49. TEMPLE OF GOD / SPIRIT NAMED GLUTTONY

     God just gave me this, I was considering it for a posting and He just confirmed it, 1 COR 3:16 "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's spirit dwells in your midst?  If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for God's temple is sacred, and you together are that temple."
     There's a message for me here as I'm currently trying to give up my last remaining addiction I let back in while in the pit for 3 years, cigarettes.  They're the hardest to quit of the 3 addictions I've struggled with, alcoholism, marijuana and cigarettes.  I'll do ok with the nicotine gum for a while, then buy one from a smoker, then maybe buy a pack.  As soon as I buy the pack though, I can't make it last, I smoke it in a day, then another pack, maybe another.  Then I'll muster up some resolve and start over with the gum.  I let the whole addiction back in every time I buy the pack and smoking the occasional cigarette just keeps the craving strong.
     Analyzing this spiritually, I think I'm giving the demons permission to come back in every time I smoke one and certainly every time I smoke a pack.  I'll try to pray them out, but as I've learned, I should go have a brother or sister pray it out, it seems more effective when we get someone else involved.  James 5:16  "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed.  The prayer of a righteous person is highly effective."
     That's how it is with all demonically influenced behavior.  We may get the driving force out by prayer, but usually our bodies have become so used to whatever it was we're trying to get rid of, there's a habit to break.  We still have to use some will power, but it's not impossible anymore.  James 4:7  "Submit yourselves, then, to God.  Resist the devil, he will flee from you."  Unfortunately it's not as easy as a one time, "In Jesus's name, satan be gone."  It may take many of those and days or weeks to break the habit, much as it takes about a month to form a good habit.
     Over consumption of anything, food, alcohol, drugs, etc. is encouraged by the fallen angel and demons by his name under his authority named Gluttony.  PROVERBS 23:21  "for drunkards and glutton become poor, and drowsiness clothes them in rags."
     I've gone through life struggling with this spirit but didn't know it, as I was trying to fill my "God hole" with a variety of unhealthy things.
     I'll quote from Dr. Keyton's main work, Stripes, Nails, Thorns and the Blood, a comprehensive manual for spiritual warfare.  According to her, "When a spirit of whoredoms begins to manifest in a person, it opens the door to a spirit of gluttony.  As Dr. Keyton says, each spirit that comes in  will bring another more evil on its coattails.  Some highlights, "Gluttony manifest as anything we do to excess that takes our attention and focus away from the true and living God."  "UILT, SHAME, frustration and anger can enter in as well, when the victim finds himself unable to quit the sin.  Manifestations may be : "sports addictions, eating disorders, addiction to gambling, pornography, smoking, unquenchable lust, obsessions and compulsions, drug and alcohol addiction, etc.  Gluuttony works hand in hand with a spirit of bondage."    
     "The person develops a poor self image and feels unworthy,... finally stops praying and gives up.  The spirit of guilt brings condemnation whereas the Holy Spirit brings conviction."  "The spirit of guilt must be cast out."
     To break free, she recommends repenting of sins and addictive behaviors such as gluttony, abortion, unforgiveness, sexual sin, gambling, etc.  Cast out spirits of gluttony, bondage, guilt, shame, slumber, delilah, whoredoms and Jezebel.  See my posting #58. CASTING OUT DEMONS / FOLLOW UP.


In His service, a Misfit Child of God