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Chapter 3

The Power of Vision

Relationship Skills

I want to plant a vision in your heart that will give you a powerful craving to strengthen your relationship with God.

A relationship with God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit will bring peace, freedom and prosperity of all kinds, and most of all, will bring you into an intimate real-time fellowship with Jesus. He will become more and more real to you; you will feel and hear Him speak to you on a regular basis. However such a relationship requires some real discipline on your part. Actually, all relationships require discipline, but when its all in place, relationships are the most satisfying things we can enjoy.

Vision brings discipline.

"Where there is no revelation [vision], the people cast off restraint [discipline]; But happy is he who keeps the law" (Proverbs 29:18).

The human psyche has been created to operate on vision, or in other words, hope.

The first thing God said to Adam, as a way of blessing them, was to speak vision.

"Then God blessed them, and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth'" (Genesis 1:28).

While this book is majoring on becoming free from the bondages that are manifested in ungodly lifestyles, you will see as you read on that the true bottom-line issue is improving your relationship with God. That and that alone will make you a free person.

Developing and improving your relationship with God requires discipline on your part. God has done everything, now it is your task to appropriate His wonderful work though an intimate relationship with Him.

Discipline requires a vision as is stated in Proverbs 29:18. Secular people realize that in order to succeed a vision is needed.

When a doctor gives you a medicine, you go through the discipline of taking it because you have a vision of being healed.

When you report for work each day, you do the work even if you do not like it, because you have a vision of being paid.

When you go to the field and perform the hard task of reaping the harvest, you do it because you have a vision of eating.

I would like to cast a vision in your heart that I pray will cause you (and me) to become more disciplined with our relationship skills with God.

1. The vision for peace and freedom.

2 Peter 1:2 (Amplified Bible)

"May grace (God's favor) and peace (which is perfect well-being, all necessary good, all spiritual prosperity, and freedom from fears and agitating passions and moral conflicts) be multiplied to you in [the full, personal, precise, and correct] knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord."

Notice, all of these wonderful benefits come through knowing God personally.

2. The vision for godly prosperity.

"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth" (3 John 1:2-4).

Notice, prosperity in temporal matters is a result of your soul's prosperity. The prosperity of your soul comes by maintaining an intimate relationship with God.

3. The vision for intimacy; God becoming real to you.

Ephesians 3:17-19 (Amplified Bible)

"May Christ through your faith [actually] dwell (settle down, abide, make His permanent home) in your hearts! May you be rooted deep in love and founded securely on love, That you may have the power and be strong to apprehend and grasp with all the saints [God's devoted people, the experience of that love] what is the breadth and length and height and depth [of it]; [That you may really come] to know [practically, through experience for yourselves] the love of Christ, which far surpasses mere knowledge [without experience]; that you may be filled [through all your being] unto all the fullness of God [may have the richest measure of the divine Presence, and [d]become a body wholly filled and flooded with God Himself]!"

Philippians 3:10

"that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death."

4. The vision for fulfillment of your calling, purpose and destiny.

"who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began" (2 Timothy 1:9).

5. The vision to be like Jesus and be clean.

2 Peter chapter one says that as we continually "know" God that we will inherit His promises, which, among other things will make us, like Jesus. "as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust" (2 Peter 1:3, 4).

6. The vision for eternal rewards.

"But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10).

"And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown" (1 Corinthians 9:25).

"And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work" (Revelation 22:12).

Vision from God brought Gideon from bondage to freedom, to purpose and prosperity.

Gideon was a living a defeated life as an Israelite until God gave him vision. He had a very low self-esteem because Israel's enemies had been prevailing. He had a wrong image of himself. God knew how His own power could and would change Gideon, however He needed to change Gideon's own self-image. God spoke those things that were not as though they were. The more we fellowship with God, the more He is able to give us His accurate self-image of how He sees us. How He sees us is the truth, not how we feel about ourselves. That is hope, vision!

"And the Angel of the LORD appeared to him, and said to him, 'The LORD is with you, you mighty man of valor!'" (Judges 6:12).

