In the days and weeks ahead, prophetic voices around the world will release prophecies for 2017. You’ll read a handful of them on the “Prophetic Insight” section of . I already released mine about the angels of abundant harvest.

But before we charge ahead to weigh prophetic mandates, directives and warnings for 2017, let’s take a minute to look back at the prophetic words declared over 2016. After all, you can’t always limit God’s words to a 12-month timeline.

As I’ve said before, it’s possible some 2016 prophecies won’t be relevant for years, and others will remain relevant for years to come. So, again, before we move on to the next new prophetic word, let’s review what prophetic voices declared last year and respond according to His Spirit.

A Year of Shifting Seasons and Suddenlies

I prophesied 2016 would be a year of shifting seasons and suddenlies: “Believe for the suddenlies in 2016. Expect them to happen. Wait with anticipation, but understand that you have to do your part. Like the disciples in the upper room, you need to pray. Like Paul and Barnabas in the prison, you need to praise. In other words, you need to create a spiritual climate over your life that invites the Holy Spirit to work in your heart, in your life and in your circumstances. Your climate change will eventually lead to a season shift that will bring a suddenly you could never make happen in your own strength.” Many people I know and I had many shifting seasons and suddenlies. It was probably the most “suddenly”-filled year of my life.

The Year of Remnant Uprising

Brent Simpson prophesied the year of remnant uprising: “Just as in Elijah’s day, there is still a remnant of genuine believers who hold true to the countercultural teachings of Christ. Not all people have rejected God’s message. You are not alone! There are others like you. There’s still a remnant of saints who believe in the power of the cross, the blood, the Bible, the Holy Spirit and prayer! Like an echo from the past, this remnant is a leftover fragment from days past before Christianity became watered down, and the power of God became absent from lives. You are not alone! God has chosen a remnant for this present time in America. 2016 is a year for the remnant to arise.” I believe we saw this and will continue to see it in 2017.

God Did It Before, and He Will Do It Again

Jane Hamon says she dreamed for hours with God speaking the same thing to her over and over on Dec. 24, 2015: “If you will show up, I will show off!” She prophesied the word of the Lord: “I will cause heaven to partner with earth in a new way in 2016. My people, if you will show up, I will show off! There are ‘Pharaohs’ and ‘Pharaoh situations’ that I have raised up which I will use as examples to demonstrate My power in the earth and make My name great.” I say a big amen to this one.

I Will Shake! I Will Shake!

Chuck Pierce got a word for the nation in January 2016 about the first six months of the year. He prophesied the nation of the USA will shake and called it the beginning of the Lord of the nations calling out and separating the nations. “I will develop boldness like never before in a people who have grown acceptable and silent. Don’t just look at others to lead the way, for a new spirit of boldness is coming upon you. I will be rearranging many things in your nation in the days ahead. I will start shaking the present church and will bring a new anointing on the pastors and leaders of this land. I will shake! I will shake! I will shake again!” We certainly saw a shaking. 

The Year of Demarcation

Rick Joyner proclaimed 2016 would undoubtedly be a remarkable year: “If I could describe what I see in one word, it would be ‘demarcation.’ We are entering the ‘Valley of Decision.’

Nations and individuals will be making choices on ultimate issues that determine their ultimate fate. We will have great crises to help illuminate the choices and their consequences. These crises will have a near-equal opportunity for good or evil.” We certainly saw this come to pass.

Year of Authentic Identity

Ryan Johnson prophesied about a year of authentic identity: “The time of imitations, echoes and Internet sermons is coming to an end. God is calling forth those who have been planted to be exactly whom He created, destined and dreamed you to be. With that, I believe that 2016 is the year of authentic identity. God, unlike days before, is establishing authentic apostles, prophets, teachers, pastors, evangelists, deacons, elders, revivalists, pioneers, forerunners, worshippers, dancers, artists and authors through a distinct wind of His Spirit.” Hallelujah!

