A Prisoner of Appetite - Is Unhealthy Eating a Sin? — Shane Idleman

Unhealthy Eating and Stewardship of the Body

The title is a prisoner of appetite a Prisoner of appetite and I'm going to talk about unhealthy eating and taking not taking care of our bodies. And is that a sin now? The reason I didn't announce that prior is we probably would have a lot less people here.

It's a it's a topic that we don't want to talk about it's difficult. But it's very very important and what I mean by unhealthy is the ability to take care of our body. But choose not to do so. That's what unhealthy is that the ability to take care of our body and we choose not to do so and the irony in this Whole sermon is people their misconception about me is laughable like oh, he's perfect.

No, I don't you should have seen last week. It's it's it's an area. I struggle with and I'm just gonna be honest with you. I'm not here to beat anybody up. I want to encourage people because I see a very close Very close parallel with our physical health and our spiritual health for those who can do something about it.

Obviously, there's people out there who can do nothing about it. I'm not talking about that I'm talking about the 99 of us who and if this doesn't apply to you get the CD and give it to somebody who does.

But for most of us, this is very applicable and this is a struggle for me when I'm overweight. It's because I neglect this area and it's hard to preach on what you're not living out. That's why many people won't preach on this and even just I'm just gonna open up a little bit about myself.

Personal Struggles With Weight and Self-Image

Even many of you might know but this time last year I was probably 240 pounds and I've dropped about 15 pounds of that and it's always been a struggle since I was a little boy. Growing up and trying to stay and that's why I do it because I know where it can lead in this area.

And a few things I just God brought so many things to my memory this week, but I had a nickname chubber Lane. Remember with mr. T when he fought Rocky Balboa and he was called clever Lane. They called me chubber Lane and I still remember the person Mike Mueller.

He's a fireman now I think LA City used to call me that at the movies and movies. I still remember that I'm gonna actually email him this sermon to make him feel bad. That was like 34 years ago I think and also in the yearbook if I go back it I think it was a Bethel Baptist there's me sitting in a wagon with an apple and there's stuffed pig underneath the the Heading there and all these.

I mean they live with you, right? And and and just grow and so I remember that and I said, I'm now what I'm gonna do when I get out I'm gonna get big and strong and I'm gonna show like that guy little weak.

Wimpy guy that gets real big and then push other people's face in the sand. And that's what I set out to do. And that's what why I got into health and fitness and I wasn't healthy. I wasn't fitness to fit a lot of steroids.

A lot of the rest I look like a lot of the wrestlers. I have it before and after picture. I didn't want to show you guys, but if you email me I can I can share it with you but when I got to my biggest at 270 275 pounds and and Looked like Brian Bosworth via the the Oklahoma Sooners was one of my heroes and and being big and strong.

But that wasn't healthy. I was dying inside was drinking and and and and all kinds of the party lifestyle. But a lot of it stemmed from that poor self-image a very poor self-image being called chubby and lead pants.

I remember that and just being made fun of it. We don't know how that affects growing up so I can relate. I'm preaching to the choir and actually this is pretty funny. I don't. I don't know if this is true or not.

I still need to research it but for my height, I should be 195 pounds. So I'm still 30 pounds overweight. What's going on here? I mean, it doesn't make sense. But I know muscle weighs more and I I'm what I'm trying to do is I want to just trust God Lord, let me take care of this and you put me at the weight that I should be at because when you start eating Right and taking care of it.

Appetite's Effects on Attitude and Daily Life

Now. Here's the biggie. This affects everything I do when I don't take care of this. I don't want to go to the hospital homes. I don't want to preach. I don't want to witness my attitude stinks. I'm moody.

I'm disgruntled and I'm angry. I think this is important topic and It doesn't affect you. Well, it does affect you. You just don't know how much it affects you until you start to experience something called withdrawals.

Have you ever withdrawn from sugar and caffeine the worst panic attacks? I've ever had is withdrawing from caffeine. These things affect us in a very negative way and we should talk about it. And I'm reading a book.

I'm actually going to recommend. I ordered it and it's not here in enough time. But it's called breaking the stronghold of food by dr. Michael Brown. Breaking the stronghold of food by Michael Brown. I built a relationship with him over the last year and I you should see his before-and-after pictures.

It's like 80 or 90 pounds. Just the energy he has and eating a very healthy and and this book is good and it's very convicting. But something he said in there really really set in nuts. What set well with me but didn't sit well in this regard.

