If you leave a root of love of self over love of God or love of food over the love of God, it will come back, and it will take over. If you leave a root of indulgence in the heart, even if you have laid 90 percent of it down, it will come back to take over. Why? Because you have not made the choice. You are just “playing religion.” You are halfhearted.

You have to say, “I am ready to leave the old lifestyle behind. I want a whole new life, a new life with God, away from idols, away from the world. I want a life with God.” You have to give up the relationship with the food. You cannot have it both ways.

That is what Jesus said. You have to give all of your heart. It is all or it is nothing, because if you leave a root, it will come back and take over. Esau was left with nothing. Jesus could have easily said, “Give your heart, soul, mind, and strength to God.” Instead, he purposely said in Luke 10:27, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind; and love your neighbor as yourself.” The “all” is telling. If it is just partial remorse, then you are saying that you have not decided to give up the relationship with food or the position of deciding when you eat or what you want to eat at all.

If desires rule over what God’s programmed hunger and fullness tell you, and if your desires for what to eat rule over what the body is calling for, then you are being your own boss over God’s body. You are deciding what is best. Think back to the decisions you have made over the years. Have you overfed the body? Have you taken care of your body? Have you made sure that the body was pure and that your mind has been pure? When you rule, you make many bad decisions. You must let God lead you and learn to hear His voice, His lead, His Spirit guiding you. He will always make great decisions for you, your health, your life, and your salvation. You must fight through the lies and fight through your desires to find God’s lead for you and your body, your soul, and your mind. When you love God with all of your heart and soul and mind, you will find His lead.

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