Jesus, You said in Matthew 16:26 (NIV): “What good will it be for a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits HIS SOUL? Or what can a man give in exchange for HIS SOUL?” Since I have to leave the planet if I lose my soul, help me understand that all those things I accomplished, stored up, and learned that God doesn’t count for eternity, will be lost. However, help see that there are a lot of things I can use my human life (soul) for. Take me through this study so I will DESIRE to “do what it takes” to store up treasure in eternity.

Jesus, You said in Matthew 6:19-20 (NIV): “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.” Making it clear that I can store up for myself treasures in heaven. Help me allow You to teach me how to DESIRE to be doing that.

Jesus, teach me these Scriptures; let them help explain how the Holy Spirit is going to assist me in getting these things listed in Hebrews 10:22: Let me draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having my heart sprinkled to cleanse me from a guilty conscience and having my body washed with pure water. Teach me that this Scripture will only work for me, if I DESIRE to submit my body to You. My body is giving me a lot of fun, pleasure, and happiness. But, help me see that some of these things are sins. Teach me that my heavenly Father knows that the END RESULT of these sins will be terrible side effects.

Rom 8:5 (NIV) Those who live according to the sinful nature have their minds set on what that nature desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit DESIRES. Jesus, take me through these studies to help me get my mind set on the DESIRES of the Holy Spirit. Show me that if I allow You to convince my mind that Your way is the best way, then I will yield to the DESIRES of the Holy Spirit. Teach me that getting my mind set means I have been CONVINCED that sins which create extreme pleasure in my body are bad for me.

Gal 5:19-21 (NIV) The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery (excessive indulgence in sensual pleasures); idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will NOT inherit the kingdom of God. Jesus, make it clear to me that Satan’s whole objective in tempting me and luring me into these sins is to trap me and bring me under his control. Teach me that the excessive pleasure these things produce in my body will addict, enslave, and control me. Help me see that I will lose my God-given free will; Satan will take over my life.

Jesus, help me realize that I must be convinced by You and the Bible that the sins listed in Galatians 5:19-21 are bad for me. If I don’t understand this, I won’t allow the Holy Spirit to take control over these sins. You, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit CAN bring me into complete freedom from my struggles with alcohol; but, I must DESIRE that. Rom 8:9 (NIV) You, however, are controlled not by THE SINFUL NATURE but by the Spirit, if the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

1 Cor 6:19 (NIV) Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, Who is IN you, Whom you have received from God? You are not your own. Jesus, teach me that if I get convinced enough to submit my body to You, I will have taken the first step in The Six Biblical Principles. I will DESIRE the Holy Spirit’s help in winning over my problems with alcohol. Show me that He is IN me so I and He can get Your power to deal with all my struggles. Make it clear to me that I have God, the Holy Spirit, inside me so I can have DIRECT access to all God has to offer me.

John 16:8 (NIV) When He comes, He will CONVICT the world of GUILT in regard to sin and righteousness and judgment: Jesus, teach me that all the wrong, bad, and evil things THE SINFUL NATURE in my body are driving, luring, tempting, and making me do, are being pointed out to me. The Holy Spirit is speaking to my conscience and telling me that these body drives, desires, and hungers, are sins. Help me see that if, at that moment, I am convinced they are sins and DESIRE to be protected from them, the Bible, You, and the Holy Spirit will provide me with an escape.

Jesus, teach me that no temptation has seized me except what is COMMON to man. And God is faithful; He will not let me be tempted BEYOND what I can bear. But when I am tempted, He WILL also provide me a way out so that I can stand up under it (1 Cor 10:13). Teach me that the Holy Spirit, living inside me, will be bringing about the changes I am unable to make through my own efforts. He will be making these changes by helping me FEEL a negative check in my conscience when I am about to make a mistake. He will give me positive feelings when I am moving in the right direction. However, help me see that I must allow You to convince me of their rightness or sinfulness so I will DESIRE to respond to my conscience.

James 1:5 (NIV) If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, Who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. Jesus, help me understand that I can read this and simply ask for a general supply of wisdom. In other words, I don’t have any specific need for wisdom at the moment; I just want to be wise. Teach me that this is okay; but, help me see that there is a broader and more continuous use for this provision of God.

Jesus, when I am being tempted in an area where I typically give in. I am feeling the pressure of the temptation just like usual. I can feel myself slipping into my old pattern of heading in the wrong direction. Then, all of a sudden, help me remember this provision that God has made available to me. Help me pray always pray something like this:

Jesus, I am facing a situation that usually causes me to do things I don’t want to do. I know they are wrong; but, I don’t seem to be able to win over this temptation. I have tried to come up with solutions for it; but, I can’t seem to come up with any ideas that help me win. James 1:5 tells me that I can ask You for Your wisdom and You will give it to me. Help me come up with Your power-ideas that would empower me to win over this struggle.

Jesus, teach me that in the same way, the Spirit helps me in my weakness. I do not know what I ought to pray for, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for me with groans that words cannot express (Rom 8:26). Teach me that these SPECIFIC prayers are prayers I can pray to my heavenly Father anytime I want. But, help me see that the great thing about the Holy Spirit, since He is living inside me, is He will remind me to pray. I ask You, Jesus, to have the Holy Spirit assist me in how and what to pray.

Jesus, teach me that the more I get involved with the Holy Spirit by including Him in on the issues with my body, the more I will learn how to get all God has to offer. Show me that the Holy Spirit is able to empower me and work with me on anything I need. Help me see that He is always right there inside me waiting for me to include Him in whatever I want or need.

Jesus, since the Spirit of truth, has come inside me, He is GUIDING me into ALL truth. He is not speaking on His own; He is speaking only what He hears, and He will tell me what is yet to come. He will bring glory to You by taking from what is Yours and making it known to me. All that belongs to the Father is Yours. That is why You said the Spirit will take from what is Yours and make it known to me (John 16:13-15). Make it clear to me that all this is true for me, IF I DESIRE the Holy Spirit to help me submit my body to You. Help me DESIRE this by helping me allow You to convince me that I should.

Jesus, help me see that Hebrews 10:22 is giving me five steps for submitting my body to You. Show me that they are what CAN bring me the victories I am looking for over my body. Plus, show me that the Holy Spirit CAN not only guide me into HOW to have victory over my body, He CAN give me the power to have victory over my body. BUT, help me realize that The Six Biblical Principles must be used as I TRY to apply the five truths of Hebrews 10:22 to my body.

Jesus, without Your assistance, power, and training through the Holy Spirit, I will NOT be able to comply with the very first part of Hebrews 10:22. I won’t DESIRE to “draw near to God;” I won’t STUDY and know HOW to “draw near to God;” I won’t PRAY and ask for the POWER to “draw near to God;” I won’t BELIEVE I HAVE the power to “draw near to God;” I won’t yield to God’s LOVE so I have the right MOTIVES for drawing “near to God;” And I won’t take FAITH-ACTION because I won’t know what to DO next, if I did “draw near to God.”

Jesus, teach me that before I was born again, human effort and world training worked wonderfully in helping me reach my goals. And, if I were on this planet to learn how to be a successful human, that would be all I needed to learn and do. BUT, help me see that I am here to learn how to live in God’s world. I am here to learn how to live as a spirit being. I am here to learn how to be successful as a child of God. Help me understand that if I learn how to apply God’s principles for things like submitting my body to You, then I will be successful here and in eternity. But, make it clear to me that if I don’t, I may be “successful” here, but, I will be a failure in eternity.