He asked a question would Jesus be overweight and I thought would Paul lose credibility. Would we take James less seriously if They were I mean, I was carrying around extra 30 40 pounds. You know, people might say oh Shane, that's no big deal.

That's true. You look fine. That's true. I understand that but I know that the appetite is there ready to take me down. It's something that we must talk about. In Thomas Constance history the three Edwards.

The Prisoner of Appetite

He describes the life of Reynold the third a fourth century Duke in what is now Belgium. Grossly overweight Reynold was commonly called by his Latin name Crassus after a violent quarrel Raynard's younger brother Edward led a successful revolt against him.

Edward captured Reynold but did not kill him and said he built a room Around Reynold in the Newark Castle and promised him he could regain his title and property as soon as he was able to leave the room.

This would not have been difficult for most people since the room had several windows and a door Near normal size and none was locked or barred. The problem was Reynold size to regain his freedom. He needed to lose weight, but Edward knew his older brother and each day he sent in a variety of Delicious foods.

Instead of dieting his way out of prison Reynold grew bigger and bigger and bigger when Duke Edward was accused of cruelty. He simply answered my brother is not a prisoner. He may leave when he so wills.

Reynold stayed in that room ten more years and wasn't released until after Edward died in battle by then his health was so ruined. He died within a year a prisoner of his own appetite and That's where this message really comes from is a prisoner of our own appetite and the difficult thing in.

Actually, why it's a double-edged sword is the more knowledge you possess in this area the more responsibility you have. The more risk the more we know how the food and how nutrition how these things the more we know and we know a lot.

In America, we don't have a knowing problem. We have a doing problem. The more we know we have a responsibility. I know these things will hurt me. I have a Responsibility to do something about it, and it's interesting a lot of people are not aware.

And they might be upset that I'm bringing this to the surface because now they know but even the diagnostic and statistical manual on mental disorders that psychologists use lists caffeine induced Anxiety attacks and panic attacks anything over 400 milligrams of caffeine sets you into a mental mental disarray.

It's it's in their books and it's it's it's it's it's what we're feeding our bodies. It's what we're we're using to stimulate and often there are Ramifications with what we put in the physical aspects the spiritual here's the big deal.

Food, Sin, and the Filling of the Holy Spirit

This is why this is a big deal. Shane if I eat a donut is that a bad thing. Well No, you're not going to hell, and you're not caught in sin and now you're not the prodigal son. It's just not a good idea.

It's it's it's going to begin to make a certain effect on your body. The physical effects the spiritual again the physical effects of spiritual. We've been talking about the filling of the Holy Spirit for the last two months haven't we?

The filling of the Holy Spirit and what quenches and grieves the Holy Spirit in our lives. Disobedience disobedience. Another book I want to recommend is the school of obedience by Andrew Murray. The school of obedience by Andrew Murray.

The one thing God asked of Adam in paradise was obedience. The one thing by which a creature can glorify God or enjoy his favor and blessing is Obedience. The one cause of the power sin has got in the world and the ruin it has brought is disobedience.

The true the secret of true obedience is the return to close and continued fellowship with God. I was just talking to Mike in the back about this. We think of this. I'm gonna do a sermon someday hopefully soon on obedience is not a bad word.

It's not a bad word. The difference between legalism and biblical obedience is a relationship to the father. And I like what Andrew Murray said the secret of true obedience is the return to close and continual Fellowship with God.

God would say just obey my voice just obey my voice just obey my voice. So we have to listen what is he saying anything to us in this area? Well, here's the question. Does the Bible say anything about?

Biblical Teaching on Addiction, Stewardship, Discipline, and Gluttony

Addiction. Why stewardship of our bodies. Disciplining our bodies or a word. I'm gonna throw out there that we don't talk about gluttony. Does the Bible say anything about those areas. If not, let's just close up and go home.

But if it talks about these areas, I think it's important to discuss so does the Bible say anything about addiction. Why stewardship. Disciplining our bodies and gluttony. Yes, it does. So that's why I recommended that book breaking the stronghold of food by dr Michael Brown, so let's talk about this for a minute.

I can take you the early church fathers and this was a huge issue. The early church talked about it. Is it one of the five or seven major sins out there right gluttony and what this is. Let me just let me just tell you what it means.

The word means to gulp down. If you look at the root word of gluttony, it means to gulp down and what did you do at Christmas or Thanksgiving dinner? With a little petite salad and come back to it later or was that's why they call it a big gulp comes from the word Gluttony it's to gulp down.

