in your head. Hear God's Word; don't just pick what you want to hear.

I have long believed that a book like this was needed for those who are trapped by Satan's snares–whether it is alcohol, drugs, gluttony, sexual immorality, laziness, pornography, greed, anger, gossip... the endless list of destructive leftovers from that old life that has made us so miserable.

If you find this book to be useful in your own journey, I ask two things.

First, recommend it to a friend or else give him or her a copy. Sometimes, I even offer it for free on Amazon.

Second, let me know so that I can find ways to better help others. Just send me an email at: gary@disciplesindeed.net

## 1

# Day One

* * *

**A dmit it. You're a sucker for sin's lies. Your only path to freedom is filling your heart and mind with God's truth.**

**_John 8:31-32 (KJV) – _**_Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free._

**_John 8:34-36 (NIV) –_** _Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed._

**Think About It**

What is the benefit of your continuing to live according to the Word of God? (verse 32)

Somehow, we often think that obedience (especially obedience to God) is the opposite of freedom. Actually, following Christ–step by step–is how you will discover the greatest freedom of all. It is a freedom from the guilt and shame of your past. It is a freedom to live a new life right now. And it is freedom to enjoy an amazing, eternal future that He has planned for you. Certainly, there will be some bumps in the road, but the trip will be worth it all.

Before the truth can set you free, what must happen? (32)

You need to understand and believe the truth before it can benefit you. You see, your favorite sin is filled with false promises – lies that you were only too eager to believe. I am equally vulnerable to such lies – unless the Lord confronts me with liberating truth.

Believing a lie can really bring a lot of instant pleasure and satisfaction. For a little while, the lie seems to work like we expected. The deception is supported by our denial that what we've done or how we've thought is actually wrong.

Eventually, the lie fails to deliver what we expected. Our disappointment and our pride mix together so that we defend ourselves and the lie that has spread deeply within our hearts. Animals can often escape the traps that capture them. Only the truth can set us free, and that truth flows from a Person – Jesus Christ. His word is liberating truth (John 17:17). If only God's people would listen when He speaks!

How well do you know what Jesus actually taught? I don't mean what other people say that He taught, but what have you personally learned from Him?

What happens to us when we begin yielding ourselves to sin? (34)

It isn't that strange. Almost every sin promises us freedom, but it turns us into slaves. The hidden deception beneath the surface of your favorite sin is like a chain around your brain. What has been your own experience with the tricks and traps of sin's bondage? Who can break the hold of sin and set us free?

**Prayer**

Lord, I am tired of being a slave to sin. I need to be set free. I really believe I can't do that for myself. Help me as I read your Word repeatedly. Help me to replace the lies in my mind with the truth You have given me. Please, Lord Jesus, set me free day by day! AMEN.

## 2

# Day Two

* * *

**Our desires for sin today flow from the lies we have already believed.**

**_J ohn 8:42-45 (NKJV) – _**_Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it. But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me._

**Think About It**

Jesus was the exact image of the heavenly Father. God's children naturally love Him, but those who don't love Him are showing that they have another spiritual father: the devil. Jesus often said that those who love the Father will love Him too. That makes sense, doesn't it? Why do you think that is true?

Let's make it simple. Satan lies. God tells the truth. Think about that for a moment. Let's not confuse ourselves. Most of our society pretends that everything is complex with many shades of gray. Nevertheless, most of life's decisions are not like that at all. It really is black or white... truth or lies.

Lies have spread within mankind like autumn leaves blowing in the wind. Like juicy gossip, every sinful lie settles itself deeply into our thought patterns.

Why do people who were made in the image and likeness of God fall for lies that trap us in sin's bondage? We think that the lie sounds better than the truth. We love those promises of excitement, satisfaction, success, comfort, or ease that these lies of sin promise us. In contrast, Moses chose short-term sufferings in following God rather than the short-lived pleasures that sin could have given him (Hebrews 11:25). So there is a choice to be made. Our addiction to the easy, quick rewards of sin can lead us into inescapable and everlasting destruction. Living in a world saturated with Satan's lies leads us into spiritual bondage instead of true freedom in Christ.

Even after we should know better, Satan provides lies that become convenient excuses for our favorite sins. They arouse our emotional passions, and then they help us to pretend that there's nothing wrong about yielding to them.

Your freedom from the power of sin and Satan will only come as you continue in His Word and allow that Word to cleanse your heart of all the lies accumulated since the day of your birth.

Perhaps you've seen a powerful elephant at a circus tied down with a piece of twine and a small wooden stick. You know that the elephant could snap the string and break free, but the elephant doesn't. The elephant is bound to that little stake by a lie firmly implanted in his mind. As a baby, the elephant was staked out with an iron rod and a heavy chain attached to a sharp wire around the elephant's foot. Every attempt to escape was met with immediate pain as the wire cut into the tender flesh of the baby elephant. Eventually, he gave up. It just was not worth trying anymore. Perhaps you have been conditioned to believe that you can't get free, but that's a lie that needs to be removed in order for you to find real freedom.

**Prayer**

Father, all my desires must become like yours so that the whole world would have no question about me being your child. Loving Jesus is the beginning place of it all, so please teach me more about Him so that I may love Him more and more every day. As I love Him, His desires will fill my heart. Cleanse my heart of all the lies the devil has planted there. Help me to listen closely to what Christ is trying to tell me today. AMEN

## 3

# Day Three

* * *

**Getting free inside comes from getting clean. We get clean when God's Word fills every part of our being.**

**_P salm 119:9-11 (ESV) - 9_** _How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word. 10With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments! 12I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you._

**_Psalm 119:44-45 (GW) _**_- 44I will follow your teachings forever and ever. 45I will walk around freely because I sought out your guiding principles._

**Think About It**

During our youth, we are especially vulnerable to sin's worst attacks. It could be due to our lack of experience with particular temptations and our false sense of self-confidence. "I can handle it" usually means "it's already handling me." Sadly, teens and young adults can become captive to habits that will rob them of freedom for a lifetime. That happened to me. If I had known what God had to say. . . I probably wouldn't have believed it then. I'm human, and stupidity about sin runs in the human family.

These verses ask a "how to" question about staying out of these traps. How do we stay clean in a dirty world? First, we actually need to live according to the truth of the word rather than thinking that we know better. Even so, another matter is hidden beneath it all. Do you really _want_ to be clean and free? Tough question! After all, we're talking about leaving comfortable lies behind as we move into some uncomfortable truth about ourselves. If you want to get clean and stay that way, expect to be tempted and tested.

**Second,** after we're sure what we want, we really need to go for it with **_all our hearts_**. Anything less is not just lazy; it's stupid. You can be passionate about many things that don't deserve much attention. God loves you more than you can imagine, so why don't you to start loving Him with all you've got?

**Third,** admit that you are prone to stray from the truth into poisonous lies and errors. We've done it before and are likely to do it again. So, we need to plead for help from the only One Who can keep us straight.

**Finally,** hiding the Word of God in your heart (not just your head) is powerful. Our heart is the source of our emotions, and emotion is what really moves us to act or to think in certain ways. We must saturate our minds and emotions until they are captivated with the Lord. As we do, He will make us more like Him.

**Prayer**

Lord, I need more of your Word in me and less of the false word taught by the world around me. I need to have something to depend on when I am under attack. Help me to stay close to all the Word I now have. Help me to hide more of your Word in my heart every day.

## 4

# Day Four

**Your mind is a spiritual battleground where most armor won't protect you. You need God's armor to shield you from the tricks and traps of evil.**

**_E phesians 6:10-13 (NCV) \- _**_Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his great power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can fight against the devil's evil tricks. Our fight is not against people on earth but against the rulers and authorities and the powers of this world's darkness, against the spiritual powers of evil in the heavenly world. That is why you need to put on God's full armor. Then on the day of evil you will be able to stand strong. And when you have finished the whole fight, you will still be standing._

**Think About It**

We have some crazy ideas about what it means to be a strong person, and that gets us into trouble. The most important issue is the source of our strength. All strength that comes from within us will eventually fade and fail. All too soon, the most beautiful girl in the world becomes a gray and wrinkled woman. The strongest man will finally be too frail to walk on his own... if he lives long enough.

When it comes to the spiritual battles of our lives, our battles with controlling sins, we cannot be free without Christ. That's because you are in a battle with a very real and extremely cruel enemy... the devil. Do you really think you can win that battle alone? Why, or why not?

In reality, the devil is much stronger than we are, but he's also much weaker than the Lord. Satan is no match for you when you are drawing your strength from Jesus. So, we all need to learn to depend on God's strength instead of our own.

Remember the story of Samson? The Spirit of God left him, but he didn't even notice until he had been captured (Judges 16:4-21).

Don't let that happen to you today! Make sure throughout the day that you take some time to check your armor. In other words, remind yourself of these verses or some other passage that strengthens you.

**Prayer**

Lord, I pray that You will be my shield and my strength today. Surround me with your power. Fill me with your strength so that I might be able to withstand anything Satan brings my way. Help me to realize that my enemies are not other people that You bring into my life. Instead, I face an invisible foe who is clever and deceitful. Help me to see through his lies and to stand firm in Your truth.

## 5

# Day Five

**There's no such thing as an irresistible temptation.**

**_1 Corinthians 10:13 (NLT) \- _**_But remember that the temptations that come into your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will keep the temptation from becoming so strong that you can't stand up against it. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you will not give in to it. (_ ** _If you have time,_** __**_See also Genesis 2:16 and Genesis 3:1-19)_**

**Think About It**

Are your temptations more severe than what others have been able to overcome? Do yours SEEM to be worse than what other people have experienced? A lie can seem to be true, but it is still a lie. Every lie that you or I believe is like a chain around our throats. If we believe our temptations are worse than other people have faced, how does that affect our ability to overcome them? If we imagine that no one has overcome this before, then we seriously doubt that we will be the first.

Does God seem to abandon you and leave you helpless when you are being tempted? Consider this: since God is all powerful, He could have prevented every temptation that comes your way. The first man and woman were flawless people in a perfect world. However, that faultless world included a choice to use something (the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil) in a way that was not God's best. The tree and its fruit were part of God's plan. God warned them not to eat, but they chose to ignore the truth God had given them.

Their temptation offered some amazing promises, didn't it? What were they?

Did their choice lead them to greater freedom and a better life? Did it really make them more the way God wanted them to become or less?

God alone can decide fully what is good or evil, right or wrong, true or false. We are too limited for that, but Adam and Eve bought into the lie of Satan. They thought it would be great to be like God, deciding for themselves what is good or evil. That will never work unless you understand the consequences of each choice.

Does your temptation seem too strong for you to stand against it? For that matter, is there really such a thing as an irresistible temptation? A temptation is only irresistible if there is no other choice. When your special temptation comes, do you actually have no other choice but to give in? Be honest now. Isn't there always a choice to do something else? If there is another possibility, then you have a choice, even if you need God's help in making that choice work.

Before your next temptation even comes, make a plan. What is the way of escape that you could take in that moment of decision?

**Prayer**

Lord, whenever I'm tempted today, I only ask that you show me the way You have provided for me to do something different from what the tempter wants me to do. There is always another choice, even when temptation seems irresistible. Help me to depend on your solutions instead of my own

## 6

# Day Six

**There's no such thing as an irresistible temptation.**

**_R omans 7:21-25 (NCV) _**_\- So I have learned this rule: When I want to do good, evil is there with me. In my mind, I am happy with God's law. But I see another law working in my body, which makes war against the law that my mind accepts. That other law working in my body is the law of sin, and it makes me its prisoner. What a miserable man I am! Who will save me from this body that brings me death? I thank God for saving me through Jesus Christ our Lord!_

**Think About It**

Does this passage seem to describe some of your own feelings when dealing with your most troubling sin? Think of a specific time when you were trying to do right, but it seemed like you were fighting a battle inside? What was that like?

In some ways, you aren't the same person you once were. You now have a desire for something better – a new kind of life. However, a new desire doesn't automatically give a new ability. To be honest, as much as you want to live better, you can't make it happen. Why? You can't because deep inside you, there's another force at work. It's called sin. Sin isn't just an action or an attitude. It isn't merely the absence of goodness. Like a home invasion, sin has taken you captive to do things you have come to hate. Maybe you loved them at one time, but sin never gives satisfaction that lasts. It only gives us pleasure for a short time.

Does it seem that your body doesn't want to cooperate with what your mind really wants? As a matter of fact, your body is still under the influence of the old nature of sin that you inherited from Adam and Eve. The Bible calls that the "lusts of the flesh."

