Hey, Everybody! I promised you this blog post after asking for testimonies late last week about freedom in Christ from areas of bondage. I was teaching on the subject in a television taping the next day and wanted fresh stories to build up the faith of people who feared they’d never be free. As I compiled the list of strongholds, I shook my head over the goodness of God and the immeasurable reach of His grace. People testified to freedom from heroin, meth, alcohol and pornography addictions and being released from strongholds of anger, rage, bitterness, unforgiveness, hatred and insecurity. The list went on and on. The common denominator? Every person testifying believed beyond a doubt that Jesus alone had set them free. Some had been set free instantly. Others took longer journeys to freedom. Some were in support groups, others were not. Some went to counseling, others didn’t. The routes to freedom varied but the end result was the same: they’d all been set free by Jesus and those who described the process of their liberty almost without exception named the crucial role of Scripture. As I jotted down all the strongholds mentioned, I tweeted how everything under the sun had been mentioned.
THEN, I sat and stared at the list for a moment and thought, “Wait a minute. I don’t see any food-related strongholds!” I followed up with another tweet saying no one had mentioned it and asked if anybody had a testimony. Several stories of freedom came though but my feed was swamped by responses of people struggling with bondage to and unhealthy relationships with food, whether they manifested in overeating or under-eating.
I am no expert but I stick by a philosophy of serving based on the words of Peter to the lame man begging for alms in Acts 3:6. “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give you.” I don’t have impressive training and expertise with food-related strongholds – those voices are out there and please seek them out – but, in the meantime, anything I have is yours. I’ve studied freedom in Christ for 20 years, holding it close to my heart as part of my life-message because Jesus saved my sanity through rewiring my mind with Scripture. I am convinced to my bones, if He could rescue me and set me free, He can do it for anyone.
When I need a breakthrough in a really tough area, I find no approach more power-packed and effective than combining prayer with Scripture. That’s what the book Praying God’s Word is all about. With my publisher’s permission, you’ll find 31 Scripture-prayers from various chapters of the book below. I am so grateful to my beloved coworkers, Kimberly McMahon (K-Mac) and Nancy Mattingly, for gathering a cross-section of them and typing them up meticulously for you here.
You’ll notice quickly that the prayers are not only about moderation and care of the physical body. There’s a good reason for that. Food-related strongholds aren’t just about appetites. They are often about real-live needs and wants that have gone unmet and unanswered. They can be about loneliness and emptiness. Those are the kinds of issues to talk to godly counselors about but I want to make sure you know this here and now: whether or not you are free from a stronghold has absolutely no bearing on how loved, accepted and chosen you are by God. This is about your liberty. Not about your worth. Your value is not wrapped up in this. In fact, accepting your inestimable value to God in advance of a whit of victory will be the single biggest leap toward freedom you will ever take. Beating yourself over the head with your Bible will never set you free. It will only bruise you. The Word of God bringing life and truth into the heart and mind of a follower of Jesus sets you free. These are the mindsets for demolishing strongholds based on the charge in 2 Corinthians 10:5 (“to destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ”): Choosing to believe and confess that God is well able, that you are well loved, that you can do anything He calls you to do through His power at work within you and that no sin or stronghold has the right to master you. That’s why the prayers below are a cross-section of professions rather than a compilation strictly about eating.
Use the prayers below anyway you want but say them aloud as often as you can. It will build up your faith which will build up your strength. After you get the general idea, go dive into your Bible where you will find no end to the verses that you can turn into prayers to profess the power and greatness of God, His love for you and His promises extended through the Lord Jesus Christ. In Romans 8 alone you’ll find such a wealth of promises that simply reading the words out loud as professions of your faith will start snapping chains and quaking concrete floors where you feel imprisoned.
We love you. We share your battles. Now, let’s share some victories. Jesus, do what You do.
1. My Father, great are Your works! They are pondered by all who delight in them. Glorious and majestic are Your deeds, and Your righteousness endures forever. You have caused Your wonders to be remembered; You, Lord, are gracious and compassionate. (Psalm 111:2–4) The works of Your hands are faithful and just; all Your precepts are trustworthy. They are steadfast for ever and ever, done in faithfulness and uprightness. (Psalm 111:7–8)
2. Father, so often I feel like the boy’s father who first exclaimed, “I do believe!” then in a flood of sincerity cried out, “Help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24) Please help me to overcome my own unbelief, Lord, so I can start taking You at Your Word.
