Breaking Bad Habits

That's what God is getting at when we are allowed to face situations that are highly tempting to us. God is taking us there because he wants that to be a point of transformation. He doesn't just want to deliver us from something, he wants to deliver us to something. The world offers countless distractions to draw us away from God, but we can stay focused on him.

Today on Connect with Skip Heitzig, Skip explains how you can wield your thoughts to overcome bad habits. Now, we want to tell you about a resource that equips you with a vast amount of Bible knowledge from Skip so you can deepen your faith even more. As we come to the end of the year at Connect with Skip, we have new plans for expansion that we want you to know about. In 2023, we hope to take these through the Bible teachings to more of the large population cities in our country. When God deals with the nation, he often focuses on the cities, and we know our nation needs the Word of God.

We'll tell you how you can join this project. But first, this from Skip. I want my legacy to be I made much of Jesus, that Jesus became greater in people's hearts and lives because of my life and ministry, that they walked away understanding the Bible, that what seemed to be complicated was actually very simple, that I helped make it simple for them and understandable. When you help us expand into more metropolitan areas in 2023 with a year-end gift of $1,000 or more, we'll send you the Skip Heitzig Legacy Library so far containing 11 books, 17 booklets, and the Bible from 30,000 feet. Pastor Skip's incomparable teaching series of 64 full messages through the entire Bible from Genesis to Revelation on a flash drive that also includes Learning from the Land, Skip's video tour of Israel. G. Campbell Morgan was called in his biography a man of the Word or the man of the Word. That's what I want to be, a man of the Word. The Skip Heitzig Legacy Library so far is a real treasure, and it's yours when you make a year-end gift of $1,000 or more, and you will be helping us expand the reach of these teachings.

Give online securely at connectwithskip.com slash offer or call 800-922-1888. Okay, we're in Colossians Chapter 3 as we join Skip Heitzig for today's study. Everybody has bad habits, and there are some bad habits that are pretty harmless. I think biting your fingernails, it's obnoxious, but it's pretty harmless. There are even some bad habits that are endearing. I knew a cute gal one time that when she laughed, she snorted, and she was always embarrassed by that, but we all thought it was just cute. It was endearing.

It was her. We didn't mind it, but there are other bad habits that are very serious because they become addictive behaviors. They become life dominating sins. Alcoholism, substance abuse, pornography, uncontrolled anger can dominate a life and ruin a relationship. Something you'll discover about sin, sin never seems irresistible until you want to break from it. Then you discover that certain behaviors have a very strong grip, a very strong pull.

You sort of feel like the guy who tried to drain the swamp, and he kept taking water out, and more water kept coming in, and he kept this until he discovered that that swamp was being fed by an underground spring, and that he would never successfully be able to empty at all. Well, in this little series, we're going to take well-known titles of films and give a scriptural bent to an underlying issue, and this is Breaking Bad Habits. You know, it's unfortunate, but New Mexico is known nationally and internationally because of that series, Breaking Bad. Oh, yeah, Albuquerque, Breaking Bad, and it's like, really? Of all of the reasons you want to remember a town, it's for the bad underbelly of a drug culture?

I would love it if our community, our spiritual community in this town, were known for breaking bad habits that we would see, and they would see, that victory is ours in Christ. Now, this brings up an issue. I just want to remind you, now this brings up an issue I just want to address as we get into it, and just fair warning, I'm not going to exegete this passage in its entirety. There's too many verses. I'm going to barely skim the surface and extract some major principles, but brings up a question. Why is it that we are tempted?

Or let me let me reframe it. Why does God allow temptations to occur? Or maybe a better way, even, to put that is, why does God allow the temptations to be so strong? I mean, He is God. He is all-powerful. Certainly, He could, if He wanted to, dial down the temptation in our lives, or maybe dial up our ability to handle them, to overcome them. But He doesn't do that. He lets us face them full strength.

