Breaking The Bondage Of Addictions / More Than Conquerors Lesson 7

Lesson Seven

Stay Busy for God

 “Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.” I Corinthians 15:58

It is time to review what we have studied and realize that this is where we act upon that which we have believed from the Word of God. Our banner verse admonishes us to “be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord…”

Our determination to be “more than conquerors” must be rooted in the love of Jesus Christ and the promises of the Word of God. Base your determination on such promises as Romans 8:37. “Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.”

Our daily devotion must be an uncompromising and non-negotiable commitment on our part. As one old preacher used to say, “Do right! Though the stars fall, do right.” No matter what time you have to get up or how late you have to go to bed in order to have a quiet time with God in prayer and in His Word you must do it.

“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success [do wisely].” Joshua 1:8

Remember who you represent now. We must never forget the fact that through salvation, Christ has delivered us from the powers of the flesh and Satan. And that as the sons of God “…ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear;” (Romans 8:15)

II Corinthians 7:1 “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

The next step, after realizing and thanking God for His salvation that has delivered you and made you part of His family, is to realize in all honesty what these habits and bondages do to you and to determine that “…I will not be brought under the power of any.” I Corinthians 6:12

This makes us ready to proceed to the place of Giving Them Up!!! Relinquish them and the power they would have over you. Romans 13:14: “But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.”

Next, we talked about the necessity to put good things in their place. This results when we surrender our hearts and lives to the will of God, study the Word, and then obey it. Nothing else will work.

Finally, we look at the necessity to Stay Busy for God. II Timothy 3:14 “But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;”

Continue in all the things that we have taught you from the Word (the Bible) in these lessons. If you are diligent in your daily Bible reading and prayer time, you will be on the right path. Pray as the psalmist did in Psalm 119:133 “Order my steps in thy word: and let not any iniquity [willfulness] have dominion over me.” In other words, Thy will be done, Lord, and not mine.

In John 17:4 Jesus simplifies our search for God’s will: “I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.” When we do the revealed will of God each day, we glorify Him. As we go about God’s business by praying, reading and studying God’s Word, obeying God’s Word and letting Him finish the work He has begun in us at salvation, being in the house of God listening to the preaching and teaching of the Word and growing in grace, then we, too, will finish the work that God has given to us by serving Him at every opportunity. He will lead us to the things that He wants us to do, the souls we can win to Christ. As you concentrate on the needs of others, particularly those of the household of faith, you will gain a new sense of purpose and realize abilities that you never knew you had.

There was once a man who was referred to on the street as “the Bible-toting pimp”. After he got saved, he began to live by that Bible he had toted around in pride all those years. Unless he was ill, he never missed church. Where he could, he made restitution to those whose lives he had damaged. Anytime there was work to do at the church he was there, even if it was only to hold one end of the tape measure during construction. He was always a helper. He took it upon himself to clean at the church and would scrub the toilets by hand as lovingly as he held the ladder or the tape measure for the preacher. He labored with his heart and his hands and never returned to the bondages of alcohol or the vices he had learned on the street. Romans 12:11: “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;”

“As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” Galatians 6:10

“Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.” Ephesians 4:28

I Thessalonians 4:11-12 “And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you; That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without (the lost), and that ye may have lack of nothing.”

Being victorious in the worldly sense seems to be calculated by the number of days in which you are “clean” or sober. This is based on the premise that though you can be free of these things on a daily basis, you will always be subject to their power, or potentially, always a drunkard or an addict.

To accept always being a victim in this life totally contradicts the teachings of the Bible. However, to be “more than conquerors through him that loved us:” means that we are super victors. This is only because of the victory over sin and death that Jesus Christ had when He died on Calvary’s cross for our sins. His blood paid our sin penalty. When He said, “It is finished,” it meant He had paid all in full. There is no more debt to God for any of our sins past, present or future. Through the Holy Spirit and the power of Christ’s resurrection, our victory over any and all sin is guaranteed.

