Once a self-proclaimed “food addict,” Shane Idleman knew he had to change his eating habits or become a statistic he didn’t want any part of. In his research of the subject, Idleman discovered that 15% of the 40 to 80 million Americans who suffer from compulsive overeating will die from it.
The founder and lead pastor of Westside Christian Fellowship in Lancaster, California, Idleman has dedicated himself to helping people overcome their food addictions and to setting them on a biblical path to a godly, healthy lifestyle so they can reach their full potential in the kingdom.
One of the first steps, he says, is to purge yourself of unhealthy temptations.
“You need to remove the things from your house; get rid of the things that are bad and make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lustful meaning,” Idleman told Dr. Steve Greene on a recent episode of Greenelines on the Charisma Podcast Network. “Don’t plan ahead to sin. Just don’t have these things around.
“Take it to God. Get people around you, perhaps a support group that’s nearby. Listen to sermons on fasting or read books on fasting and health. Fall forward and get yourself motivated to do this.
“The Bible is very clear that we have to discipline ourselves. Paul said, ‘I discipline myself. I bring my body into subjection.’ The fruit of the Spirit is discipline. At our church, we focus on fasting—intermittent fasting—to remove the triggers. The first thing you must do is pray about this and ask God for His help if you have struggled in this area. Humble yourself, and in the process, you’ll bring the problem to light and He can solve it for you.”
To find out more about how to tackle this addiction with Pastor Idleman, listen to this podcast.
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