Then in the next few chapters in Judges you will see that Gideon and God slowly but surely developed an intimate relationship. That resulted in Gideon being clothed with the Holy Sprit and being able to hear God at a very intimate level. Then God used him to overthrow the enemy that had he and his people in bondage.

Your task.

I suggest that you meditate upon the Scriptures I listed above, speak them out, memorize them, and allow them to go deep into your heart and soul.

Then begin to engage in the Relationship Skills as suggested in Appendix A. If you are just starting, then take small steps. These small steps will build up momentum in your relationship skills.

Momentum makes the next step easier. Think of an automobile. It takes less energy to move the vehicle from 25 miles per hour to 40 miles per hour, than it does to move it from 0 to 10 miles per hour. This is called the law of inertia. In even simpler terms, inertia means "A body in motion tends to remain in motion, a body at rest tends to remain at rest." Also, the body in motion tends to keep on the same course, and change requires great effort.

If you are "at rest" and not moving in your relationship skills with God, then use the energy of your discipline to get on the proper course.

Appendix A

Relationship Skills

1. Make a firm decision to pursue the relationship. Offer yourself completely to God. Romans 12:1-2.

This is our blood covenant response to a mighty blood covenant offered to us by God.

2. Take time to listen: You must take in His Word. Words are blood covenant containers. The Word of God is Jesus Himself; it is not a book of promises to pick and choose from. The Word of God should be pursued as a regular and daily relationship skill and should be looked at as listening to your Lord, Jesus Himself. Ask Him to speak. The Word is supernatural and it produces faith in the same way natural food produces energy. Jesus said that He is the true manna that gives eternal life. Write down what you feel He is speaking.

3. Take time to speak: Your words. Two-way journaling and being gut level honest is an important way to increase your relationship with God. Write down exactly how you feel. Honesty with your blood covenant partner Jesus, will cause your sin to go on Him. You cannot and will not overcome any issue in life without this gut level honesty. Take time for thanksgiving.

We suggest two-way journaling. This is a great way to allow the "flow" of the Holy Spirit to speak to you personal and intimate things. First, you write down what you want to tell Jesus. Then, through your fingers, be prepared for Him to write His message to you. At first, there may be some mistakes, but through faith and practice, He will be real to you.

Ways to discern whose voice you are hearing.

God's voice: Affirms, corrects, direction (truth).

Satan's voice: Keeps us bound in failure with lies and condemnation.

Self's voice, or our flesh: justifies, rationalizes, denies and projects or blames others.

Testing to see if we are hearing God's voice.

Is it scriptural?

Does it glorify Jesus?

Is there a witness in my spirit?

Does it edify or tear down?

Does it produce freedom or bondage?

Ways God speaks to us.

The Bible. Revelation knowledge through the Holy Spirit.

The Body of Christ: Fellow believers, pastors counsellors. Be careful to not depend solely on this.

Quiet time: Holy Spirit's voice. (Psalm 139:23-24, I John 1:9).

Circumstances and situations in everyday life (Jeremiah 32:8).

Accountability Partner: Often it is wise to have a trusted friend who will be bold enough to hold you accountable for issues in your life.

4. Take time to speak: His Words. The Antagonist, Satan and his assigned demons, constantly are on task to come against your effort to relate to Jesus and to overcome. Only you can resist them. Jesus gave you the authority and responsibility to speak His Word against them. God told Joshua in Joshua 1:8, "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."

One idea for doing this is:

Read Psalms and Proverbs by the day. You should read ALOUD five Psalms every morning. Use the system of the calendar, i.e., on the 3rd of the month read Psalms 3, 33, 63, 93 and 123. Also read Proverb 3. In this system the student will read all Psalms and Proverbs every month. Using this system renews the mind, speaks the Word to Satan, and allows the suffering student to relate his/her emotions to the Psalmist's. Provisions can be made for months with 31 days, and for Psalm 119.

Also be sensitive to the Holy Spirit Who will give you a Word of warfare for a particular situation.

5. Meditation. Meditation on the Word is very important and extremely valuable. I quoted Joshua 1:8 above which tells us to meditate day and night. Psalms 1:2-3 says, "But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper." Meditation on the Word displaces and replaces your carnal thinking which is a major feat. It also allows the Word to get down deep into your heart. The word meditate is related to a cow chewing her cud. She chews it, swallows it, regurgitates it, then starts the process over again, and again, and again. This will allow the Word to go deeply into your heart, and will give the Holy Spirit an opportunity to speak something personal to you from the Word.

