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DEALING WITH SINFUL HABITS

19. The next thing is a struggle against wrong or bad habits with varying intensities, this is the struggle against bodily infirmities or liabilities. God helps us in this struggle.
“Besetting sins are to be conquered and evil habits overcome. Wrong dispositions and feelings are to be rooted out and holy tempers and emotions begotten in us by the Spirit of God. Bad habits, when opposed, will offer the most vigorous resistance; but if the warfare is 
kept up with energy and perseverance, they may be conquered.” Ibid, pg. 601.
“men need to learn that the blessings of obedience, in their fullness, can be theirs only as they receive the grace of Christ. It is His grace that gives Man power to obey the Laws of God. It is this that enables him to break the bondage of evil habit. This is the only power that can make him and keep him steadfast in the right path. Through the power of Christ men and women have broken the chains of sinful habit. They have renounced selfishness. The profane have become reverent, the drunken sober, the profligate pure. Souls that have borne the likeness of Satan have become transformed into the image of God.” ibid, pg. 601.
20. Since habits are learned liabilities, the struggle against habits that are bad must begin with the mind. We are to learn to think only pure, holy and good things. Phil. 4:8,9.21. We are to meditate of the Gospel, which is protracted rationalism or cognition upon the Truth, thus we may advance spiritually. 1 Tim. 4:15,16.
22. This is the same as keeping the words of Christ or abiding in Him, that He may stay in us as our God in place of the idol-values. (Jn. 14:23, Jn. 15:4,5,7).
23. The thoughts of the mind is to be disciplined by a type of struggle that is called “continuous mental rectitude”. This is a struggle against the infirmity of a weak or undisciplined mind, it is one of persistently choosing the right thoughts, this is forming a new habit of breaking the old habits. 2 Tim. 1:13,14.
“The only security for any soul is in right thinking. As a man “thinketh in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23:7). The power of self-restraint strengthens by exercise. That which at first seems difficult, by constant repetition grows easy, and right thoughts and actions becomes habitual.” Ibid, pg. 601.
24. Continuous mental rectitude demands choosing to think only the right thoughts and so create a new habit which constitutes breaking the old habits. 2 Cor. 10:5.

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