Changing Besetting Habits-The $10 Challenge

Os Hillman

John 8:34
Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin."

"I hate being late," my friend lamented. "It has been a problem for me all my life."

"Do you really want to change that?" I asked.

"Yes, I do."

"All right. Every time you are late to work or anywhere else where you have committed to be at a particular time you must give me $25."

"No way!" my friend responded. "I would go broke! But I will do $10."

"All right, $10 it is. It has to be a large enough amount of money for it to hurt your pocketbook."

"Believe me, that will hurt," my friend said. About a month later my friend found great motivation to be on time to every place she had to be. In the first week, I got only $10 from my friend. The next week, $20. The third week, nothing. By the fifth week, my friend had changed a lifelong habit that had hindered her all her life. In order for my friend not to be resentful of me for the money she had to give, we put it in a jar to be given to some other Christian cause. This ensured my motive was only for her best interest.

Some might be reading this now and say it is legalism. For my friend it was freedom. For the first time she had some means of changing a behavior that had caused her problems in relationships and her own work habits. Psychologists tell us that it takes 21 days to form a habit. So, if you need to change some habit, you need to be actively engaged in that new behavior at least 21 days. My friend needed help to change a habit she didn't like about herself. It took another individual to hold her accountable, and it took a potential loss of something to provide the added incentive.

A successful businessman was experiencing a difficult marriage. When counseling the couple over dinner one night, a friend of mine noticed that the man often criticized his wife. After further counsel it was determined the man simply could not love his wife. My friend asked him if he truly wanted to see change in his marriage. When the man said he did, my friend said, "Every time you criticize your wife you must agree to give me $100." This man was well-off and needed substantial incentive to change his behavior. After the man rebelled and retorted, he agreed in front of his wife. A few weeks later a report came back that things were changing. This man did not want to write any checks to my friend. Although it was a competitive game to the man, it was also yielding some positive changes in his marriage. He began to acquire the habit of avoiding criticism of his wife, which was killing her spirit.

What are the habits that keep you from becoming all that God may want you to become? Do you desire change enough to be accountable in a way that it costs you something when you fail? Ask a friend to hold you accountable in an area that needs change. You will find new freedom as you conquer old besetting habits.

Deliverence From Temptation

Bishop Keith Butler

The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 2 Peter 2:9 (KJV)

God can and will deliver you from temptation. You just need to know what you must do to get free from a bad situation. Notice, in 2 Peter 2:9, that deliverance is linked with temptation. And note the word "deliver" in this verse, it means to rush or to draw. The literal Hebrew says, "It is the idea of water with a rushing current." In other words, to draw you right past it or to move you right by it.

For example, the Bible says flee fornication. What does the word "flee" mean? Flee is not hanging around to try and prove how strong you are. Flee means to leave quickly. When you obey the Word of God, God said He is going to draw you -- He is going to move you away from this situation. He is going to rush you past this. Because temptation is never supposed to be something you sit down and contemplate.

You are not supposed to sit down and contemplate any kind of temptation. If you do, I'm telling you now, the temptation will win. The reason why it is temptation is because it's tempting. And the more you stand there and look at temptation, the more your body will talk you out of moving away from it. It will rationalize; it will lie to you. Your body will tell you to just stay there for two more minutes and then you can go. But your deliverance is in the word of God, which says, "flee fornication."

Now, you can be delivered from all kinds of things. You can be delivered from him, you can be delivered from her, you can be delivered from them, you can be delivered from danger, and you can be delivered from drugs. You can be delivered from temptation. You can be delivered from financial bondage. Deliverance can cover a whole lot of things. And God will respond with deliverance based on the situation, the person, and their willingness to hear.

I am just giving you some information because people can often miss their deliverance by not listening to the Holy Ghost. They hear the Word taught and understand God will deliver but then they miss the fine print. As a result, they choke their deliverance.

It is established that God does deliver you. Now you need to ask yourself, how is He going to deliver you from the particular situation you are facing. Don't always look for a quick fix. Look for the prompting of the Holy Ghost. And look in the word of God.

Scripture References: Mark 14:38; Luke 22:46; 1 Corinthians 10:13

Bishop Keith A. Butler is the founder and pastor of Word of Faith International Christian Center in Southfield, MI, and Word of Faith Christian Center in San Antonio, TX. Bishop Butler ministers extensively in churches, conferences, and seminars throughout the U.S. and abroad with an emphasis on instruction and no-nonsense, practical application of God's Word. Click here to read more!