Amen. Alright we're there in Romans chapter number seven and of course on Sunday mornings we've been going through a series called
Habits. How to develop good and break bad habits. If you remember three weeks ago we started this series and I preached a sermon entitled
The Power of Habits and it was really kind of an introduction to the idea of habits and then of course last week we talked about how to develop
good habits and I gave you some thoughts in regards to that. This week it's our third sermon. We've got four sermons in the series. This is our
second to last sermon and this week we're going to talk about how to break bad habits. We're going to talk about bad habits and how to break bad habits
and then next week as we finish up this series we're going to talk about how to dial in your habits. So once you've developed some good habits
or you've broken some bad habits, some very practical tips for habit development from the word of God and we'll talk about those things.
But today we're talking about bad habits and I want you to notice there in Romans chapter number seven and verse fifteen notice what the apostle
Paul says. He says this and this is something that maybe would resonate with many people. He says this,
For that which I do I allow not. He says there are some things that I don't allow. He said in fact if you were to ask me I would say no that's not something that you should do.
If you were to ask me for counsel and if you were to ask me is this a good idea I would say it's not. But then Paul says for that which I do I allow not.
He says sometimes I find myself doing the things I tell people not to do. Then he says this for what I would that do I not.
When he says that I would he says for what I would what he's saying there I would is his will he's saying the things that I would like to do.
He says for what I would the things that I like to do he says that do I not. For what I hate that do I.
Now I want you to notice what he's saying here. He's saying there are things that I don't want to do that I end up doing and then there are things that I want to do and I don't do those things.
He says that which I do I allow not. I do the things I tell other people not to do and what I would I do not. What I want to do I end up not doing and I end up doing the things that I hate.
He says but what I hate that do I. Notice verse 16 if then I do that which I would not I consent unto the law that it is good.
He says when I end up doing that that I don't want to do I'm consenting I'm under the realization that I'm breaking the law of God what I'm doing is not right but I do it anyway.
He says verse 17 now then it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me for I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing and by the way that's something good for every person to realize that in your flesh dwelleth no good thing.
He says for to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not for the good. Notice what he says verse 19 for the good that I would I do not.
He says there are some things that are good that I say and I'd like to do that I want to do that I might even make a decision to do that and then I end up not doing it for that good.
He says for the good that I would I do not but the evil which I would not that I do. He says the things I don't want to do I end up doing the things I want to do I don't do.
He says now if I do verse 20 if I do that I would not it is no more I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me I find then a law that when I would do good evil is present with me.
He says there seems to be this law that when I want to do right evil is present with me and he says it seems like it's easier to do what's wrong and what I don't want to do I end up doing.
What exactly is it that the apostle Paul is describing here and he is describing what all of us have probably dealt with is this idea of getting into a habit or maybe even an addiction that's being described here.
He says there are things I don't want to do and I end up doing them and things I do want to do and I don't do those things and at the end here towards the end of chapter verse 24 he says
Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death and we see the apostle Paul here and of course if you're familiar with the book of Romans you know that Romans chapter number 7 is a description of the defeat that comes by living in the flesh.
In Romans chapter 8 we find a description of the victory that comes by living in the spirit.
He says there in verse 1 there is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the flesh but after the spirit and that's theology and that's a sermon you know the theology being expressed there's a sermon for another time.
What I want to show you there is that bad habits in our lives when we allow bad habits to form and when we allow them to take power and root in our lives what we often find and when you talk to people
and my wife and I over the last 11 years have done a lot of counseling and dealt with a lot of people who struggle with different things like drugs and alcohol and gambling and pornography or all sorts of things that might cause habits or addictions
which you find people often saying is what the apostle Paul is describing for us here. They say I don't want to do it and I end up doing it.
And then what I do want to do I don't do and I do the things that I hate and it just seems like though I want to do it I can't get myself to do it.
I want you to notice in this morning what I want to do is I want to give you four thoughts in regards to how to help you break a bad habit but before we can really get into that I need you to understand something that the apostle Paul brings up here in this chapter
and then we're going to look at it in Matthew and it is what it is that you're working against. See if you're going to break bad habits in your life and again we talked about the power habits in the first week and we talked about developing good habits.
Last week if you weren't here for those sermons or you didn't listen to those sermons I encourage you to check those out on our YouTube channel or our website.
But if you're going to learn to break a bad habit, you've got a bad habit that you need to break or maybe even an addiction that you need to break, you have to realize that there is something working against you.
There is a weakness that is working against you. This is why and we've talked about it over recent weeks why it's so difficult to develop good habits and it's so easy to break good habits yet it's so easy to develop bad habits and it's so difficult to break bad habits.
You say why is it? It's because there is a weakness that is working against you. There is a weakness that if you're going to break your bad habits you're going to have to learn to work around.
And that's what we're going to talk about this morning. You say what is that weakness? Well if we use spiritual terms it's your flesh.
If we use sociological terms it would be known as the path of least resistance or the law of least effort. Notice the apostle Paul brings it up. Look down at verse number 18.
He says, for I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing. I want you to notice what he says here. This is what is known as the path of least resistance. He says, for to will is present with me. Will has to do with what I want to do. It's your will.
He says the will is present with me. I want to do right. He says for to will is present with me but how to perform that which is good I find not.
He says look I want to do the right thing. I want to break the bad habit but because the flesh and because sin dwelleth in me I just don't know how.
And that's what we're going to talk about is how. The things to do to break these habits. But see it is in your flesh that you find weakness. It is your flesh that always wants to take the path of least resistance.
You need to understand that. You need to understand that about yourself. You need to understand that about the people around you. Go to the book of Matthew if you would.
Go to Matthew chapter number 26. First book in the New Testament should be fairly easy to find. Matthew chapter 26. If you can keep your finger right there in Romans we're going to come back in that direction in a little bit.
Romans chapter number 7 and go to Matthew chapter 26. You will never break bad habits. You'll never develop good habits. You'll never come close to understanding how to use habits in your life.
If you cannot first come to this conclusion and confess this and admit this that your flesh always wants to take the path of least resistance.