Now, you need to know something about this. I don't want this to get away without saying God never tempts us to sin. So you can never say, well, it's God's fault. It is never God's fault.

It is always a choice that you make. Even if that choice has been made to the point where you are controlled by that activity, God is never to blame. The Bible says clearly in James 1, let no one say when He is tempted, I am tempted by God, for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt any man. However, God does lead us into vulnerable places.

I think we would all admit that. The Bible says, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Jesus taught us to pray, lead us not into temptation. So He doesn't shield us from the temptations of life.

So why is that? Is there anything good that could come out of these temptations to sin? Actually, there are a few good things that come out of it. First of all, temptation tests our loyalty.

You really can't say you love someone unless you have made hard choices in regard to that someone. So saying no to temptation is a way to confirm your love for God. God allows them, I think, because He wants our passion for Him to be greater than our passion for sin. So temptations test our loyalty.

There's a second benefit. They transform our lives. And really, I think that's what God is getting at when we are allowed to face situations that are highly tempting to us. God is taking us there because He wants that to be a point of transformation. He doesn't just want to deliver us from something.

He wants to deliver us to something. And then, not only that, but temptations teach us things. They teach us lessons. One of the biggest lessons to learn in temptation is a thing called grace, God's grace. Aren't you glad for God's grace, right? Because we deal with sin, we deal with temptation, we deal with habits. And I love what Paul said in Romans. We're so glad for God's grace. Paul said in Romans, where sin abounds, grace abounds much more. And Paul even talked about his struggle with an area where he prayed three times and the Lord finally said, my grace is all you need.

It's sufficient for you. So there are upsides to us, but what I want to do is, looking in Colossians chapter three, we're going to take a pretty sizable chunk of text, is I want to give you three steps, three key steps to breaking bad habits. Three key steps to breaking bad habits. Notice I did not say three easy steps.

And that is because they don't exist. There are no such things as easy things to do, but these are three general and key principles. And the first step to breaking a bad habit is, you and I, we need to think clearly. Verse one, if then you were raised with Christ, notice this language, if then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind, notice that. Think clearly. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth, for you died and your life is hidden with Christ and God.

When Christ, who is our life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. If you're going to do anything in life, you have to first learn about that thing. If you're going to be an artist, you have to know something about color and palettes and techniques and styles.

If you're going to be a doctor, you need to know something about the human body, hopefully a lot about the human body. If you're going to be a car mechanic, you need to know something about engines, right? You need to learn. So it is in spiritual life. Learning always comes before living. Doctrine always comes before doing. If Satan can keep his mind doing, if Satan can keep you ignorant, Satan can keep you impotent in your spiritual life.

That's why every time we gather together, we say, open your Bible and let's read and let's consider, even though you may have read that passage several times before, we get refreshed with the knowledge of God. Now there are several spiritual realities that are listed here and these are things we need to know. What is that spiritual reality?

Well, here it is. Let me sum what we just read up. You died, you were raised, your life is now hidden with Christ in God and when he appears, when Jesus comes back, you will appear with him in glory. Four realities. You died, you were raised, your life is hidden.

When he appears, you'll appear in glory. Now those are truths that are positional truths. You haven't actually experienced them in actuality. They're not literal.

They're all about identification. You died spiritually. You were alive spiritually.

They're positional truths. You might say this, life is what you're alive to. So a child will come alive when you tell him that you're going to take him on a trip to Disneyland. Really?

When? A young teenage boy will come alive when you talk about the cute girl he likes at school or the car that he wants to drive soon. A girl, a woman might come alive when you talk about fashion.

I'm speaking in generalities, forgive me for that. Or a man might come alive if you talk about golf or camping or sports, whatever it might be. Question, what made Paul come alive? Jesus. Exactly. And that's not spiritual talk.

He actually did. He wrote in Philippians, he said, for me to live is Christ and to die is gain. And look at verse four of our text. When Christ who is our life shall appear, we shall appear with him in glory. So there's certain things we need to know and set our minds on them.

