[00:05] Speaker A: Do you find yourself sometimes overeating? Even though you're on your health plan, you have your menu,
[00:13] but you still tend to overeat. And afterwards you just, you feel miserable, you feel shameful and you feel like you don't have control even though you're eating clean and you know exactly what to eat.
[00:27] I know, I know what you're feeling. I have been there before for sure.
[00:32] And I want to help you today understand what overeating really is and how the enemy is involved in this. Yes, the enemy is right there in the mind and we'll talk about that.
[00:45] And I also want to briefly discuss God's original design for food and our beautifully designed brilliant bodies and how both of them together can truly bring you harmony.
[01:00] And then we'll talk about what is happening to your body inside when you overeat. I think the more information I know, it works for me that if I'm, I'm more knowledgeable about why to do something, I'm more apt to do the right thing.
[01:15] Right? So we'll briefly talk about that and then I'll go into a four step framework to set you free from overeating while once and for all.
[01:26] So what is overeating really?
[01:29] It is the enemy's attack on your health and your inner peace.
[01:35] So when you are overeating,
[01:38] it is a.
[01:40] Well, it can also be termed an addiction in a way. I know people don't like to call it that because they think it's this just little habit that happens sometimes.
[01:49] And yes,
[01:50] but it is a coping mechanism for whatever you don't want to feel, whether it is stress or anger or sadness or even procrastination.
[02:00] And it isn't about the hunger. It is about going past what is considered healthy eating. Where you're content and you're almost full, but you're able to just stop eating. And what I also want to say is I'm not here to beat you up and definitely do not feel bad about yourself.
[02:22] This is a very, very common habit that women can get into and men.
[02:28] But the quicker that you can identify that is where you can,
[02:34] can start to get ahead of it and, and, and stop that habit of overeating.
[02:40] Because God,
[02:42] he.
[02:47] Because when we reach for food instead of God,
[02:52] we prolong whatever we're feeling that we're trying to get away from.
[02:56] And the reason I call it is an addiction is it is because something outside of you is, is misleading you, is, is controlling you. And it's a habit that is harmful to your body.
[03:11] And Christ didn't die for us to manage our struggles and our pains in our minds. He came to set us free.
[03:19] So the real battlefield isn't the food is the problem, or the refrigerator, the fork, whatever. However you want to look at the cookies that are in the house when you come home, that is not the problem.
[03:33] The problem lies within the mind. And the enemy knows if he captures your thoughts, he can start to control you. He can start to whisper in your head,
[03:43] you deserve that cheesecake. Go ahead, eat that one last bite.
[03:49] Go ahead and finish it. You're not going to eat this meal again.
[03:52] You haven't seen this. They haven't made this forever. Just go ahead and finish it.
[03:57] And then you eat that very last bite. And then regret sets in and you start to feel not only physically miserable,
[04:07] but you're disappointed in yourself.
[04:10] So this is the enemy trying to kill, steal and destroy.
[04:16] And Jesus says, you are full.
[04:18] Rest in me.
[04:20] It is a battle in your mind that this is what we're going to overcome.
[04:26] Every temptation, every whisper is a cue for you to pause and choose Jesus. Choose spirit over flesh.
[04:36] Know that you already have everything inside of you to overcome overeating. Right now for good, you can,
[04:42] you have everything.
[04:44] And every time you get a victory, every time you put the fork down, every time you push it away,
[04:50] this strengthens not only your.
[04:53] Your ability to overcome the flesh, but, but your spiritual intelligence. You become stronger and stronger and more confident, and you begin to trust yourself. And this brings peace. You start responding with faith and not flesh.
[05:09] Romans 8:6 says, for to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.
[05:17] That's what we want. We want peace around food.
[05:20] And the truth is, God never designed our relationship with food to feel like a battle.
[05:25] From the very beginning, he created the perfect food. Our perfect bodies to be in perfect harmony. And of course, we know the story didn't go that way. The enemy distracted and divided.
[05:36] And like I said, his ultimate plan is to kill your eating plan, to steal your peace and destroy your body.
[05:44] God designed everything perfectly. And we have authority in this world.
[05:49] This world.
[05:50] Yes, Satan's running this world, but we have this authority to overcome him.
[05:56] The perfect food, the perfect body,
[05:58] we know doesn't last forever in eternity right now till we get our glorified bodies. But.
[06:05] But we do have the ability to. To work our way toward having a new habit and having peace around food once and for all.
[06:16] So looking at the food real briefly here, from the very beginning, he created both food and body to work Together.