3. Father, I don’t want to be like the ancient Israelites who were not able to enter the Promised Land “rest” because of their unbelief. (Hebrews 3:19) Help me to believe You and follow You to the place of Your promised land in my own life.
4. Father, Your Word says that if Your disciples believe, they will receive whatever they ask for in prayer. (Matthew 21:22) Lord, as you mature my faith, also teach me how to pray and what to ask of You in prayer. I have so much to learn. Keep teaching me, Father.
5. Christ Jesus, You said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.” (John 20:27) Lord, I cannot see Your visible hands, but if I’m willing to really look, I can see the visible evidences of Your invisible hands. Help me to stop doubting and believe!
6. Lord God, You don’t want me to be persuaded just by the wise and persuasive words of men. You want me to be persuaded by the demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that my faith will not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power. (1 Corinthians 2:4–5)
7. Lord God, You have said that Your righteous one will live by faith and if he shrinks back You will not be pleased with him. (Hebrews 10:38) Lord, I want to live a life that is pleasing to You. The life that pleases you is also a life that You so readily bless. (Hebrews 11:6) I don’t want to miss the great adventures You mapped out for me by shrinking back from a walk of faith.
8. Father, I desire to fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)
9. Father, according to Your Word, in his pride the wicked does not seek You; in all his thoughts there is no room for You. (Psalm 10:4) Please help me to always make room in my thoughts for You, God. Don’t allow me to continue on in pride that stops me from seeking You.
10. Father, You have promised that if Your people, who are called by Your name, will humble themselves and pray and seek Your face and turn from their wicked ways, then will You hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. (2 Chronicles 7:14) Please help me to understand that corporate revival begins with personal, individual revival. Help me to humble myself and pray and seek Your face and turn from my own wicked ways. Thank You for hearing me from heaven and forgiving my sin and bringing healing to my heart.
11. Sovereign Lord, Your hand has made heaven and earth, and through You they came into being. Your Word says, “This is the one I esteem: he who is humble and contrite in spirit, and trembles at my word.” (Isaiah 66:2) Father, I can hardly imagine being someone You esteem, but I sincerely want to be! Make me that kind of person through the power of Your Holy Spirit, Lord.
12. Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my hope is in You all day long. (Psalm 25:4–5)
13. My all-powerful God, enable me to stand firm, with the belt of truth buckled around my waist and with the breastplate of righteousness in place. (Ephesians 6:14) Help me to understand that without the girding of truth, I am defenseless against the devil. Truth is my main defense against the father of lies.
14. Lord, without You I would be foolish, disobedient, deceived, and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures. I would live in malice and envy, being hated and hating others. (Titus 3:3) I don’t want that kind of life, God! I want to live life in the power and fullness of Your Spirit.
15. Father God, You command me for my own good not to merely listen to the Word but to do what it says. If I only listen and do not obey, I will undoubtedly deceive myself. Help me to comprehend that the Word of God is my perfect law of liberty! (James 1:22, 25 kjv)
16. My Jesus, according to Your Word, whoever has Your commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves You. He who loves You will be loved by Your Father, and You too will love him and show Yourself to him. (John 14:21) O, God, please help me to live obediently and have the joy of seeing You revealed in all sorts of marvelous ways.
17. Lord, according to Your Word, what a man desires or craves deeply is unfailing love. (Proverbs 19:22) Every other use of the words unfailing love in Scripture is attributed to You alone. You are the only one capable of perpetually unfailing love. Help me to understand that my deep cravings for someone to love me with that kind of love were meant to be satisfied in You alone. Thank You, Lord.
18. I praise You, Lord, with all my soul, and I desire never to forget all Your benefits—You, Lord, are the one who forgives all my sins and heals my diseases, who redeems my life from the pit and crowns me with love and compassion, who satisfies my desires with good things so that my youth is renewed like the eagle’s. You, Lord, work righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. (Psalm 103:2–6)
19. Lord Jesus, You asked Your Father to give me a Counselor that would be with me forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept the Holy Spirit, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. But I know Him, for He lives with me and is in me. You have not left me as an orphan. You came to me. Even though the world does not see You any more, I can see You through the work of Your Holy Spirit. Because You live, I also live. Help me to realize that You, Jesus, are in Your Father, and I am in You, and You are in me. (John 14:15–20)
20. Father, Your Word says that a person who lacks self-control is like a city whose walls are broken down. (Proverbs 25:28) Sometimes I feel like there is so much rubble, I can’t rebuild the wall. (Nehemiah 4:10) Your Word claims that You are the Repairer of Broken Walls, and the Restorer of Streets with Dwellings. (Isaiah 58:12) Please introduce Yourself to me by these wonderful names and rebuild the rubble in my life.