These are just a few of the words we published about 2016 in our Prophetic Insight column. Stay tuned for more in the year ahead. {eoa}

Jennifer LeClaire is senior editor of Charisma. She is also director of Awakening House of Prayer in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, co-founder of , on the leadership team of the New Breed Revival Network and author of several books, including The Next Great Move of God: An Appeal to Heaven for Spiritual Awakening; Mornings With the Holy Spirit, Listening Daily to the Still, Small Voice of God; The Making of a Prophet and Satan’s Deadly Trio: Defeating the Deceptions of Jezebel, Religion and Witchcraft. You can visit her website here. You can also join Jennifer on Facebook or follow her on Twitter. Jennifer’s Periscope handle is @propheticbooks.

Many men are in trouble. They have exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and the glory of God for an idol.

The result? They are tired, disillusioned and confused. Their marriages are hanging on by a thread. And their children don’t understand why their daddy is always so angry.

They don’t feel like anyone understands what they’re going through—or cares. The stress is overwhelming.

It’s a toxic situation. This is problem No. 1.

Some of these men know why they’re off track, but most don’t. If they could have solved their problems on their own, that would’ve already happened by now. 

Do you know men like this in your church, workplace or neighborhood? These men need help. 

These men desperately need someone to disciple them into the gospel of Jesus. Meanwhile, we have another equally large but opposite problem.

Problem No. 2

Many Christian men desperately want their lives to make a difference. They love God and want to lead a life fully surrendered to the lordship of Jesus.

Overwhelmed by grace, they feel compelled to serve God as an expression of their gratitude. They want to live for the will of God.

But they feel stymied. They’re not sure how to help, or what they have to offer. 

How does God provide to solve these problems?

The Solution

The solution that will transform the first group of men is to mobilize the second group of men to become not only disciples, but also “disciple-making disciples.”

Solving the second problem will solve the first problem too.

Because the first group of men got into their current situations, the only solution is to disciple them out.

Why? Making disciples is God’s only plan to release the power of His gospel on the problems these men face. 

There is no higher calling and no greater joy than for a man to disciple another man.

But most Christian men lack the confidence to disciple other men—no matter how desperately they want to make a difference. 

That’s because they need to be trained. They need a plan. And they need tools and resources to disciple other men.

That’s where Man in the Mirror can help. 

We help churches mobilize men who desperately want to serve Christ to disciple men who desperately need to know Christ.

Want to get in on the action? 

Brett Clemmer, our president, has thrown down a challenge, “We’re looking for 25,000 men to disciple 50,000 new men—and I want their names.”

We are looking for volunteers—men who desperately want to make a difference.

Learn four ways you can volunteer at . No matter where you are on your journey to biblical manhood, we want to help. Together, we can win the battle for men’s souls.

We must not, we cannot and, by God’s grace, we will not fail. Until we reach every man. {eoa}

Patrick Morley founded Man in the Mirror Ministries in 1991 with a vision “for every church to disciple every man.” He is the author of 20 books, including The Man in the Mirror, landmark book that poured from his own search for meaning, purpose and a deeper relationship with God.

For the original article, visit .

Your day-to-day eating, or diet, actually begins with the choices you make at the grocery store. The degree to which you eat in a healthy way at home is largely determined by what food and beverages you have on hand.

So the choices you make as you walk down the aisles of the grocery store are hugely important!

In this post, I’m not going to suggest to you what specific foods to purchase, but I’ll try to address a few factors that will likely influence the kind of choices you make.

First, I encourage you to step back and reflect deep within your heart, soul and mind and ask yourself these kinds of questions—”Am I committed to eat well?” “Do I really, really desire to put healthy foods and beverages into my body?” “Is it really important for me to care for my body because it is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19)?” These are matters of the will. They require you to be honest with yourself and with God at a deep level.

Second, if you respond with a “yes” to these questions, you’ll likely have to surrender yourself at a deeper level to God and to His will. You’ll have to depend on God and His power to enable you to make the healthier choices at the store. If you struggle with selecting healthy items, and you’re committed to making changes, I encourage you to be intentional in saying a prayer before you enter the store, even as you walk through the store doors and grab a cart. Ask Him to help you. Tell Him that you recognize that you rely on Him and His Spirit to empower you. Remind yourself that what is impossible in your own strength is possible with God.