Modern science has discovered that our bodies produce powerful chemicals when someone participates in certain addictive behaviors such as gambling or violent outbursts. Drugs or alcohol aren't needed to produce the addiction. A person becomes addicted to the chemicals his own body produces when he views pornography, engages in risky behaviors, loses his temper, gambles away the family grocery money, or shoplifts items from a store. So, sin is both spiritually and even chemically powerful. Perhaps this helps you explain why your own body seems to fight you every time you want to make important changes in your life. Whether it's lying or laziness, greed or gossip, pride or pornography, your body fights you tooth and nail when you try to move toward godliness.

Even a godly man like the Apostle Paul had his own struggles to become all that he knew was best. His failures to do all that he knew to be good and right made him miserable at times. However, he did have hope for victory. What was that hope that Paul described in verse 25?

**Prayer**

Lord, I thank You that the victory doesn't depend on how hard I fight. It depends on the One who fights along with me. The Lord Jesus Christ has saved me from sin's penalty, but He is still working and saving me from sin's power right now. I really do look forward to the day when He completely saves me from the presence of any sin at all! Now that will be heaven!

## 7

# Day Seven

**Both body and mind belong to God, not us. Who then should decide how each is to be used?**

**_R omans 12:1-2 (NLT) \- _**_And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask?_ ** _2_** _Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect._

**_Philippians 4:8 (CEV) \- _**_Finally, my friends, keep your minds on whatever is true, pure, right, holy, friendly, and proper. Don't ever stop thinking about what is truly worthwhile and worthy of praise._

**Think About It**

Sometimes we hear someone say, "It's my body. I can do anything I want with it." Have you given your body to God? When He allowed Jesus to take your place on the cross, He actually purchased you (spirit, soul, and body) at an amazingly high price (1 Corinthians 6:20). Why not give Him your body this morning?

If you are going to give Him your body today, in what condition should you give it? Should it be clean and pure or filthy with sin? It's your choice. And it's a choice you will need to continue making throughout the day.

Do you ever feel the world trying to pressure you into its mold? It tries to shape our thinking constantly through our senses: our seeing, tasting, smelling, touching, and hearing. Then we become carbon copies of those around us, those who don't realize how conforming to the popular ideas and values of society has robbed them of even knowing who they are in God's eyes.

Is God changing the way you think? If so, give some examples.

He can and will change you as you continue in His Word. Do you want Him to do that for you, or would you rather keep heading in the same direction you've been going? What are some of the differences that the Lord has made in how you view your life? What are some of the tools the Lord uses to change the way we think about things?

**Prayer**

Lord, I am Yours – completely Yours. You bought me at a great price, but I'm also giving myself to You today. Every part of my body belongs to You. Teach me to use every member of my body exactly as You want. Lead me into thinking the kind of thoughts that are from heaven instead of the evil ones from this world.

## 8

# Day Eight

**You can't get too close to some people. The dirt rubs off. Instead, get close to God. He might rub off on you!**

**_1 Corinthians 15:33-34 (NIV)_** __**_-_** _ 33Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." 34Come back to your senses as you ought, and stop sinning; for there are some who are ignorant of God—I say this to your shame._

**Think About It**

Some recovery groups have said that overcoming negative habits involves "new playthings, new playgrounds, and new playmates." That would be new activities, in new places to hang out, and new people with whom to spend your time.

Benjamin Franklin wrote in his _Poor Richard's Almanack_ that "He that lieth down with dogs shall rise up with fleas" Getting free from the stranglehold of sin may mean losing some friends who have held you back. In my own experience, I deliberately chose to turn away from my circle of friends because they supported one another in continuing the addictions we had shared, and they were frightened to see me changing. I had become a threat to them.

Let's face it. Not everyone wants freedom yet. They certainly will at some point, but that may be too late. Some of our "friends" don't really want to see us change because it would wreck their excuses for not walking in a new direction themselves.

Do you know some people who might influence you in the wrong direction in the ways you need to change? Who are they?

How have they had a negative influence in times past?

How can you graciously (kindly) break off the bond that has pulled you down in the past?

It's not easy because few will be able to understand what you are doing. I still loved my friends, so I tried my best to lovingly tell them that I was too weak to break the habits while hanging out with others who were continuing to do those things. I lost some friends, but I gained my freedom. Some of them died. Some went to prison. Many lost their health. Most were afraid of the loneliness that freedom would surely bring. I understand that. I felt that, too, but those were just the emotional and spiritual chains of my sin.

Can you accept the fact that a change of thinking might also require a change of friends? Have you made a greater positive difference in the lives of other people than the negative differences they may have brought into your life?

Do you realize that eventually you will eternally lose those friends if they don't turn their lives over to the Lord? Their best hope in this life may be seeing you start living for Christ right now. Then, they will be able see for themselves what Christ can do with a life fully surrendered to Him. They may think that is impossible until they see it become possible for you.

**Prayer**

Lord, You are my best friend. You love me more than anyone else. Some who claim to be my friends don't know You and don't really know how to be the kind of friends I need. Instead, they are under Satan's control and are his tools to destroy me and to ruin my influence for You. Lord, give me the strength to live for You and to stop depending on false and unfaithful friends to meet my emotional needs. Even if my friendship with You costs me theirs, give me the will and the power to stand firm with You. Help me to find others who will love me as I seek Your will in my life.

## 9

# Day Nine

**We all need someone who can guard our backs during the battle.**

**_E cclesiastes 4:9-12 (NLT) \- _**_9 Two people can accomplish more than twice as much as one; they get a better return for their labor. 10If one person falls, the other can reach out and help. But people who are alone when they fall are in real trouble. 11And on a cold night, two under the same blanket can gain warmth from each other. But how can one be warm alone? 12A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken._

**Think About It**

Some battles just cannot be won without help. Do you believe that? Sometimes you can be all alone in the middle of a crowd. Have you ever felt that kind of loneliness? At other times, you can struggle all alone until you ask someone else to help fight off the attacks of the enemy, Satan.

If you felt like you were in danger of falling for the devil's next lie, who would you call? Do you have that kind of friend yet?

Would you feel ashamed to ask for help? On the other hand, would you be thankful that God has given you someone who wants to be a help?

I have felt honored when someone turned to me for help – even at those times in the middle of the night. It meant that they trusted me to love them.

The greatest victories are often not based on being strong. Instead, they are simply a matter of being smart enough to get the reinforcements you need before the battle is lost. Is it sensible to fight Satan all by yourself? You definitely need the Lord, but He also has given you brothers and sisters who will stand with you in the struggles for freedom.

**Answer these questions for yourself.** If you were just starting to feel a temptation toward your "favorite sin," who would you call for help? Why would you think of them? What do you think they might be able to do for you? Would you be willing to ask them specifically for what you think you need from them?

Silly slogans of the past often contain nuggets of truth. "Birds of a feather flock together." You don't go to bars looking for a virtuous woman. You don't sit in the midst of a meth party if you want to have friends who can strengthen your personal discipline.

In the early days, I found freedom by surrounding myself with the people I would have previously considered boring. I went to church – a place I'd avoided for years. I became actively involved by working together with the church members who were doing more than sitting on a pew. I even began praying for God to give me a godly wife. He did. He did that by having her call on the telephone why I was in the midst of that kind of prayer. If you need Christ-loving friends, I recommend prayer.

In the military, someone may say, "I've got your six."

**Can you think of a way that someone could "cover your back" for you today?** Why not ask them to do just that!

**Prayer**

Father, I am so thankful that You don't expect me to guard myself in all directions. You have given me some partners in battle, even some who know how to fight and win. Help me to be honest enough with myself to call for help before any battle is lost. Help me to be ready to do battle to help others who need a friend as well.

## 10
# Day Ten

**We all need someone when life seems to crumble beneath our feet.**

**2 Corinthians 6:14-15, 17-18 (NLT) \- **_14 Don't team up with those who are unbelievers. How can goodness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? 15What harmony can there be between Christ and the Devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? 17Therefore, come out from them and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord. Don't touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. 18And I will be your Father, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." _

**Think About It**

If you are a new mountain climber, you want to be hooked up with someone who can hold on even if you fall. No one with any sense scuba dives all alone. We all need a backup in dangerous situations. Likewise, our spiritual journey is doomed to failure if we try to do it all alone.

It is vitally important for every growing Christian to have some close connections with other strong believers. You must be very careful about who you choose as your spiritual partners. It is vitally important that your most intimate friends be ones who are at least as close to the Lord as you are. Why do you think the Lord wants us to "come out," or separate ourselves, from some people?

Have you ever experienced a time when you were trying to make changes in your life, but you found it to be difficult because of the people with whom you were associating? Who are some of these people? That's right. Who are they? Say the names. It's time to recognize those who unknowingly are being used by Satan to undermine your growing faith.

Everyone with whom you spend a great deal of time is either helping you to follow the Lord or holding you in the past. Think for a moment about some who are holding you back. How are you going to distance yourself from them in a way that honors the Lord without treating them cruelly? Now, on the other hand, who among your friends knows how to pray, how to share God's Word when you need it, and genuinely knows the exact kinds of bondage that are robbing you of spiritual and emotional freedom? Outward changes of behavior begin with these internal transformations. Who has your back when you face trouble?

**Prayer**

Father, thank You for the new spiritual family that You have given me. I need people who will love and accept me. Thank You, too, that You want to protect me from the influence of those who aren't yet committed to following You. Help me to remember to pray for them, but also help me to remember that we are different. We aren't headed in the same direction. Help me to follow You instead of blindly following them. Remind me to keep each of them in prayer, asking You to do for them what You have for me. Please turn their hearts. Give them that hunger and thirsting that only You can satisfy. May Your grace prevail in their lives. AMEN!

## 11
# Day Eleven

**God isn't finished with you yet. One day, you will be pure and perfect. Until then, make each step closer to that goal.**

**_2 Corinthians 7:1 (NIV) \- _**_Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God._

**_1 John 3:2-3 (NIV) \- _**_Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure._

**Think About It**

I would encourage you to begin a new habit. Start collecting promises from God that help you to make it through the day. Perhaps it would be good to write them in the back of this book. Start reviewing those promises often, maybe even several times a day when you need it. Write them down on a note card and pull them out at work or after a meal. When no one is around, say them aloud. Then, it may be great if you can find someone who will try to learn the same promises at the same time.

What are some of the things that have contaminated your body and spirit? Can something pollute your spirit but not your body? If so, give an example.

Can something pollute your body but not harm your spirit? If you think so, write that down, but then discuss that possibility with your pastor or a trusted and godly friend.

Holiness is purity. It is being separated from evil so that you are prepared for whatever God wants you to do. Years ago, television commercials for Ivory soap said that it was 99 and 44 one hundredths percent pure. Well, that's almost pure, but it still has some contamination in it. What might be some things that you need to keep at a distance in order to keep your spirit and body pure? Not just the obvious! It might be a television program or a special kind of music. Maybe it's a particular magazine. It could be a place that brings back the wrong kind of memories.

How would knowing that you are God's own child affect your desire to be pure? Does the thought of Jesus coming soon make you want to avoid anything that might contaminate your spirit or body? If so, why is that? Is it out of fear, or out of a loving desire to be pleasing to Him?

**Prayer**

Lord, thank You for giving me Your Word so that I can depend on You. Help me to know and to remember Your promises when I have choices to make. Help me to remember who I am now – Your child. Also, let me develop a stronger hope or desire for yYour return. Give me discernment about the kinds of things that bring spiritual pollution into my life. Show me the ways that I have yielded my heart, my mind, or my body to the control of things that would bring You grief. Then, please give me that special power to be able to forever turn away from these things. In Jesus and for His glory, AMEN!

## 12
# Day Twelve

**If you pour water from a glass, it isn't really empty. Air has taken the place of the water. If you seek to empty your life of some sin, another one will seek to take its place. That's why we need to be filled with God's Spirit, so there's no room left for sin to thrive.**

**_E phesians 5:15-18 (NCV) \- _**_So be very careful how you live. Do not live like those who are not wise, but live wisely. Use every chance you have for doing good, because these are evil times. So do not be foolish but learn what the Lord wants you to do. Do not be drunk with wine, which will ruin you, but be filled with the Spirit._

**Think About It**

Do you ever do stupid things? I do! I find myself forgetting that I'm not part of this world anymore, so I behave like the foolish people around me. What about you?

It isn't enough to stop doing some of the stupid things we've done in the past. We need to fill our lives with good activities to replace the dumb stuff that used to fill our days and nights. What are some good things you could do today? Ask the Lord to bring some to mind some things that might make someone else's day brighter. What specific ideas come to mind?

It does take wisdom to know how to live differently than what you see around us every day. That wisdom is seeing things from another angle, from God's point of view. Nevertheless, knowing the will of God is no accident. It is revealed by God, but only to those who are attentive to Him. In a world filled with hundreds of distractions, the still, small voice of the Lord can often and easily be completely ignored.

