DECIDE THE TYPE OF PERSON YOU WANT TO BE.
PROVE IT TO YOURSELF WITH SMALL WINS
Samson led Israel for twenty years in the days of the Philistines. Judges 15:20 NIV
So for 20 years, Samson is the leader of Israel, he's the hero of the people of Israel, and for the most part the people of Israel live in peace and for the most part during the twenty years, they're prospering. So he goes from the hero to being beaten by the Philistines, a prisoner of the Philistines, eyes gouged out, and he is who they bring out to Mock and ridicule at all their parties. He went from a hero to a laughing stock and it feels like almost instantly when you hear me paraphrase the story, but if you look deeper that's not what happened.
One day Samson went to Gaza, where he saw a prostitute. He went in to spend the night with her. The people of Gaza were told, “Samson is here!” So they surrounded the place and lay in wait for him all night at the city gate. They made no move during the night, saying, “At dawn we’ll kill him.”Judges 16:1-2 NIV
RARELY DO WE GET TO THE WRONG PLACE IN LIFE BY ONE BAD CHOICE. WE GET THERE ONE STEP AT A TIME, ONE DAY AT A TIME, AND ONE BAD HABIT AT A TIME.
WE DON’T BELIEVE OUR BAD HABITS OR DISOBEDIENCE WILL COST US.
But Samson lay there only until the middle of the night. Then he got up and took hold of the doors of the city gate, together with the two posts, and tore them loose, bar and all. He lifted them to his shoulders and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron. Judges 16:3
Some time later, he fell in love with a woman in the Valley of Sorek whose name was Delilah. Judges 16:4 NIV
The rulers of the Philistines went to her and said, “See if you can lure him into showing you the secret of his great strength and how we can overpower him so we may tie him up and subdue him. Each one of us will give you eleven hundred shekels of silver.” So Delilah said to Samson, “Tell me the secret of your great strength and how you can be tied up and subdued.” Judges 16:5-6 NIV
After putting him to sleep on her lap, she called for someone to shave off the seven braids of his hair, and so began to subdue him. And his strength left him. Then she called, “Samson, the Philistines are upon you!” He awoke from his sleep and thought, “I’ll go out as before and shake myself free.” But he did not know that the Lord had left him. Then the Philistines seized him, gouged out his eyes and took him down to Gaza. Binding him with bronze shackles, they set him to grinding grain in the prison. Judges 16:19-21
HOW DO YOU BREAK BAD HABITS?
YOU MUST ACKNOWLEDGE THEM
DEFINE THE TYPE OF PERSON YOU WANT TO BE AND WHAT HABITS ARE HINDERING THAT
But you, Timothy, are a man of God; so run from all these evil things. 1 Timothy 6:11
So get rid of every filthy habit and all wicked conduct. Submit to God and accept the word that he plants in your hearts, which is able to save you. James 1:21 GNB
WE HAVE TO GET TO THE POINT WHERE YOU LOVE FREEDOM OVER THE CONVENIENCE OF YOUR TEMPTATION
THE DISCIPLINES WE HOLD IN OUR PRESENT LEADS TO A HARVEST IN OUR FUTURE
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
Ephesians 5:11 NIV
That is why the Bible says FLEE FROM SIN…MAKE IT DIFFICULT TO COMPROMISE
Take hold of my instructions; don’t let them go. Guard them, for they are the key to life. Don’t do as the wicked do, and don’t follow the path of evildoers. Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way. Turn away and keep moving. Proverbs 4:13-15
4 MAJOR TRIGGERS:
PLACE
TIME
MOOD
Tremble and in your anger do not sin; when you are on your beds, search your hearts and be silent. Offer the sacrifices of the righteous and trust in the Lord. Psalms 4:4-5 NIV
PEOPLE
Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble. Proverbs 13:20
Do not be fooled. “Bad companions ruin good character.” 1 Corinthians 16:33 NIV
ACTION STEP: SURROUND YOURSELF WITH PEOPLE GOING THE DIRECTION YOU WANT TO GO
Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:24-25