I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do. (Romans 7:15).We all have habits but when it is in the negative, it becomes a challenge.

‘A habit begins when you keep repeating a behavior you have created for yourself. Some habits can easily be stopped but others tend to become ‘a thorn in our flesh’.

Jesus had a habit of prayer in Luke 5:16; “he continued his habit of retiring to deserted places and praying.” It was a good habit.

The bad ones affect us greatly yet we sometimes do not have the strength to overcome them. Some bad habits bring sicknesses, some death, others delay or they destroy lives.

Paul had a bad habit which he wanted to stop, and what did he do; He went to God in prayer to ask for strength so that he can stop it.

Galatians 5:17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. …. 16 ‘And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me.

Everything that happens to us has spiritual implications. So if you are finding it difficult to stop a habit, start from the spiritual and the physical part will be easy to deal with. I mean take it to God in prayer: that is what I mean by tackling it spiritually. That is where you will get the inner strength from. Ephesiams 3:16 says ‘ that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man’

You need the Holy Spirit to do that. You cannot do without the Holy Spirit. The bible says in Isaiah 40:29 ‘He giveth power to the weak, and to those who have no might, he increaseth strength.’

If you are tired and you want to quit that habit, the Holy Spirit has been given to help us.

When the enemy creates a path for you, he creates situations to keep you there, it then becomes a prison house. If it is prostitution, he makes sure that, that is where you get your bread from, apart from that you will not get it anywhere, especially when you decide to call it quits. And anybody who wants to help you would want to sleep with you first. A refined way of prostitution, but its still the same. You have to give your body in exchange for something.

He has designed your life such that no matter how much you earn, you must borrow in order to keep you within a certain limit, and it is keeping you in debt. You want to stop it.

You don’t get any favours anywhere unless you steal or do dubious things. You regret doing certain things yet you cannot stop it. You want to quit drugs? You love your wife so much, but you cannot stop beating her and it is affecting the marriage.

It is not by military power nor by might, but by my spirit, sayeth the Lord. If you allow Him, you have no idea what He can do with your life.

There is a Methodist hymn which goes like this ‘Art thou weary, art thou languid, art thou sore distressed, come to me saith, one and coming, be at rest.’

God can give you rest if you come to Him to confess that you are tired of it. You wish all this would come to an end but there is no strength, He will gladly help you.

You are the reason Jesus came to die. He is ever ready to rescue, ready to save. He will give you rest and make you a new person. The power to overcome that weakness lies with Jesus.