Your flesh always wants to do what comes easiest. Your flesh never wants to do what is difficult. Never wants to do what is hard. This is why your flesh likes to sleep in.
This is why your flesh does not like to read the Bible every day. This is why your flesh would rather sleep in on a Saturday and get up and go teach somebody how they might spend eternity in heaven as opposed to hell.
This is why we tend to overeat. This is why we tend to overspend. This is why we tend to be undisciplined. Why? Because in our flesh, our flesh always wants to take the path of least resistance.
Human beings will always follow the law of least effort. We will do what is easiest. We will do what has the least resistance. We will do what comes easy. Why? Because our flesh is weak.
Matthew 26. Look at verse 36. This is Jesus about to deny his flesh and do the hardest thing that he had to do in a human body. Sacrifice himself for mankind.
Matthew 26.36. The Bible says this. This is right before his death. He says, Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane and saith unto the disciples, Sit ye here while I go and pray yonder.
He asked his disciples to come with him while he went to pray because he's about to sacrifice himself for all mankind. Verse 37,
And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto death.
Notice what he says. He says, Terry. The word Terry means linger or wait. He says, Terry ye here and watch with me. Jesus is going through the most difficult time in his life as a human being, as God in the flesh.
He's about to sacrifice himself for mankind. He brings his three closest friends, Peter, James, and John. Peter and the two sons of Zebedee. And he says to them, he asks them, Will you wait and watch with me?
You would think, if you're a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ, if you've given up everything to take up your cross and follow him, and in his most difficult time, he asks you to wait and watch. Will you wait and watch with me?
You would think they'd be willing to do that or able to do that. Verse 39, And he went a little further and fell on his face and prayed, saying, Oh my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.
Jesus didn't want to do it in his flesh. He did not want to go through the pain and humiliation he was about to go through. Nevertheless, he says, Not as I will, but as thou will. And he cometh to the disciples, notice these words, and findeth them asleep.
Going through the most difficult time in his life, asking his closest friends, Will you watch and will you wait? Will you wait? Will you Terry here and watch with me? He goes to pray. He comes back and they're asleep.
Look at verse 40 again. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto them, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
He says, It's only been an hour. I mean, you know, and I'm not sure what time, you know, he's like, it's 11 p.m., guys. Could you not watch with me one hour?
He goes to verse 41, Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation. Then he says this, the same thing that Paul said in Romans 7, The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
He says, I know you want to in your spirit, but your flesh always takes the path of least resistance. Your flesh always takes the path of least effort.
And here's all you need to understand. When it comes to breaking bad habits, you need to get this, and you need to come to grips with this.
And you need to quit making excuses for this, because people often want to make excuses for this. Just mark it down.
You know, you get caught for doing something, or you get caught for doing the thing that you said you weren't going to do.
You promised and swore and said, I'm going to stop doing that. I'm going to stop going there. I'm going to stop drinking that. I'm going to stop.
And you get caught. And then you want to make all these excuses. Hey, why don't you just be honest with yourself and say, my flesh is weak.
I take the path of least resistance. My body wants to take the path of least effort in. That's not to excuse it. It's to acknowledge it so you can work around it.
Here's an illustration for you. The principle of the path of least resistance actually shaped human civilization.
Agriculture spread twice as fast across Europe and Asia as it did in North America, South America, and Africa.
If you study Western civilization, you'll find that Europe and Asia were the civilizations that advanced before other civilizations.
Africa, South America, and North America, for the most part, had civilizations in them that were less advanced.
You had the tribal Indian native type cultures versus what you had in Europe and in Asia, which were civilizations.
We're talking about even if you go back to ancient civilizations that were developed, that were modern by their standards, where you would look at Africa, South America, North America, North America even before it was colonized.
You would find places that were indigenous, less civilized, more tribal type Indian type people.
You say, well, what caused one location to prosper and another to not?
People who study habits and who study these types of things are beginning to realize that the path of least resistance and that concept actually shaped the expansion of civilization.
Let me just read this for you. You say, why is it that Europe and Asia developed faster than Africa, South America, and North America? Here's why. Because it was easier.
Let me just read this to you. I think you'll find it interesting. This is a little excerpt called, why Asia and Europe's civilizations advanced faster than Africa and the Americas.
Here's what it says. The primary access of the Americas runs from north to south. That is, the land mass of North and South America tend to be tall and thin rather than wide and fat.
The same is generally true for Africa. Meanwhile, the land masses that make up Europe, Asia, and the Middle East is the opposite.
The massive stretch of land tends to be more east to west in shape. When agriculture began to spread around the globe, farmers had an easier time expanding along the east-west routes than along the north-south ones.
This is because locations along the same latitude generally share similar climates, amount of sunlight, and rainfall, and changes in seasons.
These factors allowed farmers in Europe and Asia to domesticate a few crops and grow them along the entire stretch of the land from France to China.
You say, why is it that Europe and Asia advanced sooner than South America, Africa, North America? Simply the same reason why all of us do anything because it was easier.
Because we take the path of least resistance. Because we take the path of least effort and it was easier to have farming communities that stretched from east to west than they did from north to south.
And I just used as an illustration to say this, what's working against you is your flesh. What's working against you is the fact that your flesh wants to always take the easy route, the path of least resistance.
And this is something, if you can understand that, this is something that we need to work around. So let me give you four thoughts this morning in regards to how to break bad habits.
And I want you to understand this. These four ideas have to do with working around your flesh and working around the fact that you, look, I'm not trying to be mean to you.
Everything I'm saying to you applies to me as well. But let's just come to grips with it. You're lazy. I'm lazy, right?
Generally, and I realize we have a lot of hardworking people and I try to be a hardworking person, but naturally our flesh wants to be lazy, wants to be undisciplined, wants to do what comes easiest, doesn't want to put in effort, doesn't want to put in work.
So how do we break habits when our flesh wants to take the path of least resistance? Number one, to break bad habits you must, first of all, remove the cues.
You must remove the cues. If you remember as we talked about this over the last couple of weeks, remember we talked about the fact that the way that a habit forms, it goes from a cue to a craving to the action and then the result.
The cue is what we would biblically call a temptation. And here's what you need to understand about temptations.