21. For I know that my old self was crucified with You, Christ, so that this body of sin might be done away with, that I should no longer be a slave to sin—because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. (Romans 6:6–7)
22. “Everything is permissible for me”—but not everything is beneficial. “Everything is permissible for me”—but I desire not to be mastered by anything. (1 Corinthians 6:12) Lord God, help me to recognize and discern what is not beneficial for me. Help me to see that authentic liberty is being free to do certain things and free not to do others.
23. Lord God, I acknowledge that it is for freedom that Christ has set me free. Your desire is for me to stand firm, then, and not let myself be burdened again by the yoke of slavery. (Galatians 5:1) Help me, Lord. Empower me.
24. In view of Your mercy, Lord, I offer my body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to You, God. This is my spiritual act of worship. I desire not to be conformed any longer to the pattern of this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of my mind. Then I will be able to test and approve what Your will is—Your good, pleasing, and perfect will. (Romans 12:1–2)
25. Lord, though I live in the world, I do not wage war as the world does. The weapons I fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. Your power can demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of You, God, and take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ. (2 Corinthians 10:3–5) Enable me, Lord! Help me not just to read it and say it, but to believe it and do it!
26. Lord, I have too long given the devil a foothold. (Ephesians 4:27) Please help me to stop offering him so many opportunities to bring defeat into my life. Your plan for me is victory.
27. God, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which You have called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13–14) Help me to forget all past failures or even achievements and to focus on pressing forward with You now.
28. Lord Jesus, I can do everything through You because You give me strength. (Philippians 4:13)
29. Lord, I can find great encouragement in knowing that many believers, weak in their natural selves, have walked faithfully and victoriously with You. (Hebrews 11) Therefore, since I am surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, help me throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and help me run with perseverance the race marked out for me. Help me fix my eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of my faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of Your throne, O God. (Hebrews 12:1–2)
30. Lord God, Your divine power has given me everything I need for life and godliness through my knowledge of You who called me by Your own glory and goodness. (2 Peter 1:3)
31. Listen to my cry, for I am in desperate need; rescue me from those who pursue me, for they are too strong for me. (Psalm 142:6) Lord, an important part of my victory will be admitting that without Your complete intervention, my oppressor is too strong for me. I am unable to be victorious without You. Come and rescue me with Your mighty hand.
Dear Beth-I was thinking that it was the 15th so I logged on to turn in my verse. I am struggling with food related issues and have the better part of my life. How precious of Papa God to read this post when I feel so very weak and defeated in this area. The sad thing is I KNOW BETTER! I am crying over how He is so tender and gracious toward me and that Jesus has used you to help me in my walk since 1999. Blessings to you, Keith, and the rest of your precious family!! Thank-you, Thank-you, Thank-you,Dee Dee Thornton
Thank you!
I needed several of these messages.
When I am in Kalispell, Mt., I get to participate with my daughter’s Bible studies that are led thru you & your video & workbook ministries! These studies are such a testament to how Jesus is working in the lives of this great community!
I have a teenage daughter who is fighting an eating disorder, she is away at college but I am printing and sending this to her. Thank you!
I so needed this today. While I do struggle with not eating enough, it is more from all of my other fears. I recently found out the man who raped me for two years is alive, when I thought he was dead. I had been able to forgive a dead man, but somehow it’s so much harder to release that guilt and shame knowing that he’s still alive.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!! Extremely timely! I am printing this out to keep near me wherever I am.
