Success? Don't Drink Your Blue Moon When "Blue"

In my more than 20 years experience of working with spiritual and marketplace leaders, I have seen three reasons why Christians and specifically top performers sabotage themselves with food or alcohol, whether they are 25 or 65. This produces an ability to stay focused internally and also prevents them for losing weight.

It is interesting to me that individuals who find any alcohol consumption unbiblical, have little conviction about overeating. I do not mean this offensively, but if you research excess biblically, gluttony and drunkenness go hand-in-hand. It is the same spirit of lust which we are famous for here in the U.S. I am not your pastor; I just humbly offer these thoughts and strategies on building success personally in regard to eating and alcohol, so that you can take the seat of authority in your city that is your inheritance in Christ. (And keep it.)

First, my observation is that almost 90% of the time, most individuals I meet are called to a higher level of authority and influence than they are currently operating in. They are meant to live as the most interesting man in the world lives…:)However, because they do not keep clear and consistent boundaries in their life or they don’t understand their identity fully, they cannot obtain it. This leads to striving and working in their flesh, which then leads to a martyr complex (you know the people who always have a crisis in their life), a spirit of rejection and lastly, abandonment. Later on this year, I will be doing a series on how an abandonment spirit opens the door for poverty and what you can do to build a “Joseph” anointing on your life. So make sure you send this to any friends you know who need to grow provision-wise and have them sign up on the newsletter so they don’t miss the upcoming calls Bev and I will be doing for you:).

Secondly, they have not learned how to process pain in a healthy way with peers or build accountability that they submit to willingly. Instead they isolate themselves and attempt to work through their weight or alcohol struggles alone (Epic failure), which opens the door for self-medicating (I used to be the queen at this!). When you begin to feel shamed and resist the Holy Spirit’s conviction through your spouse or friendships, you are on a slippery slope.

Lastly, they have unresolved inner healing issues of fatherlessness, abandonment or actual generational curses that need to be addressed or broken off their life. This takes partnership and power to move out of and they have to really be willing to do the work at a core level to get free from this. This reason is largely why I insist on praying directly with clients who are not being able to get free from sabotages with alcohol or food addictions. The Bible is clear that generational idolatry (anything that you substitute to meet your needs other than the blood of Christ) leads to bondage and destruction. When people do the work to build a BOLD, PHYSICAL IDENTITY, it is AMAZING the way their ministries and businesses grow and they have alot of fun. It is simply because this internal and external work translates into more clarity, boldness and consistency in their marketing.

How to Build Success? First, I want to make clear that if you have received Christ into your heart, it is your RIGHT as a child of God to walk in liberty and freedom from all compulsive thoughts and habits. Do not allow anything to compromise the call of God on your life or prevent you from walking in the level of victory that is your inheritance.

Next, with that said, victory does not mean that you don’t have to guard your heart or that you will never struggle with temptation. There is a saying in Alcoholic’s/Over-eater’s Anonymous that once an addict, always an addict. With respect to the possibly millions of people they have helped, I would offer you this perspective.

What the Bible says is that when we receive Christ, we are new creations. We receive new identities continuously as we develop in our authority and understanding of our inheritance in Christ. I was an alcoholic, there is no doubt. I am not a recovering alcoholic today.I am the daughter of the King and I have all the privileges that accompany that.

With that said, I went through a period while I was getting free and learning how to process pain in a healthy way that I completely abstained. I believe it was for a year or two. The truth was, I wasn’t able to have one glass of wine or one beer. The Bible equates all leadership with moderation and self-control.

What is essential as you advance in authority is that you should also be advancing in your ability to control your emotions and appetite while building a BOLD, PHYSICAL IDENTITY. The issue is not a legalistic one. The question is, do you want more authority, power and influence for the Kingdom of God? Do you want to be a good steward of what God has given you? If so, you must be willing to consecrate yourself to a greater degree as that is what separates the perfect will of God from just the good.

Before I share with you the guidelines that have helped me move from sabotage to success, I would like to state for the record, that these are the thoughts that I received in prayer to guide me. You must seek God for yourself and what will make you successful. Again, if you are not able to control yourself or remain moderate, than abstain completely.

Foremost, I will not have alcohol when I am in turmoil or depressed. It is simply too much of a temptation to lose control and medicate the pain. I remember the day I had to put my horse down and I was alone on the first night because my husband had to travel. It was probably the worst temptation I had faced in years. Thank God, my friend Margo came over to comfort me right away as I was emotionally exhausted (which is always a recipe for disaster) and lonely. Rather than drink, I treated myself to some chocolate-covered almond ice cream. You don’t have to be legalistic, just don’t eat the entire carton if you can help it.

I am careful about who I have a beer or glass of wine with and how often. If they are sensitive about alcohol and their faith, I have mineral water. If I am around someone who struggles with being moderate, I usually will not even have one, as I know this could cause them to stumble. If I am with someone who believes it is a sin altogether to drink, I will not have any. The bottom line is that we are to honor other people’s faith level and convictions rather than our own. Also, if alcohol is turning into an every night event for you, please be careful; it can be a very slippery slope between freedom and bondage.

I will set times twice a year to completely abstain for months at a stretch, just to press into a greater level of spiritual clarity and power. When I do this, I will help a new team train for a half-marathon. Let me tell you, I have seen incredible results from this, not just in building a BOLD, Physical Identity, but also in my faith, the anointing I carry when I pray for people and my business success. You just cannot out give God!

Scriptures for review, in case you want more context: Ephesians 5:18, Proverbs 23: 20 and 29-35, 1 Corinthians 6:12, 2 Peter 2:19, 1 Corinthians 8: 9-13, 1 Corinthians 10: 31.