Drunkenness is just one thing that could ruin our ability to know and do the will of God. Every kind of obsessive thinking or behaving will rob you of the clarity that God alone can give His children. What are some other things that are _at least_ a waste of precious time? What are some other things that might weaken our physical or spiritual health?

Someone has said, "Nature hates a vacuum." If you aren't filled with alcohol or drugs, what will fill you? Being filled with the Spirit comes when we ask God to saturate our thoughts and desires with His own. And then, you must make yourself available for Him to fill you with truth from His Word (Colossians 3:16). Are you learning to do that?

The Holy Spirit is like oxygen to a passionate life of godliness. The un-renewed flesh is like the fuel that keeps a fire burning. Through the power of the Spirit, we must put to death all those flesh-driven impulses that fuel sinful attitudes and actions in our lives.

**Prayer**

Father, help me to learn what Your will is. Keep me from just following the crowd and teach me to follow You instead. Fill me with Your Spirit right now! Help me to see my choices through Your eyes instead of trying to depend on my own faulty understanding. I can't just sit around with nothing happening, so guide me to find ways to be a blessing or to serve others. Let my heart be filled with the joy of the Lord. AMEN!

## 13
# Day Thirteen

**Freedom means having a choice. In Christ, you do have choices. You once were in bondage without the same power of choice that you have available today. Use your freedom wisely.**

**_L uke 4:18-19 (NIV) \- _**_"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor."_

**Think About It**

In this passage, Jesus announced the purposes of His ministry. There are four or five mentioned. What are they?

What four kinds of people do these ministries benefit? Which of these ministries is most needed in your own life? Why?

If a prisoner hears the good news about being pardoned, it will do him no good unless he believes it to be true. He must accept that pardon in the most practical way – stepping through those prison gates and beginning to live like a free man. It would not do for him to continue asking permission from the warden for everything he does.

You may have heard the gospel – how God loves you and gave Jesus to set you free. But if you keep acting as if you have no choice but to behave like a prisoner, you may become so discouraged that you'd your old life starts to look interesting again. You might become willing to step back into the old life of (now forgotten) misery. Do you believe God really loves you in a personal way? Or is He just looking for some excuse to punish you if you mess up? Record your thoughts.

The "year of the Lord's favor" or "acceptable year of the Lord" is what the Old Testament called the Year of Jubilee. The Bible commanded that every slave should be set free and every debt be cancelled. A friend reminded me that neither the Old nor New Testament records an example of God's people actually doing this. The nations of Israel and Judea were carried away as captives because of their neglect of such commands from the Lord. Because they were unwilling to release their captives, they were taken away as captives – losing their own freedom.

Jesus encountered a man who was enslaved by greed, a guy named Zacchaeus. He had become rich by embezzling the people through a corrupt tax system. Zacchaeus responded to the love of Christ by saying, "Look, Lord, I give half of my goods to the poor; and if I have taken anything from anyone by false accusation, I restore fourfold." (Luke 19:8) That tax-collecting slave of sin was set free through a very personal encounter with the living Christ.

This could become your Year of Jubilee as Christ sets you free from bondage and forgives all your sins.

Do you honestly believe the message about you being free to live a new life? Really? Do you fully believe you can experience a different life today, regardless of how messed up yesterday was? Just saying "yes" doesn't make that so. You must step out into what your faith has shown you to be true. Walk in freedom today! Celebrate every moment that you can turn your back on past failures and move into the exciting possibilities of your new future

**Prayer**

Lord Jesus, the Spirit of God gave You a wonderful ministry to perform, and I need it right now. I especially need for You to . I believe You alone are able to do that for me. This is my Year of Jubilee, a time for Your Spirit to make my life new and different. Thank You for loving me enough to do that. AMEN!

## 14
# Day Fourteen

**Satan's greatest victories come as surprise attacks. So, don't be surprised. Be on guard. The attack is coming.**

__**_M ark 14:38 (NLT) \- _**_Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For though the spirit is willing enough, the body is weak."_

**_1 Peter 5:8-9 (NLT) \- _**_Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour. Take a firm stand against him, and be strong in your faith. Remember that your Christian brothers and sisters all over the world are going through the same kind of suffering you are._

**Think About It**

Our weakness is not an excuse for our sin. Until we actually believe that we are weak, we won't get desperate enough for God to give us the help we need. Our pride in our own imaginary strength will be part of the reason we continue to stumble and fall.

What weapons do these verses tell us we have in overcoming temptation?

Sometimes our worst temptations come when we are not being watchful enough. We let down our guard at just the wrong moment. What do these passages tell you that might help you avoid being overpowered by temptation?

Who is the Tempter who is trying to bring a surprise attack against you? Do you see him as being real or just some symbol of evil in the world? Other than the fact that the Bible plainly teaches that Satan is an actual person, what disadvantages would we face if we ignore that truth?

There is a small tree which grows in Southeast Asia with gorgeous blossoms. The vibrant red blossoms have such a poignant fragrance that thousands of insects are drawn toward it. Even bees will try to draw honey from the delicate blossoms. However, it is a fatal attraction because every insect that enters its blossom is overcome by a lethal drug in the juice of this flower. And the insect drops lifeless to the ground below. So, when you walk around such a tree, you often see the soft grass littered with dead and dying insects. That tree reminds us of sin. Sin may look bright, pleasant, and attractive to our eyes. It may appear harmless to indulge in it. Lying behind the pleasure of sin is a fatal poison. And sin is a poison—a wickedness that acts as a drug to take away your motivation to live for God.

Not everyone has exactly the same temptation, but every temptation comes from the same enemy who is trying to devour us. What kinds of sin or suffering does the Tempter use against you?

**Prayer**

Lord, I have fallen into temptation in the past because I wasn't alert and prepared. Teach me how to pray against my enemy, the Devil. He is no match for You, so teach me how to stand against him in prayer and with a firm faith in You. Help me to not become lazy and indifferent during periods when he seems to have stopped his attacks. He is still there, waiting to pounce upon me like a leopard hiding in a tree. Make me vividly alert to his slightest move. Then, help me to resist him with a strength that is not my own. For the glory of the Master, the Lord Jesus I pray. AMEN!

## 15
# Day Fifteen

**You say, "I can't help it." That's right! Your victory doesn't depend on your strength, your ability, your knowledge, or your will power. It depends on the Spirit of the Lord, the One who has already defeated sin completely.**

**_R omans 8:12-16 (NLT) -_** _ So, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation whatsoever to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you keep on following it, you will perish. But if through the power of the Holy Spirit you turn from it and its evil deeds, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God._

**Think About It**

Many people have made excuses saying that they "can't help it" when they allow sinful desires to rule their lives. Have you ever done that? If so, when? Record some remembrances about those excuses so that you can spot them if they come back to your mind at the wrong moment.

My wife and I know a family in Texas whose little grandson was told to pick up his toys and get ready for bed. He puddled up with tears and said, "I can't want to!" Even as a child, he was describing his inability to control his desires. Our greatest difficulty in spiritual obedience is wanting what God wants for us. Our worst failure is that we don't want the best. We settle for less than God desires for us.

Have you ever heard about how hunters capture live monkeys in Africa? They bore a small hole in a coconut, put chunks of sweet fruit inside, and attach the coconut to the trunk of a tree with a chain. The hole is just large enough for the monkey to put its hand into the hole. The little monkey sticks its hand into the hole to grab some fruit. When the hunter comes, the monkey is captured. His hand easily would come out, except for the fact that the monkey forms it into a fist grasping that fruit. He was not captured because there is no way to escape. He was captured because of his demanding desires.

Since you are God's child, you now have His Spirit within you. How does that affect your ability to let loose of the desires of the sinful nature?

You should not be like cowering, fearful slaves. You should behave, instead, like God's very own children, adopted into his family—calling him "Father, dear Father." For his Holy Spirit speaks to us deep in our hearts and tells us that we are God's children.

Are you afraid of God like a slave, or do you love and respect Him like a child sitting on his father's lap?

Do you sense God's Spirit in your heart, causing you to love God more and more?

**Prayer**

Father, I thank You that I am free from sin's power over my life. I don't have to obey it because I now have the power of Your Spirit inside of me. I can turn to You in joyful worship whenever my sinful nature begins to act up. I can allow You to fill my heart and mind with thanksgiving and joy that will help crowd out the confusion of sinful desires. I can call upon You as my heavenly Father and know that You want what is best for me. I'm not afraid of sin's power. I can call on You at any time because I'm Yours. I'm Your child, not some slave who lives in fear. Glory to Your name! AMEN!

## 16
# Day Sixteen

**Anybody who thinks he can "sin moderately" is a fool. Sin will give you a counterfeit success that fills with pride. Jesus gives a victory that is filled with humble gratitude.**

**_P rovProverbs 16:18 (NKJV) \- _**_Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before a fall._

**_1 Corinthians 10:12 (NKJV) \- _**_Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall._

**_1 Corinthians 8:2-3 (NLT) \- _**_Anyone who claims to know all the answers doesn't really know very much. But the person who loves God is the one God knows and cares for._

**Think About It**

One of the great traps for those who are beginning to experience some victory is pride. Why would that be a problem for you? Think of two or three examples of how your efforts to change your worst habits have been undermined by pride.

Freedom from spiritual bondage is more than a matter of knowing a collection of mental tricks. It is a relationship with someone who is in the process of saving you from sin's power. How would pride hinder you from turning to the Lord for help? Remember, the frequent warnings: "God resists the proud." No wonder they fail! Now, read the rest of the story: "God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble." None of us can make it without the powerful Spirit of grace working in our lives.

Do you feel like you are learning a lot about how to overcome your addiction to various pleasures and comfortable habits of the past? If you said, "Yes," alarms should be going off! I do hope you have learned something, but I hope you also realize that you cannot utterly depend on what you learned yesterday to give you victory in today's battles. Face it: You can't "handle it." **** Ask any forty-year-old drunk if he or she can handle their liquor. Most will seem proud of how much they can drink instead of being thankful that they no longer have overpowering urges to drink even a little.

Your goal must become more than getting free from your special "addiction." Your goal must be getting so close to Jesus that those old sinful thoughts, appetites, or desires aren't attractive any more. If your heart delights in Him, you may well be disgusted by what was once exciting. It should be to fall deeply in love with Him so that you love Him more than anything -- even that drug, that drink, that gossip, that enticing internet porn, or another destructive trap of sin.

**Prayer**

Father, I'm amazed at what You are doing in my life. I love You so much. I am beginning to feel better, more confident, and stronger. You are straightening out my thinking, but I'm not in heaven yet. Satan is a deceiver, and he would like me to begin thinking that I don't need you as much today as I did yesterday. Don't let that happen! Oh God, remind me of how my previous good intentions often became past failures. Perhaps, then I will realize how much I still need You. Let my heart be filled with praise for You instead of pride in myself. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

## 17
# Day Seventeen

**Motives matter. If your motive is self-centered, you will eventually give in to selfish pleasures, to your favorite sin.**

**_1 Corinthians 10:31 (NLT) -_** _ Whatever you eat or drink or whatever you do, you must do all for the glory of God._

**_Matthew 6:33-34 (NCV) -_** _ The thing you should want most is God's kingdom and doing what God wants. Then all these other things you need will be given to you. So don't worry about tomorrow, because tomorrow will have its own worries. Each day has enough trouble of its own._

**Think About It**

Some people have selfish reasons for wanting to stop their addiction. They may long for the personal satisfaction or the approval of family and friends. They crave a better job or greater financial opportunity. If they succeeded in breaking free for a short time, it might even ruin their lives by making them think they don't really need the Lord. What should be our motive concerning this change in our lives?

If you put God first, does that mean you will be worse off? Why or why not?

Would it be enough to just to turn away from your sinful habits? Would that make your life complete?

A beautiful blonde Christian girl was being pursued by a handsome, but wicked, young man. It was obvious that he wanted another conquest. He continually asked her for a date, but she just as constantly turned him down. Finally, exasperated, he told her, "I know why you won't go out with me. You're afraid of your dad! That's it!" She smiled and said, "That's right." He grinned with triumph, "I knew it! I knew it! You're afraid of what he'd do to you if you were with me." She slowly shook her head and told him, "No. You misunderstood. I _am_ afraid of my dad, but not like you think. I'm afraid that if I went out with a boy like you, it would break his heart."

Do you get that? If we really love the Lord and desire to please Him, we will fear Him, but not like some people think. We will not want anything we do to bring Him grief (Ephesians 4:30).

Early in the life of our son, Joshua, my wife and I taught him: "Sin makes Jesus sad!" As he grew older and I corrected him for wrong-doing, he would puddle up with tears and say, "I made Jesus sad, didn't I Daddy?" He was more afraid of how he had mistreated the Lord than of the discipline I would give.

