Temptation : Why Can't I Say No?نموونە

HOW ARE WE SET FREE? DEBUGGING THE BRAIN

Let us see in slow motion what seems to happen in an instant. All our actions or behaviours are driven by core beliefs.

BELIEFS

We must get rid of old beliefs and thought patterns and replace them with new ones. You need to change what you believe about God, yourself, and how you ought to live. What do we replace them with? We replace them with the truth found in the Bible. In John 8:31-32 we are told that we will know the truth and the truth will set us free.

You might say that you read your Bible day in and out, yet do not experience freedom. Why? This knowing is not head knowledge. It is not information. Information that challenges us to change our beliefs and thoughts will lead to transformation. This knowing will set us free. Do not try to change behaviour without changing your beliefs. It will be a temporary change that will not last, and you will get frustrated. Jesus is always interested in our hearts.

Do not try it on your own because you will give up. We need His empowering enabling Grace in our lives that comes by being immersed in the Holy Spirit. This new life is not about behaviour modification but heart transformation. Change your beliefs and your behaviour with automatically change e.g.) Covid changed how we live because we believe it can kill us.

THOUGHTS

What you believe about God, yourself, the world, etc will affect how you think. Beliefs are like the filter or lens through which we perceive life. If you believe you are unloved it will be the filter through which you experience the world, and it will color your thoughts. The Bible tells us as a man thinks so he is. What this means is that your thought life dictates how you live and respond to your environment. In Philippians, we are encouraged to think about Godward thoughts, things that are love and noble. If I keep thinking angry thoughts, I will begin to feel anger toward people and situations. We are also commanded to take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ.

FEELINGS

What the mind is preoccupied with will preoccupy the emotions. Feeling can only respond to thoughts and through what lens we experience our world. If my thoughts about a situation change, my feelings will soon follow. For example, if someone bumped into me and caused me to drop my bag I could scowl at the person and get angry for their callous behaviour. But what if I knew that the person who bumped into me was blind? Won’t that information change the way I think about the situation and therefore how I feel toward that person? Feelings are very subjective, and we can control them by what we feed our minds on.

BEHAVIOUR

Our behaviour is a sum of what we believe, think, and feel. The former three are the drivers of our behaviour. That is why it is so important to renew our minds. James clearly shows this progression in his text.

REFLECTIONS

Have you tried to just change behaviour without understanding its roots? How successful were you?

Can you recall a time when your feelings were misguided because you perceived a situation wrongly?