Power to Change - Habits - To Do or Not To Do

saluki downtime August 19, 2024

Power to Change - Habits Not Hope

40 percent of actions people take on any given day are the result not of decisions but of habits.

What habits do you have?

If you want to change who you're becoming, change your habits.

If you want to change where you are going, change your habits.

1 peter 4:1-2

"Since Christ suffered in the flesh, arm yourselves with the same way of thinking, for whoever has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin. As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God"

What's the story of Daniel and the Lions den? Anyone?

Daniel's habit caused him to be thrown into the lion's den. Everyone knew of his habit. He wasn't willing to change it for anyone.

What is one habit you refuse to change for anyone?

David's small habit led to him being a huge story in the bible. It doesn't have to be a huge thing to change your life. The small things no one sees can lead to the big results everyone wants.

In the book I am ready he started a new habit every year. It would be anything. He also drops habits when they aren't productive or useful any longer.

Simple things like flossing. Or opening the door for his wife.

He then said when he first became a christian he was hoping he would become closer to God. He then realized hoping would not grow his relationship with God. Habits would.

He started praying with his wife with  just one simple quick prayer every day before work.

then he went to one dessert per week. Completely different but two habits for him. 

You do what you do because of what you think of yourself.

Luke 16:10 - 10 “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. 

A Habit is basically behavioral autopilot.

How many of you use a gps to get home?

OK so who uses a gps to get to my house the first time? Or still?

Proverbs 13:20 - Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm"

1. Make your habit obvious.

A small change in what you see can lead to a big shift in what you do.

Do things that make sense to you. Whatever you need to do to create the habit

What can you do to make your habit obvious?

Anyone have anything to share about something specific they do?

What about doing what someone else already does?

If you want to create a habit, think when and where. Details.

Think about, I will do this after I do this. Easy way to create a habit.

2. Make your habit enjoyable.

What can you do to make your habit enjoyable. ?

3. Make your habit easy.

What can you do to make your habit easy?

Don't shoot for the moon.

Zechariah 4:10 - do not despise these small beginnings, for the Lord rejoices to see the work begin.

4. Don't do your habit alone. Tell someone.

What can you do to not do it alone?

Join a club or a gym?

5. Make your habit repetitious.

Making it repetitious will make it go from being hard to start to hard to stop.

What can you do to make your habit repetitious?

Disasters are rarely the result of an isolated decision. They are almost always at the end of a slippery slope.

Story of Samson - went to Gaza and spent the night with a prostitute. Two reasons why he shouldn't have gone. 1. There are prostitutes and 2. This was the headquarters of the Philistines who hated God's people and they hated Samson for that reason.

But Samson went. Samson was from Zora which was 25 miles from Gaza. 

How many steps does it take to go 25 miles? 56,250

Samson didn't ruin his life all at one time.

What are you doing one step at a time?

This led him to a weekend where he was willing to do something outside of God's will. Step by Step, to ruin his life.

What are you doing one step at a time?

Get a hold of your habits. Your habits will help keep you from making decisions one step at a time.

Colossians 3:1-3,Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

10. and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

Paul encourages us: Forget who you were. Know who you are in Christ and who you want to become in him

Perfect? Very small chance. Willing - 100%

Colossians 3:5, 8-9

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.

8-9 - "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"

Habits to start and for sure habits to give up. Hard - of course. Possible - yes.

For with God all things are possible.

Start one at a time. Add one and Remove one. One at a time.

Define it - get your phones out. Write down what it is for you. don't need to show anyone unless you choose to.

You cannot defeat what you cannot define.

Pain comes when starting a new habit. Pain comes from stopping something you are already doing - probably because you enjoy it. Even sin. Sin is usually fun. That's why we choose to do it.

God loves you and wants to watch you succeed.

Remember 56, 250 steps for Samson to ruin his life. He was in a downward spiral.

In the end, Samson's final act of faith and redemption comes when he grasps two pillars of the temple and pushes against them with all his might, saying, "Let me die with the Philistines!" . The temple collapses, killing Samson, thousands of Philistines, and the temple's rulers. Samson's brothers and father's family then bury him in the tomb of his father, Manoah, between Zorah and Eshtaol.

The habits you have today are shaping what you will become tomorrow. One step at a time, your habits are taking you somewhere.

You get to choose.

Pray -