Saturday, February 11, 2012

Weight Loss Scripture Day 7: Escape Tempation

April 7, 2010 by  
Filed under Weight Loss Scriptures

Day 7: Christian Weight Loss Scripture

Every day in the month of April, I will post an encouraging scripture on my website that I hope will instruct and inspire you on your weight loss journey.

Today’s focus scripture is taken from 1 Corinthians 10:13

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.

Every one of us has areas in which we are vulnerable to temptation and the devil knows exactly what they are. Imagine this scenario:

You are at your desk at work. You get hungry and are tempted to get a bag of cookies from the vending machine. You have an apple in your desk that could ease your hunger better, but a voice whispers “You know you don’t want that.” So the movie begins.

You see yourself eating the cookies. You think about how the cookies will taste and how the sugar buzz will feel after you eat them. Without even being aware of it, all of the memories and associated feelings of eating cookies come upon you. You suddenly find yourself digging in your purse for change so that you can get those cookies. What happened? You’ve just been seduced by Temptation T.V.

Channel 666 on your mental dial, Temptation T.V. is designed to put you in bondage. It broadcasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week and its programming caters to your weaknesses. For example, if chocolate fudge cake tempts you, then Channel 666 will show you video of the most decadent, gooey chocolate fudge cake you can find.

Channel 666’s goal is to drag you down to the gutter. To do this, it must create desire within you so it makes its images appear even better than the real thing. But it never lives up to its advertising.

Whenever you find yourself being tempted, check to see if your mind is tuned into Channel 666. What pictures are running through your head? If the pictures are those of the object that you are attempting to resist, then you are tuned into Temptation T.V.

When you find you are tuned into Temptation T.V., just look up. That’s right, look up at the sky or the ceiling or whatever happens to be above your head. Just the simple act of looking up reminds you to focus on God. It also interrupts the pattern that you have established for tuning in to Temptation T.V. That pause allows you to change the Channel to 777, Truth T.V.

What does Channel 777 focus on? It focuses on those things that support your desire to implement God’s will in your life: those things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, anything worth of praise (see Philippians 4:8). So if you find yourself on Channel 666, then look up and tune into Channel 777.

Next, think or say in faith, “Lord, I am being tempted. Your word says that I am able to bear this temptation and I believe your word. Show me the way out of this temptation right now and give me the strength to choose that path. I receive the escape and the strength right now in Jesus’ name.”

Whatever the Holy Spirit tells you to do, then do it immediately. The more you tune in to Channel 777, the weaker the signals get from Channel 666.

And here is one more thing to do to escape temptation. Do not keep foods in your house that tempt you. I had a woman write me years ago about her weakness for cookie binges. She had some in her cabinet and said that she was being tempted to eat them. She said that she didn’t know why the Lord didn’t just remove the temptation from her.

Well, I am sure the Lord told her that she needed to get rid of the cookies and that was the way he provided for her escape. But the truth was (and I have been there) that she wanted it both ways. She wanted to keep the cookies close so that she could still eat them. She was making provision for her binges!

I’ve written many times about the fact that I love the taste of Pepperidge Farm coconut cake and how I used to buy a cake with the intention of just eating one slice a day. But it never happened. I would always eat up eating the whole cake in one sitting.

I had to face the fact that this food is a weakness of mine. Even though it has been years since I ate a whole cake, I don’t tempt myself by bringing cake into my house. I no longer make provision for binges.

See, I believe that the best way to win a fight is to avoid getting into one in the first place. So when it comes to temptation, the first step to escaping is to make sure that your food temptations are removed from your living spaces – at home and work.

But if you must face them, then turn to Channel 777 and look for the escape route. God has prepare the path for you, all you have to do is take it!

Be blessed in health, healing, and wholeness,

Kimberly Taylor, C.W.C.
Certified Wellness Coach
Author of the ‘Take Back Your Temple’ ebook
http://www.takebackyourtemple.com/book

    Comments

    2 Responses to “Weight Loss Scripture Day 7: Escape Tempation”
    1. Stephanie Richardson says:

      This Bible studies are helping me take back my temple. I have been over 300 pounds for almost 40 years. I was saved at the age of 7 and redidcated my life at the age of 12. I have lost down to 292 using the biblical principles of eating when hungry and stopping when full. I am working on making healthier choices. Thank you so much for this website, for the taking back your temple study guides for the godswordis food study. I believe that through this I am finally going to be delivered from gluttony and food idolatry. Thank you.

    2. kimf says:

      Hi Stephanie! That is fantastic – the word of God works! Yes, I use the principles of hunger/fullness in the TBYT ebook as well – I call it SANE eating not only to make the principles easy to remember but also to contrast my past when I binged like crazy. Good for you on making healthier food choices as well! You’ll discover that it makes it easier to eat with self control when you do. I appreciate your complements on the website. I feel privileged to share what God has done in my life and continues to do with others! May God bless you on your weight loss journey!

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