Basically, you need to know two things. You need to know, number one, you're dead. You go, I am? I'm dead? I didn't even know I was sick. How can I be dead? Well, you're dead to the old life, the old you, the old manner of life, the flesh life. The flesh doesn't dominate, it shouldn't dominate you. You say, yeah, but it does.

I have bad habits. But you need to know positionally that you're dead to that. The old Skip died and was buried, you might say publicly executed, publicly buried on the day I was baptized. That's what that was all about.

That was a declaration, public declaration, demonstration that the old life had passed. I was dead to it. I was dead to it. I'm alive to something else.

Now, this is language that we even use in relationships. I'll pick one because I know of this situation where in a Jewish family, a young man gave his life to Jesus Christ. And when that man converted to Christianity, his father said to him, son, you are dead to me. It doesn't mean you are actually dead. It doesn't mean you are literally dead, but it does mean positionally, you are dead.

The relationship between father and son has changed. So you need to know that in God's mind, he thinks the same way. You are dead, not to him, but you are dead to the old way of life. That's how he sees it.

And that's how you and I need to see it. Roman chapter six, verse 11, Paul writes, therefore, reckon yourselves also to be dead to sin, but alive to God. So we're dead. Second, you're alive. You say, well, now I'm confused because you just said I was dead.

I did, but you're also alive. Look at verse one. If then you were raised with Christ, that's resurrection. Seek those things which are above where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Jesus conquered death by resurrection. It is that resurrection power that you and I identify with for power to overcome bad habits.

He was raised, you were raised. So you're dead and you're alive. You are both dead and alive. Remember the old westerns? They put up posters, wanted, dead or alive. God's poster is wanted, dead and alive. I want you dead to the old, but I want you alive to this. The trouble is, many Christians live an in-between life. You might say they live between Good Friday and Easter Sunday. They're sort of dead to the old, sort of alive to God, if something else isn't around.

They're not really enjoying full victory. So the first step to break a bad habit is to know truth, know truth. Now, I know that perhaps some are listening to this and you're thinking this, maybe. Well, this is just words. Well, this is just words. You know, to write a letter and say you're dead, you're alive, that's just semantics. Well, I beg to differ with you.

It is so true that God reckons it as fact and the problem is you and I don't. Okay, so here's an example. Let's say a child is adopted from one family and taken into another family. Now, when he's adopted, that doesn't change the way he looks.

His appearance is still the same. His activities and actions may, for a time, still be even the same, but he's in a new family. He's been adopted. The Bible tells us we're adopted into God's family. Everything changes.

You might not feel like it. You might not look like it outwardly, but an adoption has taken place. Now, let's press the analogy a little further. Let's say that that young man was adopted from one family into another and the family he came out of was a slave family. Let's say he's in a part of the world where slavery still exists and he is adopted and put into a royal family, a family of kings. Well, he may not know it, but he has a great inheritance now.

He has new relationships and he even has power at his disposal that he may or may not realize right now, but it is a fact. So, knowing this, knowing that we're dead and alive and hidden and we'll be in glory, we need to think clearly. And a couple words I want you to notice. Verse 1, he says, if you then were raised with Christ, which is a fact, you need to know that, then seek those things which are above where Christ is sitting at the right hand of God. Verse 2, set your mind on things above, not on things of the earth.

Here's what I want you to see here. You don't get it from a typical English translation, but in the original language that it's translated from, the Greek language, those two words, seek and set, set your mind, are imperatives, they're commands, right? It's a command to do something. But it's a present active imperative, which denotes an ongoing practice. So, a full translation, an accurate translation would be, seek and keep on seeking, set your mind on and keep setting your mind on those things which are above. The language speaks of persistence. The language speaks of not giving up. So, in the context of what we're talking about, make a mental determination that you will not wallow in your past defeat. Oh, but I've fallen down and this habit gets the best of me and I keep blowing it. Keep seeking, keep setting your mind, don't wallow in past defeat.