What are some other things that need to change if you are to give the Lord first place in your life? How would that affect how you treat your family? How would it influence your use of money or time? What about taking care of your body? How can you give glory to God in each of these areas?

**Prayer**

Father, I really believe that You should be first in every area of my life, but I've been cheating on You. I've gone through whole days without giving You much thought. I've lived as if You were only interested in a few things about me. Now I know that You care about everything I need to live an abundant life (John 10:10). Help me to set aside my own selfish motives and begin living for You above all, and for others You want me to serve.

## 18
# Day Eighteen

**It is almost impossible to change your old habits while keeping all of your old friends. They don't expect you to change and may not even want it to happen.**

**_1 Peter 4:3-5 (NLT) \- _**_3 You have had enough in the past of the evil things that godless people enjoy—their immorality and lust, their feasting and drunkenness and wild parties, and their terrible worship of idols. 4Of course, your former friends are very surprised when you no longer join them in the wicked things they do, and they say evil things about you. 5But just remember that they will have to face God, who will judge everyone, both the living and the dead._

**Think About It**

It may be that some of your long-time friends will not understand what God is doing in your life. They cannot relate to how you are changing. Because they don't have a true relationship with God through Jesus, they can't imagine what life would be without the pleasure they get from giving in to their sinful desires – the same ones you once enjoyed with them. Just remember that you have been where they are, but they've never been where you are now.

It must break the Lord's heart to hear new Christians talking with old friends about the "good old days" – times when you joined them in indulging yourself with things that aren't actually "good" at all. Isn't it a sad thing to think that the only thing you have in common with some of these friends is that you all enjoyed the same deceitful and spiritually destructive habits?

Someday soon, you and your friends will stand before God in judgment. On that day, their past pleasures will no longer be a fond memory. They will be a cause for shame. Your decision to turn from all that to follow Jesus into a new lifestyle wasn't an easy one, but on that day, you will remember that choice with joy. It will bring you great pleasure as the Lord rewards your faithful obedience to His will.

Who do you have the greatest respect for? Those who are addicted or those who are free? Think about the children in your life. Which direction would you want them to go? How can you help them later if you turn back to your old patterns now?

**Prayer**

Lord, I've "been there, done that," but I don't want to go back. Sometimes, I'm being deceived into forgetting why I've chosen to walk away from that old life. On other occasions, I remember those days as if they were better. Help me to remember the truth. Cause me to trust You with my life because You can give me one that I don't have to be ashamed of. Instead, please help me to choose what I know is best.

## 19
# Day Nineteen

**A pig loves the mud... unless the pig has become a lamb. Only a new nature, a new life source, can change your deepest desires.**

**_2 Peter 2:19-22 (NKJV) \- _**_19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. 20For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. 22But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: "A dog returns to his own vomit," and, "a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire."_

**Think About It**

Isn't it strange that addicts can drag one another backward into bondage? However, if we give in to the deception that holds other people captive, we don't just go back to where we were. No, it's worse than that! If we give up our freedom, the old habits will have a stronger hold on us. Our faith in a victorious life is undermined when we turn back to that corrupt life. We are allowing our past to be extended into our future. We may lose hope of ever being free again. We begin believing the old lies instead of putting our faith in God's Word. It's as if we are calling God a liar whenever we turn our backs on His vision of what our lives could become.

Don't let that happen to you. If you slip up, or give in to your old desires, there's no guarantee that you will ever be free from those habits again. As you walk in freedom for a lengthy period, the pressures to go backward may increase at times. However, if you yield to those outdated patterns of thinking and doing, the pressures are inflated even more.

You are a child of the King. You don't need to let this thing rule over you. Jesus has given you a new life in two dimensions, the one you'll enjoy in heavenly splendor and an abundant life here on earth. Too much is at stake for you to turn back to a way of living that causes so many problems. You don't belong to your sinful addiction. You belong to Jesus!

**Prayer**

Father, I have escaped from that old way of living by knowing Christ. Don't let me waste this opportunity. Let me live as if this is my last day before I meet You. Let me give You my life – completely and forever. I surrender! I am no longer a prisoner of this sin. I belong to You! No matter what satisfaction sin offers me, it's a lie! Nothing can bring me greater joy and peace than following You closely. Peter said that my yielding to the old ways would be like a dog returning to his vomit. What a disgusting thing! I've never thought of my failures that way, but it surely must be obnoxious to You when I put a great value on seeking satisfaction from my sin instead of being filled with Your Spirit. Open my eyes! Remind me of the stench of vomit whenever I consider those things You find offensive. In Jesus name I pray. AMEN!

## 20
# Day Twenty

**Sin can remain but should never reign within a Christian. You can be faithful to only one Master. Choose well.**

**_R omans 6:12-14 (NLT) _**_Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to its lustful desires. Do not let any part of your body become a tool of wickedness, to be used for sinning. Instead, give yourselves completely to God since you have been given new life. And use your whole body as a tool to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you are no longer subject to the law, which enslaves you to sin. Instead, you are free by God's grace._

**Think About It**

Sin is inside you, but sin isn't who you are! Sin is like a virus that invades a healthy body but robs it of strength and the ability to function as it should.

Sin has desires that are very different from the Spirit of God who is also inside you. Sometimes you can even feel the battle going on, but don't allow yourself to pay attention to the desires of sin. Paul advised his young associate Timothy to "flee youthful lusts" (2 Timothy 2:22). Listen and feel the desires of God. Run to the Lord and from the things that stimulate evil desires.

Your body is a tool that can be used by God or by sin. Which one do you want to have control? It will be one or the other. You can't plead neutrality in this battle. Let me repeat that because it's so contrary to the casual thinking of our day. Either you are using your body to bring glory to God, or you are using it to satisfy the demands of sin. You make that choice hundreds of times every day.

For those who have only recently experienced God's saving power in their lives, the choice to act differently is more difficult than for someone who has years of a devoted, loving relationship with the Lord. Even the most committed, however, may lapse into attitudes and actions that are sensual instead of spiritual.

If you submit your body to the Lord, keeping yourself obedient to what He wants you to do, then you have chosen a new master. Say it, right now: "I have been bought by the blood of Christ. I don't belong to that old master anymore. I don't even belong to myself. I am His and His alone!"

**Prayer**

What a wonderful thing it is, Lord! What a wonder to know that You are my master now. I don't have to do the old master's will because I'm already busy doing the things that You are telling me to do. You have given me a new life with new joys and pleasures in each day. I just can't be bothered with the old, exhausting ways of the past! It's not worth my time, my attention, or my love. But You are! I do love You, Lord. Thank You for saving me! AMEN!

## 21
# Day Twenty-One

**You have been set free from sin. You are not free to sin.**

**_G alatians 5:1, 13 (NIV) \- _**_It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. 13You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love._

**Think About It**

If someone is addicted to something, is he really free? How has your addiction limited your freedom?

Can a person who has lived in freedom give it up? If so, how?

You were set free through the truth of God's Word. Does that mean you are now liberated to do anything you want to do? Would doing whatever you felt like, whenever you felt like it, be real freedom? Or could yielding to your emotions actually make you a slave to sin?

What are the two ways our freedom can be used according to verse 13? Which one will you do today?

We can lose our freedom when we fall into legalism – trying to be right by keeping rules. We can also fall into another trap when we become enslaved by our sinful desires. Neither the self-righteous religionist nor the self-indulgent rebel is really free.

Years ago, an emaciated skeleton of a boy drifted into the office of a local church, asking to see the pastor. Ironically, the boy had gone to Vacation Bible School at this same church a few years earlier. Life had definitely changed after he dropped out of school and got hooked on methamphetamines. After a few minutes trying to catch up with what had been going on in the young man's life, the pastor explained to him how Christ's death and resurrection are proof that God can set us free from even the worst effects of sin. Terry, the young addict, was stunned by the thought that he didn't have to continue in his habit. "You mean I don't _have_ to keep doing drugs? Christ can take that out of my life? Is that what you mean?"

Many of us live beneath our privileges in Christ. He purchased our freedom and has offered it to us as a free gift. That new life that Jesus gives isn't a liberty that is postponed until we get to heaven. We have freedom now – if we believe He did what He said. Do you believe that?

**Prayer**

Lord, I thank You for breaking me free from bondage to this addiction. Now, I want to stay close to You so that I won't get caught up in something else like it. I want to be free to love instead of using my liberty to satisfy my selfish desires. Help me to grow more in this area. Help me to stand firm with You instead of giving in to desires that only frustrate my best opportunities in life.

## 22
# Day Twenty-Two

**It's impossible to follow the Lord today but still live like yesterday.**

**_G alatians 5:16-18 (NCV) \- _**_16 So I tell you: Live by following the Spirit. Then you will not do what your sinful selves want. 17Our sinful selves want what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit wants what is against our sinful selves. The two are against each other, so you cannot do just what you please. 18But if the Spirit is leading you, you are not under the law._

**Think About It**

Have you ever been on a diet? Diets are hard because they keep you thinking about the things you can't have instead of enjoying plenty of the things that you can. What's the solution to all these sinful desires that rise up in us? We need to have our minds and emotions focused on following the Spirit of God. Trying to stop thinking about your "favorite sin" will only cause you to think about it more.

Let me ask, "Can you please the flesh (sinful self) and also please the Spirit at the same time? (17)

Right and wrong are at war inside you. The Spirit of God and the old sinful nature in you do not agree about anything.

God has good plans for you, but... well – you get the picture, don't you?

You can't just do whatever you want and still please the Spirit. That's why it is so urgent that you cultivate the kind of connection with Him that makes you increasingly sensitive to His gentle directions as He brings His Word back into your remembrance. Do you want that kind of relationship?

When you are confident that you are being led by the Spirit of the Lord, it is important to respond promptly. It's like a person who ignores his alarm clock in the morning. By not responding over an extended number of mornings, he can become so insensitive to its sound that it doesn't even disturb his sleep.

Perhaps you've known someone who lived by a railroad track. My mom did several years back. When I visited and a train passed during the night, it would always wake me. My mom, however, didn't even notice it! She had "tuned it out." None of us should become guilty of ignoring God's voice until we no longer hear Him at all.

If you decide to start following Him, He can make you want change. So, don't start making up a bunch of rules to make your life hard. Just seek to keep in step with the Holy Spirit. When He gives the order "right face," then turn right. When He says, "Forward march," you must move ahead with confidence.

**Prayer**

Father, thank You for making this so simple. I don't have to figure it all out. I just need to follow Your Spirit. I just ask You to teach me to listen better and to obey more quickly. If I learn to walk straight, I won't have to worry about stumbling.

## 23
# Day Twenty-Three

**Okay, so you won a big battle today! Celebrate! But don't let the party last too long. Another battle is coming.**

**_L uke 4:13 (NCV) \- _**_After the devil had tempted Jesus in every way, he left him to wait until a better time._

**_Luke 4:13 (NLT) \- _**_When the devil had finished tempting Jesus, he left him until the next opportunity came._

**_1 Corinthians 10:12 (NIV) \- _**_So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don't fall!_

**Think About It**

We have great cause for rejoicing when we have faced temptation and overcome it. In Luke 4, Jesus faced the devil himself, but the devil was no match for him. So, how did the devil handle such a defeat? Did he give up and never bother Jesus again? Did he think this was his last chance, or did he look for another time?

Satan is a shrewd spiritual general with a demonic army at his disposal. He practices "hit and run" or guerrilla warfare. If he doesn't win one battle, he simply runs away and begins planning the next ambush.

You have won some battles and lost others. One serious danger seems to come when we have a series of great victories and begin to take victory for granted. We can almost feel like we've overcome some Satan's worst strategies and have little to be concerned about in our future.

Have you had times when Satan deceived you into believing that you were free when you actually weren't? When was that?

No matter how well you have been doing, remember this lesson from Jesus' temptation in the wilderness. When you have a victory, start planning to win the next battle. You must put on your armor for battle every single day (Ephesians 6:13-17). You will need great humility, and constant alertness because – make no mistake – the devil is still plotting to devour you (1 Peter 5:6-9). So long as you are in this world, you are on the battlefield. Do not be discouraged if you lose an occasional battle; you may have lost that battle, but you've survived to fight again. Do not be overly confident following a single victory; you still have many battles ahead. Each battle is like getting a first down in football. You can be thankful for that success, but beware of getting sacked on the next play. That goal line is closer, but you don't have the points until you cross over.

**Prayer**

Lord, we are so thankful that You love us and that You have fought these battles for us. Satan cannot defeat You. He cannot defeat those who call on You for salvation from his deadly attacks. Lord, protect me from thinking that the war is over just because I've been winning some battles lately. Prepare me to face the enemy in Your strength and not in my own.