It is easier, and look, if you're struggling with some sort of sin in your life, some sort of a habitual sin, obviously we're all sinners, but if there's some sort of a habitual sin that you're struggling with, these are things that you really want to understand and you might want to write these things down.
It is easier to avoid temptation than to resist it.
I mean, notice what Jesus said in Matthew 26. You're right there. Look at verse 41. Jesus says to the disciples,
Watch and pray that ye, notice, what should ye be praying? I should pray, because here's how we like to pray.
Lord, give me the strength to not do that anymore. Give me the strength to not say that anymore. Give me the strength to not go there anymore.
Give me the strength to hang out with all my friends that are getting drunk but not get drunk while I'm hanging out with them.
That's not what Jesus said to do. He said, Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation.
You know what's better than resisting a temptation? Is avoiding it altogether.
He says, Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation. You say, Jesus, why should I watch and pray that I enter not into temptation?
He says, Why should I want to pray that I don't even come in contact with a temptation?
He says, Here's why. Because the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.
He says, When a temptation makes itself available to you, your spirit may have every good intention to want to avoid that or not do it, but your flesh is weak.
So instead of trying to resist your flesh and resist the temptation, Jesus said, It's better to avoid it.
Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation. Don't pray that when you're in the temptation God gives you the power to.
No, no, no. Don't even get in the temptation.
Matthew 6, look at verse 13. Matthew chapter 6. This is, of course, the famous Lord's Prayer where Jesus taught the disciples to pray.
Matthew 6, 13. Matthew 6, 13. Notice what Jesus said as part of the Lord's Prayer.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and glory for ever and ever. Amen.
You see, you say, Why would Jesus lead us not into temptation? Why would he pray that we would not be led into temptation, but be delivered from evil?
Why would he tell the disciples, Watch and pray that ye enter not into temptation? Here's why.
Because it is easier to avoid temptation than it is to resist temptation.
And by the way, this is the message about overcoming sin throughout the Bible.
Go to 1 Corinthians chapter 10. If you kept your place in Romans, right after Romans you've got the book of 1 Corinthians.
Continue to keep your place in Romans and go to 1 Corinthians chapter 10.
You say, I want to break a bad habit. Okay, here's step one. Remove all the cues.
Everything that cues you to want to do that habit, everything that tempts you to want to do that habit, do everything in your power to avoid those, to remove them.
See, we often think, Oh, I just got to get more willpower to resist the temptation. No, no. Don't get more willpower to resist the temptation.
Use all the willpower you've got, which often is not very much, to just remove the temptations so that you don't have to resist them because it's easier to avoid them than to resist them.
And this is the teaching on overcoming temptation that is consistent throughout the whole Bible.
1 Corinthians 10, look at verse 13. There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man.
Let me say this. Whatever you're struggling with, you're not the only one.
Now, not everybody struggles with all the same things, but whatever you're struggling with, there's been other people that have struggled with it.
You say, well, that's not very comforting. Here's the comfort. Other people have struggled with it and have overcame it and you can too.
There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man. Notice what he says.
But God is faithful who will not suffer, the word suffer means allow, will not suffer or allow you to be tempted above that ye are able.
Now, oftentimes people misunderstand this verse and they say, well, God's not ever going to give you more than you can handle.
And then people get disillusioned with God because they'll say, well, I got this temptation and I wasn't able to handle it and I don't understand because God said that he will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able.
And I want you to understand, this phrase, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, is a true statement, but it is connected with this statement.
But, you see that word but, that's a connecting term, connecting word, but will with the temptation.
He's not going to give you a temptation that you're not able to withstand. He will not suffer to be tempted above that ye are able.
You say, how's he going to do that? Here's how he's going to do it. He will with the temptation also make a way to escape.
That ye may be able to bear it. Let me explain something to you. You were not meant, you were not created, you were not in the state to live before continual temptation period.
I don't understand why I keep fornicating because you keep being alone with her. I don't understand why I keep fornicating because you keep hanging out in his room.
You're not created. Your flesh is weak. You take the path of least resistance. It's not that complicated.
You were not meant to live before continual temptation. You say, why? Because will power is a muscle and like any muscle it gets tired and it gets fatigued.
And you live in front of temptation long enough, you'll give in every time. That's not very encouraging. I'm trying to help you out.
You live before temptation and you will eventually give in every time. Why? Because your flesh is weak.
My spirit's willing. Yeah, but that means nothing because your flesh is weak. Because you take the path of least resistance. Because you do what comes easiest.
Well, how do I deal with it? Remove the cues altogether. Deliver us not into temptation.
God will never give you the temptation you can't handle. Why? Because he will always give you with the temptation. He will always make a way to escape.
Don't miss it that you may be able to bear it. How do you bear the temptation? By taking the way to escape. Why? Because you're not meant to live under continual temptation.
1 Corinthians 6, look at verse 18. Notice how consistent the Bible is. 1 Corinthians 6, 18.
When you're a young teenager and your parents are stupid enough to let you hang out in your bedroom with your girlfriend,
make sure while you're sitting there on the bed you think good thoughts and clean thoughts and pray.
Is that what 1 Corinthians 6, 18 says? In order to not fornicate. Is that what it says? No. You know what it says? Flee fornication.
See the word flee? It means to run. Run away. Why? Because you're not meant to live under constant temptation.
You were not meant to live before continual temptation. Your willpower will run out. Your flesh is weak. You say, how do I break a bad habit?
You remove the temptations. You remove the cues altogether. You flee fornication. Look at 1 Corinthians 10. Look at verse 14.
1 Corinthians 10, verse 14. And by the way, moms and dads, I'm not mad at you, but you let these kids hang out in rooms and cars by themselves?
You're an idiot. You're setting your kids up for failure. You say, I don't think you should use those words. I'm trying to save your kids' testimony.
1 Corinthians 6, verse 18. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. 1 Corinthians 10, verse 14. We already looked at 6, 18.
1 Corinthians 10, 14. Wherefore, my beloved brethren, my dearly beloved, notice these words. Flee from idolatry.
You say, I struggle with idolatry. Paul says flee. I struggle with fornication. Paul says flee.