And again, the whole point of this message is to help the whole point. That's why I even brought free copies. I wrote the very first book I wrote was what works when diets don't giving people a biblical Model to follow and I just want to help you on this area because I would help to over 20 -30 ,000 people through many years on this area and in every case once they improve this area other areas of life improved.

Physically spiritually mentally energy better parents better spouse. It's an all-consuming area. We forget about why do we forget about it? Because we don't talk about it very often. This is an important topic.

Gluttony means to gulp down and throughout the Bible. Actually, I had scriptures on it and there were they would have took up a whole page. But basically it's the over indulgence and consumption of food or drink and it's often tied to wealth.

Extravagance and waste. Sounds like American lifestyle, doesn't it? Extravagance wealth and waste. The modern American lifestyle promotes gluttony it actually see we Don't follow the world and in the regard to the movies.

Don't follow the world in regard to television or Facebook or how the world lives or the world don't handle the way the world Handles all this but when it comes to food give me everything. I don't care what the world does.

Let me embrace. No, you better be careful. It's the same type of influence and it's funny this week. Um, there's people always make the comments. It bothers my wife, but it doesn't bother me. When they say I know Shane can't have one cookie.

Here's the problem one cookie here in and out here. Try tip here sirloin here lobster here. But try this pumpkin pie in this cake and these cookies in this treat in this and before the week's over I just had a plethora of junk.

Same with you. So the responsibility no, you know, I'm not talking about you have one cookie now and then we come on folks. We need to just grow up. We of course I'm not talking about that. What I'm talking about is a consistent pattern where it hurts the body and if we had time again this gap to be Condensed down but how food affects the body would would would probably Shock many of you.

How it actually affects the body chemicals nicotine caffeine alcohol how it affects the body most of the anxiety attacks panic attacks depression that people Go through are a result of what they're putting in their body many times.

I'm not discounting mental disorder because it happens with of no fault of people. It's not always the case. You can't just say that. But you look at the studies all these additives all these fruit the Rise of attention deficit disorders the rise of this and all these different things you have to look at what are we putting in the body?

Life-Giving Food and the Effects of Processed Food

Here's here's here's let me just encapsulate all this and maybe I'll get to it. God gave life-giving Good food for us to consume that brings life to the body. So anything fruits vegetables greens this colored?

Oh, yeah. Well, that's that's life. That's life. So when we take in death that food that has no nutritional value. You can sit a Twinkie or a Big Mac on the on the shelf and come back and look it's not gonna look any different.

A week or two or three or a month later. It doesn't look it's dead food. It's the it's dying. It's gone. So when we consume things that give us no life, but bring death. It amazes me probably the thing that amazes me more than anything is why aren't we dropping like flies?

Boom boom boom boom boom because we are fearfully and masterfully and wonderfully made God has made us and but we we dilute and pollute that by putting in these things that bring no benefit to the body.

You look at a coke caramel coloring aspartame if it's a diet coke. Caffeine why do they need caffeine and coke? Have you ever thought of that? It's called addiction. So we want more coke and you look at these ingredients that we're consuming.

There's nothing life-giving in it. And what I found is there's not a problem. I said this before I ate too many apples and broccoli yesterday. Have you ever said that no why. Because unhealthy food is tied with gluttony.

Unhealthy think about this gorging on unhealthy food, but I I haven't ever ate. I ate too much of that salad. Why. Because it's healthy life-giving food that satisfies the body. And I'm convinced that Starbucks puts a little bit something else in their coffee to keep you coming back because those that line from 5 in The morning till 10 at night is just round the clock all the time.

And you know what their little logo means the siren. Enticing wayward sailors to their death through seduction. That's a good logo to choose. But that's how it works folks. It's it's it's it's you have to and if you don't take my word for it.

Take it to the Lord take it to the Lord and ask him to show you in this area. Now with that as the backdrop, here's the hope. Submit to God rather than the God of our bellies the Bible verse it talks.

Philippians 3 and the God of the Belly

Explicitly about this is in Philippians 3 their God is their stomach. Their God is their belly and their mind is set on earthly things. Paul to the church in Philippi is Contrasting these evildoers these wicked people these false teachers their God is their belly.

Everything is surrounded by what he means is everything is surrounded by their appetites. Have I've joked about this. But it's true when I get up in the morning would I run for my my green smoothie? Or my coffee and donut and a couple hours later I need my this and a couple hours later I need this and a couple hours later I need this and then I have to stop and get my dryers ice cream or my Coldstone or my yogurt and I can't go to bed without this for a Pacino and I have to have this and I'm addicted all Day long and my appetites are controlling where I go.

