Breaking Free from Bad Habits – God's Way to Real Freedom

Let God lead you from struggle to surrender—and into freedom.

Author

Thomas
April 18, 2025

Dear friend,

Let’s talk about something that touches every life, every heart, every walk of faith: habits.

Good ones shape us. Bad ones shackle us.

And in the end, our habits will either lead us toward freedom in Christ or hold us hostage to everything He died to set us free from.

God Is Always the Starting Point

Before we dive into strategies or willpower, let’s pause for a sacred reminder: You are a child of God. You were not made for chains. You were made for joy. "Perennial peace and joy lie within, not in externals… As a child of God, your real nature is to be happy." God created you for lasting peace—not just short-lived pleasures. But habits—especially the wrong ones—can cloud that truth. They whisper lies like “Just this once won’t hurt” or “I can’t change.” Don’t believe it.

What Is a Habit, Really? A habit is just a path in the mind—worn in by repetition. The more we walk it, the deeper it gets. "Habit is both our best friend and our worst enemy." God gave us the power to form habits so that we could move through life more easily—praying, working, loving, and thinking with rhythm and flow. But when we let the wrong ones settle in, they begin to steal our peace, cloud our thinking, and dominate our will.

Habits Start Small… and So Does Freedom "Don’t let your mind tell you it’s so hard to be good and so easy to be bad. It is much easier to be good than to suffer the consequences of wrong actions." Freedom doesn’t begin with a massive moment. It begins with a decision, repeated over and over again. Say no once. Say no again tomorrow. Watch as your “no” becomes stronger than your craving. This is real willpower—not white-knuckling, but partnering with the Spirit of God to walk in holiness.

❝

Spiritual Warfare Starts in the Will

How badly do we want to know Him—not just know about Him, but truly walk with Him? “As the lover longs for the beloved, as the drowning man gasps for breath, so must you desire God.” We chase so many things—success, security, comfort. But Scripture tells us, “Seek first the kingdom of God, and all these things will be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33) He is not hiding from us. He’s waiting for us to long for Him more than anything else. “When I refused to give up until He responded, the most beautiful answer came…” That line touched me deeply—because we’ve all had seasons where God felt far away. But as the psalmist said, “The Lord is near to all who call on Him in truth.” (Psalm 145:18)

Temptation Isn’t Just About Self-Control—It’s About Who You Want Most

"Make-believe pleasures cannot substitute for the bliss of God." Food, drink, lust, scrolling, spending—it’s all a counterfeit if it takes the place of communion with God. "God wants to test you with the taste of temptation… to see if you really want Him more." He offers something better. But we can’t receive it while we’re holding on to fake comforts.

"Don’t Call Yourself a Sinner…" "No matter how you have sinned in the past, never call yourself a sinner… That is the greatest sin against the image of God within you." This isn’t about ignoring sin—it’s about refusing to let it define you. You are not what you’ve done. You are redeemed. You are made new in Christ. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Practical Ways to Break Habits (With a Christian Heart)

  • Avoid the source of temptation (Proverbs 4:14–15).

  • Replace bad habits with better ones (Ephesians 4:22–24).

  • Choose wise friends who walk in righteousness (Proverbs 13:20).

  • Journal or reflect each day—ask: "Did I walk in the Spirit today?"

  • Affirm your identity in Christ daily. You are not a slave to sin.

Final Thought: Practice God’s Presence "No matter what your work or responsibility, you must keep your most important engagement with God. All things will betray you if you betray Him." When God is present and real in your life, sin loses its grip. Temptation gets quieter. Peace grows. You were made to live free. Free from the chains of old habits. Free to choose God again and again. And no matter how many times you fall, you can rise. God hasn’t given up on you. Don’t give up on yourself.

Until next time, keep going. Keep seeking. Keep choosing freedom. You are never alone. With grace, Harbor & Vine Press

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