Make that mental determination that you will seek and that you will set your mind. But I failed. Hey, you want to know something really cool? Albert Einstein was kicked out of school. He said he was. Yeah, can you imagine kicking Albert Einstein?

I'm sorry kid, you can't handle it. Albert Einstein's teacher said that he lacked interest in his studies, probably just meant the teacher was a bad teacher. Albert Einstein lacked interest in his studies, so he was kicked out of school. Later on, he tried to attend another school in Zurich, Switzerland, but he failed the entrance exam.

Love that. Albert Einstein failed. So, he got a job in a boarding house as a tutor until he was fired. Failure after failure after failure, but you know the rest of the story, right?

E equals MC square later. Guy's a legend because he kept seeking, he kept setting his mind, he kept getting up, he didn't wallow in past defeat. And Satan, you got to know something about Satan, he always lies to you. He lies on a number of levels.

First of all, he always lies on a number of levels. First of all, he tries to get you to indulge in the temptation, the habit. He knows it's your weak area and he says, go ahead, everybody does stuff like this, it'll just be one more time, God will forgive you, just don't worry about it, you're a good person, go ahead.

So, you do it. And then as soon as you do it, his second lie is, I can't believe you just did that. What a horrible Christian you are. God's not going to forgive you if you keep just coming back for this stuff. Or he'll say this, you will never break free from the chains of this habit.

You are going to be stuck in this forever. So, let me give you a little tip, a hack. The tip is to think of the end game. While you're fighting the battle here, struggling with the habit here, think of the end game. Seek those things which are above, set your mind on things above where Christ is.

That's heaven. Why should I think about heaven when I'm struggling on earth? Because that's where you're going to spend the bulk of your existence. So, one of the helps is to realize you are created as an eternal being, even in the midst of the struggle, for another place. That provides a certain kind of impetus for you. So, think clearly. Here's the second key step to breaking a bad habit. After thinking clearly, act decisively. Verse five, therefore, and this is what I love about Paul's letters, there's always a therefore.

He's so practical. He'll always teach us things, tell us doctrine, but in his letters he says, therefore, because he wants you to apply it, and he does here, therefore, put to death your members which are on the earth, fornication, uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. Because of these things, the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience in which you yourselves once walked when you lived in them, but now you yourselves are to put off all these anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of him who created him, where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcised nor uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, or free, but Christ is all and in all. Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering. Once you've pondered your position, now you need to practice your position. That's the second part, act decisively. Once you've fallen down, once you've determined, once you've determined, I need to get up, now get up, now get up.

That's Skip Hightake with a message from the series now streaming. Find the full message as well as books, booklets, and full teaching series at connectwithskip.com. Right now, we want to let you know about a special opportunity you have to pursue biblical studies in a way that works with your schedule. Going to church is a great way to learn about God, but what if you want to learn more?

Go deeper. This spring, Calvary College is offering classes in spiritual growth, classes like spiritual foundations. Learn how to joyfully walk with Jesus. Take evening classes on campus or online and transfer credits to Calvary Chapel University or Veritas International University for an accredited degree that will impact your spiritual life for the rest of your life. Apply now at calvarychurchcollege.com. Did you know that you're helping people all around the world connect to Jesus?

Just listen to this letter one listener sent in. I am a pastor of a small Russian speaking congregation in Haifa. The aim of this email is very simple, to say thank you for your teaching ministry, which helps me a lot. You make stories like this possible with your support, and today you can help connect even more people to God's word. Give a gift today at connectwithskip.com slash donate. That's connectwithskip.com slash donate, or call 800-922-1888.

Again, that's 800-922-1888. Thank you. Tune in tomorrow as Skip Heitzig shares how you can be a part of cultivating life change. Connect with Skip Heitzig is a presentation of Connection Communications, connecting you to God's never-changing truth in ever-changing times.