Their God is their belly. That's who's controlling them. That's why fasting I talk about often breaks the addiction. It breaks the bondage and You can change your appetite. You can change your palate you can crave.

You can begin to crave good life-giving food just like you can create crave more of the spiritual things of God isn't. The parallels are amazing the more I get into God's Word and Submit and surrender and read the Bible and pray and come to church.

I'm hungry for those very things. So once I begin to feed on life-giving life. Sustaining food I feed on those very things if you don't think this is a big deal. Look at the obesity rate in our nation.

Look at where the health care is going. You think the health care is messed up. You ain't seen nothing yet is my daddy who used to say, right? That could say okay that from the pulpit some of the old-timers are gonna say no you can't say that.

It's okay. Let me back up a little bit. You can't the This is not going in a good direction. Something has to change. Something we have to we have to make a difference somehow. There is hope you can change your appetite and your palate.

Breaking Bondage Through Submission and Fasting

Greg Laurie I don't know if you've been hearing him on the radio has given a wonderful example. He's been talking about a trainer in one of the gyms who wanted to take on 70 pounds. Just to see what it felt like and he said it was heaven.

Captain Crunch Donuts the first few days. The first few days but then Everything started to come undone and he said I wonder if I'll ever get my desire back for the healthy things. And his analogy was a course of sin or or falling away from God.

But it's the same thing here. We what we start to feed on we crave and what we crave we want more of and that's why it's hard to break. This cycle of addiction on food. I Mean there's this week just praying Lord, please.

I know it's gonna offend people. Please help me with this sermon preach. I'm preaching to the choir, but I'm pretty I Lord help me and I just I. So many things one of the confirmation was I saw an email thread on Facebook about something named Eric.

I think it was through dr. Michael Brown's ministry. Who's a very overweight he said coming out of the homosexual lifestyle was easier than controlling this area and breaking food addiction. Let me read that but then you start to think it's bondage.

You have you ever been bound by something? You just don't cool. It just doesn't you don't say okay devil. That's enough tomorrow morning. You wake up and you make some grapefruit juice and you love organic smoothies and you're gonna make organic Pancakes with wheat germ and cut out dairy now and then and watch the meat.

You know, it's not gonna happen. It's a fight. It's a fight. But there's hope submit to God submit to God in this area. You will not find freedom until you submit this area to God until I finally said, yeah I know a lot about fitness, but God I have a problem.

Guess guess what out of nowhere. I want to stop and get a huge coffee and donut this morning. And I get home. I go open up the church early turn on the heaters and I say, okay Lord, I'm start. I've got to do this 40 days.

I got to get rid of all this junk. I keep compromising. No for me. It's dairy meat I'll explain. I just want to do a Daniel fast and I walk in and there's I smell eggs and toast. I'm not like oh and I just go.

I'm like, oh, I can't have this darn. I got mad. I got irritated. I'm like in a bad mood because I couldn't have eggs. What's wrong with me? But see how it worked because that you know, you don't want to is it a big shame you could have yes I could have but I want to be filled with the Spirit of God.

I want to make a commitment to God. I want to fulfill it. I want to starve the flesh. So I got out the orange juice organic for those who care and I put some. I put some plant-based Organic protein powder with frozen bananas and then got it going and then put in some big dinosaur kale that big green stuff.

You can't even taste the kale. I made my kids drink and they loved it. But then I felt better after I over but that addiction didn't want to go out easy did it. Because our bodies our cravings begin to pull us away.

Disciplineing the Body and 1 Corinthians 9

That's why why did Paul say I discipline my body and I bring it into subjection. What what for to be a good example to be a good testimony. Now here's the excuse verse that somebody's gonna pull on me after the service.

So I'm gonna throw it out there right now. First Corinthians 612. Shane haven't you read. I have the right to do anything. Yeah, I did but you got to keep reading. I Have the right to do anything you say but not everything is beneficial.

I have the right to do anything, but I will be not met but I will not be mastered by anything. So people actually use this excuse to just eat all types of garbage and not take care of their body. I can do anything.

I have a right and a privilege. Well, actually the context is do not be deceived. Do not use your liberty as an opportunity for the flesh. Because see that they were bound in the Old Testament. They were bound by the law.

They were bound so Paul comes saying freedom in Christ and people are saying I have freedom in Christ. I can do everything Paul says hold on. Some things aren't beneficial. Don't be mastered by anything.