[06:22] And in Genesis 1:29,
[06:25] it says, See, I have given you every herb that yields seed which is on the face of the Earth, and every tree whose fruit yields seed to you, it shall be for food.
[06:37] This is a beautiful design because it is always replenishing.
[06:41] We always have an abundance of food.
[06:44] It has seed. We plant the seed. We get a tree, we get more fruit with more seeds, we plant the seed. It's this ongoing cycle of abundance of food for us, right?
[06:56] And it's this food that is nourishing and energizing our cells. It is the perfect food.
[07:03] God designed our food to support this life cycle of cellular restoration.
[07:09] So food was never meant to hurt you. Unfortunately, man gets a hold of it, starts completely taking it from a very vibrant, hydrating, electrical life giving food to processed, poisoned hormone disruptors, plastics, antibiotics, dyes, carcinogens.
[07:31] All kinds of toxic chemicals are in our food. And so we start to have a decline in the quality of our health and our cells at the cellular level.
[07:42] And what we want to do, what my channel is about, is helping you get back to God's design for what we're supposed to be eating, taking care of our bodies correctly so we can live a long life, but a quality life.
[07:57] It is about the quality. Up until your. To your last day.
[08:01] We want you to be,
[08:03] I should say, I want you to be riding your bike, doing all the things that you love to do, not hunched over or in a. In a facility.
[08:14] No, I want you to be independent and vibrant,
[08:18] and the enemy wants you destroyed.
[08:20] And so overeating is just another attempt for him to rob you of what is yours.
[08:28] And if we look back at, in the Bible, in Babylon, that very, very early days, we start to see that food was used as comfort.
[08:38] Babylon was a spirit, was. Was the birthplace.
[08:43] Babylon was the birthplace of rebellion against God. It was a culture built on pride and idolatry.
[08:50] And they worshiped pleasure and abundance using food and drink as these symbols of power.
[08:57] And it wasn't like we think of it as more sexual sin,
[09:01] but it was also the spirit of gluttony, of greed, idolatry.
[09:06] Babylon was known for also its feasting.
[09:09] They had wild entertainment, indulgence in the streets.
[09:13] Everything was designed to dull the spiritual awareness, your spiritual connection to God. And it made food that center of focus.
[09:23] So physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually,
[09:26] you were numb and. And you were just focused on what the flesh wanted.
[09:31] And then you go on centuries later and you have the Roman Empire that had that same Babylonian spirit where they glorified Feasting and gorging and pure luxury in these golden rooms where they would feast on banquets that would last for hours or days.
[09:49] And gluttony had become a luxurious form of entertainment. And it was glorified. It was something they loved and cherished.
[09:57] Matter of fact, even the wealthy, they had these rooms called vomitoriums, where there were basins or rooms where they could just go vomit and purge.
[10:06] So then they'd come back to the feast and start gorging again, and it would last for days.
[10:11] So feasting was tied to entertainment, power, pride, destruction of the body.
[10:16] But we know that Paul later addressed in the New Testament, he warned the church,
[10:22] do not conform to the world's patterns.
[10:26] Philippians 3:19 says, Their end is destruction, their God is their belly, and their glory is in.
[10:34] Well, he didn't say food, and they glory in their shame, who set their mind on earthly things.
[10:40] So he was already saying that overeating was a problem back then and also in the New Testament.
[10:49] So it is a deception from the enemy that speaks in your head and your mind to lead you down the path of destruction, that you believe this food can comfort you,
[11:01] that whatever you are going through, the food is going to take it away.
[11:05] But what happens is it distracts you momentarily,
[11:09] and then it leads on to so much destruction. And I know that you know that I know that's why you're here to. To get over this. But when we look at what it really is, it is a Babylon spirit in your mind.
[11:23] And so when you sit down to eat, or you are eating in the midst of the meal and you are thinking and you're. I don't know, some people do think, am I going to overeat?
[11:34] And some people, it's already too late when they think about it.
[11:37] But we want to bring that awareness in the forefront so we can.
[11:42] We can ask ourselves, will I be ruled by the spirit of Babylon at this meal, at this, my favorite dish, or this dessert? Or am I going to stand strong, in control like Jesus and reject this temptation, reject this voice?
[11:59] So we know that God made awesome food, our awesome bodies.
[12:03] I could go on for a month on our body, a year on our bodies. Once you get into all the systems and the brilliance of the cells and how they replace each other and the feedback loops and how they all are orchestrated together as one.