Go to 1 Timothy, chapter 6. 1 Timothy, chapter 6. Find the T-books. They're all clustered together.
1 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, Titus. 1 Timothy, chapter 6, verse 11.
But thou, O man of God, notice, flee these things. Paul just got done talking to Timothy about all sorts of bad things.
And what does Paul, look, Paul has one piece of advice in its flee. Flee fornication, flee idolatry, flee these things.
2 Timothy, chapter 2, verse 22. 2 Timothy 2, 22. Notice what he says. Flee also youthful lust.
Notice, he never says resist it, fight it, have the power of God. He just says run from it. Flee from it.
Who will not suffer, you be tempted. Above that you are able, but with a temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.
Look, it's easier to avoid a temptation than to resist it. You were not meant to live before continual temptation.
And you think you're strong, and you think you're spiritual, and you think you're this and that. You're nothing. I'm nothing.
We're not meant to live under continual temptation. You say, what do I do? Remove the temptations.
Flee youthful lust. Flee these things. Flee from idolatry. Flee fornication.
Studies show that people with tremendous self-control, because isn't that what people do?
I just need to get more self-control. I need to develop more self-control. And I'm all for self-control. I'm all for self-discipline. I'm all for those things.
But you know what, studies show that people with tremendous self-control are no different than anyone else.
They just spend less time in tempting situations.
So, you say, how do I break a bad habit? You remove the temptations. You remove the cues. Why?
Because it's easier to avoid a temptation than to resist it. Go to Proverbs chapter 4. Proverbs chapter 4.
And you know, the apostle Paul often uses the terminology of youthful lust and fornication, and I think he does that for a reason.
But let me just say this. That's why, you know, you young people, you're never going to convince me.
You can go ahead and convince yourself all you want. You're never going to convince me in a million years that it's okay for you to be hugging and petting and holding hands when you're not married.
The Bible says that it is good for a man not to touch a woman. But to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife.
You say, pastor, when do you think it's okay to start hugging and holding hands and kissing and embracing? When you're married, that's what the Bible says.
You say, ah, you're a little too old-fashioned. You don't think we can hold hands? No, I don't think you can hold hands because holding hands leads to another thing that leads to another thing that leads to another thing that will destroy your life.
Your flesh is weak. You always take the path of least resistance. I'm not saying you. I'm saying all. Everyone does.
You know what's easier than trying to resist the temptation in the heat of the moment, trying to resist? You know what's easier than trying to resist something in the heat of the moment? It's to avoid it altogether.
To break bad habits, you must remove the temptations. You must remove the cues. Why? Because it is easier to avoid temptations than to resist them.
And let me say this, Proverbs, if you open your Bible and just write in the center, you're more than likely to find the book of Psalms or after Psalms, you have the book of Proverbs.
You want to eliminate the cue. You want to eliminate the temptation to keep the craving from starting. Do you understand what I just said?
Proverbs 4, look at verse 14.
He said, don't even put yourself in those situations. Proverbs 4, look at verse 27.
Look, and I'm not trying to be crude, and I hope I don't cross that line, and again, let me just talk to young people.
You know what's easier? You say, you know, once you're in that room, once you're in that car, you know, once you're, you know, the mood, you're in the mood to do something stupid,
and then you're going to try to resist that, you know what's easier? It's to just be out in the open, and that mood will never even get started.
You say, why don't I avoid the temptation to keep the cravings? You see, you avoid the cues to keep the cravings from even starting.
You don't allow the cravings to start by removing the cues. You enter not into the path of the wicked. You go not into the way of evil men.
You avoid it. You pass not by it. You turn from it. You pass away, and look, you parents with young people, you're going to have to do whatever you think is right to do with your young people,
but I would not advise that you allow your kids to be hanging out in these rooms all by themselves with all their friends.
You say, well, they're in there praying. Okay. And they might go in there praying, but it's not going to last like that for a long time.
Turn not to the right hand nor to the left. Remove thy foot from evil.
You say, how do I break bad habits? You remove the temptations. Why? Because it is easier to avoid a temptation than to resist it.
If you can eliminate the cue, if you can eliminate the temptation, you will keep the craving from starting.
So remove the temptation. Number two, go to Romans if you kept your place there in Romans chapter 13.
You say, okay, pastor, but what if the craving starts? What if the cue happens? I wasn't aware. The temptation came, and now I'm tempted. Now there's a craving.
I said, number one, to break the bad habit, you must remove the temptation. You must remove the cue.
Number two, to break a bad habit, you must also reduce the craving. You say, how do I reduce the craving?
You can reduce, you can reduce the possibility of giving into a craving by making the behavior difficult. Romans 13. Here's what I'm saying.
Whatever you want to do, the good habit you want to start, make it as easy as possible.
And whatever you want to stop doing, make it as difficult as possible. Romans 13 verse 14, notice what the Bible says.
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ. By the way, that has to do with walking in the Spirit.
That has to do with getting up in the morning and reading your Bible and praying and spending time with God and being spiritual.
But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and he says this, and make not provision for the flesh.
Now the word provision means to provide for or to supply for. He says, make not provision for the flesh, notice the words, to fulfill the lusts thereof.
You say, what do I do to reduce the craving? Okay, I've already, the temptation's already there, and I'm already having this internal struggle.
I want to drink that. I want to look at that. I want to inject that. I want to smoke that. It's already happening.
Okay, well here's the thing. To break bad habits, you must reduce the craving. You say, how do I do it? Make it difficult.
Make not provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof.
Look, success is often about making good habits as easy as possible and bad habits as difficult as possible.
And by the way, you say, I want to develop a habit of something good, reading the Bible. Make it as easy as possible.
I mean, if you're really struggling with developing a habit of reading the Bible, do everything in your power to put things in front of you to remind you.
You know, open your Bible before you go to bed. Open your Bible right where you sit to have breakfast.
Open it up to the passage of scripture you want to read that next day. Make it as easy as possible.
Some of you, you're like, I'm going to read the Bible. You know, at church you're like, I'm going to read the Bible.
Then you wake up the next day, and you're like, where's my Bible? Oh right, I left it at church.