“What is impossible for people is possible with God” (Luke 18:27).

Third, add a visual prompt to bring God into your choices. Nowadays, many of us use a digital list on our mobile device for our grocery lists. My wife and I share a reminder on our iPhones. It’s labeled “Groceries.” Just this morning, the Holy Spirit prompted me to add the Scripture from Luke 18:27 at the top of the list. I plan to keep it there as a reminder to invite God into our decisions when we shop for food. As I meditate on this verse and ask the Holy Spirit to empower me at the store, I’m convinced that my food choices will be healthier.

If you use a paper-and-pen method to shop from, perhaps you could write the verse above, or something meaningful, at the top of your list.

I hope this helps.

If you’ve accepted Jesus into your heart, the Holy Spirit lives within you. You have a responsibility to care for your body, as Jesus paid a high price for you on the cross. “You were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Cor. 6:20). Healthy eating is one key to doing that! {eoa}

Dale Fletcher is a speaker and wellness coach who lives in Charlotte, North Carolina. He writes and conducts workshops on the link between the Christian faith and health. Connect with Dale at .

For the original article, visit .

When I was young, like most teenagers, I could be brash and blunt with little wisdom to guide my words.

One particular night, I was out with a group of friends (guys and girls) when a female friend and I started to make fun of each other. The verbal jousting quickly got competitive, even heated.

Finally, I said something regrettably cutting, hurtful and humiliating towards her. What I said is unimportant, but immediately after saying it, I wanted to grab it all back. The worst part about it was that before I said it, I thought about it, calculated its impact and even then, I still said it. I cared more about winning than I did about her at that moment. Thinking about her running out of the room crying still makes my stomach sink.

Words have a powerful impact, particularly in relationships. In marriage, the impact is even deeper because of the level of intimacy. Words are released at close range by the person in life whose opinion matters most. In the midst of a disagreement, we have the power with the words we choose to either escalate or disarm the situation.

Saying the wrong thing can be like pushing an escalation button. With that in mind, here’s what not to say to your wife during a fight:

‘At Least …’

This is normally an attempt to quickly move beyond the issue at hand with a superficial silver lining. It belittles something she feels is important, disregards her feelings and ultimately, it lacks empathy. Anything that follows these two words will only serve to deepen the conflict and disconnection.

‘I Don’t Care.’

If this one comes out in the heat of an argument, it can cause significant damage. It will end all communication for the night. These three words have actually started more conflict in our house than anything else I’ve said. She might want help with a decision or my opinion. I say, “I don’t care,” meaning, “I don’t have an opinion. I could go either way.” What she hears is, “I don’t want to do this with you. I don’t care about you.”

‘You’re Being Ridiculous.’

She might be. She may be swept up in so much emotion and hurt that she is ignoring all reason and facts. However, she’s not going to be able to see it at this moment no matter how clearly you explain it, but especially if you say it this way. All it will do is throw gasoline on the crazy. It’s best to listen and acknowledge her feelings. Reason with her later when she has calmed down.

“I May Have Done That, But You …’

This is nothing more than a deflection from taking full responsibility and making amends. Throwing an accusation at her while she’s doing the same will only intensify the conversation, because it shows our desire to win rather than reach a resolution. When we have done something wrong, we need to show leadership by owning it and apologizing. This disarms the fight.

‘Other People Wouldn’t React the Way You Are.’

Never compare your wife to anyone, particularly other women. It devalues her as a person and it will rub some significant insecurities lurking below the surface. And if you ever compare her to your mother, it was nice knowing you. {eoa}

B.J. Foster is the director of content creation for All Pro Dad and a married father of two.

For the original article, visit .

Research shows people who hold on to resentment take 25 percent more medication than those who practice forgiveness. That’s because resentment and anger, unforgiveness and refusing to let go of past hurts all boil down to one thing: stress.