## 24
# Day Twenty-Four

**You have a Big Brother now. You don't have to be afraid of the schoolyard bully. Jesus has already defeated the devil. So always walk in His shadow!**

**_J ames 4:6-8 (NIV) \- _**_6 But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." 7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. 8Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. 10Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up._

**Think About It**

Oh, how I want the devil to flee from me! But it's possible to really miss the key to these verses. Just ask yourself, what must I do before Satan will flee? Is it just to resist the devil and watch him run away?

What if, when I'm trying to resist the devil, God was resisting me because of my pride? That's a danger for those who have spiritual pride. Having done well in our own eyes leads us to think we can handle more than we actually can. That's why God often seems to help those who are obviously helpless instead of those who seem to be the strongest.

What is your personal definition of humility?

_Humility doesn't mean you are useless or worthless._ ** __** It means that you see the truth about yourself. You see your weaknesses as clearly as your strengths. You see yourself the way God sees you.

When we have an exaggerated opinion of our strength without God, He allows us to face the devil on our own. Sometimes we receive some lifelong wounds from those battles. We also receive something more. If we have some wisdom, we learn our lesson. I need God to overcome. I don't know how many times I've had to learn that lesson, but each time was painfully necessary. If we don't learn quickly, we still must learn – even if through suffering.

If we draw near to God, we must "wash our hands and purify our hearts." That means we need to get rid of anything that keeps us from enjoying Him and being close to Him. Remember, when you are not being satisfied with God, you will begin to wander away from Him. **The solution: Stay close and stay clean!**

Prayer

Father, the smallest temptation can defeat me without You, but the biggest temptation is no great thing to You. Help me to submit to You constantly throughout the day, even before the next battle, so that I can watch the devil run away defeated. Help me to get rid of anything You show me that might stand in the way of my being close to You.

## 25
# Day Twenty-Five

**Remember the three little pigs? When it comes to building a life, which one are you most like? Do you try to lay bricks on top of sand?**

**_M atthew 7:24-27 (NKJV) \- _**_"Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall."_

**Think About It**

_Read this passage carefully._ How are both the wise man and the foolish man alike in their actions? What is the difference in their actions? What is the difference in the results? Did either one escape the storms of life?

Both of these men are building houses and may be using similar materials to build it. To the eyes of those passing by, the houses may both look strong. One, however, will fall while the other lasts.

Your life may be built out of some good principles taught by your parents or learned through other means. Nevertheless, under severe trial, you may abandon those things because of rapidly changing circumstances. You need something more solid and dependable in the midst of life's storms.. You need to know that your life has a foundation that will last no matter what else changes.

How are the rains, the floods, and winds like some of the circumstances of your own life? How does the Word of God prepare us to build our lives on a more solid foundation?

Is doing what the Lord says just an outward thing, or is it also something that begins inside our hearts and minds? Give an example.

You are in the process of building a life, one that can endure because it is erected on a foundation of truth or one that will easily collapse under the trials you are certain to face. If you ignore or reject God's Word, you may have built a beautiful life that is incredibly feeble and vulnerable to sin's deceptive influences. You will not be able to see through your own emotional or mental blind spots. You may become defeated even before the battle begins.

**Prayer**

Lord, I'm trying to really listen to what You are telling me. Please help me to put all this into practice in my daily life, especially when I'm faced with challenges where I've seen failures in the past. Help me especially to build my life with the right materials. Teach me the truth of your Word and how it applies to the choices I make today. Help me develop discernment about the lies I hear in advertisements, in media, or in discussions with family or friends. Cause me to choose wisely among the ideas that I'm exposed to each day. Thank You, for showing me these things. In Jesus' name! AMEN!

## 26
# Day Twenty-Six

**Avoid anything that even looks like temptation. You think you can handle it, but you can't.**

**_R omans 13:11-14 (NLT) _**_- 11Another reason for right living is that you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for the coming of our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 12The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So don't live in darkness. Get rid of your evil deeds. Shed them like dirty clothes. Clothe yourselves with the armor of right living, as those who live in the light. 13We should be decent and true in everything we do, so that everyone can approve of our behavior. Don't participate in wild parties and getting drunk, or in adultery and immoral living, or in fighting and jealousy. 14But let the Lord Jesus Christ take control of you, and don't think of ways to indulge your evil desires._

**Think About It**

Those of us who have lived in bondage to sins like drugs or alcohol know what darkness is all about, don't we? I remember a few weeks after I received Christ. I hadn't been doing very much except spending time getting to know the Lord better. So, I decided that I needed to get out. I went to a biker bar that had been my second home for a couple of years. As I walked inside, I realized how I had forgotten that it was so dark in there. I didn't stay long. I ordered a beer from the scantily clad waitress, but as I raised it to my lips, it seemed as if the Lord Himself whispered in my ear, "What are _you_ doing here?" I could feel my skin crawl... I didn't belong there. When I put the beer down, the waitress (who knew me pretty well) looked at me with a puzzled expression and asked, "Gary, are you okay?" I just shook my head and said, "No, I've got to go." I never saw that bar, or that waitress, again.

Every new Christian has faced the same kind of situation without realizing it. Christians don't fit in anymore. And that's a good thing!

We don't have much time left. Every day we're closer to seeing Jesus. What would it be like to have Him appear while we are in the midst of our "favorite" sin? What would it be like to have Him appear while we are in the midst of prayer or while just thinking about Him?

Start asking yourself: "Since Jesus is watching me right now, would He approve of my attitude and my actions?" Am I bringing Him joy or sorrow?

It won't work to just "try to stop" doing the things you're now ashamed of doing. Let's face it; you enjoyed them at least some of the time. But that's history! Now **we must cultivate other activities that bring joy and satisfaction from the Lord** instead of just getting rid of the other stuff.

We need to learn how to "put on Christ" like armor. Part of that is to **get rid of everything that even reminds us of the old life** we once lived.

**Prayer**

Lord, teach me to talk to You from my heart throughout every day. Show me what to do throughout the day. Then teach me to ask Your blessing as I seek to obey what You've shown me. If You won't bless it, I don't want to do it. Help me to get rid of every reminder of that old life. I'm thankful that You know everything about me, because sometimes I don't know myself very well. Thank You for Your presence with me today. In Jesus, AMEN!

## 27
# Day Twenty-Seven

**God is working, right now, in you. Yielding to Him is letting that work to flow out into every part of your life.**

**_P hilippians 2:12-13 (NKJV) \- _**_Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure._

**Think About It**

No amount of work on your part can earn salvation. It is a gift from God because of His special love for you. When you received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, the Spirit of God came to live inside you. You literally received eternal life... God's life! As an old preacher often said, "If that doesn't light your fire, then your wood's wet!"

So, you have salvation on the inside, but maybe it isn't showing very well on the outside yet. Well, then you need to be more attentive to what the Spirit is telling you to do **. He is at work inside you, changing you from the inside out.** He is giving you a new will – a new set of desires to do the things that please Him. He is giving you new ability to do what was once impossible. He gives new desires and new power, all so that you can please Him. As you grow, your own greatest joy will be in knowing that He has been pleased with the life you lived for Him today.

What are some new desires that God seems to be building within you? Are you sometimes afraid of those desires because you are afraid you will fail? You may stumble along a little while you are learning to depend on His power. That can actually cause you to tremble because nobody likes to do something that is so completely unfamiliar. You absolutely would fail if you had to do them on your own, but you don't. The Lord will give you both the will to do and the power to do His good pleasure!

**The key is to start learning to recognize what He is doing on the inside so that you can obey Him on the outside.** Hopefully, your personal study of the Bible and prayer will help you to grow clearer about that.

**Prayer**

Father, sometimes I feel like you want me to do the impossible. That's scary. But then, I remember that You are the One who does what is impossible for men to do.1 Because You are at work within me, then I can work the impossible things You lead me to do. Lord, I need You so much. Thank You for being my Strength and my Joy today. I just praise You in Jesus' name! AMEN!

## 28
# Day Twenty-Eight

**A disorganized and cluttered life brings confusion to our thoughts and defeat in our battles against a clever enemy.**

**_1 Corinthians 14:33 (NKJV) \- _**_For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints._

**_1 Corinthians 14:40 (NKJV) \- _**_Let all things be done decently and in order._

**Think About It**

God doesn't cause our lives to be a mess of confusion. So, isn't it obvious what causes our minds to become cluttered and confused? Since God isn't the author of confusion, who is? Our minds are intended to be filled with truth, but confusion comes when that truth is mixed together with lies from the father of all lies, the devil. As a result, life becomes more difficult to live. Simple decisions become hard.

Confusion and peace of mind are exact opposites. If you allow your life and your thoughts to become disorganized, you will also begin to experience emotional and physical stress instead of peace. Your body will be exhausted. Your heart and even your body will begin to cry out for relief. Then, the tempter will be sure to offer you comfort in the form of your "favorite sin." In your confusion and weakness, you become more vulnerable to fall.

At times in my own life, I would have a room that was filled with too many things that didn't belong there. When I tried to find something that I knew was in the room, it always took me longer than it should have. But then, the Lord reminded me that He isn't the one who caused all that confusion. I allowed it. The solution was built on the old expression: "Everything has a place; everything in its place."

I began to remove things from that crowded, confused room and either throw them away or move them where they belonged. Soon, the room was back in order and my work more enjoyable and less stressful.

Your life can become cluttered and confused in many ways. Why don't you examine your home? Your schedule? If you are like most of us, there are some things included that shouldn't be. Eliminate them or else put them in their proper place.

**Prayer**

Father, my life has become a mess filled with junk that doesn't belong there. Some things are just out of place, but others should be completely removed. All of that is a picture of what's happening in my mind. I have thoughts and feelings there that need to go! At least, they need to be put in their place so that they serve Your purposes instead of bringing me into bondage to my sins. I've lived with this clutter so long that I hardly even notice it. Lord, open my eyes to those changes You want in my life and help me to yield to You moment by moment as you show me these things. Bless Your name, Father. For Jesus' sake, AMEN!

## 29
# Day Twenty-Nine

**The presence of God is your armor against temptations.**

**_R omans 13:14 (NLT) _**_Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don't let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires._

**_Romans 13:14 (NKJV) _**_But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts._

**Think About It**

We need to seek the Lord constantly. We need to be close to Him whenever the enemy seeks to bring temptation before the eyes of our heart. The CEV Bible says that we should be as near to Jesus as to the clothes we wear.

I love how Bill Gothard described the fear of the Lord. He said, "The fear of the Lord is knowing that the Lord is watching and weighing all my thoughts and actions." If we really love the Lord, then we are afraid that our thoughts or actions might grieve Him or hurt Him. Instead, we want our life to be pleasing to Him in every possible way.

Whenever I feel drawn toward fulfilling my sinful desires, I know that I have been neglectful toward the One who so loves me. I have lost some of the special joy that only comes from being near to Him.2 The presence of the Lord is incredibly satisfying and fulfilling, but not being close to Him brings a hunger and frustration causing us long for something – almost anything – to take away the emptiness and loneliness we feel.

Another insight here is to realize that we must not "make provision" for those evil desires that easily return and rob us of our joy. The man who believes the Lord has led him to stop smoking should not hang on to that last pack in the cabinet "just in case." No! We should be prepared to cut off every link between us and that indulging the flesh.3

**Prayer**

Father, teach me how to stay closer to Jesus than I am to anything that might bring You to grief. You have been so good to me. Show me how to "put on Christ" each day by spending time with Him, talking over all my choices with Him. Help me to make preparations to live for You instead of preparing to give in to those demanding, sinful desires that try to torment me each day.

## 30
# Day Thirty

**We all need a friend who can speak the truth into love – telling us what we need to hear, not just what we want to hear.**

**_J ames 5:19-20 (NKJV) \- _**_Brethren, if anyone among you wanders from the truth, and someone turns him back, let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save a soul from death and cover a multitude of sins._

**_Galatians 6:1-2 (NKJV) \- _**_Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ._

**Think About It**

Do you have a friend who loves you so much that he or she would risk losing your friendship in order to keep you from ruining your life? Is there someone in your life who you would listen to if he confronted you about a serious error in your behavior? It would be great if we all had someone like that, but it would be so much better if we were surrounded by friends who love us enough to risk everything for our benefit.

Someone has said, "God loves you just the way you are, but He also loves you too much to leave you that way." He wants the best for His children, even if it costs Him dearly.

Let's face it; it's a scary thing to talk with someone else about their faults. We're afraid of what they will think of us. They may think we are being too harsh and unloving, even hypocritical. Worse still, they might be right. We can get all puffed up when we see others at their worst. However, that's when we need to see the grace of God most in our lives. If we aren't entangled in identical struggles, then we can't really take credit. God has spared us from something that destroys others and might have done the same to us.

