Four Important Steps to a Spiritual Detox

When we engage in a food detox or cleansing, we rid ourselves of all unhealthy foods in our diet. We purge the bad bacteria and toxins that have built up in our system. Once you begin this process, it gets easier to keep a regular routine that transforms your diet into a healthy lifestyle. Your body gradually adjusts and you will find yourself not often craving junk foods as you once did.

One.  Get Rid of the Heavy Baggage

Much like our bodies, our spirit needs to be detoxed on a regular basis. We should take time out to purge all negative thoughts and influences in our lives. Pay attention to your environment and the people in your life that you call friends, not everyone, including family members are in your corner.  It’s very challenging to get rid of the negative voices in our heads and the bad influences that surround us on a daily basis, but you can slowly eliminate people, places, and things that are not working for you in your life.  If you can’t get rid of certain people, keep them at arm’s length, but always walk in love.

Clearing our minds from worry and stress, problems and even our to-do list have an impact on our daily experiences. Taking the time to fine-tune your life is a priority to creating a healthy, spirit-filled life.

Two.  We Are What We Eat

Feeding your mind with God’s word, affirmations and powerful words of motivation will provide you with the strength to overcome challenges, obstacles, and your daily grind. What we pour into our spirit determines how we act and react to situations and circumstances. It affects how we speak and treat one another. Be mindful of what you watch and listen to in the media. Your eyes, ears, and mouth are powerful instruments that will influence how you think. What you tend to mediate on will eventually manifest into your reality. If you watch and listen to trash, you will eventually produce or live out the drama in one way or another.

We live in a negative world. It is much easier to focus on negative thoughts or acts. When we abstain from negative influences, we gain enthusiasm and energy. Negative influences will always drain your energy.

Although temptation will constantly linger and be a challenge to ignore and overcome, you will be much stronger to defeat any temptation that comes your way. You will be able to distinguish between right and wrong.  It takes a strong-willed person to stand alone in their convictions and beliefs. It is much easier to follow the crowd but it takes a person of integrity and a clear conscience to be comfortable in their own skin to make the right choices.

“When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed.”

James 1:13-14 (NIV)

38 Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

Mark 14:38 (NIV)

Three.  Be Obedient to His Voice

Spending time alone is also part of a healthy spiritual detox. Solitude is the best time to reflect on your past, present, and future. You can celebrate your victories, revisit your past mistakes, analyze your present, and also uncover the lessons learned and reevaluate your future plans and goals. It’s a place where you can grow closer to the Lord and commit to intimacy in relationship with Him, not only in prayer but in listening to His voice for guidance.

It’s that distinctive nudge or intuition in your spirit. It’s the silent whisper when scripture jumps out at you on the page. It could be a song that you hear on the radio, a long-distance phone call when you were thinking of calling that person the same day. It can be a classmate or neighbor that speaks a special something that you need to hear exactly at that moment.

In whatever way He speaks, listen. In this time, we need discernment and the direction of the Holy Spirit to guide and protect us from the everyday changes life brings our way.

Mark 6:31 (KJV)

Come aside by yourselves to a deserted place and rest for a while.

I Corinthians 7:5 (NIV)

Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

 Four.  Cleanse Your Body

Eating healthy does play an important role in your spiritual detox. It is highly beneficial to focus on a nutrient-filled diet while on a spiritual detox. Eating green, leafy veggies, and a variety of fruits and pure juices and smoothies will heal the mind, eliminate stress, and boost energy levels. You can eliminate meat for a period of time, however, you should consult a physician before changing your diet or fasting.

As you learn to surrender your desire for fleshy appetites, you will heal, restore, and rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul. You will be open to receive answers to difficult problems. There are no quick overnight solutions to life’s dilemma’s but if you’re consistent and don’t give up or give in to the difficulties and temptations in life, you will eventually see positive results. Most of all, you will connect and strengthen your relationship with the Most High, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Love & Blessings,

Yolanda

Your Sister in Christ

Prayer

Lord, I (we) thank you for your love and protection. Help me(us) to be an expression of your love in my (our) daily walk with you. Give me (us) the strength and ability to resist evil and negative influences in my (our) lives. Forgive me (us) for anything that is not pleasing to you. We honor, praise, and glorify you with our whole hearts. I (we) ask for your wisdom to make the right decisions in my (our) lives. Guide and protect me (us). In Jesus Name, Amen.