Where's my Bible? And then it's like, it's too hard. I just forget. I'm just going to watch TV.
Make it as easy as possible for yourself. You want to start running in the morning or exercise in the morning?
Hey, put your shoes and your workout clothes just right by your bed.
Make it as easy and as obvious as possible if you want to do the right thing.
If you want to start doing the wrong thing, make it as difficult as possible.
Success is about making good habits easier and bad habits difficult.
The best way to break a bad habit is to make it impractical to do.
James chapter 4, if you would, you start at the end of the Bible, the book of Revelation, and head back.
You've got Jude, 3rd, 2nd and 1st John, 2nd and 1st Peter, James, James chapter 4.
See, here's the thing. I'm not here to tell you, like, you can break a bad habit without having any willpower or any sacrifice at all.
Look, you're going to have to use your willpower. You have to realize that your willpower is so small
that you've got to put every sort of effort to make it as easy for your willpower as possible.
That doesn't mean that you're not still going to have to resist to some extent.
But the best way to break a bad habit is to make it impractical to do.
Let me just, I'm going to read to you James chapter 4, but let me just real quickly talk to you about what the habit experts refer to as a commitment device.
A commitment device is a negative application for a bad habit of what we talked about last week.
Do you remember we talked about the intention implementation?
The intention implementation is for a good habit is when you make a decision, remember?
And you're very specific. You make a choice. On this day, at this time, I will perform this behavior.
On this day, at this time, I will read the Bible. On this day, on this time, I will go slow winning.
On this day, on this time, I will, you know, exercise.
Whatever it is that you're trying to do. The intention implementation.
We learned that from Daniel. He purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat.
Well, the reverse to that is a commitment device. It is a negative application for a bad habit.
You say, what is a commitment device? A commitment device is where you make a commitment while you're strong to cut off the possibilities.
While you're weak. You choose in advance. You say, what does that mean? You know, give me an example of that.
Okay, let's say, you know, and there's all sorts of different examples. Let's say you struggle with spending.
You're just, you know, racking up that credit card like no one's business.
And, you know, you're going to go to the store. You're going to go to the mall. You're going to go whatever.
You're going to go shopping. And you need to go shopping. And you actually need to go and take care of things.
But you struggle with it. You know, a commitment device would be saying, I know, I know that I shouldn't spend X amount at all.
I know that if I do, my husband's going to be very upset with me. I know that, you know, it's not good.
But I also know that once I get in that store, the endorphins start going and I stop thinking about, you know, consequences and results.
And I just start buying whatever. So you say, what's a commitment device? Here's a commitment device.
You take the amount of cash that you know you need for what you need to get. You put it in an envelope.
And you leave the credit card at home. When you're strong, you cut off the possibilities.
The Bible calls it, make not provision for the flesh. I've heard of people who struggle with drugs doing this.
I actually heard, you know, I don't know anything about Johnny Cash. I know he's a worldly singer.
And I think they say he got saved. I'm sure he didn't. I don't know anything about him.
But I remember hearing a preacher talk about, they told a story about Johnny Cash one time in a sermon.
And again, I don't know anything about Johnny Cash. I'm not defending him or whatever. You send your e-mails and brother Oliver will read them.
But they told a story about Johnny Cash wanting to, you know, quit drugs. And now he like, he went out and he rented this little house.
And then he paid some bodyguard or something to pretty much lock him in.
And he just, and he said, you know, for like, he had enough food in there for a week or something like that.
And like, he said, hey, no matter what noises you hear, no matter what sounds you hear, no matter how much I, how much money I offer you,
like, do not let me out of this house. You know, and he like, like boarded up the windows, boarded up everything or whatever.
I don't know if that's true or not. I don't know if that's a true story.
But that would be an example, if that actually happened, of a commitment device.
Where he's like, I need to quit these drugs. I need to just stop doing this.
And I'm going to lock myself in and make it so that I can't get out.
A commitment device is when you, in advance, look ahead and realize, I always give in to that temptation.
I always gave in to that situation. I always give in to that.
So, I'm going to, on purpose, choose to remove that from my life.
Here's a commitment device, if you've struggled with alcohol, where you say, I don't go to restaurants with bars.
By the way, no Christian should go to, ever should go to a bar for any reason, period.
There's never a reason why you need to be in a bar, period. Are you listening?
Young people, listen to me. I don't care what your parents say. There's never a reason for you to be in a bar.
You say, I've never been in a bar, I just want to experience it.
I've never been in a bar either, but I can tell you what it's like based off the Bible.
It smells like piss, and it's a bunch of old people getting drunk.
And if that's what you want to grow up to be, then go have at it.
That's what the Bible says. That's what the Bible teaches.
You say, prove it. I don't have time right now. I've got sermons, you can listen to them.
A commitment device is, look, no Christian should ever go to a bar, but here's the thing.
You know, you might go to a restaurant that has a bar, and they ask you, do you want to sit at the bar? No.
But here's the thing, maybe you struggle with alcohol, you may not even want to go to a restaurant that has a bar.
Because it's too much of a temptation.
You say, well then what restaurant can I go to? I don't know, go to McDonald's, but don't get drunk.
Figure it out. Reduce the cravings by making it difficult.
Success is about making good habits easier and bad habits difficult.
The best way to break a bad habit is to make it impractical to do.
Make it hard for yourself.
When you're strong, when you're strong, make it difficult for yourself.
See, put you on the Lord Jesus Christ, right? Romans 13, 14, I know I told you to go to James, but let me just develop this again.
When you have on the Lord Jesus Christ, when you're walking in the Spirit, when you're strong, you're like, yeah, I need to quit doing that.
I need to quit going there. I need to quit watching that.
Okay, at that moment, make not provision for the flesh.
Make a commitment device.
Make choices to cut off your option so that when you're weak, your options are limited.
James 4 verse 7, submit yourselves therefore to God.
Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Here's the truth about temptations.
You resist them and they will pass, the craving will pass, eventually.
If you resist it long enough, resist the devil and he will flee from you.
And the devil is a tempter, and it's not always the devil that tempts you. Obviously, we know that from the Bible.