When King David fell into the sin of adultery and murder, he had a friend named Nathan. Nathan knew David well enough to know just how to talk to him about his sin. Do you have a friend like that? Do you have someone who knows the worst about you but won't give up on you? Have you sometimes ignored good advice through that friend? If so, why not encourage them now by letting them know that you appreciate that kind of friendship? Why not tell them that you want their forgiveness for having rejected the truth they shared with you? It may be just what they need to encourage them to tell you the truth again – just in case you missed something important the first time. It also may be good if you tell them that they have your permission to advise you or to rebuke you if they see that you need it. That's what friends are for – to love us enough to tell us the truth we need especially when it could cost them a lot.

**Prayer**

Father, I need a friend who loves me like you do. Such a person is more valuable than all the riches in this world. A true friend is someone who isn't afraid to think aloud when I've blown it again.4  Help me to find and to keep such a friend. Help me to become the kind of friend who will attract others who will love You with all their hearts. You have created me so that I need them. And they were created with a need for me. That's amazing! You're so far beyond my greatest imagination! I love You, Lord! In Jesus' name, AMEN!

## 31
# Day Thirty-One

**Who do you believe knows what's best? You? Or God? You answer that question with every decision you make.**

**_P roverbs 14:12 (ESV) \- _**_There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death._

**_Proverbs 28:26 (ESV) \- _**_Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered._

**_1 Corinthians 10:13 (CEV) \- _**_Even if you think you can stand up to temptation, be careful not to fall._

**Proverbs 3:5-7 (NLT) \- **Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Don't be impressed with your own wisdom. Instead, fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

**Think About It**

It's very easy for us to become blind to our own faults while exaggerating our strengths. I've known drunks and dopers who "could handle it." They thought that, but it certainly wasn't what their wives or parents saw. From the inside looking out, they didn't see all the destruction they were causing. It's like a drunk driver who manages to avoid wrecks, but he causes others to swerve into harm's way when trying to avoid him.

I remember people talking to me about my smoking (three packs a day). I also remember telling them that I could quit any time I wanted to. Somehow, the fact that I had already "quit" several times before caused me to have a false sense of power over smoking. I was blind to the fact that I had never really, permanently quit smoking because I went back into the old pattern again.

Someone with an eating problem may think he can deal with it because he has had very temporary successes in the past. Nevertheless, a temporary success is usually just another term for failure. Our sinful nature is such that it takes only a small slip to send us back into that downward spiral of defeat and bondage. Even so, spiritual victory depends upon a step-by-step consistent walk with the Lord. In that sense, victory isn't a matter of crossing the finish line but taking another step in the right direction. Trusting in Him, we know that the outcome will be great.

**Prayer**

Lord, I have had a tendency to trust in myself instead of trusting in You. I don't even see pride when it fills my mind. Those blind spots leave me in danger of messing up again. In the past, I gave myself excuses to make exceptions to common sense. I disobeyed You as if I knew better. Please don't let me get comfortable with my own abilities or my personal reasoning. Challenge me with the truth until I wake up from being so foolish. You alone can do that! In Jesus' name. AMEN!

## 32
# Day Thirty-Two

**We should be thankful that God doesn't ignore our sins. He could do that, but He would not be a good father. A good father disciplines his children so that they learn from what they've done wrong.**

**_L amentations 3:39-42 (NLT) \- _**_Then why should we, mere humans, complain when we are punished for our sins? Instead, let us test and examine our ways. Let us turn back to the LORD. Let us lift our hearts and hands to God in heaven and say, "We have sinned and rebelled, and you have not forgiven us." (See also Hebrews 12:5-11)._

**Think About It**

If He wanted to, God could just let us continue in our sins until we are completely destroyed by them. When our sins bring trouble our way, don't think it's an accident. God designed life that way! He's our heavenly Father.

A parent could allow a child to play in the street until a car hits him and tears that little body apart. Instead, a wise parent will discipline a child who refuses to obey instructions to stay out of the street. Naturally, the child may think that treatment is terribly severe. But the child's spanking, however badly it hurts, actually insures him or her of a better (and longer) future.

Wise parents have often used a form of discipline called "natural consequences." A father may not intervene when a child disobeys his command when he sees that there will be immediate, but not extreme, consequences. That can do two things: it can bring greater respect for what the father says, and it can cause the child to understand that that behavior should be avoided in the future.

Consider your "favorite sin." What are the short-term consequences that God has allowed to come into your life as a result of your habit? How have you responded to those consequences in the past? What are some ways you could improve how you are responding to His correction? Have you considered thanking Him for how He has worked to change your ways? Remember this: God is as firm with us as He must be, but He is also as gentle as we let Him be.

**Prayer**

Father, I thank you for all the ways You have worked to turn me away from my own destructive choices. You have been so patient. Sometimes, I've complained about how my life was going, when I should have been thankful that you spared me from the worst. You've been working to help me grow up into the godly person You know I can become. Thank You for such amazing patience and love! Help me to recognize how my foolish actions bring trouble my way. Help me to sense You behind those "problems" so that I can turn to You for the right direction. AMEN.

## 33
# Day Thirty-Three

**God has nothing to hide, nothing to be ashamed of. Do you? You won't if you walk with Him.**

**_1 John 1:6-10 (NLT) \- _**_So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts._ ** _(Compare with John 3:19-21)._**

**Think About It**

Performers on stage expect a spotlight to shine on them so that the audience can see everything they are doing. They want people to see for two reasons: 1) they will get praise because of how well they are doing, and 2) they will get some criticisms that will actually help them do better next time. They come to appreciate the criticism instead of fearing it. Even silly reviews from harsh critics may contain some small bit of an idea for improvement.

God has given us His Word and His Son. In the Bible, we read the truth, and we see it perfectly lived out in the life of Jesus. But then what do we do? What do you do when you see that your life doesn't match up with the Word of God? You have some choices. You could do like Adam and Eve, trying to find some way to hide your sin. You could look for someone else to blame – like Adam did with Eve, and Eve did with the serpent. Or you could face the facts: "I have sinned. What I said was lying." Or drunkenness. Or letting my temper get out of control. Or gossip. Or...you add your own.

The first step in getting back on course is to admit that you're off track. Whenever you admit that something that you said, something you did, or something you thought was a sin, you are acknowledging two things. You are agreeing with God that you've disobeyed His perfect will for your life. And you are admitting that there is only one cure for the problem. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. It washes sin out of our lives. We agree that what we've done is so bad that a perfect God could not honestly judge it without a death penalty being paid in full. That penalty was paid by Christ when He died for you on the cross. That's why confession of our sins brings us forgiveness as well as cleansing. The debt is paid and the dirt is removed.

**Prayer**

Father, I'm in the habit of hiding my sins – from others, from You, and even from myself. I don't want to be a phony. I want to be open and honest with You and with those who are closest to me. But first, I need to bring __________ out into the open before You. I know there are other ugly things back in the darkness and deceitfulness of my heart. Please set me free by shining the searchlight of Your Word into me. My prayer is like what David prayed in Psalm 139:23-24 (CEV). "Look deep into my heart, God, and find out everything I am thinking. Don't let me follow evil ways, but lead me in the way that time has proven true." Love You, Jesus! AMEN.

## 34
# Day Thirty-Four

**As we look closely at the glory of the Lord as seen in the mirror of His Word, the Holy Spirit will change us into His likeness, bit by bit having His glory reflected in our own lives.**

**_2 Corinthians 3:18 (NKJV) \- _**_But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord._

**_2 Corinthians 4:6 (CEV) \- _**_The Scriptures say, "God commanded light to shine in the dark." Now God is shining in our hearts to let you know that his glory is seen in Jesus Christ._

**Think About It**

God is changing you. It doesn't happen in a moment – although He could have done it that way.

When I look in the mirror, I see scars from a recent surgery. They may gradually go away, or so I'm told. I probably won't notice all the changes along the way; but someday, I'll look in the mirror and suddenly notice that the scars are gone.

God wants the changes in your life to come out of a daily or even a moment by moment relationship between you and Him. The Word of God is like a mirror that reveals what God is doing in us. As He shows you more about Himself, we will be slowly changed until one day we will reflect His perfect image. Isn't that amazing! Even though we are still imperfect, the completely perfect God of the universe is slowly making us like Himself.

Have you ever met an older couple who seem to have become very much alike? Sharing their lives, facing problems and exciting times of success have shaped them both. Often, they have joined together to make decisions about how to manage that unexpected car repair bill or the doctor's announcement that a baby is on the way. As they've shared their lives, they have gradually molded one another's personality. Some couples even begin to share the same appearance!

As you and I go through life's temptations, tests, and trials as a part of our relationship with the Lord, we must look toward Him and His Word if we are to see the truth we need for that time. As we agree with Him, we are molded by His Spirit within us until we begin to increasingly share more of His character and image within our hearts. In turn, that will shape the way we express ourselves in relationships and priorities. Without quoting the verse, we function on a "not-my-will-but-Yours" basis.

**Prayer**

Father, I certainly don't feel much like Jesus today. Fact is that I'm a long way from being like Him. I'm not as loving, not as patient, not as faithful, not as bold. I'm just so far from being what You want me to be. But, by faith, I depend on the working of Your Spirit within me. When You are finished with me, I'll be like a mirror image of Him! Oh, how I wish that was today! Jesus in me is my only hope! Thank You, Lord. Thank You so much! In Christ I pray. AMEN!

## 35
# Day Thirty-Five

**Christians sometimes talk a lot, but talk is cheap. Until we hear from You, lean on Your power, and do what You say, we're just faking it!**

**_J ames 1:22-25 (NLT) \- _**_But don't just listen to God's word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it._

**Think About It**

Have you got that? Some people just listen to what the Bible tells them. They love to go to Bible studies and read Christian books. They may even enjoy hearing the Word preached or reading it each day, but it does them no good until they put it into practice.

It's like a man dying of cancer who reads about a wonderful new treatment for his form of cancer that is 100% successful in reversing all its effects. He gets excited to hear that such a thing is possible. He might even jump on the internet to learn more about it. But if he doesn't make arrangements to see a doctor who can provide that treatment, he's still just another cancer victim dying from a terrible disease.

God's Word is filled with promises and warnings. It's filled with detailed instruction for our family life, our friendships, our finances, our faith, and our future. Is all this just good information? Or is it more? Is it a path for us to walk with the Lord?

Much of what God tells us cannot be consistently fulfilled in our own strength. In fact, our partial obedience can become dangerous because it causes our flesh to be satisfied with our self-made righteousness. Instead, we must humbly take one small step of obedience at a time, yielding ourselves as best we know to the working of God's Spirit within us.

**Prayer**

Father, I've studied Your Word for years now. In the beginning, and for most of the time, I've sought to put it into practice. But there have also been plenty of times when I just enjoyed hearing the truth without responding in faith and obedience. I have not been brought under conviction and humbled myself before You. I haven't cried out in my weakness, seeking Your power over my besetting sins. Yet, even in those terrible times of failure, I was often satisfied with my "knowledge" of the Bible. How tragic! How foolish! I fell under the same self-deception that has captured so many through the years. Lord, let that never happen again! Keep me alert to this kind of blindness of spirit. May my response to Your Word always bring You the glory You deserve. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

## 36
# Day Thirty-Six

**Your victory over your evil enemy doesn't depend on your power or skill. It depends on your relationship with the Lord. You are to be strong...in His might, not your own.**

**_1 Peter 5:6-9 (NLT) – _**_Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world._

**_James 4:7-8 (NLT) – _**_Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded._

**Think About It**

You will never know full spiritual victory until you first experience surrender to the Mighty Warrior Himself. He is the true Captain of our Salvation...our Deliverer...the Sword of the Spirit. The searchlight of His Word exposes the secret hiding places of your spiritual foe. He can find no place dark enough to protect himself from the eyes of the Lord. You may not see his attacks coming, but the Lord always does. In His sovereign wisdom, He may allow you to feel the heat of battle, but never ever imagine that He has abandoned you in the midst of your conflicts. He will bring you victories even when you think you've been defeated.

As you discover your weakness and your vulnerabilities, you will also begin to discern how desperately you need the Master. Oh, you may fret and worry, but He invites you to cast those awful burdens on Him.

Be vigilant when you hear the sound of the enemy! He never hunts his prey alone. The lion that you hear may have no teeth, but the one hidden nearby is ready to pounce. Do not allow the roar of the lion to herd you into an ambush. Resist the urge to run blindly to escape. That will never work!

Perhaps Satan has ensnared you with a vile temper. Whenever you begin to feel those hot passions rising and the veins in your neck begin to swell, don't rush into the waiting teeth of the enemy. Instead, surrender your right to rule over the situation or over the person who has stirred your emotions. Submit your heart's desires to the Master. Cast every fear, every unworthy desire, and every raging fit of temper into the arms of the King. Others have overcome the same foe and the same forces of darkness in their hearts. But only through being faithful to our Lord.

