There is a powerful spiritual declaration we often sing: “Every dry bone will come alive.” It serves as a reminder that no matter how “dry” or dead a situation in your life feels; whether it is a chemical dependency, a behavioral cycle of defeat, or a secret struggle, the Lord Jehovah is able to do all things. He is the God of the living, and He is the God who brings life to the places we’ve given up on.

In this second part of our series on reigning over the flesh, we are looking at how to strip away the “heavy weights” that so cleverly and deftly entangle us.

The Magnet of Hunger and Desire

The journey to freedom does not begin with a wish; it begins with a desperate desire. Hunger is the magnet of heaven. If there is no thirst, there is no filling. Desire produces the desperation necessary to pay the price for freedom, stripping away all pretenses and excuses.

“Therefore then, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses… let us strip off and throw aside every unnecessary weight and that sin which so readily (deftly and cleverly) clings to and entangles us like a rope.” — Hebrews 12:1 (AMP)

Distinguishing Godly Sorrow from Worldly Sorrow

Many people feel “bad” after they fail, but not all sorrow leads to liberation.

Worldly Sorrow: This is rooted in pride and “self-image.” It is a pretended repentance where you are more concerned with being seen as “bad” than with the sin itself. This sorrow lacks repentance and results in spiritual death.

Godly Sorrow: This is the kind of sorrow God wants. It produces an “earnestness,” an “indignation,” and a “zeal” to clear yourself of the behavior (2 Corinthians 7:9-11). It makes the habit truly detestable to you.

The Power of Radical Responsibility

You cannot be healed from what you are unwilling to acknowledge. Proverbs 28:13 is clear: “He that covereth his sins shall not prosper.” We must take responsibility before God and, when necessary, before others.

“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.”  James 5:16

This requires profound humility. It is the act of admitting, “I have come to the end of my own strength, and I need help.” Even Jesus taught that spiritual horizontal relationships affect our vertical relationship with God. If you remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift at the altar, go reconcile first, and then come offer your gift (Matthew 5:23-24).

Practical Resistance: Taking the “Longer Route”

Godly freedom requires a practical, boots-on-the-ground strategy. Consider the story of the man struggling with cigarette addiction who was told by the Lord to stop passing the specific shop that triggered him. He had to take a longer route home until the addiction died. You must avoid the triggers. If a certain group, environment, or social circle “poisons” your spirit, you must quit today, not tomorrow.

• • Make no provision: Do not create opportunities for the flesh to fail (Romans 13:14). 
  • Starve the addiction: If you are addicted to shopping, buying 200 pairs of shoes while others go barefoot. You must stop feeding the urge.
  • Choose your circle: Avoid the “holier-than-thou” crowds (Isaiah 65:5) and those with “diarrhea mouths” who thrive on gossip. These behaviors are a stench in the nostrils of God.

Embracing Mentorship and Accountability

We all need mentors. Spiritual maturity involves giving a trusted, Spirit-led person permission to correct you. Look for people of “honest report,” full of the Holy Spirit and faith, like Stephen in the early church.

One of the greatest hindrances to growth is having no one to teach you. Find someone whose life “talks for itself” and give them the right to speak into yours. Accountability is the guardrail that keeps you measuring your progress.

Subjugating the Body by Authority

Finally, remember that while God provides the power, you provide the discipline. You are equipped with spiritual authority to tread over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19). As a member of Christ’s body, you can declare that since He was afflicted for you, affliction shall not rise a second time in your life.

“But I keep under my body and bring it into subjugation: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.” — 1 Corinthians 9:27

You must kill the habit before it kills your potential. Yield yourself completely, not to a title or a position, but to Christ. When you surrender, your own limited ministry ends, and His limitless ministry through you begins.

Pastor Chinedu Emmanuel is the Senior Pastor of Fountain of the Living Word Church in East Orange, New Jersey.