But the idea is, look, you're being tempted, you resist it long enough, it'll flee.
The problem is, some of you are trying to live in front of temptation all day long.
And you can't resist it for that long. So what do you do?
You remove the cues so you don't even have to be tempted by it.
And when you find yourself tempted by it, you've already made provision for the flesh.
You made it difficult. You made it as easy as possible for you to resist.
Go to Hebrews chapter number 11. You're there in James.
Just go backwards one book to the book of Hebrews.
So how do you break bad habits? Number one, realize, first of all, realize that you're always,
your flesh always wants to take the path of least resistance.
So you want to make things difficult for yourself.
When you have a craving, you want to remove the cues, you want to remove the temptations so you don't have to deal with it
because it's easier to avoid a temptation than to resist it.
You want to eliminate the cues to keep the cravings from even starting.
But once the cravings have started, then success is about making good habits easier and bad habits difficult.
The best way to break a bad habit is to make it impractical to do.
Here's number three. To break bad habits, you must realize the disappointment.
You say, what do you mean? Here's what I mean.
Negative habits promise a better reward than they deliver.
Negative habits will tell you if you do that, if you go there, if you watch that, if you experience it, it's going to be great.
But when you actually do it, it's not that great.
Negative habits promise a better reward than they deliver. Hebrews 11, verse 25, notice what the Bible says.
This is what the Bible says about Moses.
Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.
I'm not going to lie to you. There is pleasure in sin.
But I'm also going to be truthful with you and realize it's for a season.
Choosing rather to suffer the affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season.
Negative habits promise a better reward than they deliver.
You say, I don't understand. Let me explain this to you.
When it comes to habit formation and breaking bad habits, the craving is the problem.
You're never going to get rid of cues and temptations.
Obviously, you want to do the best you can in life to keep temptations at bay and to keep them away from you as much as possible.
With that said, though, there's always going to be temptations. There's always going to be cues.
When it comes to bad habits, the craving is the problem.
See, when you receive a reward, when you do something and you receive a reward, your mind, your brain releases endorphins and you feel good.
When you receive a reward, the same system is activated in the brain as when you anticipate a reward.
I really want you to understand this, especially if you're struggling with a habitual sin.
When you receive a reward, your brain lights up because you received the reward.
The problem is that there's another part of your brain that also lights up that's activated, which is the brain that anticipates rewards.
So the part of your brain that anticipates a reward is activated at the same time as the part of your brain that receives a reward.
Say, what's the problem with that?
It is the anticipation of the reward, not the fulfillment of the reward, that motivates action.
Do you understand that?
That's why you drink.
That's why you smoke.
That's why you do drugs.
That's why you look at pornography.
That's why you gamble.
That's why whatever the habitual sin is that you're struggling with, what moves you to do it, it is the anticipation of the reward, not the fulfillment of the reward, that motivates us to action.
Desire is the engine that drives behavior.
Every action is taken because of an anticipation that precedes it.
Now here's the big deal, and this is what I really want you to understand.
Your brain has more neural circuitry wired for the wanting and craving and the anticipation of the reward than you have for the experience of actually liking or enjoying the reward.
You say, what does that mean?
Here's what that means, is that when somebody has some sort of a habitual struggle, let's just use alcohol, that's a common thing people are aware of.
When someone struggles with alcohol, but it could be anything, it could be gambling, it could be pornography, it could be drugs, it could be stealing, I mean, it could be any sort of habitual sin.
But when you've already developed that bad habit, you're cued, you're tempted, your internal flesh begins to crave, and your brain starts telling you, I really want to do this.
It's going to feel this good.
It's going to be this great.
It's going to be great.
Why?
Because there's more neural circuitry in your brain for the anticipation of something than for the actual experiencing or reward of it.
So here's what happens.
Look, I've been counseling people, and my wife and I have been counseling people for a long time.
For 11 years, we've dealt with a lot of people that have struggled with drugs and alcohol and all sorts of things, and I've explained this to many people.
And every time I explain this to people, it's like their eyes light up and they're like, yeah, you're absolutely right.
When you struggle with a habitual sin, in the craving phase of it, your brain tells you, it's going to be this good.
And then when you actually do it, it's this good.
Your brain tells you, that drug is going to be this great, and when you actually do it, it's this great.
That alcohol is going to be this great, and when you actually do it, it's this great.
That gambling is going to be this great.
That pornography is going to be this great.
That whatever is going to be this great, and when you actually do it, it's this great.
Why?
Because your brain is wired to actually feel the anticipation of something more than to feel the reward of it.
Why?
Because it is the anticipation, it is the craving that drives action.
Desire drives action.
So here's what happens.
Your brain and your flesh tells you, it's going to be this great.
And then it's actually this great.
And that comes from experience.
After you've done it and done it and done it, you're like, man, it always feels like it's going to be this great and it's never this great.
That's why you always have to do more drugs.
Drink more alcohol.
Do more of whatever it is because you think it's going to be this great and it's never that great.
It never is.
And then, not only that, not only was it not that great, then you have all this guilt, you have all this shame, you have all this depression and discouragement that comes along with it.
Say, well, how do I break the habits?
Here's the thing.
You must remove the temptations altogether.
Do everything in your power to remove them.
Why?
Because it's easier to avoid the temptation than to resist them.
You must reduce the cravings by making it as difficult as possible.
Make not provision for the flesh.
But also, when you're dealing with and you're resisting the devil and you're resisting the temptation, you have to give some self-talk, to use a psychological term that I'm sure someone's going to tag me for.
You've got to talk to yourself.
Remember we talked about this last week.
It's called reframing your thoughts or the Bible calls it renewing your mind.
You say, what does that mean?
That means you have to actually talk to yourself and say, man, right now I really want to drink that or inject that or smoke that and my brain is telling me it's going to be this great, but I know from experience it's not going to be this great.
It's going to be like this great.
And I also know that it's not only going to be this great, but then I'm going to have guilt and shame that comes along with it.
So maybe I should just resist the devil because this will eventually pass.
And I often tell people this, you know, when I try to help with these things, I say, look, you want to remove and replace it with something.
Is there something else you like that's not sinful?