Satan knows you better than you know yourself, but he doesn't know the Lord in the same way you do. He hasn't learned the great secret of power that is released through submission to the Almighty.

**Prayer**

Father, this day will be a day of battle. But the battle belongs to the Lord! Because You are the Victor, I will not be the victim. I surrender my life to You. I have no strength before You, but as I find all joy in You, I will also experience Your strength at work in and through me. As I hear the approach of my enemy, I will not fear. I will not flee. I will resist him with all the strength You give me and know that Your strength is enough to make the lion flee! In Jesus' name, AMEN!

## 37
# Day Thirty-Seven

**Many smart people are not really wise because what they know isn't actually true. They trust in their own faulty intelligence instead of the perfect wisdom of God.**

**_E phesians 5:17-18 (NKJV) \- _**_Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit,_

**_1 Corinthians 8:2 (NKJV) \- _**_And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know._

**Proverbs 3:7 (NKJV) \- **Do not be wise in your own eyes; Fear the LORD and depart from evil.

**Think About It**

There is such a thing as counterfeit wisdom – the "wisdom" of this worldly society around us. Men may assume that they are wise because of the collection of degrees hanging on their wall or listed after their names. They could think that they are intellectually superior because they are so tolerant of things the Bible calls an abomination. Some of the world's most immoral people have also been among the intellectual elite. So, there's a danger when we come to depend too much on our reasoning and wisdom. Proverbs 3:5 warns us against leaning on our own understanding instead of seeking guidance from the Lord.

Wisdom comes from God (James 1:5). Clear thinking and good judgment can become very distorted when our minds are influenced by things contrary to God's will. These could include drugs, drunkenness, sexual immorality, greed, temper, or other compulsive habits. The contrasting solution is to be filled or completely controlled by the Spirit of God. God doesn't force that upon His children, nor are they robotic in their responses to Him.

Those who depend on their own mental abilities rather than seeking to understand the wisdom of God are like drunks behind the wheel of a five-ton vehicle. They may be impressed with themselves and their power. However, they are too confused and pitifully lacking in sound judgment to make good choices or to perform right actions. They're dangerous! I don't want to live my life that way, do you?

**Prayer**

Lord, I'm now old enough to have a catalog of mistakes that I've made. Too often, I've ignored Your wisdom and trusted in the popular or prevailing ideas of those around me. I've depended on my own knowledge and insight. Please forgive me and remove that obnoxious pride from my life. Help me to learn how to look toward You for guidance in each step that I take. Help me to accept my own limitations and to receive the unlimited wisdom that is You alone have. Fill me with the Spirit of wisdom, Your Holy Spirit. Then, give me grace to submit to that wisdom throughout all the days to follow. In Christ alone! AMEN!

## 38
# Day Thirty-Eight

**Those who drive automobiles know that they have blind spots where they can't see what's coming. What are your blind spots in everyday living?**

**_P salm 19:12-14 (CEV) \- _**_None of us know our faults. Forgive me when I sin without knowing it. Don't let me do wrong on purpose, Lord, or let sin have control over my life. Then I will be innocent, and not guilty of some terrible fault. Let my words and my thoughts be pleasing to you, LORD, because you are my mighty rock and my protector._

**_Psalm 139:23-24 (CEV) \- _**_Look deep into my heart, God, and find out everything I am thinking. Don't let me follow evil ways, but lead me in the way that time has proven true._

**_Matthew 7:3-5 (NCV) \- _**_"Why do you notice the little piece of dust in your friend's eye, but you don't notice the big piece of wood in your own eye? How can you say to your friend, 'Let me take that little piece of dust out of your eye'? Look at yourself! You still have that big piece of wood in your own eye. You hypocrite! First, take the wood out of your own eye. Then you will see clearly to take the dust out of your friend's eye._

**Think About It**

One of the famous "12 Steps" is to make a "searching and fearless moral inventory." That's frightening, isn't it? Would you want to suddenly have a complete list of all your faults and failings? We're supposed to confess our sins, but no one ever said it would be fun! Would you really like to see all your annoying habits recorded on a sheet of paper? Would you want a photo gallery of all the people you have offended in some careless way? Would you like to discover that you are foolish, impulsive, quick-tempered, lazy, dishonest, hard-hearted, unfriendly, or stingy?

When we examine the lives of other people, it usually isn't very hard to identify their faults, weaknesses, and sins. Normally, we see their minor faults before we notice the worst in ourselves. Be honest! Are you more uncomfortable with the faults of others than you are with your own?

You can't depend on your own opinion about either the faults of others or yourself. You need something that is far more thorough, more objective, and more honest than that. So, where do you turn?

I encourage you to consider David's prayer in Psalm 139. He actually had the nerve to ask the Lord to search through the secret places of his heart and then show him all those hidden faults. He knew that he couldn't walk a straight path until he knew all the crooks and turns that could distract him. Our path through life begins within our own hearts. If we are crooked there, we won't be able to successfully live out God's best for our lives.

**Prayer**

Father, I appeal to You right now, to search through the clutter of my heart and mind. Show me those things I've neglected in my relationship with You and with others. Show me the ways I've been unfaithful or even completely thoughtless concerning You. Expose the ugliness of those satin-covered sins that I've tried to hide from myself and others. Teach me to love what You love. I also pray that You'll shape my heart until it hates the things that You have found contemptible. Give me the peace of a conscience that You have exercised toward purity, with no offense toward You or anyone else. These things are my desires today, and my prayer, in Jesus' name! AMEN!

## 39
# Day Thirty-Nine

**The truth that sets you free can also give great liberty to others. Don't be selfish. Share Jesus today!**

**_J ohn 4:28-30 _**_The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, "Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" Then they went out of the city and came to Him._

**_John 4:39-42 -_** _And many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman who testified, "He told me all that I ever did." So when the Samaritans had come to Him, they urged Him to stay with them; and He stayed there two days. And many more believed because of His own word. Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not because of what you said, for we ourselves have heard Him and we know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the_ world."

**Think About It**

Over 100 years ago, a St. Louis lawyer visited a Christian to transact some business. Before the two parted, his client said to him, "I've often wanted to ask you a question, but I've been afraid to do so."

"What do you want to know?" he asked.

His Christian friend replied, "I've wondered why you're not a Christian."

The man hung his head. "I know enough about the Bible to realize that it says no drunkard can enter the kingdom of God; and you know my weakness!"

"You're avoiding my question," continued the believer.

"Well, truthfully, I can't recall anyone ever explaining how to become a Christian."

Picking up a Bible, the lawyer's client read some passages showing that all are under condemnation, but that Christ came to save the lost by dying on the cross for their sins. "By receiving Him as your Substitute and Redeemer," he said, "you too can be forgiven. If you're willing to receive Jesus, let's pray together."

The lawyer agreed, and when it was his turn, he exclaimed, "Oh, Jesus, I am a slave to drink. One of your servants has shown me how to be saved. Oh, God, forgive my sins and help me overcome the power of this terrible habit in my life." Right there, he was converted. That lawyer was C. I. Scofield, who later edited the reference Bible that bears his name.4

You have been in the process of receiving truth day by day. It's truth that is setting you free from the strategies of Satan and especially the lies that have held you captive for years. Why not begin by telling others what has happened in your own life? Tell others what Christ has already taught you in His Word. Share your excitement about what He may still be showing you in the days ahead. Your words of truth may be God's instrument for breaking the chains in the lives of many others. Then, it may be amazing what He will do with all of you!

**Prayer**

Father, today I ask that you open my eyes to see the needs of people around me. Help me to gently share with them how You have used your Word to change my life. Help me find ways to ask them the questions they need to motivate them in seeking You. When they ask me questions that I don't know, help me be honest enough to admit it but also loving enough to search for Your answers. As You give them questions, You will also give me answers that I myself need for my own growth. I thank You now in Jesus' Wonderful name... AMEN!

## 40
# Day Forty

**Your personal struggles are not intended for a mere individual benefit. Your triumphs are for the help of others.**

**_2 Corinthians 1:3-4 \- _**_Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God._

**Think About It**

You've suffered and often felt sorry for yourself because of all the troubles that have come upon you. Even the sufferings that you've brought on yourself through confused choices are something God can use to bless you and others as well. As He delivers you from the power of that "favorite sin," He is also equipping you to share with others about where you've found the help, the encouragement, and the answers that you've needed along the way.

You may have some favorite verses from the Bible that can become like medical instruments as you bring emotional and spiritual healing into the lives of family and friends who are going through tough times. You may have grown to see the importance of praying often and from the depths of your heart. Whatever lessons of liberating truth that the Lord has given you, they are not for you alone. Certainly, you needed them and were blessed by them, but now you can share with others who are captives to similar sins. Conversely, you could tell someone who is hurting in a completely different way that Jesus can comfort and transform, regardless of how we've been wounded. You will be able to pray with them and for them. You will have a whole reservoir of truth that can be used by the Lord as He sets the captives free.

Remarkably, as you share the truth with others, it is being reinforced within you and helping to maintain your own freedom.

**Prayer**

Father, it's not that I'm volunteering for more trouble in my life, but I do ask that you'll show me how to use the problems of my past to bring comfort to others who are going through tough times. You were there for me, and You taught me some valuable things in the "school of hard knocks." Now, it's time for me to share some of what I'm learning to help others come to trust your love and power. Give me the words to say that will cause them to want to know more about You. Give me the courage to speak and the compassion to shut my mouth, and just be there for them if that's what they need the most. No matter what, remind me about how You proved Your love through Jesus.
_In his little book Quiet Talks on Prayer, S.D. Gordon referred to prayer as the "secret service." Wow! Those who guard the President of our country aren't famous, but they are vital. Prayer is like that in our lives._

# Afterword

Your mind is a spiritual battleground where most armor won't protect you. You need God's armor to shield you from the tricks and traps of evil.There's no such thing as an irresistible temptation.All of us are a mixed bag with some good and evil inside. Where sin remains, that doesn't mean it reigns. Jesus is still in command.Both body and mind belong to God, not us. Who then should decide how each is to be used?You can't get too close to some people. The dirt rubs off. Instead, get close to God. He might rub off on you!We all need someone who can guard our backs during the battle.We all need someone when life seems to crumble beneath our feet.God isn't finished with you yet. One day, you will be pure and perfect. Until then, make each step closer to that goal.If you pour water from a glass, it isn't really empty. Air has taken the place of the water. If you seek to empty your life of some sin, another one will seek to take its place. That's why we need to be filled with God's Spirit, so there's no room left for sin to thrive.Freedom means having a choice. In Christ, you do have choices. You once were in bondage without the same power of choice that you have available today. Use your freedom wisely.Satan's greatest victories come as surprise attacks. So, don't be surprised. Be on guard. The attack is coming.You say, "I can't help it." That's right! Your victory doesn't depend on your strength, your ability, your knowledge, or your will power. It depends on the Spirit of the Lord, the One who has already defeated sin completely.Anybody who thinks he can "sin moderately" is a fool. Sin will give you a counterfeit success that fills with pride. Jesus gives a victory that is filled with humble gratitude.Motives matter. If your motive is self-centered, you will eventually give in to selfish pleasures, to your favorite sin.It is almost impossible to change your old habits while keeping all of your old friends. They don't expect you to change and may not even want it to happen.A pig loves the mud... unless the pig has become a lamb. Only a new nature, a new life source, can change your deepest desires.Sin can remain but should never reign within a Christian. You can be faithful to only one Master. Choose well.You have been set free from sin. You are not free to sin.It's impossible to follow the Lord today but still live like yesterday.Okay, so you won a big battle today! Celebrate! But don't let the party last too long. Another battle is coming.You have a Big Brother now. You don't have to be afraid of the schoolyard bully. Jesus has already defeated the devil. So always walk in His shadow!Remember the three little pigs? When it comes to building a life, which one are you most like? Do you try to lay bricks on top of sand?Avoid anything that even looks like temptation. You think you can handle it, but you can't.God is working, right now, in you. Yielding to Him is letting that work to flow out into every part of your life.A disorganized and cluttered life brings confusion to our thoughts and defeat in our battles against a clever enemy.The presence of God is your armor against temptations.We all need a friend who can speak the truth into love – telling us what we need to hear, not just what we want to hear.Who do you believe knows what's best? You? Or God? You answer that question with every decision you make.We should be thankful that God doesn't ignore our sins. He could do that, but He would not be a good father. A good father disciplines his children so that they learn from what they've done wrong.God has nothing to hide, nothing to be ashamed of. Do you? You won't if you walk with Him.As we look closely at the glory of the Lord as seen in the mirror of His Word, the Holy Spirit will change us into His likeness, bit by bit having His glory reflected in our own lives.Christians sometimes talk a lot, but talk is cheap. Until we hear from You, lean on Your power, and do what You say, we're just faking it!Your victory over your evil enemy doesn't depend on your power or skill. It depends on your relationship with the Lord. You are to be strong...in His might, not your own.Many smart people are not really wise because what they know isn't actually true. They trust in their own faulty intelligence instead of the perfect wisdom of God.Those who drive automobiles know that they have blind spots where they can't see what's coming. What are your blind spots in everyday living?The truth that sets you free can also give great liberty to others. Don't be selfish. Share Jesus today!Your personal struggles are not intended for a mere individual benefit. Your triumphs are for the help of others.