6. Fasting. Fasting is an important discipline. There are many types of fasts, and I will not cover that subject here. The main advantage of fasting is that it denies the strongest desire of the flesh, to eat. In doing so one is able to hear the Holy Spirit better. Remember, the flesh lusts against the Spirit and the Spirit against the flesh, Galatians 5:17. I have read that when a person is hungry, even his/her natural ears hear better.

7. Obey God. Ask God to give you something simple, something small every day that you may obey. It may be just encouraging another, it may be not driving down the same street that fed your addiction; it may be confessing your sin to Him. It may be taking a thought captive, or forgiving someone, or perhaps giving a financial gift.

This is a big thing! John 14:21-23 says that when we obey His Word that He will reveal more and more of Himself to us. Once you have "seen" Jesus, relationship with Him will no longer be a discipline, but it will be a passionate pursuit.

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Appendix B

Moral Inventory Worksheet [1]

Author's note: While this Moral Inventory Worksheet was prepared primarily for drug and alcohol addicts, its precepts and teachings are valuable for any ungodly lifestyle or habit.

1 HOW TO TAKE A DAILY MORAL INVENTORY

To make this time most meaningful we suggest that you select a quiet secluded place where you can be completely alone. It is almost impossible to concentrate if you are in a room with someone else. Jesus often withdrew from the crowds to refresh

Himself spiritually, and we too, if we want to grow in His likeness, must make the same strategic withdrawal. We need to select a spot that will become out "Prayer Closet" where we can shut out the world for a time of communion with Him.

To avoid daydreaming we suggest that you follow this simple structure to make your prayer time most meaningful.

TAKE YOUR DAILY MORAL INVENTORY

The D.M.I. is designed to help you identify twenty negative and twenty positive attitudes that you may have expressed through your thoughts and behavior yesterday. It is a mirror to help you get in touch with your own soul; and it will, if you do it honestly, give you valuable insights into the attitudes that motivate your actions. The Bible says " As a man thinketh in his heart, so is he."(Proverbs 23:7)

There are two basic aspects to the rehabilitation process:

1. Physical detoxification from addictive chemicals.

2. Renewing the mind from mental and emotional contamination

The first part is easy. Although withdrawal is physically uncomfortable, the body will, when we quit ingesting alcohol and drugs, slowly return to normal functioning. The second part is a process that will require your energies and attention for the rest of your life. The "stinking thinking" and "damaged emotions" that accompany alcoholism and drug addiction [or any addiction or ungodly habit] do not clear our minds when we merely get sober or clean.

Denial (a mental defense mechanism that protects the addict from facing reality by blocking knowledge from his/her awareness) is one of the most dangerous symptoms of the disease of alcoholism. It impairs judgment of "insight" and results in self-delusions, which keeps the addict locked into an increasing pattern of destruction.

Projection (blaming other people for my problems and attitudes) causes the addict to always see his problems "out there" in the actions and failures of others rather than "inward" negative attitudes of his own that produce bad behavior.

Some of us mistakenly try the" geographic cure" of moving away from people, problems, and places that "cause us to drink excessively" rather than search our hearts to find the real roots of our problem.

"Today is the first day of the rest of your life," so don't mess it up by allowing yesterdays problems to invade your serenity today. Look at your actions and attitudes from the perspective of distance (24 hours). Do not try to go back any further than that. You can't change the past, but you can keep it from contaminating your present and future. Be careful to look more at your own reactions and attitudes rather than at other people's failures and problems. Remember the BOMBSHELL:

1. I cannot change other people by direct action

2. I can change myself

3. Others have a tendency to change in reaction to my change

Start your D.M.I. by marking column 1 top to bottom filling the square to indicate negative attitude and a check mark to indicate a positive attitude. The top columns do not represent calendar days just the sequence of your inventory. Refer to the D.M.I. Commentary if you do not understand any of the attitudes in the list.