The Apostle Peter closes his second epistle with this warning “Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own steadfastness. But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…” (II Peter 3:17-18)

Learning the ways of God will erase the old ways of destruction and deceit. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

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BREAKING THE BONDAGE

An Application of Praying Scripture

To Gain Freedom from Bondage and Bad Habits

One of the keys to gaining freedom from Strongholds, Bondage and Bad Habits is to pray Scripture back to God that reinforces victory over these. Bible verses can be personalized by using personal pronouns such as I, me, my, and you, as we will demonstrate, and help you to emphasize the strength of your God and prevent you from focusing on the strength of the stronghold. Also, since most strongholds are based on lies and deceptions that we have believed, the truth of Scripture will help you to replace the lies and gain freedom.

Below are suggested Scripture based on the Strongholds that we dealt with in Chapter Four: “Realizing what Bondage and Strongholds do to you.”

Cast down Exalted Thinking by Magnifying God

II Corinthians 10:5

“Thou, even thou, art LORD alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host, the earth, and all things that are therein, the seas, and all that is therein, and thou preservest them all; and the host of heaven worshippeth thee.” Nehemiah 9:6

“Thine, O LORD, is the greatness, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the majesty: for all that is in the heaven and in the earth is thine; thine is the kingdom, O LORD, and thou art exalted as head above all.” I Chronicles 29:11

How great You are, My God! “Behold, (You) God is (are) great, and we know him (you) not, neither can the number of his (your) years be searched out, For he (you) maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof: Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly. Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his (your) tabernacle?” Job 36:26-29

 “Lord, thou hast been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God.” Psalm 90:1, 2

“Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered.” Psalm 40:5

(You, are my) “God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he (You are) Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands: Neither (are you) worshipped with men’s hands, as though (You) needeth any thing, seeing (You) giveth to all life, and breath, and all things…For in (You) we (I) live, and move, and have our (my) being;…”. Acts 17:24, 25, 28

 Replace “Hath God said?” with “…the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32

 (Lord, I pray that) “This book of the law shall not depart out of (my) mouth; but (I) shalt meditate therein day and night, that (I) mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then (I) shalt make (my) way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.” Joshua 1:8

 “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but (Your words, O Lord) shall not pass away.” Matthew 24:35

(Lord,) “…thy word is truth.” John 17:17 and your word “liveth and abideth forever.” I Peter 1:25

(Lord, help me to not forget that) “Man (I) shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of (Your mouth).”

(For your word, O, Lord) “…is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of (my) soul and (my) spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and a discerner of (my) thoughts and intents of (my) heart.” Hebrews 4:12

(I thank you, Lord that, through your knowledge) “…are given unto (me) exceeding great and precious promises: that by these (I) might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” II Peter 1:4

“The entrance (O Lord) of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” Psalm 119:130

(Lord, I know that) “All Scripture is given by (Your) inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine (teaching me what is right), for reproof (teaching me what is wrong), for correction (teaching me how to get it right), for instruction (on how to keep it right) in righteousness.” II Timothy 3:16

“Order my steps in thy word (O Lord): and let not any iniquity (willfulness) have dominion over me.” Psalm 119:133

“For ever, O Lord, thy word is settled in heaven.” Psalm 119:89

“Therefore I esteem all thy precepts [commands] concerning all things to be right; and I (will) hate every false way.” Psalm 119:128

Lord, help my unbelief!

Mark 9:24

 (Lord, I know that) “…without me ye can do nothing.” (John 15:5) and that “I can do all things through You (Jesus Christ) which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)  I know that “…in all these things we are more than conquerors through (You because you love us).” (Romans 8:37).