Beth, just wanted to tell you I wrote you back in 2004 after doing Breaking Free and Believing God to let you know how God had given me such peace while doing your studies. Then I began praying Gods Word and my panic attacks came less and less. And one day I had the courage and faith to pray those Scriptures during a panic attack and the fear left. After that, I began grabbing my Scriptures that I’d written on 3 x5 cards as you had suggested in Believing God every time I experienced panic. I still read and pray them, although I’ve memorized most of them, and God is keeping me free from panic this way. I do take medication but it’s been reduced because keeping my mind on God and His Word makes all the difference. He does keep me in perfect peace when my mind is stayed on Him. Is. 26:3
Oh Beth, what a powerful quote – whether or not you are free from a stronghold has absolutely no bearing on how loved, accepted and chosen you are by God. This is about your liberty. Not about your worth. Your value is not wrapped up in this.
Why is that truth so hard to believe and the antithesis, the lie, so powerful? From believing one is love by God to believing one is loved by family & others, it so permeates this stronghold.
Thank you for sharing this again today.
Praise you Jesus!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you for your faithfulness and sweetness! You are so worthy of praise and I adore you! Thank you for this word of encouragement just when I needed it!
Beth, you have no idea what an answer to prayer this post is. I have been struggling with weight all my adult life but especially the last 6 years after having a stillborn baby and then another miscarriage 2 years ago. By the grace of God we had a beautiful and healthy daughter 4 years ago.
After the stillbirth of our daughter Kathryn I couldn’t lose the baby weight. I clung to the truths I learned from Believing God and slowly God healed and mended my heart but I didn’t end up losing any weight. Then by His Infinite goodness we had a healthy baby (now a rambunctious 4 year old) and I lost 60 pounds (I was still 30 pounds over a healthy weight for my height). Unfortunately, I ended up miscarrying another baby 2 years ago. My heart was devastated but I have seen His goodness in the land of the living. Yet again God has mended my heart and given me peace and joy. But my weight loss stalled and in fact I gained some weight back. The last 2 years have been an intense struggle in this area of my life. I have struggled with feelings of shame and failure. I know what I should do (I have all the knowledge and tools I need to be successful) and I will go for a few weeks eating healthfully and in moderation, keeping track and then the wheels come off. I get distracted with life and stop all those good behaviors and gain what little weight I lost the weeks I was on track. I’ve been stuck here 40 pounds overweight for 2 years. Losing and gaining the same 5 pounds over and over.
This morning was just the same as I stepped on the scale. I had gained again. As I was praying in my quiet time, something was different though. Instead of being depressed and ashamed and feeling like a failure. I thanked God for showing me what is not working. Also, I praised Him that He answers prayers and just like He answered my years of prayer to be a better financial steward (this was a victory a few years ago); I thanked Him that He would answer my prayer to be a better steward of my body. I just praised Him and thanked Him in advance for what he would and could do for me. Then I checked my Facebook feed and saw that you had written a blog about overcoming strongholds. I checked the blog then and melted in to tears of praise for a God who sees and hears and loves me! It wasn’t just a blog about overcoming strongholds, it was just for me! A blog about overcoming FOOD related strongholds!
Oh how good He IS! Thank you for being a vessel of His love and provision for me and so many women. I’m printing out the blog post and am going to battle this out in His WORD!
Thank you!
Amanda Teske
Thank you, this has came at a great time for me and many other women! God is amazing!!! Just started a facebook group “get fit fir Jesus” and I will be sharing this blog with the group!!! Thank you again!
Thank you so much for the book about praying God’s word! In Christ’s power alone I overcame and still have victory in 11 areas of bondage you mentioned in the book! What was amazing to me is how one area of bondage just kept leading to others. Once in bondage, it’s way too easy to get saddled with many other shackles. In your study “Godly people doing ungodly things”, the cloud of sin described to explain the fog and not hearing the Holy Spirit was so helpful. Thank you for obeying God’s leading in your life, you’ve helped so many women realize their Freedom in Christ!
Dear loved ones, I was in the process of journaling about how my addiction to food is interfering with what I know I could do for God. After finishing, I went to Facebook and immediately in my feed was this piece from Beth. I am amazed how miraculous God is in our present day! How more immediate could God have answered my prayer?!
Oh Beth,
It was somewhere in the middle of lesson five in Daniel that something clicked in me and it sealed forever my release from the bondage of depression and mood swings! I don’t even remember the passage of scripture but all of a sudden I became much more hungry for Jesus and His Word. It could have been your infectious love for the scriptures that finally rubbed off on me after I had done two other studies of yours I do not know but…. All I know is something about His Word changed my life and I have been a Jesus follower all my life. I had real bondage to depression though.