2. PRAY ABOUT YOUR D.M.I. INSIGHTS

So much of our prayer life is ineffective because we "pray amiss" (James 4:3). We miss the target. Pray specifically that the Holy Spirit will deal directly with the negative attitudes that the D.M.I. has revealed. Remember, "prayer changes us and we change things." The following prayer steps will help lead you into His presence:

Relax and Detach

We can only begin the inward journey of prayer by detaching our attention from external distractions. This is not easy because we are so conditioned to outside stimuli that we have to discipline ourselves to "turn off" outside noises and "tune in" the voice of the Holy Spirit. It is helpful to sit in a comfortable position and consciously relax all parts of your body.

Focus your attention on your inward journey

Imagine yourself walking slowly down a set of stairs leading to a basement sanctuary where Jesus awaits you. He is always present in the heart of the born again believer, but we are not always "present" to Him. Our attention is more often on the "temporal things that are seen than on the eternal things that are unseen." (II Corinthians 4:18) Ask the Holy Spirit to escort you into His "presence." Imagine yourself setting in a chair talking face to face with Jesus. "Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) "He that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11:6).

Pray Converse with Jesus

He is not only our Savior but also our counselor and guide. He is delighted to give direction to his children and forgiveness to those who confess their sins. "If any man lacks wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not: and it shall be given him (James 1:4). "If my people who call my name shall humble themselves, pray, seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I shall hear from heaven and will forgive their sins and heal their land" (II Chronicles 7:14).

3. KEEPING A JOURNAL

Reserve a section of your notebook to keep a daily journal to record the insights gleaned from your prayer time. Date each entry. This is not a diary to preserve the insights that God reveals to you about your character development. Be specific as you can be in recording the impressions that the Holy Spirit makes upon your heart.

This journal is not for public information. You are writing only for yourself to record your spiritual pilgrimage. If you take the time to work this exercise, it will be a tremendous tool to help you articulate the working of the Lord in your inner life, and your journal will become one of your most treasured possessions.

Scan your D.M.I. carefully and meditate a few moments on the [blackened squares] that represent yesterday's negative attitudes. See how they are interrelated presenting you a vivid multifaceted reaction to yesterday's events. Look beyond the offense of the problems caused by other people to see what attitudes were expressed in your response to other people's behavior. What attitude "roots" were manifested in yesterday's relationships?

Record your "insights" of how you see your life growing and developing through what happened to you yesterday.

D.M.I. COMMENTARY

COMPARE THESE OPPOSITES

SERENITY Overlooking our own needs and shifting the center of interest from ourselves to concern for the needs of those around us.

SELF PITY Sulking, being moody and silent, using physical means to transmit feelings, strong sense of not being liked, feeling sorry for yourself .P.L.O.M. Poor little old me, everybody hates me, nobody likes me, go to the garden and eat some worms. Read about Elijah under the juniper tree in I Kings 19:4 and about Peter's fishing trip in John 21:30.

Memory verse: Philippians 2:4 7

"Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men."

HUMILITY Accepting our limitations and personal defects without trying to justify them: having no false pride.

SELF RIGHTEOUSNESS Excusing ourselves of any wrong behavior or attitudes, while condemning others for the very same things. We justify ourselves and whitewash our true character to give people a better impression. We become "puffed up"; being "right" becomes a fetish. We will use any means to prevail over ideas, which differ from our own. (Read Jesus' discourse on this subject in Matthew 23:1 23)

Memory verse: Romans 10:3

For being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

SELF VALUATION Realizing who we are as God's redeemed children. In our earthen vessels we hold a great treasure (II Corinthians 4:7), and we Act like the "unique, unrepeatable miracles of God" that we really are.

SELF CONDEMNATION Showing a low self image by succumbing to false guilt and declaring ourselves unfit or unworthy of God's grace. This is false humility. We use it to excuse ourselves from participation in spiritual growth. People who suffer from self-condemnation are not in love with themselves; rather, they are "in hate" with themselves.

Memory verse: I Timothy 1:12 15 "And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful putting me in the ministry; Who was before a blasphemer, and persecutor and injurious: but, obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. And the grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners: of whom I am chief.

