The Bible says if you walk in the Spirit, you will not obey the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). The obesity epidemic is the perfect illustration of humanity’s failure to obey the command in this Scripture.
The astounding number of overweight people in the United States alone forces us to face the fact that our society gratifies the flesh instead of walking in the Spirit. Consequently, we are disobeying God’s commands to eat for His glory (1 Corinthians 10:31) and to maintain the temples of His Holy Spirit, our bodies, (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) to our own detriment.
Afterwards, we learn too late that once a person has been ensnared by the enemy’s trap and becomes entangled with the sin of gluttony, it is impossible to get free in his or her own strength.
That is because food is not just sustenance for our bodies. It also has a spiritual component. Otherwise, God would not have created it for the perfect spiritual beings living in the Garden of Eden, namely Adam and Eve.
Furthermore, He would not have predicated the downfall or elevation of mankind on whether Adam and Eve obeyed His commands about which trees they could and could not eat from. Specifically, they were allowed to eat from every tree in the Garden except for the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.
Throughout the Bible, God continued to link food with mankind’s spiritual relationship with Him. The best example of this is the food restrictions given to Israel as part of its covenant relationship with the Lord.
Today we are faced with a similar choice. We can choose to eat foods which are healthy, resulting in the blessing of an extended life, or we can continue to make unhealthy food choices, thereby bringing about the curse of compromising our health and cutting our lives short.
Jesus said, “Man doesn’t live by bread alone but on every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4). Jesus also told the disciples, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to finish His work” (John 4:34).
To successfully lose weight or become free of an eating disorder, you must first change your mind about food and adopt God’s perspective about your health and fitness.
Romans 12:2 says that we are changed by renewing our minds after we stop conforming to the world’s way of doing things. Then we will be able to discern God’s Will. Accordingly, you must obey His commands in faith and love for Him.
Over time, as you walk in faithful obedience to Your Lord, “all these other things,” meaning your health and fitness goals, “will be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33). When you stop making an idol of your stomach and turn to the One True God with all of your heart, soul, body, and mind, you will taste and see that the Lord’s Word and His Will for your life are good (Philippians 3:18-19; Psalm 34:8)
It will be sustenance for your spirit and your flesh by producing the characteristic of the Fruit of the Spirit that you are lacking in regard to food, namely, self-control.
Now that God has shined the light of His Word on your sin, you should confess it and repent. Then the Holy Spirit will empower you to do what you have been unable to do for yourself, that is, succeed where so many others have failed.
If you are ready to walk in the Spirit and stop obeying the lusts of your flesh, then purchase your copies of the Eating as an Act of Worship Workbook and the Eating as an Act of Worship Teacher’s Edition online today at Amazon or Barnes and Noble.com.
In the books, you will learn the biblical principles regarding the body, dieting, exercising, and maintaining a healthy body for the glory of God.
Read our weekly blog for motivation to stay healthy and fit through Christ. Follow us daily on Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest for recipes, and diet and exercise tips.
Tune in to our syndicated radio show on the DFW Den Radio Station, the StudioW Buzz Radio Station, and Victory KVDW 100.9 FM, 95.3 FM, and 1530 AM in Little Rock, Arkansas for interviews and health and fitness trends.
Lastly, make your tax-deductible donation to Eating as an Act of Worship Ministries!
Have you considered adopting a gluten-free lifestyle to improve your health? Tune in to the Eating as an Act of Worship Ministries Radio Show as author and motivational speaker, Rustie MacDonald, discusses her battle with Celiac disease and how adopting a gluten-free diet helped her body heal from the disorder.
LIfestyle blogger who talks all things personal development, productivity, and travel.