Could I hope that these passages will finally help me with my endless grazing each day. I gained 40 pounds from being on antidepressants and anti-psychotics. When you are in the sixth decade of life weight doesn’t come off easily. For me it is a kind of boredom thing and lack of exersize. I hope when I see you in Jan I have ten pounds off! I am trying to walk anywhere from 30-60 mins each day as well.
There are 31 prayer like passages one for each day of the month. I am going to cut up the copies I have made of them and place them on a calendar and pray one each day in my prayer journal.
What a blessing you are to my life I thank the Lord for you each day.
Love to you from a fellow Jesus lover!
Betty M
Ms. Betty, I can identify with you in your struggle. I’m 55 and understand the weight loss being very slow. I’ll pray with you, that we will both make healthy food choices and exercise. God has taught me that my diet needs to be a variety of foods or I’ll get bored and my body will adapt to eating the same things each day. Kind of keep your body guessing what you’re going to do. Also, I do different exercises. Some days I’m on the elliptical at the Y and doing different workouts on the machine. Other days I go for a walk outside. Other days, I go to an exercise class. And this is one of the biggest hurdles for me – forgive me when I overeat or eat something that’s not healthy and realize that one meal is not going to blow this whole thing – just make it right the next meal. Pray Pray Pray and God will guide you to victory. I pray God will bless you with peace and a determination not to give up!
Thank you for these scripture prayers today. I struggle with my love of wine. Finding myself wanting a glass every night. Want to live in the power & fullness of His Spirit.
I am battling! It’s hard to admit I need help. I’m very new to joining a church. Reading this today was encouraging. I hope if I read these everyday it’ll help me defeat my struggle.
Oh Beth thank you for this today,our 18yr old daughter has just been diagnosed with bulimia,she keeps telling me she got it under control and says she doesn’t have to go to the counselor. Please pray for her, her name is Emma Rose.the enemy has a hold on her thoughts and she cannot see how beautiful she is, how smart, honor roll,over achiever.
Praying a renewed mind and victory for Emma Rose. I believed those same lies for way too long.
Hi Kim,
I am praying for Emma Rose. I too had the same mindset that she has and I too was described in exactly the same way. The Lord freed me from this exhausting way of living. I pray that Emma Rose is strengthened to defeat that mindset. I pray that skilled people are put in her path to support her in moving her life from one of fear and self loathing to abundance. I pray for her to know inner peace, serenity and to know her worth as a child of God.
He did it for me. He will do it for her. In the mighty Name of Jesus.
Hi Beth, and team! Just wanted to share that God did set me free from the bondage to binge eating. He took me to a godly counselor, the bondage started young in my childhood, and His intervention began six years ago and I haven’t had a binge eating problem in at least three years. And it was all his grace though he did use human counselors to help me. I’m so grateful that you mention this and that you talk about this issue because it seems less dangerous than the other strongholds mentioned. But my freedom from this area is been one of the great treasures God has given me in life:)
Thank you.
Thank you for such inspiring words Beth! I have the book Praying God’s Word and I recommend it to everybody. It has been such a blessing to me and it is such a powerful weapon to destroy strongholds! Although I do not necessarily struggle with food strongholds, I have a long list of others that keeps me returning to your book often! Thank you does not seem to capture how truly grateful I am! Your Bible studies, books, videos, speaking engagements, etc have been a HUGE part of my faith journey for the past 3 years and I am eternally grateful! If I may mention it on here, there are many ladies at my church that have done Lysa TerKeurst’s “Made To Crave” Bible study which focuses specifically on food related strongholds. I have heard great things about this study from the ladies who took it (and there is a book named the same). This could be an additional resource for those fighting this fight. I will join my voice with those calling heavenward for freedom! Break these chains, Father!
Dearest Beth, tears well up as I read this. Thank you so much for your ever-tender heart. So so much love to you – always.
I know I’ve come such a long way in my perception and struggle with food but I still don’t know when I’ll know when I’m truly free. Like you said in one of your tweets – the reason food strongholds are so tough is because we can’t quit cold turkey. A girl’s still gotta eat.
As of late, God has granted me a lot of insight but now my part is what am I going to do with what He’s shown me – O, my heart of obedience.