BEING A GIVER Having the desire to "put in" more than we "take out." Being grateful for what we have received, and to the people through whom God gave to us. "The world belongs to those who can pay for it with the precious coin of appreciation."

BEING A TAKER Taking more than we give in all of our relationships. Demanding instant gratification for all our needs or wants and whining when others do not meet our expectations. Then, even when we are blessed with something, we DON'T truly appreciate it, or the person that gave it to us.

Memory verse: Ephesians 5:18 20

"And be not drunk with wine, wherein excess; but be filled with the Spirit speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ."

HONESTY Being truthful, open and frank. Genuine. Admission of addiction is the first step towards healing. Accepting responsibility for our actions, is the second step.

LYING Not being truthful of trustworthy. Cheating. Telling un truths or holding back parts of the whole story. Lying breeds fear; kills peace of mind and separates us from God, others and ourselves. Denial of addiction and projection of blame, are the two most common forms of lying among addicts.

Memory verse: Ephesians 4:25

"Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbor: for we are members of one another."

PATIENCE Demonstrating a quiet, uncomplaining endurance, under distress or annoyance. Being tolerant, tender, and forbearing.

IMPATIENCE Annoyance: because you don't get what you want, when you want it. An unwillingness to wait for something.

Memory verse: Galatians 6:9

"And let us not be weary in doing well doings for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

GRATITUDE Being grateful to God and other people for what we have, and where we are. Making do, and being content

COMPLAINING Continuously talking about the negative aspects of something we have no control over. Failure to practice the principles contained in the "serenity prayer."

Memory verse: Philippians 4: 11 13

"Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewithin to be content. I know both how to be abased and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and suffer in need. I can do all things through Christ Jesus which strengtheneth me."

FORGIVENESS To pardon or give up resentment when someone has wronged us. To give up the right to get even. Jesus taught us that we would be forgiven in direct proportion to our willingness to forgive.

RESENTMENT Having a feeling of bitterness that forms a mental chain that binds us to the person or thing that we hate. Resentment is like a two edged sword that wounds us more than it does others. Nothing will wreck our freedom from addiction as quickly as unforgiveness.

Memory verse: Matthew 6:14 15

"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But,

if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive you your trespasses."

ADMITTANCE The realization that the addict can never go back to theaddiction again. Admittance pushes out any possible thought that the lifeof addiction was not so bad and motivates the addict to build a program into his life to prevent ever going back to his addiction.

DENIAL Blinds the addict to his own problems. It enables him to go through disaster after disaster and never learn that this is not a normal facet of life. Denial also allows the addict to harbor the mistaken idea that his previous life was not so bad and that maybe he will be able to

indulge in his addiction occasionally.

Memory verse: "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us." I John 1:8 10

TRUST Able to believe and relax in the promises that have been made to us by God and others. Not trying to be a "lone ranger" in the Body of Christ.

WORRY The inability to trust God or men to do what they have promised. Choosing not to share the load with other members of the Body of Christ.

Memory verse: Matthew 6:31 33

"Therefore take no thought saying "What shall we drink?" or "What withal shall we be clothed." For all of these things do the Gentiles seek; for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these other things shall be added unto you."

WORKING THE PROGRAM Realizing the life and death nature of rehabilitation and putting forth a determined effort to change. Trying to implement scriptural principles in all areas of our lives.

COMPLYING Doing enough to get by but not exerting any real effort to to change. Doing only what is expected or required but not having any Self-motivation.

Memory verse: Colossians 3:22 23

"Servants, obey in all things your masters according to the flesh not with eye service, as men pleasers; but in singleness of heart, fearing God. And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily as to the Lord and not unto men"

ACCEPTING RESPONSIBILITY Being accountable for both attitudes and my actions and not being a "victim" to the environment or other people's behavior. Realizing that I will never change "me" by blaming other people for my faults.

PROJECTION A defense mechanism that excuses our own wrong behavior by accusing others for being the source of the problem. " If you didn't nag, I wouldn't." Our Great-Grandfather Adam taught this to the human race when he blamed his wife for his problem.

Memory verse: Luke 15:17 19

"And when he came to himself, he said, 'How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough to spare, and I perish with hunger. I will arise and go before my father and will call unto him Father, 'I have sinned against heaven and before thee and am no more worthy to be called thy son, make me one of thy hired servants.''"

