It may feel like you are alone but you are not. Feelings can be a guide but they can also deceive.

“But Jesus never struggled with the things that I do, “ I hear you say. 

Getting free

On a day-to-day basis all of us have things which we wish we could do without but feel we can’t. For some there may be little of great consequence but you are bothered by your apparent inability to live up to your own standards and aspirations or wishes.

For others your quality of life is severely influenced or damaged by your habits or addictions and you know you are on a downward spiral or in a prison you feel you cannot escape. There are far more people in this second group than you may think.

A Psalmist (Psalm 102) says, “my days are like smoke; my bones burn like glowing embers, my heart is blighted and withered like grass.” “I lie awake; I have become like a bird alone on a roof.”

It may feel like you are alone but you are not. Feelings can be a guide but they can also deceive. If your life is saved by the Lord Jesus Christ then that same faith which saved you, and that you already have, can lead you to the freedom that you need.

If you do not yet have a relationship with God which saves your life then now is the time to start that search. In fact your reading articles on a Christian website probably means that you have more than a passing interest already. We can be saved for eternity with God and we can know that we have that saved status.

Hebrews ch 4 v16 says, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

For some of you reading the Hebrews verse the word “confidence” jumped out at you. We can have confidence when we come before God. He will never turn away from us or give up on us. Think about that. I think that’s great. Why won’t he give up on us in our weaknesses and habits? The previous verse in the Bible tells us. Hebrews ch4 v 15 says, “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin.” The High Priest is Jesus.

“But Jesus never struggled with the things that I do, “ I hear you say. But He did because no matter what your thing is that you feel you cannot live without or live without doing, all our struggles boil down to three types of temptation and Jesus was attacked with all three.

What can’t you live without? What can’t you break free from? What ever it is it will fit into one of these groups:

This is what Satan does—he takes something good and tries to make something bad out of it.

Things which break our physical dependence on God (or we might summarise this as “things to do with our body”) This group can include problems with food; shopping; rest; over-work; the way we see ourselves—these are examples, there are more.

For Jesus, (Matthew ch4) Satan attacked him in this area when he had been in the desert for 40 days and he was hungry. It would not have been wrong for Jesus to eat at the end of his 40 days, indeed he intended to, but what Satan tried to get him to do was to take the matter into his own hands and make bread for himself when it was not the right thing to do in that circumstance. It wasn’t the right time and it wasn’t the right way.

This is what Satan does—he takes something good and tries to make something bad out of it.

Is God big enough to look after you? Can God really take care of you? The answer is “yes”—full stop.

Things which break our confidence in God (or we might summarise this as “things to do with our “mind”). This group can include problems with shopping; dating; food; work; our role as wife, mother or daughter; un-godly sexual activity—these are examples, there are more.

Jesus was tempted in this area in the desert story we have been looking at already. Satan said, “prove to me that God will save you if you put yourself in a dangerous circumstance.” Jesus said no, he wouldn't do that.

Is God really big enough to look after you? Can God really take care of you? If we waver from saying “yes” we may need to start thinking about sorting things out for ourselves just in case God lets us down. The trouble is we start to believe that God has let us down because he doesn’t give us every little thing that we want—because not everything is good for us. Then we start thinking that God hasn’t looked after us properly and suddenly we have no confidence in God.

Is God big enough to look after you? Can God really take care of you? The answer is “yes”—full stop.

If we elevate ourselves to believe we deserve all things now instead of waiting for God’s time we have stepped out of a life of obedience to God.

Things which break our obedience to God (or we might summarise this as “things to do with our spirit) This group can include problems with food; clothes; dating; un-godly sexual activity; your role at home or work, shopping—these are examples, there are more.

In the desert story once again Satan has one last go at Jesus. “Worship me and I will give you everything.” Part of me is secretly sure that Jesus was trying not to laugh at Satan when he made this offer. Satan is Prince of the Earth and it is his to offer for the time being. But I am sure Jesus was trying not to laugh because Jesus knew that he was going to inherit everything from his Father God one day anyway and he didn’t have to sell himself to the devil to get it.

The same is true for us. God has it all worked out that we will inherit all good things from Him one day. The reason that this is an attack on our spirit is because it is to do with our own self-importance. If we elevate ourselves to believe we deserve all things now instead of waiting for God’s time we have stepped out of a life of obedience to God. I will not wait on God because I am more important.

Where are your vulnerabilities?

Satan left Jesus after these three attacks because these are the only three areas to attack. The same is true for you. He will watch to see where you are unguarded and tempt you there. When we have been in these traps for a long time there are two ways to get out. One is easy to say and harder to do—Choose to live God’s way and stop. The other is far more of a reality—that we have to work at it, to choose on a day-by-day, or minute-by-minute basis that we will not do this anymore. If we fail then say sorry to God and try again. We may fail 50 times today but we will get stronger the more we try. Tomorrow we can get that down to 49 times, then 48 and as the days go by we get better. Some progress is better than no progress and you have not failed if in the long run you have made some progress.

Some progress is better than no progress and you have not failed if in the long run you have made some progress.

You may need help to overcome your habit or life problem. The help of a trusted friend may be enough but you may need professional help. I said earlier that there are many more people with difficulties of habit or addiction than you might think and that you are not alone. This means that there are people out there with experience to help you. If the first person you try is unable to help you don’t give up please try someone else.

Let us pray together.

Loving heavenly Father, I think I’ve got a problem. I don’t fully understand all the ways that my behaviour is harming me or those around me but I know that this isn’t right. Your word says, “come to me” and so I am doing that now. I need your help with... [tell God about your concerns]…

I thank you that you hear me and I choose to trust you as I look for the way out of this difficult place. Strengthen me with your Spirit in this and the days to come. Amen.

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This article © Linda Faber 2006-2009.