A few ladies and I just finished Believing God and the profound truth for me of speaking Scriptures out loud has been so thrilling as I wait in expectation. Thank you for these beautiful Scriptures. I will be printing them off and proclaiming them in these back woods of mine.
Wow! I do have a testimony of freedom from anorexia! I was living in such a pit of brokenness and despair that the walls surrounding me seemed to grow higher and become insurmountable. Then they became what I knew and I was afraid to leave them. After 7 years God stepped in and revealed the lies that were keeping me bound. God set me free and I have been walking in victory ever since.
God has impressed upon my heart a calling to share my story because so many remain captive. As I continue to journey with women who are struggling in this area, I have had a front row seat to the complexity and depth of eating strongholds. It seems so often to be a crisis of identity, attacking the core of who we are. (The warfare I have encountered by pushing on this has been intense). So glad God is in the freedom business! Thank you for your comments and sharing ways to pray through it!
PS I am a gospel music fanatic and love that you listen to it! The song Worth by Anthony Brown and Group Therapy is new one perfect for this topic
I am overwhelmed at God’s timing in my life today! Beth, I read your post last week, as you asked women to share deliverance from their strongholds. I have no victory to share. I have not been delivered from my stronghold of emotional and binge eating. Far from it…. I’m in the very thick of it. I spent my morning just loathing myself and repeating the lies of Satan to myself. But then…. I checked my email. I found your latest post where you spoke to my stronghold, and after I read your words, God filled me with His. I have battled this for many years, with the last few years just completely giving up that I could ever be set free. But God, as clearly as I’ve ever heard Him speak, said to me, “Today. Can you trust me just today?” And believing in His name, I am trusting in this hour! Praising Him because it is 2:15 and I have only eaten today to fill a physical need, not an emotional one! That for me, is BIG BIG BIG!!
I love hearing your testimony, Lisa! Yes! Let Him renew your heart and mind with the truth and power of His Word. He loves you, so! Freedom and victory are coming!
Thank you for this message and the scriptures.
Sorry I forgot to mention the panic attacks I’m having right now. I need scripture to fill my heart and soul to resist these attacks. They seem to come when I’m about to go somewhere related to church. I’m writing down the scriptures to repeat to myself. Thanks again. Sharon
Mrs. Moore, it is through the grace of God that I came across your Twitter page and I thank The Lord for using you as a way to equip me in this life. I learned so much through this post. Thank you and thank you Lord!
Thank you for all you do. I have been struggling with anxiety and fear issues for almost 15 years or more. I have been a believer since I was 12 years old. I am recently struggling right now at 36 years old to trust God, I am so afraid of telling Him all of my fears and worries because it seems that when I do, the rug gets pulled out from under me, it feels as if I am being punished. I try and remind myself that this isn’t the true God. I have been in so much bondage of fear of losing family and I have a fear of driving alone, I can drive anywhere with anyone, but the fear of driving alone has caused so many problems. I am afraid!
This is so powerful in Jesus name and precious as well! Thank you for all the encouragement that is here. May the LORD give you His Joy for helping so many. You are glorifying Him through it all. God bless you Beth!
Thank you so much for these verses. Beth, I did mention being set free from obesity on twitter. I’ve been overweight most of my life. Almost got to 300 lbs. I am a single mom of two adult children. The realization that I might not be here for my children or future grandchildren – or that I might not have enough physical ability to play with my grandchildren just pressed down on me. I have begged God to set me free for years. Last year, God began teaching me and I began listening. God showed me an exercise class at our local Y for overweight ladies and I joined. I have a really wonderful sister in the LORD who is very health conscious and fit. She encouraged me and helped me to understand that I can do this one meal at a time. And I need to exercise. To be realistic that I’m not going to eat properly every single day – that I’ll burn out if I do. Also, to forgive myself and move on – God forgave me so why can’t I forgive me? That has been a huge lesson right there – to be kind to me. It’s been a year in September since I started this journey and I’m down 47.8 lbs. Not much in the way of a year – BUT God has healed me. I can feel it. I think like a normal person regarding food – it’s not my crutch. I don’t run to food when I get stressed or down. I run to God. I ask Him to help me make healthy eating choices everyday and to eat and exercise in a way that pleases Him. God has given me victory. I need to lose at least 45 more lbs. But praise God that 47.8 lbs of fat is gone. I am not self conscious anymore when I get on the elliptical at the Y. I workout 6 days a week most of the time but if it’s only 4 or 5 days I do not give up. Just press on. It is such a wonderful joyful peaceful feeling to know God has rescued me. If God can set me free, He can set anybody free. It is a horrible defeating overwhelming struggle, and I will pray for all of us reading these verses.