Proverbs 23 and the Strength of Appetite

So we have to look at scriptures in context in this area. Another point. Appetite is a very strong pole. Proverbs 23 I'm going to paraphrase when eating with the ruler pay attention to what is being served.

If you are a big eater put a knife To your throat. Don't desire all the delicacies for he might be trying to trick you giving up to those delicacies. What this really is talking about is this this appetite of us of ours is a very strong pole.

Now resolutions are good. New Year's resolutions. What do we do? We re-evaluate we re-examine and we change. Why do they fail in? This area that they very very easy scripture. Remember this the flesh is the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.

So the spirit is willing. How many people are willing saying that makes sense. I want to do this. Guess what? You don't know a battle until you leave these doors. When you battle for that that that appetite that's why so you have to feed the spirit.

There are spiritual disciplines. You have to put in place that will help you in this area and here they are. First you have to find the motivation find the motivation ask God for help and what I mean about motivation.

Spiritual Motivation for Physical Discipline

What helps me stay motivated is I'll pick up a book by Jenson Franklin on fasting. I'll read Andrew Murray Oh my lord. Have mercy on my soul when you pick up the old-time authors that talk about obedience and crucifying the flesh and I'll get up like The book I recommended dr. Brown's book and I'll read these and I'll bring in the motivation.

I'll look to the Word of God and what God's Word says about Gluttony and addiction and not being overcome and I'll and I'll pray and I'll ask God and I'll stay motivated by that. That's why I have free books.

You can pick up on your way out. Because you need that motivation. Because it's you're very motivated right now, but when you head out of here what's gonna happen to that motivation. Christ talked about the abundant life and many times we hear that word abundance and we think of more and No doubt it carries that meaning but abundant life is an energetic life a life where you're even tempered.

You're not moody and angry with these mood swings and all these things. It's abundant life a life flourishing because of you're doing it spiritually and physically. I want to throw this out there as well.

Have we ever thought about the example? We're leaving to our kids. I mean the the childhood obesity rate is alarming. It's absolutely alarming and what what is the example? We are leaving for our children about this area in this area.

That should be motivation enough. I don't know about you, but that takes care of half my motivation. I don't need the Captain Crunch in the garbage in the pantry because out of sight out of mind what little kids.

What's in the house? They'll eat. Now they're wanting to cut up oranges and apples and celery with peanut butter and all these things because there's they can't get anything else. If I put that in the pantry along with Big League chew, what are they gonna grab?

You guys know come on tweet now there's a lot of upset faces in here. I better hurry up get through this thing. God's grace is divine empowerment. You have to ask for God's grace in this area. Now. Here's an interesting concept.

God's grace. God give me the great and I joke about this, but it's true. It's like the person who said God help me with gambling is the head to Vegas. That's how we abuse his great. God help me with drinking as you stop by the liquor store.

Let me just look at it see what it looks like this year 2000 and we and we fall in these areas. But God's grace works with us. Noah had to do something. Abraham had to do something. Moses had to do something so God empowers as we submit and obey.

God's Grace and Human Responsibility

Because I talk to people got channel. Why won't they take away this addiction? I just talked to somebody Recently why am I addicted. God won't take it away. No, he might not he might not just take it away.

You have to fight sometimes you have to apply biblical principles in your life. And I don't like that any more than you do Lord. Would you please take away the desire for caffeine and sugar right now take it away?

Is that gonna happen and sometimes it does praise God for those times? Yeah, there's times where he'll take something away immediately and people never go back to it. But many times we have to fight so you have to find the motivation you have to ask God for help.

You that's the key because if you keep feeding on the Carl's jr. Commercials. Every day and not something to balance it out. What are you going to drive to? Is it but Shane in and out has scriptures on their cups, and they're they're a Christian there.

If I hear that if I hear that one more time. And they're a Christian company, I'm. That's that's your excuse. Actually, I had a good excuse and dr. Michael Brown called me on it this week, and I was thankful he did.

I said. You know it's a lot harder for me though. I have kids under 11. He says that's just an excuse Shane. That's true. Isn't it. I mean we find excuses now it might be a Christian company. That might be good things if anybody there works there, then get them to them.

They need to get organic meat not processed meat and not processed bread and not Vegetables that came over from Canada in a freight train that have tons of pesticides herbicides and fungicides on them and nothing is healthy in that so send that to them have their upper manager make the changes and.