And when we're talking about like drugs and alcohol, I'm even saying like, hey, you know, you like, you know, is there a certain snack you like?
Is there a certain, you know, drink that's not, you know, just alcoholic or whatever, you know?
Do you like to drink a soda? Do you like to have a little bit of ice cream? Do you like to have some popcorn?
Is there something you like? Try to replace it. Because you say, well, Pastor, really? I'm going to replace my, you know, alcohol with a candy bar?
Here's the thing, though. When you're struggling to want to drink and you've already done everything you can, you know, you've hid the car keys, you've taken away the credit card, you even have the money to go buy what you need or whatever, you've made it and you're just kind of resisting the devil.
Here's the thing, when you're struggling and your brain's telling you, it's going to be this great, it's going to be this great.
And you say, no, I need to renew my mind, I need to refrain my thoughts, I need to walk myself through this and I need to remind myself that sin is disappointing.
It says it's going to be this great, but it's actually going to be this great and there's going to be guilt and shame.
So if I have a candy bar, the candy bar's not going to be this great, but neither is the alcohol.
And at least with the candy bar, there's no guilt and shame.
Unless your addiction is the candy bar, then, you know, then, you know, something else. Go for a walk.
The walk's not going to be that great. Here's the thing, nothing's going to be that great. Even your addiction's not going to be that great. Your brain's lying to you.
Because you have more neural circuitry to help you enjoy the anticipation of a thing than to actually experience the thing.
Because why? Because your flesh knows that it is anticipation that drives action. It is desire that motivates your decisions.
So you remove the temptation, you reduce the cravings, and you remind yourself of this disappointment.
You remind yourself that every time my brain has said it's going to be this great, it's actually this great.
And having some popcorn or drinking a soda or going for a walk or whatever, that's not as great as what my brain is telling me either,
but nothing's as great as what my brain is telling me. And at least with those things, at least with those things, there's no guilt and no shame.
And you reframe your thoughts, you renew your mind, you talk yourself through it.
You're saying, any one of these things will work? No, you need all of these things.
You don't break a bad habit, you need to remove the cues. It's easier to avoid invitation than to resist it.
You need to eliminate the cue to keep the craving from starting.
Once the craving has started though, success is about making good habits easy and bad habits difficult.
The best way to break a bad habit is to make it impractical.
And when you're struggling with it, and when you're fighting with it, and you've done everything in your power to, you know, stack the odds in the favor of your willpower.
You're saying, it's about willpower, yeah, but there's a difference between your willpower with all the odds stacked for you,
as opposed to your willpower with all the odds stacked against you. You understand that?
So you stack the odds for you, so that you can take your little puny muscle of willpower, with all the help that you can give it,
and say, okay, let's reframe our thoughts, let's renew our mind, and let's resist the devil.
It's just going to be for a little bit, because you resist the devil, and he shall flee.
Number four, go to 1 Samuel 19. 1 Samuel 19.
In the Old Testament, you've got the one and two books, they're all clustered together, 1 Samuel, 1 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 1 Samuel 19.
Let me give you the last point, we'll finish up.
Remove the temptation, reduce the cravings, remind yourself of the disappointment.
Number four, to break bad habits, you must replace your environment.
Environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior.
1 Samuel 19, we have a really interesting story, I think it's an interesting story.
We talked about it a little bit last week, but we're looking in a different light this week.
1 Samuel 19, verse 19, and it was told to Saul, saying, Behold, David is at Naoth in Ramoth.
Now remember, Saul at this point in his life is a bad guy, he's the bad guy, David's the good guy, Saul is envious of David, and he's attacking David.
Verse 20, and Saul sent messengers to take David.
And when they saw the company of the prophets prophesying, and Samuel standing as appointed over them, this is like a men's preaching night.
The prophets are having like a men's preaching night, Samuel the prophet's in charge of it, but all the prophets are prophesying, they're all preaching.
Notice, the messengers that Saul sent to capture David, they show up to this men's preaching night.
Notice what it says there, verse 20, the Spirit of God was upon the messengers of Saul, and they also prophesied.
So it's like, imagine we're having a men's preaching night, all the guys are getting up, preaching 10 minutes, 10 minutes, 10 minutes, 10 minutes.
The soldiers show up to capture David, who's with us, but then they're like, the Spirit of God comes on, they're like, I got a sermon I'd like to preach.
And then they start preaching, they prophesied. Look at verse 21, and when it was told Saul, Saul's like, where's David?
They're like, well remember the guys you sent to capture David? Well he was at a men's preaching night, they started preaching, now they're having pizza.
And when it was told Saul, he sent other messengers, and they prophesied likewise.
And Saul sent messengers again the third time, and they prophesied also.
Look at verse 22, then went he, that's Saul, Saul himself.
Then went he also to Ramah, and came to a great well that is in Suki.
And he asked and said, where are Samuel and David? And one said, behold they be in Nahoth and Ramah.
Look at verse 23, and he went hither to Nahoth and Ramah, and the Spirit of God was upon him also.
And he went on and prophesied until he came to Nahoth and Ramah.
Saul shows up, and the Spirit of God comes upon him, and he starts prophesying.
You say, what is this? It's environment.
So what does that mean? Here's what it means. You show up to men's preaching night enough times.
I'm not saying you have, look, we always tell people, guys, you don't have to come, you don't have to preach at the men's preaching night.
But you know what might happen? You show up to men's preaching night, saying I'm just here to, you know, fellowship with the men or whatever.
You might, you know what might happen is the Spirit of God comes by and you're like, man I'd like to preach too.
Here's what I'm saying, you show up to Saul winning, you might want to be a Saul winner.
The Bible says it this way, when you walk with wise men, ye shall be wise.
You say, why? Because look, environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior.
Despite our unique personalities, certain behaviors tend to arise again and again under certain circumstances.
Look, I'm not trying to pick on you or I'm not, take this, I hope you can take this the right way and I hope the Holy Spirit allows me to say this in the proper way.
But some of you, you went to church for years and years and years and years and years before you came to Verity Baptist Church.
And you never went Saul winning, you never got anybody saved, you never read your Bible, you never prayed, you just showed up to church.
