Hands down, transforming my body has been one of the toughest battles of my entire life. It’s been more than just losing weight, it’s been a spiritual fight of not just taking back my body, but my mind, my heart, my soul and fighting for ground the enemy stole from me. It’s not just about food, I’m learning to die to decades of stinking thinking, old habits and Christ is requiring a new level of death out of me. It’s a death I’ve never died to before, it’s the mandate of the calling of Christ over my life and if I don’t learn to get this one area of my life under control, it’ll cost me the war.
In reading the book, “Death to Self: The Path to Change & The Power of God” by Guillermo Maldonado, in the last chapter of his book, it begins to outline the steps we need to take to walk in God’s will, lead us to change and receive the supernatural power of God. The first step is:
1. Commit to die to self by presenting your body as a living sacrifice (Romans 12:1)
A while back, the Lord lead me to Hebrews (GNT) which says,
5 Every high priest is chosen from his fellow-men and appointed to serve God on their behalf, to offer sacrifices and offerings for sins. 2 Since he himself is weak in many ways, he is able to be gentle with those who are ignorant and make mistakes. 3 And because he is himself weak, he must offer sacrifices not only for the sins of the people but also for his own sins. 4 No one chooses for himself the honor of being a high priest. It is only by God’s call that a man is made a high priest—just as Aaron was.
In the book Death to Self, Apostle Maldonado states,
The sacrifices that all priest of the Almighty should present are: Prayer, worship, offerings, intercession and OUR BODIES for His service, fasting, and our ‘carnal self’ in obedience, submission, and death. These are not sacrifices to earn the favor or grace of God but, as priests, it is our DUTY to do it.
As I’m honest with myself, I’ve died to much for the sake of the kingdom in prayer, worship, offerings, intercession, fasting, obedience, etc. But if I’m truthful, I’ve never SACRIFICED one thing, MY BODY & it’s relationship to food.
I’ve surrendered and given Christ my all. But, when it comes to my body, there’s been a blockage, a stronghold in my thinking that’s quite selfish, a distorted thinking which translates to my behavior that my body is my own, what I eat only affects me, how I treat my body only affects me, my weight loss only affects me. I truly understand the scripture that our bodies are the temple of the living God, I understand and get that, but, the revelation of that scripture hasn’t quite hit home enough for me that it’s broken vicious habits in my life.
But, The Lord lead me to this one scripture that broke my heart.
Colossians 1:18 (GNT) which says,
18 He is the head of His body, the church; He is the source of the body’s life. He is the first-born Son, who was raised from death, in order that He alone might have the FIRST PLACE IN ALL THINGS.
What resonated with me was the passage that says that HE ALONE MIGHT HAVE THE FIRST PLACE IN ALL THINGS!
As I read that, my heart cried out “LORD, I desperately want to give you FIRST PLACE in all things, even my body. My falling is not my lack of commitment, it’s a cry for help. I want you to have first place of EVERYTHING…you died to have the right to be FIRST in my everything. I desire to put you first before food, the desires of my body, my kids, my family, my choices, my everything.”
Those words FIRST PLACE convicted me because I’ve never given God first place over my eating and I’ve allowed my body to reign at times in not being disciplined consistently.
The question Christ is asking you today,
“Have you given me FIRST PLACE in your EVERYTHING? What are you holding back from me?”
We’re called to be priest in the kingdom of God and we’re required to give up, die and SACRIFICE ourselves for the sake of Christ and the Kingdom, but, it’s not all for nothing. As we die to our selfishness understanding that we’re not our own, we were brought with a price and Christ has the right to require US to give him FIRST PLACE OVER EVERYTHING in our lives. He’s calling us to be obedient, to be unselfish and to sacrifice what we love so He can unleash His power, authority, signs, wonders and purpose in our lives.
We have to know this, there’s a reward awaiting us as we surrender & sacrifice our bodies, our everything to Him. My cry to Christ is,
“Lord, I pray for grace to make better choices and to always remember you FIRST in everything I do, every choice I make. Cause me to remember you, your death and sacrifice in how I treat my body and to always cause to me to remember the reward that awaits me as I choose rightly. I no longer want to live selfishly anymore. I surrender myself to You, my body, food, every decision I make, etc. I desire to love You more than myself, to love your people more than myself, to love you more than anything. Your Kingdom come, your will be done, on earth, as it is in Heaven. “
Let’s be encouraged, we can do it through Christ who strengthens us.
Continue to join me as I share with you as Christ shares with me about overcoming. As always, Be Encouraged, Stay Connected, Fight & Let’s become free together.
(MOTIVATION) RUN by Td jakes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xft07c44Zs
In His Name,
Ke’Shawn Adamson
B.O.O.M!