Now I've been there before. I've been there recently. Probably a few months ago, and it sounds good right now, but we can't we have to find the motivation. I'm gonna get back on track here. It's a lifestyle number two.

This is a biggie. This will help a lot of people. It's a lifestyle. There are no short shortcuts. Don't just throw away all the advertisements on third on TV lose 30 pounds in 30 days exercise for just eight minutes wear this belt all.

Garbage all garbage they sell the whole industry fitness industry is based on creating this emotional eight minutes a day. That's all I need to exercise. No no you need to move a lot. You don't can't just wear a belt.

I did I last time I spoke on this a few years ago. I had a corporate executive from Pepsi got mad at me. We make good drinks to you know Gatorade or whatever. Well There's Gatorade the same stuff in the Gatorade is an antifreeze.

Come on folks wake up. I mean, let's honestly they the the garbage that we are consuming would alarm you. It's it's amazing what we're allowing into our body. Especially it's really hard for me a little league when the parents bring all the snacks.

I'm like oh, don't don't eat don't eat that Big League chew and a diet Pepsi and Twinkie and it's like oh goodness kids. It's no wonder we're experiencing what we're experiencing so there are no no shortcuts.

Lose weight quick is a great marketing slogan. But it's not realistic all that you do due to the glory of God. That's why this area has to be focused on a lifestyle. It's a lifestyle. But you fall forward you fall forward you think anybody who's ever accomplished anything has ever not stumbled and fallen.

I can show you people who take care of their body, and they make mistakes. I Can tell you people who have succeeded and they've fell many times along the way, but you have to make a lifestyle. Don't say the month of January.

I'm gonna do this and then back on February 1st. I'm it doesn't work. It doesn't work that way. It's interesting to my wife told me I wrote it down a while back. She did 40 days. I think there's no sugar.

No and it took it took a while. It was a hard fight. I was pretty pretty impressed actually. But unless you make it a lifestyle that desire is gonna come back again and Again, and you're fighting the same demon you fought many years ago.

Is there a demon sugar Shane? No, it's not demon sugar. But you fight. What I mean by that is you allow that open door to come back and it comes back stronger if there's bondage. In one area. Why do you go back to it?

What that doesn't make any sense it reminds me of the verse where the They find the house come the demon finds the house. Clean and swept and then brings back more with him and the last day to that man is worse than the first.

Because he allowed that door of bondage to be open. When it's a lifestyle, I'm prepared for the ups and downs you get through the holidays you get through the different seasons. Number three choose the pain of discipline over the pain of regret.

Choosing Discipline Over Regret

This will apply to those who even don't want to hear a message. Like this they want to get back to the Bible. This is Bible. It's called gluttony. It's called taking care of this wonderful thing that God has given us and we need to start talking about these things that are so important.

Choose the pain of discipline over the pain of regret. Physical discipline always has spiritual Spiritual benefits. What happens is you discipline your body. Then joy comes. After I drank that smoothie I was happy as could be had I caved in to the eggs not happy because I blew the fast I want to start today.

Oh my gosh, I can't get through one day. But joy comes patience then peace abstinence then fulfillment. See, do you see how that works discipline? But Paul said this in first Corinthians 9. I strike a blow to my body and I make it my slave.

I Discipline my body like an athlete to train to do whatever it should I keep on disciplining my body and make it serve me. That's three different applicants three different translations, but the bottom line is Paul said as a believer.

Here's what's offensive. Here's what people don't want to hear. You have to discipline your body and stop allowing your body to discipline you. You have to take control. You have to lead in this area.

You have to tell your desires. Nope. You're not going down that path. Here's what I'm going to do. God has called me and you discipline your eventually your body will be quiet. It'll be quiet in these areas because if you resist long enough the dead the devil will flee.

Elliot's commentary on this first Corinthians the body is spoken as Paul's adversary. It's the seat of those lusts and appetites which war against the mind which makes it a slave. The idea is carried on that.

The body is not only conquered but led captive. We must remember that the language all throughout this passage is figurative and the statement here refers not to Inflicting his own by not hitting his body but subduing the appetites and passions which are located in it.

The true position of our natural appetites is that they should be Entirely our servants and not our masters that we should not follow or be led by them. But they should follow and be led by us. That's what I was saying and I'm dead serious that our appetites control our entire day.

Morning where I'm going to lunch where I'm doing this one. Oh, I'm feeding this appetite when you begin to control your appetites. You say no, that's not what we're having this morning. This is what we're having.