How does one deal with a overcoming character flaws or bad habits ?

[mrsnacks]

I tend to get upset easily. I take things too personal. I am far too sensitive. I wish I had better self control. I could go on.

So God is responsible for our sanctification. So what is our part in this sanctification. I know we are called to die daily. Die in the flesh and walk in the Spirit. The institutional church gives us a bunch of do's and don'ts. Like the Bible is one great self help book and with God you can do everything such as how to act like a Christian. I know I fall short and no matter how hard I try or pray - I am still so far from where I want to be. I have some good days but there are some really dark days that show me I have long way to go. That is frustrating.

[Jackie Lee]

I wanted to encourage you to keep up these great threads, I am learning from them.

[Brett]

I tend to get upset easily. I take things too personal. I am far too sensitive. I wish I had better self control. I could go on.

So God is responsible for our sanctification. So what is our part in this sanctification. I know we are called to die daily. Die in the flesh and walk in the Spirit. The institutional church gives us a bunch of do's and don'ts. Like the Bible is one great self help book and with God you can do everything such as how to act like a Christian. I know I fall short and no matter how hard I try or pray - I am still so far from where I want to be. I have some good days but there are some really dark days that show me I have long way to go. That is frustrating.

I can understand how you feel. I have the same and I am sure people in this forum feel that way. But the only God's words can give us hope and comfortable.

ESV
Rom 8:21  that the creation itself will [it is future] be set free from its bondage to decay and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.
Rom 8:22  For we know that [right now we have] the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now.

Anyone more comments will sure help you, too.

Brett

[mrsnacks]

So what you are saying is that God will bring us to a point where we get so sick and tired of something that we just won't do it anymore.

IT is like this morning I got up and looked at myself as I always do and yuk-- I am just tried of being 30 pounds overweight. I am tired of looking at the mirror at my stomach and all. I have been this overweight for years now. So now I am going to do something. Like cutting out late night food. I was given some chocolates as a gift yesterday. I would normally gobble them up. They are still sitting on the counter. So we will see.

Or I used to lose it and have a quick temper. IT got to a point that I got sick and tired of being that way. I saw Christian philosopher and author Dallas Willard speak and HE was so mellow and gentle like. Very humble person. He talked about the Transforming to be like Christ. It is God that does it not us. And I said - I want to be like that . And I was transformed. God intervened. There is still a long way to go with other things in my life. But there is hope. 

[hillsbororiver]

A very timely e-mail response from Ray, the writer was asking about sexual sin but Ray's answer is very germane to all sin;

Dear Embarrassed:

You are not alone out there with this particular pull of the flesh for sexual gratification. It is common among all men (and women to a somewhat lesser extent).  It is GOOD that we should feel embarrassed over our sins. My past sins are an embarrassment to me when I from time to time think about them. If they were NOT an embarrassment to me, I might still be committing these same stupid and lustful acts.  Embarrassment and guilt are good for us. These feelings first make us realize that these things are lustful, and wrong, and stupid.  But we will not have victory over them unless and until God reveals to us their real purpose and need to get rid of them.

Where did the mechanism by which Eve:  "saw that the tree was GOOD FOR FOOD, and that it was PLEASANT TO THE EYES, and a tree to be desired to MAKE ONE WISE..." come from in the first place?  Did SHE create these desires in her heart and mind and soul?  Get real--SHE HAD NOT A CLUE!  God created humanity in the spiritually weakened state in which we find ourselves, but there is a great and grand reason and purpose for it.

There is a "SPIRITUAL GREATNESS" that is achieved by the conquering of illegal pulls [spiritually 'illegal'] of the flesh and the stupid sensual lust for self-gratification.  These things are not good, in and by themselves, as modern psychologists might try to convince us, but they do serve a good purpose when they embarrass us and make us feel guilty. Embarrassment and guilt are the precursors to REPENTANCE.

We must come to the place in our lives where we not only desire to obey the laws of the land, the powers ordained by God to somewhat limit the evils of society, but to also obey the Laws of GOD.  We want and desire to do what God says, not because we have figured out all the logical logistics of His commandments, but because we desire to OBEY HIM REGARDLESS of how well we understand all the reasons why God tells us to do and not do certain things.

Christians will argue;  "Well I don't see the harm in teaching my little ones about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny."  Of course they don't. To their carnal minds the commandment of God to "Learn NOT THE WAY OF THE HEATHEN" has little or no effect on their attempt to worship God as they please.

When you see the "SIN in sin" and start to hate sin as God hates sin, then and only then will you make progress in eliminating these things in your life. Of course, you know, when I say such things it means that God is bringing this about in your thinking and God is enabling you to have to the power to actually conquer these pulls of the flesh.  All we who have had a measure of success in victory over sin to the point that sin "no longer has DOMINION over us" (Rom. 6:8-19), desired to be free from sin LONG BEFORE IT EVER ACTUALLY CAME ABOUT! I believe that most of my readers will say "A-men" to that!

Be patient and do not stop crying out to God for deliverance, for in time God will grant you the fruit of righteousness.

God be with you,

Ray

[skydreamers]

Hi Mrsnacks,

You said:

I know I fall short and no matter how hard I try or pray - I am still so far from where I want to be. I have some good days but there are some really dark days that show me I have long way to go. That is frustrating.

Yup, I know what you mean!  Some days I absolutely cannot stand myself.  Like most everyone, I want the changes to happen like YESTERDAY.  But I'm also learning to see meaning in the process.  The struggle is important.  We are learning to really HATE sin so we will turn away from it. 

I found this portion from one of Ray's email replies illuminating:

Dear Bill:
I can appreciate you situation and the emotions you are going through. I receive a lot of emails in which people tell me how hopeless they feel because of sins, weaknesses, lusts, attitudes, finances, marital problems, horrible diseases, and the like. Many ask me to please not share their email with others because they are too embarrassed to have anyone but me read them. I try to give special attention to such emails, and I know how much it is possible to hurt when everything is going bad and wrong.

Unfortunately, I cannot solve any of their problems, nor yours. I can give a little advice, reassurance, and offer up prayer, but it is ultimately God and God only who is your Saviour. You seem to be wondering when God will begin to drag you to Christ, without realizing that everything you go through is part of the journey to that end.  We usually don't see it until sometimes years after it has happened. I have told many that they will not begin to come out of their sins until they begin to really HATE THEM.  Oh, I know, "everybody hates their sins."  No, not really. When you begin to hate your sins like poisonous snakes you WILL STAY AWAY FROM THEM. God is able. God will also wait until you yourself are thoroughly convinced that you are powerless to conquer your sins. When you do finally begin to have major victories over your carnal mind and the lusts of your flesh, you will KNOW that it was God and not you. It always gets darker just before the dawn, so don't lose faith.

God be with you,

Ray

Most days I still somehow think that it is within me to quit doing something I know to be sin.  Then I realize I am struggling with the beast and only Jesus is able to overcome the beast. 

Rev 13:4-7
(4)  Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, "Who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?"
(5)  The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months.
(6)  He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven.
(7)  He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation.


Peace,
Diana