[12:20] Every system, digestion, lymph, nerds, respiratory, circulation,
[12:24] everything is designed in order to cleanse, rebuild, rejuvenate. And once we. We work with the body and we get out of the way and start trying to treat, treat, treat and go after symptoms.
[12:38] But we really work to restore the body.
[12:40] We get to a level of health, we get our mind right, we're eating the right food.
[12:46] This is victory. This is where you become healthy and victorious.
[12:50] And you and you stop behaviors that are taking you down the path of poor health and harming you.
[12:57] So what happens to our body? Well, in a nutshell, when we overeat,
[13:02] what's happening is we spike insulin, we have a dopamine rush, Our cortisol rises from the stress,
[13:10] we have cellular inflammation, our serotonin crashes,
[13:14] and we begin to go through mood swings. And then that is where that spiritual disconnection sets in. And emotionally and mentally,
[13:23] we are in a place of beating ourselves up or feeling guilty and.
[13:30] And all these other feelings that come with it. But if we're looking at digestion, we are overloading it. Where then the food sits on the stomach. It's trying to break it down.
[13:41] But because of the overwhelming amount,
[13:44] there's fermentation and putrefaction that sets in. That means gas bloating.
[13:49] You feel very uncomfortable. The pancreas is pumping out insulin to try and handle all of the glucose matter, even.
[13:58] It doesn't matter if it's chicken or fat or beef, or even if it's a protein or a fat. It affects insulin.
[14:06] And so this is just that. Whole digestive tract is burdened to a great extent, which then causes a chemical imbalance from the blood sugar, the insulin, the energy crashes the cravings,
[14:20] and it trains the body to store fat. Because now, if it's becoming a habit,
[14:25] it begins to adapt to this behavior.
[14:29] Dopamine and cortisol, they become imbalanced stress hormones. That causes tension and anxiety.
[14:37] Immune system activation, where low grade inflammation sets in at a cellular level,
[14:43] we can start to see this in our skin, the puffiness around our face,
[14:48] it sets in. Premature aging, and it slows down any type of healing that your body is supposed to be doing.
[14:55] It sets back the detox that God designed for our bodies to go ahead and go through. Every night when we go to bed, your body is finishing up digestion and begins to remove toxins.
[15:08] And the liver and the lymph are highly at work. But if they're overburdened from the overwhelming amount of food,
[15:17] then that is where cellular rejuvenation is halted and that aging process begins to accelerate.
[15:24] And again, there's emotional anguish, the disappointment, guilt, and shame. We don't want that, and we can avoid that. The physical consequences are there.
[15:33] But Really, I think the most critical is your heart, your emotional numbness that separates you from God,
[15:40] and it is just pushed down what you are trying to feel.
[15:45] But if we can learn to turn away from food and turn toward God for His comfort, for his whatever we're going through,
[15:54] his understanding, if we're losing peace, if we're frustrated,
[15:59] whatever feeling that you have,
[16:02] God wants to comfort you. He wants to be there for you.
[16:06] So what is the four step framework? I have been doing this and it, it really, truly can stop you from overeating, but it takes you thinking about it. You've got to put in a little bit of effort.
[16:19] So the first step is that awareness, the awareness of what your body is trying to cue into you,
[16:26] that it is content or it is hungry. You know, some people eat when they're not hungry just because they're bored or they're procrastinating.
[16:34] And if we can just ask,
[16:36] just check in, am I hungry?
[16:38] But you're checking in with your emotions and your. And how you're feeling as you're going through the meal first. Thessalonians 5, 6, 8 says,
[16:49] Therefore, let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.
[16:58] But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love,
[17:06] and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.
[17:10] So Paul is urging believers to stay spiritually alert and aware.
[17:16] When we are alert and aware that the Spirit of Babylon can come upon us during a meal,
[17:21] while maybe we finished a meal and we're walking out and there's a big ice cream shop and people are encouraging you, let's go, let's go eat ice cream. And you know you're already full.
[17:33] Do not let the Spirit of Babylon trick you into, into thinking that that somehow is more celebration for you.
[17:40] He is dulling your awareness.
[17:43] Awareness can keep you grounded in your faith and love and turned you towards strength and that strength that Jesus gives you to resist temptation if,
[17:54] if you're full.
[17:56] I mean, of course there's a time to celebrate and there's no reason to beat yourself up if you are having a dessert.
[18:02] What I'm saying is when you are full and you know you're at your limit and you push yourself past that.
[18:09] So the first is to stay awake. The second step is to be conscious of your authority.