The more scientists delve into understanding how stress takes a toll on the body, the more they realize how deadly it is.  

We need to understand that forgiveness is essential not only for our spiritual health, but also our physical health. In fact, some health facilities, such as the Cancer Treatment Centers of America, actually incorporate forgiveness therapy into a cancer patient’s overall treatment regimen.  

Greg Laurie, pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, said the reason people don’t forgive is because they believe forgiveness condones the wrong that was suffered. However, that’s simply not true. Laurie pointed out that unforgiveness has the opposite of the intended effect. In other words, it harms the person harboring the unforgiveness, thereby doubling the pain of the original infraction.  

How do we forgive? Whatever was done to us, whether real or perceived, we “let it go.” That means we surrender our right to get even with the person who hurt us, and we put it in the hands of God. Romans 12:19 says, “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to God’s wrath, for it is written: ‘Vengeance is Mine. I will repay,’ says the Lord.”

Laurie says, “When I forgive someone, I set a prisoner free: myself.”  

This coming new year, do yourself a favor: forgive. You will be the bigger person and, consequently, the healthiest. Amid the materialism of this season, we need to try to remember the true meaning of Christmas: forgiveness. Jesus was born for the primary purpose of dying for the forgiveness of our sins.

Since God has forgiven us, shouldn’t we also forgive others? 

• The first person to apologize is the bravest.
• The first person to forgive is the strongest.
• The first person to forget is the happiest. {eoa}

For the original article, visit .

Reprinted with permission from . Copyright The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., All rights reserved.

You must lift weight off your spirit before you can release it off your body.

When I weighed 240 pounds, I felt as if I had the weight of the world on my shoulders. It was as if the mental weight I felt inside translated into physical weight on the outside. The spirit of heaviness was upon me!

If you are dealing with the spirit of heaviness, I have three tips to help lift it. It helps to understand the underlying cause first so you can then understand why the methods to lift it work.

A psychiatrist once said people who deal with neurotic disorders, such as depression or anxiety, almost always have a habit of fault-finding. Either they focus on faults within themselves or faults with other people.

No matter what is good in their lives, they always focus on what is wrong and what is lacking.

When I used to suffer from depression years ago, I was like that. But then I discovered God’s promise in Isaiah 61:3:

“To preserve those who mourn in Zion, to give to them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He might be glorified.”

Did you catch that part about the garment of praise being given for the spirit of heaviness? The following are three ways to put on the garment of praise every day:

1. Listen praise music and sing every day. Set aside time in your day to listen to your favorite upbeat praise songs. Sing praises to the Lord as you perform routine tasks, like washing the dishes or sweeping the floor. Since you have to do these things anyway, you might as well cultivate a merry heart while doing them!

2. Create a gratitude list. When I suffered from depression, I used this Scripture as a prescription:

Psalm 119:164—”Seven times a day I praise You, Because of Your righteous judgments.”

God led me to write down seven things for which I wanted to praise Him each day for 31 days. Once I did that, it became a habit to start looking for things to be grateful for in my life. Even in the midst of the most trying times, you can always find reasons to praise!

3. Write a “thank-you” note to all the people on your gratitude list. For all of the people you put on your gratitude list, get some “thank-you” notes and write a brief note to each of them about how much you appreciate their presence in your life.

As you know, tomorrow is not promised to you. Wouldn’t it be best to let the people you care about know how much they mean to you while they are still with you? Again, you don’t have to write War and Peace. But just write a line or two about something you appreciate or like about them, and then thank them.

It doesn’t matter if they thank you in return. All you want to do is make sure they know you appreciate them. If you end up with 10 people on your list and commit to writing one note per day, you’d have this done in 10 days. But I’d suggest you do this sooner rather than later.

Cultivating a practice of praise and of “good-finding” rather than fault-finding each day will help to lift the spirit of heaviness right off of you. And I believe it will support your physical weight loss as well! {eoa}

Once 240 pounds and a size 22, Kimberly Taylor can testify of God’s healing power to end binge eating. She is an author and the creator of the Christian weight-loss website . Visit today for inspirational health and weight-loss tips.