DOING THINGS ON TIME is actively working to accomplish tasks whether it be something small like writing a letter, or something larger such as getting a job. It is being punctual and prepared.

PROCRASTINATION is the thief of time. It is natural for everyone to have the following symptoms once in a while but when they become chronic they cause real trouble. Lateness, putting things off, loafing, do nothingness, shirking responsibility, dullness(mental, physical, and spiritual) lack of growth or change, sloppiness, passing the buck, apathy.

Memory verse: Proverbs 6:6 11 "Go to the ant, thou sluggard, consider her ways and be wise: Which having no guide, overseer, or ruler, provident her meat in the summer and gathereth her food in the harvest. How long wilt thou sleep, O sluggard? When wilt thou arouse out of thy sleep? Yet a little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleep: So shall thy poverty come as one that travelleth, and thy want as an armed man."

BEING YOUR REAL SELF Not worrying about what any other people think about you. Being honest and open in expressing inner feelings. Being transparent.

BEING PHONY Trying to impress others. Making people think that you are something you are not, that you know something you do not know.

Memory verse: Matthew 23:27 28

"Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites (play actors): For ye are like unto whited sepulchers which indeed appear beautiful outward but within full of dead men's bones and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity."

POSITIVE THINKING Knowing and trusting God and our relationship to Him through Jesus. Believing that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purposes.(Romans 8:28)

NEGATIVE THINKING is consistently believing that bad things will happen or that people will reject you because of real or imagined character defects.

Memory verse: James 1:5 8

" If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God that giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not, and it shall be given to him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not

that man thinks that he shall receive anything of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways."

HIGH MINDED, SPIRITUAL, CLEAN THINKING Keeping our minds free from lust

and immoral desires. Trying to keep our hearts fixed on Jesus.

VULGAR,IMMORAL,TRASHY THINKING Dwelling on memories of past immoralities

or fantasies. Allowing lust to control our minds and to hinder our relationship with God.

Refusal to allow God to become Lord of our sexuality. Reprobate mind (Romans 1:28 31)

Memory verse: Isaiah 25:3

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee because he trusteth in thee."

Ephesians 4:29

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers."

ACCEPTING FORGIVENESS Believing that God will keep His promised regarding

repentance of sin.

FALSE GUILT ABOUT THE PAST Believing the devil's lies that our sins are just too much for God to be able to forgive. Satan has 2 favorite lies to deceive us with: First he tells us that we are so much better than all the hypocrites who go to church on Sunday, and we fall into self-righteousness. Secondly, when our sins get so bad that we can't ignore them anymore, he then tells us we have gone too far, and have committed the unpardonable sin.

Memory verse: Philippians 3:13 14

"Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended, but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before. I press towards the mark for the prize of high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

TEMPERANCE Balance in the consumption of food, sweets or drinks. Of course temperance is impossible for the addict when it comes to alcohol or drugs.

GLUTTONY Compulsive overeating and over indulging. Consistently eating more than we need to satisfy normal hunger needs.

Memory verse: Proverbs 23:21

"For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags."

CONCENTRATION Keeping your mind and body together in the present, and working on the life controlling problems that brought you down in the first place. Working the program every day.

HEAD AND BUTT DISEASE Daydreaming, living in a fantasy world of the future

or reliving the unchangeable events of the past.

Memory verse: I John 1:3

"That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ."

A FAULT RECOGNIZED IS HALF CORRECTED!

Fill in each day's block in black if the liability was stronger than the asset. This way you will be able to track your progress.

Here is the web link for a clearer copy of this chart.

http://www.isob-bible.org/freetobe2008/dailymoralnew.pdf

http://www.isob-bible.org/freetobe2008/dailymoralllandsc.htm

Fill in each day's block in black if the liability was stronger than the asset. This way you will be able to track your progress.

Here is the web link for a clearer copy of this chart.

http://www.isob-bible.org/freetobe2008/dailymoralnew.pdf

http://www.isob-bible.org/freetobe2008/dailymoralllandsc.htm

[1] [1] Inner Healing – Dunklin Memorial Ministries – used by permission