[18:15] You're inviting the Holy Spirit to speak louder. You're inviting the Holy Spirit who's inside of you as a Believer to have self control.
[18:25] And so you are no longer reliant just on willpower.
[18:29] John 14:26 says, but the helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all these things and bring to your remembrance all things that I have said to you.
[18:42] So Jesus is comforting his disciples right before his crucifixion. And he's promising that the Holy Spirit is even going to be better because he's going to live inside of you.
[18:52] And you don't have to worry about Jesus being next to you or by you.
[18:56] You're never left alone in your struggles. So you can call on the Holy Spirit to help you in your weakness.
[19:03] You can call on the Holy Spirit to give you strength to say no and push the plate away,
[19:10] which is number three, which is practicing that discipline and speaking it over your life. Now sometimes this won't be appropriate, but if you're having a hard time, you can speak it in your mind.
[19:23] Remember Proverbs 18:21 says, Life and death are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
[19:29] So Solomon, he was teaching that words carry creative power,
[19:33] that they can build you up, they can make you strong,
[19:37] or they can destroy you and weaken you.
[19:39] And the fruit you eat from your words parallels the fruit you eat physically.
[19:44] Just beautiful,
[19:46] beautiful,
[19:47] perfect food for your body.
[19:50] And words from God are perfect, beautiful words of strength. You're declaring truth over your body. I am satisfied in the Lord. I need nothing else. That's all you need to start saying.
[20:02] I am satisfied in the Lord.
[20:05] James 3:2 says, for we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man able to bridle the whole body.
[20:16] So James shows the connection between the speech and self control. If you can control your tongue, if you can start speaking over your body,
[20:25] you can control your body, including your appetite. That hand with that fork is being controlled by your mind. And you start speaking to yourself, speaking over yourself.
[20:36] Then you start to win at this overeating habit.
[20:41] And you are speaking truth, you're speaking God's words, which is power powerful.
[20:47] So we're not letting emotions control us. We are go ahead with our awareness, Then we're conscious of our authority and then we're speaking God's word. And the fourth piece of the framework is to replace it with a habit.
[21:02] Push the food away, push the plate away, put the napkin on the food, put the fork down,
[21:08] put a mint in your mouth, take your plate and put it over in the sink.
[21:14] You have to sometimes in the beginning, cue to yourself that,
[21:19] I'm done.
[21:20] Matthew 4:4 says, but he answered and said, it is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.
[21:29] And you don't have to fight it with your willpower.
[21:33] You're walking in the most powerful spirit that raised Jesus Christ from the dead.
[21:39] That spirit is inside of you.
[21:42] We sometimes want it to jump out and overtake it and do it for us. But we have to allow that spirit and authority to rise up within us. And once we start doing it, we start to create a pattern of winning, and we get stronger and stronger.
[21:59] So you're saying to yourself, I am not going to be controlled by the spirit of Babylon. That's what that is. It is not just you being weak.
[22:08] You have a dark force up against you,
[22:10] but you have the authority to overtake it. You can overcome overeating. You can do this. I know you can.
[22:17] And who's to say it doesn't happen?
[22:20] Do not beat yourself up.
[22:22] Just. Just pick up, draw the line. The next minute is the start of a new day.
[22:28] Don't wait till Monday.
[22:29] Don't wait until your vacation's over.
[22:31] Just draw a line and say,
[22:33] today's a new day. Right now.
[22:36] So what is the framework? You stay awake to the voices in your head. You stay conscious of your authority. You speak over yourself. And you worship God. Step away from the food, worshiping him and not the plate or the food that's left over or the dessert or whatever you are being tempted with.
[22:54] This is a rejuvenation lifestyle habit for victory. And you can have victory over eating once and for all.
[23:01] No more cellular inflammation because of overeating?
[23:05] No. Your digestion is going to be working fluidly and well, which helps your brain, helps your gut health. It helps your emotional and mental health.
[23:18] So you have an answer for this? The enemy? Yes, he's trying to kill, steal, and destroy. But now you are more powerful with the Holy Spirit.
[23:27] And I really, truly believe that once and for all, you can be done with this.
[23:32] Not that it couldn't happen. We are human. We could fall short at some point,
[23:37] but we just pick right back up and start over again.
[23:40] No shame, no guilt.
[23:42] All right.
[23:44] I just want to say I hope this was helpful. If you know anyone struggling with overeating, please send them.
[23:49] Send this their way.
[23:51] And if you have any comments or questions, thoughts about this, please reach out. I would love to hear what you have to say.
[23:58] Thanks so much for joining me and bye. For now.
