The

Problem of
Overcoming
Sinful
Habits
 INTRODUCTION
To Define:
“Custom or practice; To cease smoking is
especially an the easiest thing I
aptitude or ever did; I ought to
inclination for some know because I've
action, acquired by done it a thousand
repetition and times.
showing itself in
facility of
performance or in Mark
decreased power of Twain
resistance.” Webster
 INTRODUCTION
“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your
destiny.”
Drug Addiction -
Drinking Alcohol – INTRODUCTION
Pornography –
Covetousness -
Tobacco – Are you allowing bad
Overeating - habits to rob you of your:
Cursing/Swearing
Lying/Gossip –  Happiness?
Fault-Finding –  Health?
Complaining –
Worry –
 Spiritual Growth?
Wastefulness –  Spiritual Productivity?
Absenteeism -
Tardiness -
 Confidence?
 Security?
 How to Break a Bad Habit
 Blindness to the
• Recognize and need to stop a bad
identify the habit ensures the
problem! rejection of all pleas
to stop – Matt
13:14,16; Rev 3:17
 Identify the cause,
NOT just the
symptoms--
Matt 15:12-19; 23:26
 The sooner the
better- 2 Cor 6:2;
Heb 3:15
 How to Break a Bad Habit

• Cultivate a  The desire to quit

must be stronger than
STRONG the desire to
continue– John 7:17;
desire to quit. Rom 6:16-18
 Requires proper and
sufficient motivation–
Prov 1:7; Ps 112:1;
John 14:15; 2 Cor
7:1; 1 John 3:3; 5:4
 People do what they
REALLY want to do!!
 How to Break a Bad Habit

 Too many have a lax

• Cultivate view of sin and its
hatred for the consequences. We
need to see sin as
habit. being black and hell
as hot – Matt 5:29,30
 We MUST hate
anything that prevents
us from bearing fruit--
John 15:1-7; Psa
119:104; Prov 8:13;
Rom 12:9
 How to Break a Bad Habit

• Seek God’s  What is God’s will

regarding sin in your
help. life? Acts 17:30; 2
Pet 3:9; Ezek 18:30-
32
 What temptation
CANNOT be
overcome with God’s
help? Eph 6:10-18; 1
Cor 10:13
 I can do ________
through Christ.
Philippians 4:13
 How to Break a Bad Habit

• Seek aid from  Humility is needed in

each of these steps,
your brethren. but one needs
enough humility to
seek support from
other brethren – 1 Pet
5:5; Rom 15:1; Gal
6:1,2
 The strong CANNOT
force accountability
on the weak – Heb
13:7,17;
1 Thess 5:12-14
 How to Break a Bad Habit
 The sooner you act,
• Quit now. the easier it is to
quit – Eccl 12:1;
Prov 22:6; 2 Cor 6:2
 If you were
diagnosed with
cancer when it was
in its early,
treatable stage,
would you delay?
What about sin,
which is a far more
serious problem?
 Replace Bad Habits With Good Ones!

Philippians 4:8
“
Finally, brethren, whatever
 Our things are true, whatever
thoughts. things are noble, whatever
things are just, whatever
things are pure, whatever
things are lovely, whatever
things are of good report, if
there is any virtue and if
there is anything
praiseworthy--meditate on
these things.”
 Replace Bad Habits With
Good Ones!

 Our Colossians 3:1-2

thoughts. “If then you were raised
with Christ, seek those
things which are above,
where Christ is, sitting at
the right hand of God. Set
your mind on things above,
not on things on the earth.”
 Replace Bad Habits With
Good Ones!
Romans 8:5,6

 Our “For those who live

according to the flesh set
thoughts. their minds on the things of
the flesh, but those who
live according to the
Spirit, the things of the
Spirit. For to be carnally
minded is death, but to be
spiritually minded is life
and peace.”
 Replace Bad Habits With
Good Ones!

 Bible study. Psalm 119:11,97

“Your word I have hidden
in my heart, That I might
not sin against You!”
“Oh, how I love Your law! It
is my meditation all the
day.”
 Replace Bad Habits With
Good Ones!