For the original article, visit .

Several months ago, I was experiencing something I love about fall: high school football. There’s a lot of excitement under the Friday-night lights; however, equally intriguing to me is observing teenage culture. After working with adolescents for 15 years, I naturally become a social scientist when I am back in their environment. My eyes go back and forth from the game to the student section. I look at the way they are dressed, observe their facial expressions and even listen to their conversations as they congregate around me in the line at the snack bar.

Over the years, I have literally spent thousands of hours talking to teens and stepping into their culture. They are loud, insecure, obnoxious, funny, most of the time vulgar and desperate for one thing. Teens these days have a deep longing to communicate—if you are observant. This is the secret wish of every teenager.

To Be Noticed

They are in competition with each other to get noticed. When you see teens in groups being loud, it’s not that they are just being obnoxious. They are desperate for attention. The more positive attention they receive, the more it makes them feel valuable as a person. So they work hard at standing out. Every event, activity or gathering is an opportunity to say something, wear something or do something that attracts eyes and affirmation.

Bad Attention

Kids will go after any attention they can get. Their brains haven’t developed fully in the area that gives them the ability to weigh consequences, so they act on their impulses without a filter. Their main impulse is to receive attention to prove their worth. When they can’t receive good attention, they try to get bad attention, because there is only one thing worse than that.

The only thing worse than bad attention is no attention. No attention means they are invisible and living in isolation. It means they have no value. A long time ago, I was talking to a group of teenagers. In the middle of nowhere, a freshman guy said something awkward that he thought would be interesting. No one said anything. I’ve often thought of the look of pain on his face and lamented the fact that I didn’t respond to what he said in some way.

Your Attention and Affirmation Are Taken for Granted but Are Essential

During the teenage years, kids tend to separate from their parents. A parent may feel as though the attention they give teens is rebuffed because the attention they seek the most is from their peers. Attracting the attention of peers is their true litmus test for feeling significant, but parental attention is a given. Although your attention may be taken for granted, it is a vital baseline that gives them a sense of security. No matter how difficult or dismissive they become, be sure they receive your attention and affirmation. {eoa}

B.J. Foster is the director of content creation for All Pro Dad and a married father of two.

For the original article, visit .

I’m always impressed at the ingenuity of dads (often with help from moms) when it comes to finding ways to stay connected with their kids, and I want to share some ideas I’ve heard from dads over the past few weeks.

I don’t know how the holidays go in your family, but in ours, there are lots of activities and traditions, and they’re all great. But sometimes I have to remind myself about the real purpose behind all the activity: to celebrate as a family and build stronger bonds with each other.

And for dads, we can’t just go through the motions during this holiday season; we have to find ways to strengthen that bond with our kids. And in today’s world, there are complex family situations and a growing number of distractions that would get in the way of dads and kids making that connection.

So, this week, I simply want to pass along some practical ideas that you can use. They might not all work for you, but if you pick up a tip or two, and they add some fun or a little more genuine connection to your time with your children, I’ll consider this a success.

Here are some of the ideas we received from dads right here in our offices and from a request I put out on Facebook:

1. Bake cookies or prepare an entire meal together. (And dad has to be more involved than just taste-testing.)

2. Go to the local rescue mission as a family to serve meals or offer whatever help might be needed.

3. Watch holiday movie classics with popcorn, hot chocolate or whatever the kids enjoy.

4. One dad with older kids used to just give his kids cash as a gift, but it seemed a bit empty. Then he came up with a better idea. Now he gives them the cash, but they do a father-child outing, using the money to shop for things they want. (He also adds a bonus challenge: extra cash to the child who comes closest to spending all of it without going over.) A variation of this would also work with younger kids.

5. Three words: board game night. One dad said there are games that are competitive and others that are cooperative. Find one the family enjoys—and remember that the biggest prize is quality time with your kids.

