The One Thing That Can Break Your Addiction to Food

Most of us are familiar with the Scripture, “But my God shall supply your every need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:19). One day as I was preparing for a teaching, I was reading about Martha and Mary. I read the Scripture where Jesus responded to Martha’s outburst of self-pity: “But one thing is needed. And Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken from her” (Luke 10:42).

The words “one thing is needed” caught my attention. As I pondered these words of Jesus in my heart, I heard the whisper of the Lord: “Most people don’t know what they need.” We live in a sight and sound world. We see and feel only in the natural world and determine what we need by this standard.

As born-again children of God, we are not limited to this natural world. We have total access to the kingdom of heaven through the promises of God. Second Peter 1:2-4 (NKJV) tells us, “Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

These verses tell us very clearly how we access heaven and live on the earth in the natural realm. His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness. All the things that we need in this world. We access heaven by reading and meditating the Word of God. This is something all people have to do for themselves (Josh.1:8). When Jesus promised us abundant life in John 10:10, He was not speaking about an abundance of material things: cars, houses, clothes and money. He was speaking about the spiritual needs of righteousness, joy and peace in the Holy Spirit: “For the kingdom of God does not mean eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Rom. 14:17). What did Jesus leave to us? John 14:27 tells us, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Why did He leave us His peace? Peace is our greatest need. It is in the peace of God that we hear His voice and follow where He leads us. Peter told us that grace and peace are multiplied in the knowledge of God. As we increase in knowledge, His divine power is made known to us by the Holy Spirit, and we will understand how “things” will follow us as we walk in obedience to His voice. God knows we need things and that we humans like things. He is happy to lead us into a life where we have things when things don’t hold our heart. Matthew 6:33 is the key to obtaining your things in this world: “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be given to you.”  

Many of us are suffering from discouragement, disappointment and depression because we are struggling to get along in this world. We cannot hear God’s voice because of the frustration and constant changing in the world.

It is not easy living in this world. That is why we surround ourselves with like believers. We also have to learn how to strengthen ourselves in the Lord.

As we look at our needs, remember what Jesus told Martha: “One thing is needed!”—the Word of God. It is life to those who find it and health to their flesh (see Prov. 4:20-22.). When we have the Word of God hidden in our hearts, nothing can take the promise away.

At one time in my life I was drowning in depression. During this time, I gained 75 pounds, which only added to my anxiety. One day I received a phone call from a person I had never met, but God had connected us. When I answered the phone, I heard the words, “Jesus loves you.”  I broke. Those words spoken through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit by an obedient woman put a crack in the wall I had built up. My healing began that day. Only the Holy Spirit knows how to give us our breakthrough. You cannot figure it out.

My weight became a big issue in my life. I tried everything the world had to offer. Every magic trick and quick cure. Finally, I said, “I will never try the world’s way again. God, I need a word from You!”

One day I saw the words, “The devil wants you fat!”  Those words pierced my heart. I wept. I repented and said, “God, I need Your help.”  As I meditated on His Word, He gave me a divine strategy that took 90 pounds from my body.

What was my real need?  A word from God. I had to be convicted of my sin and repent. I had abused my body for so long, only a word from God could break the addiction. Repentance is the key to change. I’ve no doubt He was trying to speak to me many times before I surrendered to the Lord and was in the position to hear His voice.

There are many temptations in this world, but the greatest temptation to the children of God is to doubt His Word. We must value the Word of God and understand its place in our everyday lives. What really happened to Eve in the Garden? She did not value God’s Word. When she listened to the serpent and chose his word over God’s Word, she opened the door for deception. We must choose life, and life is in the Word of God.

One day Jesus was teaching and people started to leave. Jesus asked His disciples if they were going to leave. I love Peter’s response: ” Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (John 6:68).

If you have financial needs, God has provided a way of escape. If you have health issues or relationship needs, any need you have, He has the Word of Life for that situation. You don’t need money. You need a word from the Lord. When God blesses you, He adds no sorrow to it: “The blessing of the Lord makes rich, and He adds no sorrow with it” (Prov. 10:22). He has the words of eternal life.

My testimony of sharing His divine strategy for my weight loss is in my book and workbook, Why Diets Don’t Work: Food Is Not the Problem. Both books are available from the website whydiets.com.

Joyce Tilney is the founder of Women of God Ministries, teaching women today from women of yesterday. She is an author and Bible teacher. Visit wogministries for more information. Her book and workbook, Why Diets Don’t Work: Food Is Not the Problem, share her testimony of how the Lord helped her lose 90 pounds. Visit the website: whydiets.com for information.