# 12 Steps TO OVERCOMING

### Freely Adapted from the Principles of Various 12 – Step Groups Around the World

**S tep 1**

**Admit that you – of and by yourself – are powerless to overcome your sin and that you have made a mess out of your own life.**

_Psalms 5:1; 6:2-7; 10:14; 12:5; 13:1; 16:4a; 18:6, 27; 22:1-2; 11-13; 25:16-18; 28:1-2; 29:4-5; 30:2; 31:9-10; 31:22; 34:18; 38:1-14; 40:17; 42:6-8; 44:15-16; 55:4-8; 69:1-3, 20, 33; 72:12-13; 88:1-4; 102:1-7; Proverbs 14:12; 18:14; 26:12; Matthew 9:36; Mark 4:35-41; 5:2-15; Romans 7:18-23; Ephesians 2:1-2; 2 Peter 2:19_

**Step 2**

**Come to believe that only the power of God can completely restore you to the abundant and joyful life that God intends for you.**

_Psalms 18:2-6; 66:18; 73:21-22; 90:8; 142:1-7; Proverbs 10:17; 13:13; 15:11, 31-33; 16:2-3; 20:1, 19-20; 21:9; 22:24-25; 23:27, 29-35; 25:28; 26:20-22; Matthew 5:27-32; 11:28-30; 12:18-21; Mark 9:23-24; Luke 11:33-36; 13:10-13; 16:14-15; 17:3-6; John 6:63, 12:46; Romans 7:15; I Corinthians 3:1-3; 7:3-16; 15:34; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 7:1; 10:12; 12:9; 13:5; Galatians 5:19-21; Ephesians 5:3-7, 18, 22-23; I Timothy 5:8; Hebrews 2:14-18; James 2:2-8_

**Step 3**

**Decide to turn your will and your life over to the care of God as He is revealed through His Son, Jesus Christ. (You no longer own yourself! You will answer to God someday, so go ahead and prepare for it today!)**

_Psalms 3:1-6; 4:8; 9:9-10; 17:6-9; 31:19-20; 23:1-6; 56:3-4; 61:1-4; 62:5-7; 68:19-20; 86:11-13; 91:1-4; 94:17-19; 142:1-7; 143:8; 147:11; Proverbs 3:5-6, 14:26. Matthew 10:37-39; 4:18-23, 6:24-34; 11:28-30; 16:21-26; Luke 9:23, 57-62; 11:2-4; 24:46-47; John 1:12-13; 5:24; 6:35-40; 8:1-11; 12:26; 17:3; Acts 2:21; Romans 3:21-24; 4:20-25; 5:1, 8-11; 8:1; 10:9-13; 2 Corinthians 1:3-5; Ephesians 1:3-14, 2:8-9; Hebrews 4:1-2; 1 Peter 1:3-5; 2:24-25_

**Step 4**

**Make a searching and fearless moral inventory of the life you have been living. (Scrap the excuses. Call them what God would call them!)**

_Psalms 66:18; 73:21-22; 90:8; Proverbs 4:23-27; 10:17; 13:13; 15:11, 31-33; 16:2-3; 20:1, 19-20; 21:9; 22:24-25; 23:27, 29-35; 25:28; 26:20-22; 29:1, 11, 22-23; 30:11-12._ _Lamentations 3:39-45; Matthew 5:4, 5:27-32; Luke 11:33-36; 12:1-7, 16:14-15; Romans 7:15; I Corinthians 3:1-3; 7:3-16; 15:34; 2 Corinthians 6:14; 7:1; 10:12-13; 13:5; 17:3-6; Galatians 5:19-21, 6:3-8; Revelation 2:4-5, Ephesians 5:3-7,18, 22-23; 1 Timothy 5:8; James 2:2-8_

**Step 5**

**Confess to yourself, to God, and to at least one other person the exact nature of your wrongs.**

_Psalms 32:3-7; 38:17-18; 40:11-13; 41:4; 51:3-4; 62:8; 69:5; 119:66-67; Proverbs 16:18; 21:2; 27:17; 28:13-14; 30:32;_ _Matthew 3:5-6; 23:12; Luke 5:31; 15:4-7, 17-20; Acts 19:18-20; Romans 14:12-13, 22; I Corinthians 11:27-32; Ephesians 4:14-15 25; Colossians 3:9; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5; Hebrews 4:7-8, 12-16; James 5:16; 1 John 1:8-9_

**Step 6**

**Become entirely ready to have God remove _all_ your character weaknesses and conform you to the image of Christ. (Don't hang on to some pet sins for a rainy day!)**

_Psalms 4:4-5; Proverbs 3:11-12; Isaiah 1:19, Matthew 3:1-3, 5:3; 19:16-22; Luke 15:15-20; John 5:1-7; Acts 3:19; 24:24-25; Romans 6:8-14, 12:1-2; 2 Corinthians 7:9-10; Galatians 5:1, 17; Ephesians 4:17-24; Philippians 4:13; Colossians 3:5-13, Hebrews 12:1-3; James 1:21; 1 John 4:18; 1 Peter 1:13-16; 2:1-2; 1 Thessalonians 1:6-10, 4:3-7; Titus 2:11-14; Revelation 3:19-20, 16:8-11._

**Step 7**

**Humbly ask God to remove all your shortcomings. (Don't even think you can do it without Him!)**

_Psalms 25:8-10; 32:1; 51:1-2,10; 103:1-5; 119:133; Proverbs 18:12. Matthew 7:7-11, 7:21-23; 18:4; 28:19-20;_

_Mark 16:16; Luke 15:8-10, 18:9-14; Acts 2:22-24, 2:38; 22:1; Romans 6:1-4; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 3:26-27; Philippians 4:19; I John 3:4-9; 22; Hebrews 12:5-11; James 4:6, 4:10, 5:16. 1 John 1:7-9, 5:14-15; 1 Peter 5:6-10_

**Step 8**

**Make a written list of all persons you have harmed, the ways you hurt them, and then become willing to make restitution to them.**

_Leviticus 6:1-7; 2 Samuel 12:1-14; Psalms 133; Proverbs 10:12; 14:1, 30; 16:6-7; Ezekiel 33:14-16; Matthew 5:23-24, 43-48; 6:14-15; 7: 1-5; 18:21-25; 22;36-40; Mark 11:25; Luke 6:37-38; 10:25-37; 19:8-10; John 13:34-35; Romans 2:1; 12:9, 14, 17-18; 13:8-10; 14:7-10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 13:1-13; Philippians 2:3-4; 4:5; 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13; 2 Timothy 1:7; James 4:11-12; 5:9; 1 Peter 2:19-23; 3:8-12; 1 John 2:9-11; 4:19-21_

**Step 9**

**Wherever possible, make direct restitution to all persons you have harmed. (Make it right with them – not on your terms – but on theirs.)**

_Psalms 51: 14-17; 90:17; 126:5-6; Proverbs 3:27; 12:18-20; 14:9; 16:20-24. Matthew 5:9, 5:23-24; 7:12; 12:35-37; Luke 6:27-36; Luke 6:38; Acts 9:10-31; Romans 12:18-21; 14:19; 15:2, 5-7; I Corinthians 8:1-3; Galatians 6:7-10; Philippians 1:9-11; 4:2; Colossians 3:12-13, 18-21; 4:5-6; I Thessalonians 5:15; Philemon 8-17; Hebrews 12:14-15; James 3:17-18; I Peter 1:22; I John 3:17-19_

**Step 10**

**Continue to take personal inventory, and when you are wrong promptly admit it.**

_Psalms 85:8-9; 103:8-18; Proverbs 12:1. Matthew 5:8; 26:71-75; Luke 14:25-35; John 17:15-17; Mark 14:38; Romans 12:2-3; 16:19-20; I Corinthians 3:11-16; 10:6-12, 23-24; 2 Corinthians 10:17-18; Galatians 5:1, 13-15; Ephesians 4:26-32; Philippians 2:12-15; Colossians 3:1-3; 1 Thessalonians 5:17-22; 2 Thessalonians 3:3-5; 2 Timothy 2:4-7; 2:20-26; Hebrews 2:1-3, 3:7-13; James 1:13-14, 19; 1 John 2:3, 15-17; 2 John 8; 1 Peter 2:11; 2 Peter 3:17-18_

**Step 11**

**Seek through prayer and meditation to know the Lord's will and to have the power to carry it out.**

_Psalms 19:14, 84:5-12; Psalms 1:1-3; 50:14-15; Matthew 4:1-11; 5:6; Luke 6:20-26, 46-49; 17:7-10; John 3:30; 4:13-14; 8:31-32; 14:12-21; 15:4-11; Acts 20:28-32; Romans 5:3-5; 8:26-28; 12:10-13; 1 Corinthians 12:7-10; Galatians 2:20; 5:22-26; Ephesians 1:17-19; 3:14-20; 6:10-18; Philippians 1:20-21, 27-29; 3:7-14; 4:5-9; Colossians 3:16; Titus 3:1-7; 3:14; Hebrews 13:1-16; James 1:22-27; 1 Peter 4:1-11, 5:8-10; 2 Peter 1:2-8;_ _1 John 1:7; 5:4-5, 18-21._

**Step 12**

**Having had a spiritual awakening as a result of your relationship with Jesus Christ, share this message with others and follow Him in all you do.**

_Psalms 22:22-26; 40:1-8; 78:4; 92:1-4, 96:1-2, 106:1-3; 107:1-2, 21-22; Proverbs 31:26-31; Matthew 3:1-3, 5:16; Mark 5:18-20; Luke 12:35-40; John 4:34-36; Romans 1:14-17; 10:14-15; I Corinthians 9:22-27; 15:10; 16:9; 2 Corinthians 2:14-17; Galatians 6:1-2; Ephesians 2:10; Philippians 1:6; Colossians 1:9-13, 27-29; 1 Thessalonians 2:3-4, 10-12; 1 Timothy 1:5, 1:12-16; Titus 2:7-8; Hebrews 10:24-25; James 5:7-8, 19-20; and 1 Peter 2:9-10;_

# Endnotes

1 Matthew 19:26; Mark 9:23

2 Psalm 16:11

3 Flesh is often used to describe the evil desires that are associated with misuse of the body. The body itself is not inherently any more evil than your soul or spirit. But physical appetites can become distorted. Since the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, it should not be a tool for evil of any kind. Read Galatians 5:19-21. Yielding to any of these sinful activities releases chemical pleasures, in the form of neurotransmitters, enzymes, and hormones. Even things like anger or jealousy can cause us to become addicted to the chemicals they produce within us.

4 Christian Child Rearing, P. Meier, Baker, 1977, p. 49ff

# About the Author

Gary Webb grew up in East Tennessee, except for periods when his father moved the family while pursuing construction work. He never regularly attended church during his childhood or adolescence.

While serving in the Navy near San Francisco, California, from 1970-1972, he became addicted to various drugs. The Navy sent him for 90 days of in-patient rehabilitation before having him returned to duty. Unfortunately, he soon relapsed into even worse drug abuse. Then, in December 1972, while reading the Bible, Gary placed his faith in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. The changes in his life were instant and dramatic.

Gary served almost four years as a substance counselor at the Counseling and Assistance Center, Jacksonville, Florida, completing his enlistment in August 1976. Following discharge, he served as assistant pastor at a local church in Jacksonville. After completing additional education, he served as associate pastor of a church in Irving, Texas. His responsibilities there included a wide range of counseling duties and leadership of a small group ministry program.

Gary was recalled to active duty in the Navy on two occasions, finally retiring in 1996. Since then, he has pastored four churches in Georgia and Alabama.

Gary is a graduate of the University of the State of New York, Luther Rice Seminary, Baptist Bible College, and Andersonville Theological Seminary. He also has additional studies at Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary, and Dallas Baptist College.

Since his retirement as pastor in Attalla, Alabama, Gary has applied himself to writing and speaking engagements through Disciples Indeed Ministries in Attalla, Alabama, and now in Dalton, Georgia. His ministry website is **www.disciplesindeed.net**.

To contact Gary for speaking engagements or personal questions, you may email him at: **gary@disciplesindeed.net**.

* * *

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