6. A non-custodial dad bought his kids a computer and iPhone so they can connect by FaceTime or Skype, text back and forth, read Christmas books at bedtime and so on.

7. Try a craft with your kids—even if that isn’t your thing. Make Christmas tree ornaments, for example. One dad has many more ideas here.

8. Get your child out of school a little early one day and see a movie or do something else together that’s fun. (A great idea, but make sure you check with the school and it doesn’t interrupt plans in your child’s classroom.)

9. Can’t be with your kids for the holidays? One family I know makes new pajamas part of their Christmas Eve (as we do in our home). Since their young-adult daughter couldn’t be home for the celebration, they sent her pajamas and some other gifts in the mail, so they’ll all “be together” via Skype and still share the moments and memories. Non-custodial dads could surely come up with some great variations of this one.

10. Travel together—a great way to break everyone out of the normal holiday routine.

11. Brainstorm together and then play “secret Santa” by getting gifts or doing nice things for someone you know.

12. Be in a Christmas musical or pageant with your kids.

13. Go through the toys they already have and donate the ones in good condition.

14. Bundle up (if necessary) and get outside. Play in the snow, go for a walk, bike ride or participate in some other outdoor activity you enjoy.

15. Have each person share favorite memories or traditions related to Christmas or best memories from the past year.

I have to add a few more that are more general principles than specific tips. These are too good not to pass along:

• Just make the time to be there for and with them.
• Don’t treat family traditions like “check the box” obligations. Sometimes less is more. Quality over quantity.
• If you’re divorced or in a blended family, stay positive. When it’s time for the kids to go to their mom’s, encourage them to go and enjoy the time.

Dad—this list isn’t done. Please add your own ideas or comments below. {eoa}

Carey Casey Championship Fathering Commitment I want tips on how to be a great dad who lives out loving, coaching and modeling for my children.

For the original article, visit .

Do you know what Sodom’s sins were? You probably just thought about a particular sexual sin.

While that is true, it is not the complete story. When speaking of Jerusalem’s idolatry, the prophet Ezekiel said of them:

“This was the iniquity of your sister Sodom. Pride, abundance of bread, and careless ease was in her and in her daughters, but she did strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. They were haughty and committed abominations before Me. Therefore I took them away when I saw it“ (Ezek. 16:49-50).

Did you notice that pride was listed first, with food indulgence after that? You might ask, “What’s wrong with being full of food?”

Although nothing is wrong with eating to satisfaction, the Sodomites ate to excess as a lifestyle.

As a result, they became self-absorbed, indulgent and lazy. They were consumed with sensual pleasures. They did not care about others, spending their time and resources only for themselves, not helping the poor and needy around them.

I believe the story of Sodom is a cautionary tale for believers in Christ today.

Some say that gluttony is the most-accepted sin in the church. Our attitude seems to be, “Lord, I’ll give you everything—but don’t touch my food!”

However, for our mission’s sake, we must confront the spirit of gluttony that is rampant in the church.

Think about this: At the end of our lives, do we really want our focus to have been on eating “tasty treats?”

We are each called to make a positive difference in this world, to glorify our Lord in body and spirit. Jesus said in John 15:8: “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.”

This is the fruit of God’s spirit—evidence of His work in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

This fruit grows in our lives as we renew our minds to God’s Word and yield to the Holy Spirit’s leading in our actions in every area, which includes in our eating habits.

If we are not becoming more loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, kind, abounding in goodness, faithful, gentle and self-controlled with each passing year, something is wrong with our spiritual growth.

1 Corinthians 6:12 gives us wise guidance: “‘All things are lawful for me,’ but all things are not helpful. ‘All things are lawful for me,’ but I will not be brought under the power of anything.”

The Lord wants only good for us. He does not want us under the power of any habit that hurts us.

Gluttony and drunkenness are frequently linked together in the Bible—and that’s not good. These habits destroy our health and interfere with our ability to think soberly and make wise decisions.

They also leave us more vulnerable to enemy attacks. 1 Peter 5:8 advises us: Be sober and watchful, because your adversary the evil walks around as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.”

