OVERCOMING BAD HABITS

ROMANS 12:2

A. A SOBERING BUT AN UNDENIABLE TRUTH
  1. Man was endued with the moral powers to subdue and control things in nature:
    1. He was made in the image of God - Gen. 1:26, 27
    2. And he was told, "Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it" - Gen. 1:28
  2. But, in many ways, he has lost his power and the will to rule his own nature:
    1. That is the verdict of the Creator - Jer. 13:23
    2. Paul, having experienced this truth, confirms it - Rom. 7:14-24
B. WHAT IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE IN THIS STUDY IS
  1. That evil habits are not only harmful to body and soul, but they will keep us out of the kingdom of God: Consider very carefully these scriptures - Gal. 5:19-21; Rev. 21:27
  2. That these bad habits affect not only us but they affect those who associate with us: "Be not deceived: evil communication corrupt good manners." - 1 Cor. 15:33 - "Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." - 1 Cor. 5:6
  3. That bad or evil habits are not formed overnight, but they are the result of repetition:
    1. One drink will lead to the next drink; one cigarette will lead to the next one, until drinking and smoking will become a habit.
    2. The more we repeat a certain action, the more will it become a part of our nature.
  4. Effect of evil habits:
    1. They will enslave body, soul, and mind.
    2. Man will become a complete slave to his acquired habits - Rom. 7:14-24
    3. These are facts which the victim of bad habits too often overlooks until it is too late to safeguard against them.
    4. My conclusions are based upon the testimony of many persons delivered from bad habits.
  5. Still another fact to keep in mind is that we acquire bad habits by perverted reasoning:
    1. Some people become involved in the drinking habit because they feel that is a good way of getting away from some problem connected with their life.
    2. But the facts are that this reasoning is wrong because bad habits weaken the moral powers and so weaken the individual affected.
C. HOW TO OVERCOME BAD HABITS
  1. Negatively:
    1. Man is no longer master over himself, he has become a slave - Rom. 6:16; 14:7; Jer. 13:23
    2. He must receive strength from outside himself - Rom. 7:24; John 15:5
  2. Positive help for all who desire it:
    1. Jesus Christ, the mighty conqueror.
    2. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." - Phil. 4:13
    3. "For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure." Phil. 2:13
    4. He can save to the uttermost all who come unto Him for deliverance - Heb. 7:25
    5. That is why He came into this world -- "to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound" - Isa. 61:1
  3. Man's cooperation is a must:
    1. Man is, by his creation, a free moral agent, and God cannot do anything for him against his own will - Rev. 22:17
    2. God has put before men two choices -- he can choose life, or he may choose death - Deut. 30:15; 32:47
  4. Three laws that enter into our subject:
    1. To become free from bad habits, we must set our mind against them - Prov. 23:7; Eccl. 12:1
    2. Many evil habits continue in our life simply because we do not think, period! Expel bad habits and replace them with good habits - Isa. 1:16; 55:7; Gal. 5:26
    3. Learn to think straight and you will live straight, and that includes habits - Matt. 11:28-30; Deut. 33:25


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