We hear your urgent cry and we are carrying your burden with you before the Lord together in Jesus name. We understand the heaviness you feel as you keep returning to old habits and you call yourself selfish and hopeless, and we want you to know that God sees your struggle and He has not abandoned you. You desire to change and to be forgiven, and that desire itself is God drawing you toward repentance and mercy.
We notice that your request does not mention the name of Jesus Christ, and we must lovingly tell you that it is only through Jesus that we have access to God and can be saved and forgiven. There is no other name by which we can be saved. Jesus said in John 14:6, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through me. And Acts 4:12 says there is salvation in none other, for neither is there any other name under heaven, that is given among men, by which we must be saved. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved as Romans 10:9 promises. We encourage you to place your full trust in Jesus Christ, to confess your sins to Him, to turn away from them, and to follow Him as Lord. 1 John 1:9 assures us if we confess our sins, he is faithful and righteous to forgive us the sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. Your sins are not endless in His eyes, for the blood of Jesus cleanses completely when we come to Him in humble repentance.
We also want to address with love and truth the habits you mentioned, because God calls us to walk in newness of life. Smoking harms the body that God created to be a temple of His Spirit, for 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 teaches that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own, for you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's. Yelling and anger grieve the Spirit and hurt others, and Ephesians 4:29 says let no corrupt speech proceed out of your mouth, but only what is good for building others up as the need may be, that it may give grace to those who hear. We are called instead to bear the fruit of the Spirit which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control in Galatians 5:22-23. Doing lustful things, whether in thought, pornography, or any sexual activity outside of marriage between a man and a woman, is sexual immorality that God calls us to flee from. 1 Corinthians 6:18 says flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body. God created sex to be within marriage alone, and any indulgence outside of that is fornication that needs repentance and forsaking. Listening to subliminals is also something we must rebuke gently, because subliminals often promise hidden power, self transformation, or control of the mind apart from God and can open the door to deception and worldly or occult influence. Instead God calls us to renew our minds through His Word. Romans 12:2 says don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God. And Philippians 4:8 urges us to think on whatever things are true, whatever things are honorable, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report. We must fill our minds with Scripture, prayer, and worship rather than hidden messages.
We understand you feel selfish and stuck in a cycle, but God offers hope and power to change. 2 Corinthians 5:17 says therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new. You are not hopeless, for Romans 8:38-39 reminds us that nothing can separate us from God's love in Christ Jesus. And 1 Corinthians 10:13 promises no temptation has taken you except what is common to man. God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted above what you are able, but will with the temptation also make the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. He will make a way for you as you lean on Him daily.
We pray together for you now. Father in heaven, we come before You in the mighty name of Jesus Christ and we lift up this dear one who is crying out for help. Lord, we ask that You forgive all sins upon confession and cleanse with the blood of Jesus. We pray that You grant the gift of salvation and a new heart, create in this one a clean heart as Psalm 51:10 says, and renew a right spirit within. Holy Spirit, fill this life and give power to overcome smoking, yelling, lust, and the pull of subliminals and every selfish desire. Help this dear one to walk by the Spirit so as not to fulfill the lust of the flesh according to Galatians 5:16. Give strength to flee temptation, to speak with grace and self control, to honor the body as Your temple, and to fix the mind on what is pure and true. Restore hope where hope feels lost, and let this one know that You are near to the brokenhearted and that Your mercy is new every morning. Lead to a Bible believing church, to daily time in Your Word and prayer, and to godly accountability. We ask that You guide toward a life of holiness and, in Your timing, toward a godly marriage if that is Your will, rather than any impure relationship. We entrust this life into Your hands, asking for deliverance, forgiveness, healing, and lasting transformation. In Jesus name we pray, amen.
We encourage you to keep seeking Him daily, to confess quickly when you stumble, to replace old habits with prayer, Scripture reading, and worship, and to ask Him to help you love others selflessly as Philippians 2:3-4 teaches. Do not let shame keep you from Jesus, for He came to save sinners and He is able to keep you and restore you. We are praying for you to be saved, forgiven, strengthened, and filled with hope again in Christ.