The spirit of gluttony is a seductive one, because it promises an escape from life, a release from pain. However, as we overindulge in devouring food, the enemy is busy devouring us.

We become a rest stop for a wicked spirit.

As believers, we are called to be in but not of the world. The wisest thing to do is submit our pain to the Lord for healing in a spirit of humility. As He heals us, we can restore food to its proper place and get on with our Father’s business.

To confront the spirit of gluttony, you must also confront the deceptive foods in your life. Deceptive foods are those that seem harmless to you, but when you eat them, you find that they hijack your brain. When your brain is hijacked, you lose self-control, binge and become emotionally unstable.

To avoid following the pattern of the Sodomites, let us confront the spirit of gluttony in our lives and cast it out.

Here is a prayer for you to use:

Heavenly Father, you promised that if Your people, who are called by Your name, will humble themselves, pray, seek your face and turn from our wicked ways, you will hear from heaven, forgive our sin and heal our land.

I thank you for giving me such a great and precious promise by which I can escape the corruption in the world and affect our nation.

I am Your child, the righteousness of God through Jesus Christ. I humble myself in this prayer, recognizing I serve One greater than myself. I love you and you deserve all of me. My body and my spirit belong to You. Jesus bought me for You at a high cost indeed.

I am living to hear You say those wonderful words once I cross the finish line: “Well done, good and faithful child. Enter into the joy of your Lord.”

My Savior, Jesus Christ, is my compassionate high priest. So I come to you in Jesus’ name, confessing my sin of gluttony. Lust for food has captured me. But I do not want to be like a Sodomite. I do not want to be selfish, so focused on indulging my flesh that I ignore poor and hurting people around me.

I renounce the spirit of gluttony. I take any thoughts captive in my mind that deceive me into thinking that gluttony is harmless. It is not harmless. It hurts me, and it hurts others who are counting on my help. It is a wicked habit, a destructive habit. It destroys my health and keeps me trapped in a cycle of shame and guilt.

You don’t want me to live like that. Jesus came to set the captives free. I qualify. I repent, Lord. I change my mind about this habit. You hate this habit as much as You hate drunkenness, and I hate what You hate.

Open up my eyes as to what this habit has cost me, what it is costing me now and what it will cost me in the future if I don’t change this now.

Lord, teach me Your way so that I may walk in Your truth daily. Your word is truth. Lead me in a smooth path because of my enemies. Gluttony is my enemy. Show me the foods that are hijacking my brain. Give me courage to kick them out of my life and replace them with foods that taste good but don’t hijack my brain.

I submit all emotional pain to You for healing, Lord. Help me regain emotional balance so that I put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness.

I know You love me, Father, and want what is best for me. You’ve begun a good work in me and will complete it until the day of Christ Jesus.

Each day, I hold on to Your unchanging hand. I trust that You will lead me in paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake. I will delight myself in You, and You will give me the desires of my heart.

My heart’s desire is that You heal me and heal our nation so the people in our land turns their hearts back to You. Amen.”

An intolerable habit will remain in your life as long as you are willing to tolerate it. Resist the enemy in this area, and he must flee. {eoa}

Once 240 pounds and a size 22, Kimberly Taylor can testify of God’s healing power to end binge eating. She is an author and the creator of the Christian weight-loss website . Visit today for inspirational health and weight-loss tips.

For the original article, visit .

The Christmas season is a time for family, faith and celebrating, but these “Happy Holidays” can sometimes turn into a season of stress.

Christmas is supposed to be joyous, yet we overextend ourselves and sometimes overspend as well. So why do we do it?

“”Our joy can get turned into stress when we’re dealing with loss,” Dr. Jesse Gill told CBN News. “We’re trying to make up for things or replace things that can’t be replaced.”

Watch the accompanying video for tips to be blessed and bless others. {eoa}

For the original article, visit . Reprinted with permission from . Copyright The Christian Broadcasting Network, Inc., All rights reserved.