Thank you for these verses….I will be printing and reading them and praying them over and over and over.
Karen, Las Vegas, NV
“The world has now become the Kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ, and he will reign forever and ever.”
Revelation 11:15b (NLT)
So thankful for these words, I needed them! I’ve struggled for 20 years or so with food-related issues- from anorexia to bulimia. I so want to be free from this pit and I believe in Jesus’ name that I will be free!
I am awed by your post. I had an overwhelming struggle with my food related issues last night. I am “sick” of having my focus return to my eating patterns after 52 years of struggle- since age 14- it started accidently and took over- Thank you Beth!!! I have left no stone “unturned” attempting to put this stronghold back in balance- it always returns. I printed out your post and want to spend some time with it in prayer. This stronghold has imprisoned women young and old and robbed us of joy. Blessings, love and appreciation
No food addictions here. But food fears I can say that has taken some trust to deal with. Acts 4:12 has this–There is no other name under heaven by which we are saved. Which for me was a breakthrough passage. Because often find I’m afraid of making an idol in finding a cure other than bible ONLY. Food is a big deal over here. I had to learn how to eat so I didn’t hurt but because it took so much time to figure out the food issues that when God gave the okay in that verse–as in I will save your mind, heart and soul but its OKAY for you to find what works to save your digestion–well if that makes any sense I just wanted to share it. It was a big deal to me. And I get to share it with the awana clubbers next week.
Thanks for what you do
Tanya
Thank you so much. I really needed this encouragement.
So many years of struggling with this topic…and not being free. Forty years this year – to be exact. This is the year that has really caused me even more exasperation … And deep, dark depression that has etched away a lot of my faith. I feel distanced from God…and yes, it IS me who moved. I pray for strength to even read through this scripture list and am desperately asking for Him to increase my faith… I just don’t see much progress – and quite the opposite. God, I am broken. I need you to add fresh life to these scriptures and help me to believe that You are in this struggle…. I want to believe that this word from Beth is meant for me as well….
Reading these prayers was such a blessing to me because everyone of them was what has been on my heart! The last 6 months has been so stressful I feel like when I pray I’m not feeling them heard! I need a breakthrough ! I know God hears my prayers!
Thank you Beth, I’m encouraged by the scriptures you’ve listed, with tears swelled up in my eyes, thinking everything in my life is ok,I realized I am struggling with a sugar addiction, eating disorder might be a better diagnosis. I need healing, I need to be set free from this. I believe Jesus can do it, I will be praying these scriptures. Especially # 4
God bless you for challenging us to open up about our needs, our bondage…..and assuring us that Jesus will set us free.
God bless you and this ministry
4276 Water Briar Rd, Millington, TN
Beth, this is off the subject but am hoping someone will pass it on to you. I have just finished week six of Breaking Free updated, and I just have to tell you what you have meant to me. You had me laughing over the 90 year old hoping she could keep her teeth in, the cake being sprayed, etc, and the next paragraph weeping with joy at the beautiful description of her Lord coming to take her home. You are so gifted! You have helped me love Jesus more, believe Him more, serve Him better and been an incalculable blessing on top of it all. God gave you a sense of humor that is unmatched and for communicating treasure from His word. I adore you and can’t wait to meet you. (I did once, in the D.C. area, even have a picture made with you, but I mean to fellowship forever!). I love you so much sweet girl. I am in the winter of my life and it will soon be over for me probably but I know Who is making a Home for me!!!! I am still learning and still “breaking free.”
Beth, I witnessed God use something I despised get through to my daughter when she was at her lowest in her eating disorder. Nothing I could say or do helped, the more I tried the worse it got between us. Then one day I came home from work and she was sitting on the couch watching “Family Guy” (enter “despise”). She was 18 at the time. She asked me to watch this specific episode with her, (but she never said what it was about) I kept saying no, that I didn’t like that program. She kept insisting that I watch it with her. It wasn’t like her to insist the way she did, so I sat down with her. She started it again.The episode portrayed the father having an eating disorder! He would look at himself in the mirror and see an overweight self, but when everyone else looked at him he was thin as bones. This went on throughout the show and then at the end he finally saw his true self (skin and bones). I’m not saying she was healed at that moment but that was the catalyst. God can and will use whatever he sees necessary to open someone’s eyes. He knows us so well. He knows exactly what will get our attention. His love truly amazes me!