Matters of the Heart

Several churches have become motivational powerhouses, however, they’re missing the mark on the message of Salvation.  The church, the body of Christ, has become a form of entertainment. Reality TV shows, superstar singing, shouting, dancing, and dramatic prophesying have all been incorporated into worship which makes it hard to tell what is real from what is not real.

Some people are attending church every Sunday but their hearts are not being truly transformed. Others are calling themselves Christians without having Godly character, a Godly lifestyle, or a personal relationship with Jesus.

Being a Christian today is like wearing a “title” on your chest like Superman or like wearing a badge or bumper sticker that shouts, “I’m a Christian!” But, what does that mean if you’re sleeping with your best friend’s husband, using the church to network for business or chasing women in the church?

The world on the outside looking in is even more confused because they have don’t have an understanding of the spiritual world much more how to discern the Spirit of God.

They’re looking at the church to be an example of what it means to be a Christian. Often times, no one can tell the difference because believers are conforming to the secular world at rapid speed.

Some preachers are preaching hate instead of love. Others are confirming same-sex marriage. Others are passive with heterosexual partners living together. The statistics in the divorce rates within the church is outrageous. There is just so much confusion about what religion, faith, and spirituality really mean.

The reverence for God is quickly diminishing. Morals and values are in the toilet. However, there is a remnant of believers that are thirsty for righteousness and the presence of the Holy Spirit.

As Christians, we are not to live like the world lives, but we are to set the example and live clean and sanctified lives.

The only way to do this is to be transformed by the Holy Spirit. Yes, we can change some things in our lives and make better choices and decisions but to be truly transformed, it takes the power of the Holy Spirit.

No one will ever be perfect, including me, but that’s why Jesus died for our sins. When we repent, we are acknowledging and declaring our weaknesses and faults and wrongdoings to the Lord. We do not have to have to carry guilt, shame, or condemnation in our hearts, but we are releasing everything attached to sin to God. He carries our burdens, troubles, and worries.

Even though we release all our problems to the Lord, it doesn’t mean it magically gets easier. Actually not to sugar coat anything, all hell breaks loose in our lives. You will still have to walk through tests, trials, and uncomfortable situations. However, the Lord will reveal his love, mercy, grace, power, healing, and faithfulness.

When we acknowledge Christ as our Lord and Savior. We confess and understand that Christ died for our sins and that Christ is the Son of God which was created in the image of man.

We ask the Lord to come into our hearts and transform us. It’s much more than just mouth service. You must have a deep yearning, desire, and surrender to God to change your heart. That’s where the transformation takes place – in the heart.

Your heart is where your desire and passion reside. “Out of the heart, the abundance speaks.” Luke 6:45 The core of a man is his heart. Sometimes decisions are made from the heart. The heart carries emotions and feelings. However, the mind is equally powerful and can override the heart. The mind carries logic, memory, intelligence, and consciousness.

If your heart is clean, you will have a desire to please God. It all stems from the issues of the heart. However, the mind is not an island. It also needs to be transformed. Our mind controls our thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and behavior.

When we align our thoughts with God’s thoughts, all doubt, fear, discouragement, and negative thinking has to go! The Lord will give us the ability to discern situations and people, guard our minds, provide focus and clarity, and help us make wise decisions. We will also have a teachable spirit.

When we surrender our thoughts to the Lord, He gives us the authority to overcome attacks from the enemy in our minds that plagues us with worldly concerns. We know the difference between right and wrong and have accountability for our actions while maintaining grace under pressure.

We are not to judge others at all, but we are to live by God’s laws.

There are many questions to ponder on in your spiritual journey.  Have you surrendered your life to Christ? Have you backslidden? Do you have integrity? Do you forgive others without holding grudges? Do you gossip? Do you complain? Have you changed your language to represent the love of Christ? Are you jealous? Are you kind to others?

It’s time to step up and lead by example. Walk like Jesus. Even if you stumble or fall, He will catch you and will not let you go. Take the first step. It’s not an easy walk, but He promises it will be worth it.

John 8:24King James Version (KJV)

24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

Romans 3:23King James Version (KJV)

23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

Hebrews 11:6King James Version (KJV)

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

John 15:10King James Version (KJV)

10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.

1 Corinthians 13:1King James Version (KJV)

13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.