Freedom

4 Christian Ways to Change Your Life

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Christian ways to change your life
Bible Verse: John 15:5

Everyone has something in their life they want to change. Whether it’s a New Year’s resolution, an addictive sin pattern, or just an annoying habit you are finally fed up with, the Bible states that change is possible. But it’s not easy. And certain changes can only be done through the power of Jesus Christ. Therefore, here are four Christ-centered, Christian ways to change your life.

Change Your Identity Through Christ to Change Your Life

The primary Christian way to change your life is to change your identity through the grace of Jesus Christ. At the core of Christian doctrine is the idea that who you are will determine what you will do. The world opposes this idea and states that to change yourself, you just need to change your actions. But again, Christianity states that to change your actions, your identity needs to change first. Jesus explains it this ways:

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What Does the Bible Say About Taking Care of Your Body?

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What does the Bible Say About Taking Care of Your Body

Bible Verses:  John 21:12-15, 1 Kings 19:4-9

Life is exhausting, especially when we are seeking to please the Lord and we have failed. Nothing wears us out like our own sin. In times of failure and exhaustion, we know we need a touch from God, but sometimes we can’t hear him. So what should we do?

While there are many spiritual answers that would be appropriate (read the word, pray, fellowship with other believers, resist the devil), the Bible often points to one aspect of our life that we frequently devalue: taking care of our bodies.

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How to Resist Temptation (James 1:25)

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James 1:25But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it—not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it—they will be blessed in what they do.-James 1:25

It had been a very, very long Sunday. Setting up the church in our rented space for the morning service, navigating a few difficult personalities in the foyer, trying to make new people welcomed, trying to make sure no one goes into the children’s ministry whose not supposed to, trying to stay in a good spirit even though where I was stationed in the church there was no air conditioning and it was now a humid 90 degrees, and a whole host of other random tasks a pastor ends up doing on Sunday where beginning to take their toll. As I was driving into our night service, McDonald’s golden arches seemed to be shining a little brighter to my weary eyes.

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How to Fight Against Satan

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how to fight satan

Satan is a liar (John 8:44), Satan is a deceiver (Revelation 12:9), and Satan is an accuser of Christians (Revelation 12:10). Satan is the Christian’s chief enemy, for we fight not against flesh and blood, but against Satan’s spiritual forces (Ephesians 6:12). And we are to resist him (James 4:7), but how? How do we fight against Satan?

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What Should You Do When You Hit Rock Bottom?

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hit rock bottomBible Verses:

And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly. – Luke 22:61-61

Follow me. – John 21:19

What should you do when you finally hit rock bottom? Where can you go when you’ve landed face first? What should you do when you don’t know what to do?

If anyone knew the feeling of being at the lowest point of life, it was Peter. Peter truly hit rock bottom when he betrayed Jesus. But the thing that Peter learned, the thing that we all must learn when we are at our lowest, is that rock bottom is the best foundation to build upon.

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What is Gluttony?

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What is gluttony? Perhaps the most overlooked sin in America is the sin of overeating. The Bible calls this sin “gluttony.” But what is gluttony? When is the line crossed from simply enjoying a feast that is a blessing from God to overeating in gluttonous ways?

What is Gluttony? Gluttony is Eating Too Much for the Wrong Reason

Sin in general is when you take a good thing and use it in wrong ways. Food and eating are good things. Even “feasting” can be a good thing if done for the right reasons. Throughout the Old Testament God told the Israelites to celebrate him through feasts.

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Part 4: How to Overcome Temptation

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Part 4_ How To Overcome Temptation2Bible Verses:

And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”. . .  41 And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 42 Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.” – Mark 14:36-42

Jesus said in Mark 14:36, “Abba, Father, everything is possible for you.” We are to look for our deliverance from God and not worldly pleasures because God is the one who is in total control of everything.

One way God has sought to show us that he is still in control even though Satan is active in the scenes in our life is through his preordained use of the number three throughout the pages of Scripture. Mark 14:41 states that Jesus returned to the disciples sleeping a “third time.”

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Part 3: How to Overcome Temptation

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Pat 3_ How To Avoid TemptationAnd he came and found them sleeping, and he said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not watch one hour?  Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak…” Mark 14:37-42

Again, Jesus said to Peter in Mark 14:38, “Watch and pray that you might not enter into temptation.” That’s gold if you’ve ever been plagued with a reoccurring sin. If you’ve ever wondered how you are going to stop indulging in addictive sins over and over again, Jesus just told us, but so often we skip over this advice because it sounds so simple.

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Part 2: How to Overcome Temptation

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Part 2_Overcoming TemptationAnd they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” 33 And he took with him Peter and James and John, and began to be greatly distressed and troubled. 34 And he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death. Remain here and watch.” 35 And going a little farther, he fell on the ground and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. 36 And he said, “Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.” -Mark 14:32-26

The Bible’s warning on temptation is as clear as can be. It is not a matter of “if” we will be tempted; the Bible always talks about temptation in the context of “when you are tempted.” Therefore, like Jesus, we must prepare in advance through prayer before the moment of temptation is upon us.

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Part 1: How to Overcome Temptation

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Overcoming TemptationAnd Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ 28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 29 Peter said to him, “Even though they all fall away, I will not.” 30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31 But he said emphatically, “If I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all said the same. – Mark 14:27-31

Peter said in Mark 14:31, “I will never disown you.” Peter denied even the idea that he could fall away from Jesus, he denied that he could ever sin against his Lord, and because he denied this he took the first step to falling away from Jesus.

It sounds so odd, but to finally admit that you are capable of turning your back on God, is the first defense against turning your back on God.

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