Then you start coming to church like this, all of a sudden, you read your Bible on Monday morning.
All of a sudden, now you're going Saul winning. Now you're knocking doors. Now you're preaching the gospel.
You say, what happened? Well, despite our unique personalities, certain behaviors tend to arise again and again under certain circumstances.
It turns out you show up to the church like this and you'll probably be one of the 120 that goes out Saul winning every week.
And I'm not saying just arch, I'm just saying look, and look, you hang out with a bunch of drunks, you're probably going to end up being a drunk.
Why? Because environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior.
So the Spirit of God was among the prophets, they were prophesying, Saul sends his messengers, they end up prophesying.
Here's the point, go to Genesis chapter 12, this is the last place I'll have you look at.
Genesis chapter 12. Habits can be easier to change in a new environment.
Genesis 12, look at verse 1. Remember Abraham? God called Abraham to start a new movement of believers.
Genesis 12 verse 1, Now the Lord had said unto Abraham, Get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred and from thy father's house unto a land that I will show thee.
And I will make of thee a great nation and I will bless thee and make thy name great and thou shalt be a blessing.
Habits can be easier to change in a new environment. He told them to get thee out of thy country and from thy kindred and from thy father's house.
Now look, I'm not telling you you need to move. First of all, it may not be possible for you to move.
Sometimes because of sin or sometimes because of life, you find yourselves in situations.
I know people, they'd love to move to a church like this, but you know what, they had kids and they're not with the kid's parent or whatever.
And they live in a different state and they have to live in that state if they want to be involved with their children's lives.
So they have to go to some old IP church or whatever and you know what, that's fine.
I understand that. I'm saying it's not always practical to move.
You might have adult children that you don't want to leave and you want to try to invest in them and influence them.
We understand those things. The point is this, God never tells us to go out and just be like the Amish and find some plot of land and go live away from people.
But God does tell us to come out from among them and be separate.
By the way, we live in a world today where it is a one world everything nowadays.
With social media, it doesn't matter where you move. You're going to be connected to the whole world anyway.
The point that I'm making is this, you can change your environment.
Look, the social, you say I come to church to learn the Bible and understand the Bible and praise the Lord, I hope you are learning the Bible.
But you know, I believe that church should not only be the place where you learn the word of God, it should also be where you develop friends.
Your social life should be surrounded by church and God's people.
You say, why? Because environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior.
You say, well, I go to work and I'm around all these worldly people.
Well, I think you ought to be friendly to all those worldly people and you ought to be friendly enough to try to get them saved and get them in church and all that.
But you know, they shouldn't be your best friends. They shouldn't just be the people you're spending all your time with.
Why? Because they will influence you.
Environment. Environment.
So, get new friends. You say, where can I get some new friends?
Verity Baptist Church!
Why don't you show up early? Stay a little late. Smile!
Learn people's names and try to show up to their bridal shower or whatever, you know.
Show up to events and try to actually develop friends. Why?
Because environment is so important. Environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior.
And habits can be easier to change in a new environment.
So, get around God's people. Spend time with God's people.
You say, you know, I've got a lot of bad friends. I've got a lot of bad things in my life. I'm trying to get away from them.
I need to keep myself busy. Okay, well, Sunday morning, Sunday night, Wednesday night.
Soul winning on Saturday. Soul winning on Thursday if you're able to. Soul winning on Sunday if you're able to.
I mean, look at our bulletin. We've got event after event after event around here.
Stay busy! Stay busy with God's people.
Stay busy in the right environment. Be friendly with the people you work with.
You say, my extended family is worldly. Be friendly. Be friendly.
But Jesus, they talked to him. They asked him about his mother and his brother.
And he looked at the disciples and said, this is my mother. These are my brethren.
Get yourself a new environment. You say, how can I break a bad habit?
Here's the thing. There's not one thing you can do to break a bad habit.
You have to put everything into stacking the odds in your favor.
So you say, how do I do it? Well, just quickly, do your best to remove the temptations, to remove the cues.
Do your best to avoid them altogether. You say, I struggle with drinking.
And on my way home from work every day, I drive by this bar. I used to stop at that bar.
Every time I drive by that bar, I'm just tempted to stop in there.
My brain starts telling me, just go in for a drink of water just to see how everybody's doing.
Find a new route. Avoid the temptation. Reduce the craving by making it difficult.
Success is about making good habits easier and bad habits difficult.
The best way to break a bad habit is to make it impractical to do.
Realize the disappointment. Renew your mind. Frame your thoughts.
Remind yourself that negative habits promise a better reward than they deliver.
And what they deliver is always a let down. It always comes with guilt and shame.
Remind yourself of the let down and amplify the negative results.
And then replace your environment. Environment is the invisible hand that shapes human behavior.
Habits can be easier to change in a new environment.
Say, what do I do? Here's what you do. Walk in the Spirit and you won't fulfill the lust of the flesh.
But walking in the Spirit is not some sort of a spiritual phrase that we say.
It's not a magical phrase. Walking in the Spirit, you say, I'm gonna walk in the Spirit and I'll fulfill the lust of the flesh.
Okay, well, you know what walking in the Spirit looks like?
Walking in the Spirit looks like I'm gonna walk in a direction that removes temptations.
I'm gonna walk in a way that reduces the cravings.
I'm gonna walk in a way and think in a way that realizes disappointment.
I'm gonna replace my environment. That's what walking in the Spirit is. I'm gonna walk with God's people.
Not just a magical term. Oh, walking in the Spirit! No, no, no.
It means you're actually doing something different than what you did before.
And then, once you've stacked all the odds in your favor, go ahead and resist the devil.
And God promises, if you can resist him long enough, he will flee.
That's why our heads are gonna have a word of prayer.
Heavenly Father, thank you, Lord, for your word. Thank you for these principles from the Word of God.
And, Lord, I know and I realize that everyone struggles with sin. Everyone does.
And there are some sins that become habits and become addictive.
And they're difficult to deal with.
Lord, I pray that you would help us to remember these things.
Help us to walk in the Spirit and to realize what that means.
In the matchless name of Christ, we pray. Amen.