(Lord, I know that) “There hath no temptation taken (me) but such as is common to man: but (You) God (are) faithful, who will not suffer (me) to be tempted above that (I am) able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that (I) may be able to bear it.” (I Corinthians 10:13)

“…Lord, I believe; help thou mine unbelief.” (Mark 9:24) And I ask you, Lord, to “bring into captivity (my) every thought to the obedience of Christ.” (II Corinthians 10:5)

(God, I need your help to) Romans 12:2 “…be not conformed to this world: but (help me, Lord) to be transformed by the renewing of (my) mind,…” Help me, Lord, to guard my heart by“…hid(ing) thy word in my heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)

(Lord, you have promised that Your grace is sufficient for me [II Cor.12:9]. Help me to)

“Trust in (You) with all (my) heart; and to lean not unto (my) own understanding. In all (my) ways (may I) acknowledge (You), and (I know You) shall direct my paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

(Your Word promises that we are) “a new creature in Christ, that old things are passed away and that all things are becoming new II Cor. 5:17).” (Help me, Lord, to act on this truth by) “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of my faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God (Hebrews 12:2).” (Lord, as a believer, I know I am) washed, sanctified, and “justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of (my) God.” (I Corinthian 6:12) (May I not be brought under the power of any past sins, but help me to)

“seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.” (And to) “Set (my) affections on things above, not on things on the earth.” May I die daily to sin and “put off the old man with his deeds; and “put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:” (Colossians 3:1, 2, 9, 10)

Glossary

The Glossary supplies definitions of selected words which might clarify the verse or passage you are studying. The definition is acquired from the Hebrew or Greek word it comes from as found in (most cases) the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. Each word and its definition is followed by the page number(s) where it is used in the lesson.

Blessed — Happy,

Bondage — slavery, or serve (Strong’s Concordance G1397)

Careful — anxious

Chambering — sleeping around

Cleanse — to free from defilement of sin and from faults; to consecrate by cleansing

(Strong’s Concordance G2511)

Commit — Roll over on; roll thy way upon the Lord; roll

Confess — say the same about

Conversation — manner of life

Dark sayings — hard question, proverb, riddle

Desperately — incurably

Diligence — constant, careful effort; to continue in spite of difficulty or opposition

Edifying — building (verb)

Esteem — consider or think of, be mindful

Expedient — profitable

Honestly — decently

Humility — a willingness to obey instructions and do whatever we are asked

Imaginations — reasoning, [Strong’s H3336-purpose, intellectual framework] (Strong’s G3053, Thought framework, a reasoning hostile to the Christian faith) Iniquity — willfulness, idolatry; a purposeful turning aside or casting away of the truth. [Strong’s G4160, 4238] pp.15, 21, 54, 56

Keep — guard, observe, give heed [Strong’s H8104]

Manifold — many & various forms

Melteth — droppeth

Mind — thought, imagination

Perfect — completeness, complete (Ro. 12:2, Jas. 1:4) to fulfill further, complete (II Cor.7:1; II Cor12:9; I John 4:18), peace peace (Isa. 26:3)

Perform — finish

Power — authority

Preacher — proclaimer

Put off — put off, aside, or away (Strong’s G575, 659) Eph. 4:22; Col. 3:8, 9 (G554) wholly put off from oneself, separation from

Put on — to sink into (clothe), put on, clothe one’s self (Strong’s G1746) Rom. 13:14; Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10

Putting away — put off, aside, or away (Strong’s G659)

Quicken — make alive

Recover — awake

Repentance — a complete “about face”, [Strong’s G3341] a change of mind, as it appears to one who repents, of a person he has formed or of something he has done

Rioting — carousing (Strong’s G2970)

Stayed — framed

Stronghold — [Strong’s G3794] 1) a castle, stronghold, fortress, fastness;

2) Anything on which one relies: a) of the arguments and reasoning by which a disputant endeavors to fortify his opinion and defend it against his opponent. (2Cor. 10:4)

Success — do wisely (Joshua 1:8)

Suffer — [Strong’s G3958] to under-go, (1Peter 3:17); 1Corinthians 10:13 [allow]

Supplication — petition

Sure — steady

Temptation — [Strong’s G3986] trial, proving, (Matt. 26:41, 1 Cor. 10:13)

Temptations — [Strong’s G3986] trial, proving (1 Peter 1:6-7, 2Peter 2:9)

Vain — empty (Psalm 119:113, 1Corinthians 15:58)

Wantonness — [Strong’s G766] unbridled lust

Watch — [Strong’s G1127] give strict attention to; to take heed lest through remission and indolence some destructive calamity suddenly overtake one