 Bible study. Isaiah 34:16

"Search from the book of
the LORD, and read: Not
one of these shall fail; not
one shall lack her mate.
For My mouth has
commanded it, and His
Spirit has gathered them.”
 Replace Bad Habits With
Good Ones!
Acts 17:11
 Bible Study.
“These were more fair-
minded than those in
Thessalonica, in that they
received the word with
all readiness, and
searched the Scriptures
daily to find out whether
these things were so.”
 Replace Bad Habits With
Good Ones!
Luke 18:1
“
Then He spoke a parable to
 Prayer. them, that men always ought to
pray and not lose heart.”
Colossians 4:2
“
Continue earnestly in prayer,
being vigilant in it with
thanksgiving.”
1 Thessalonians 5:17
“
Pray without ceasing.”
 Replace Bad Habits With
Good Ones!
Hebrews 10:24,25
 Attendance. “And let us consider one
another in order to stir up
love and good works, not
forsaking the assembling
of ourselves together, as
is the manner of some,
but exhorting one
another, and so much the
more as you see the Day
approaching.
 Replace Bad Habits With
Good Ones!
Acts 8:4
“
Therefore those who were
 Share your scattered went everywhere
preaching the word.”
faith. 1 Thessalonians 1:8
“
For from you the word of the
Lord has sounded forth, not
only in Macedonia and
Achaia, but also in every
place. Your faith toward
God has gone out, so that
we do not need to say
anything.”
 Replace Bad Habits With
Good Ones!
Ephesians 4:32
“
And be kind to one
 Do kind another, tenderhearted,
deeds. forgiving one another, just
as God in Christ forgave
you.”
Romans 12:10
“
Be kindly affectionate to
one another with brotherly
love, in honor giving
preference to one another.”
 Replace Bad Habits With
Good Ones!
Galatians 5:22
 Do kind “
But the fruit of the Spirit is
love, joy, peace,
deeds. longsuffering, kindness,
goodness, faithfulness.”
1 Corinthians 13:4
Love suffers long and is
“

kind; love does not envy;

love does not parade itself,
is not puffed up.”
 Replace Bad Habits With
Good Ones!
Acts 11:23
 Speak “When he came and
uplifting had seen the grace of
God, he was glad, and
words to encouraged them all
others. that with purpose of
heart they should
continue with the
Lord.”
 Replace Bad Habits With
Good Ones!
1 Thessalonians 5:11
 Speak “
Therefore comfort each
other and edify one
uplifting another, just as you also
are doing.”
words to
Hebrews 3:13
others. “But exhort one another
daily, while it is called
"Today," lest any of you be
hardened through the
deceitfulness of sin.”
 How to Develop a Good Habit

Proverbs 4:20-22
 Requires desire, “
My son, give attention to
 Commitment, my words; incline your ear
to my sayings. Do not let
them depart from your
eyes; keep them in the
midst of your heart; for they
are life to those who find
them, and health to all their
flesh.”
 How to Develop a Good Habit

Proverbs 4:23-25
 Requires desire, “
Keep your heart with all
 Commitment, diligence, for out of it
spring the issues of life. Put
 Diligence, away from you a deceitful
 Focus, mouth, and put perverse
lips far from you. Let your
eyes look straight ahead,
and your eyelids look right
before you.”
 How to Develop a Good Habit

 Requires desire, Proverbs 4:26-27

 Commitment,
“
Ponder the path of
your feet, and let all
 Diligence, your ways be
 Focus, established. Do not
 Determination, turn to the right or the
left; remove your foot
 Dedication, from evil.”
 Action!
 INTRODUCTION
“Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Watch your words, for they become actions.
Watch your actions, for they become habits.
Watch your habits, for they become character.
Watch your character, for it becomes your
destiny.”
 CONCLUSION
 Do you have sinful habits that that you need to
break? (Recognize your need)
 The longer you continue in sin, the harder it is to
stop. (Stop today; repent)
 Cultivate a hatred for sin and for all that stands
between spiritual growth and eternal reward, AND
cultivate love for God, and for what is right and
good! (Commit and start today)
 Replace sinful habits with godly habits. (Take
determined and decisive action)
 Replace Bad Habits With Good Ones!

Concluding Thoughts
“See then that you walk circumspectly,
not as fools but as wise, redeeming the
time, because the days are evil.
Therefore do not be unwise, but
understand what the will of the Lord
is.” Ephesians 5:15-17

Are you ready to stop your sinful habits?