I don’t know what to say that hasn’t already been written by you, Beth, and these lovely beautiful women who already commented before me, except to say, I have many tears this morning. Food strongholds are always somewhat overlooked unless they are quite severe, and those of us who struggle silently without anyone understanding the depths of this pain of struggling with food, know what I’m talking about. I can’t thank you enough for acknowledging this issue. It’s so painful. I can’t just “stop eating” like one can stop drugs and alcohol. That is what makes this problem so particularly vexing. Whether it’s overeating or undereating or sugar addictions or carb addictions – it’s real – very real and it’s an attack from Satan that is more subtle than most. I can’t thank you enough for acknowledging those of us who suffer in this area. I am printing out what you wrote and keeping the verses with me. It was a confirmation for what I believe God has been telling me in my heart: When I want to fill up my emptiness, heartache, boredom, discouragement – you name it – with food, the answer is and always will be – GO TO HIS WORD!! Seek Him out – dive in His word. It truly is bread of life!! Oh, thank you again – sooooo much!!!!!! Humbled and grateful to our God for you and this ministry.
This was such perfect timing, God is so good! I awoke this morning with a strong conviction that my eating and my weight is out of control again. Once again I let the burdens of my life take control and it manifested itself in bad eating habits. I needed these reminders that it is a strong hold and I need to come against it with the Word of God,
The moment I began to speak these scriptures in my heart as I read them, I felt the Spirit of God washing over me, bringing such refreshment in all the troubled areas of my life. Thank you Beth for this, indeed we now sharing the victories.
Emily- Warsaw, In
“Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel.”
Proverbs 20:15 (NIV)
Lori, Edenton, NC
So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. For the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you through Christ Jesus from the power of sin that leads tho death.
Rom 8:1-2, NLT
Beth, I can’t thank you enough for these prayers. I just lost my beloved 2nd grade assistant to pancreatic cancer. We worked together for 17 years. I have struggled all my adult life with food and as I saw her try to eat and then throw everything back up, I ate for both of us. I loved her so very much. Food is like alcohol to me. I am ok until I take the first bite then I eat everything in my kitchen. It all starts with your mindset and I promise you I will pray theses prayers daily. Thank you again for including food in the list of strongholds to be delivered from. I saw you in Greenville, SC, and I was “krunked up” to see you also!
Beth, thank you, once again, for sharing God’s Word’s that are so mighty in tearing down strongholds. Often times, we don’t know the words to pray. Thank you for your wisdom, knowledge and encouragement. Be blessed dear sister in Christ. Much love.
Powerful post for sure, thank you so much. Your book, Praying God’s Word has been so helpful to me over the years. I’m blessed to be able to keep several copies on hand to give away as needed. I’ve given it as Christmas, birthday, graduation, wedding, you name it gifts…it’s just that wonderful and timeless.
Thank you again for pointing us to Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgement, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Romans 12:3b
Dana, San Angelo, Texas
“Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” John 7: 38 (NIV).
Oh Beth! I can’t begin to tell you how timely this post is! I have struggled with my weight and food issues for many years and — at 54 — I finally feel like I’m getting a handle on it. I’m going to print this blog post and keep it for future reference. Thank you so much Beth for all that you do for women and for spreading God’s message….of love….forgiveness….and His Mercy. May God continue to bless you and your ministry. <3
My food issues revolve around food allergies so I have a lot of doctor ordered “forbidden foods”. My health has dramatically improved since I had to ditch sugar, processed foods, dairy and wheat. Somewhere along the way I heard someone say on Moody Bible Radio that “the original sin was a food choice”. That statement was amusing yet helpful.
Dr. Lustig (check out his lecture on You-tube) teaches that many processed foods are engineered to make us hungrier (so we’ll buy more). I definitely agree that there is a spiritual component too. It amazed me how much easier it got after initially kicking sugar.
NIV Proverbs28:14
Happy is the one who is always reverent, but one who hardens his heart falls into trouble.