Is a Spirit of Rebellion Preventing You from Reaching Your Weight Loss Goals?

What is a spirit of rebellion?

How do you know you have one?

Maybe you’re just unmotivated or you’re just ‘strong-willed?’ Could this be a part of what keeps sabotaging your weight loss goals?

We all heard of the rebellious teenager who starts cutting classes or the rebellious child that refuses to eat their vegetables. In fact, we all tend to have a bit of a rebellious streak in us—it’s part of our sinful nature.

But what happens when that childhood or teenage rebellion continues into adulthood and impacts various areas of your life, especially your ability to lose weight?

Is it even possible that a rebellious spirit can be blocking your weight loss success? Take this little quiz and see if you identify with any of these scenarios:

1.  You have a fight or disagreement with someone but instead of telling them how your really feel, you rush home so you can stuff you feelings with food?

2.  Do you get close to your goal weight and then start to sabotage yourself?

3.  You tell yourself that it’s not fair that other people get to eat whatever they want, so you eat like they eat even though you know the consequences?

4.  You clearly hear God directing you to take a certain action yet, like Jonah, you take another course of action?

5.  You eat in secret?

If you’re nodding your head in agreement, keep reading. Your deliverance is about to come!

1 Samuel 15:23, “For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft … .”

First off, there’s a difference between ‘being rebellious’ (which we all are from time to time) versus having a ‘spirit of rebellion’ (or rebellious spirit).

A rebellious spirit is a stronghold that continually controls your actions. It is argumentative (either passively or outwardly); it resists authority and often thinks it knows best, or it doesn’t feel like doing it any other way. It does not like to be told what to do.

Unless the spiritual root of rebellion is addressed, it will continue to block your development, deliverance, or freedom from your weight loss as well as other areas of your life.

For many of us, our rebellious spirit that was developed in our childhood came about as a defensive mechanism; as a result of some kind of rejection or deep emotional hurt. It may have been our only sense of power when we felt powerless.

Due to painful circumstances, you may have made up your mind that no one is going to force their will on you; or you may have learned how to comfort yourself with food to escape the pain. Rebellion was your only internal weapon of choice.

The irony is that it’s the spirit of rebellion in you that’s in control and not actually you yourself. So your attempts to be in control actually has you out of control. This leads to shame, guilt, disgust, and disappointment, and so the cycle continues.

The Solution for a Rebellious Spirit

The solution for rebellion is simple in principle, yet difficult to put into practice and that’s why so many of us are stuck.

1.  Call a Spade a Spade. It’s a lot easier to call myself an emotional eater or even blame it on my low blood sugar than to say I have a rebellious spirit, but this will never bring about my deliverance.

You must understand what spirit you’re dealing with in order to pray against it and cast it out. Admit that your rebellious spirit is what has been sabotaging you and keeping you from being in total communion with God.

2.  Repent. John 1:9 says: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness”. God is not mad at you; he won’t punish you for not putting 100% of your faith and trust in Him, but you will miss out on your blessings. Unless we repent though, we are tying God’s hands and He cannot do what He wants to do in your life. Right where you are … right now … repent against your spirit of rebelliousness and let God know that you want Him to be the Lord of your life.

3.  Submit. Galatians 5:16 says, “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh” and James 4:7 says “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” Satan has no access to us when we are walking in the Spirit and submitted to God.

I believe that submission is a moment by moment choice. Start your day in prayer, end your day in prayer, and as often as you can remember throughout the day, continually turn everything you do over to God. Definitely spend a moment in prayer before you put anything in your mouth or consider doing anything that will negatively affect your health.

4.  Renew Your Mind. Romans 12:2  says: “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is–his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Even though we have been renewed after repenting, our mind (speech and actions too) may take a while to catch up. We must make a conscious effort of continuous renewal of our mind by guarding what we read, who we talk to, and what we say about ourselves. Equip yourself with scriptures to confess when you’re feeling defeated.

5.  Do a New Thing.  Although you’ve made room for God to do His part, you must also do your part to bring forth your deliverance from this spirit of rebellion.

What practical steps do you need to put in place to deal with this besetting sin. Do you need to take a course in assertiveness training? Do you need to change careers? Do you need to forgive those have hurt you? Do you need to spend more time in prayer? Maybe you need to go to counseling?

Although it may not have been your fault why you developed this spirit of rebellion, now that you know, it’s your responsibility to do something about it. It’s time to do something new so that you can begin to learn new habits and skills.

Beloved, remember that this weight loss journey has very little to do with the number on the scale. The number is just a physical manifestation of what’s going on inside. If you desire permanent weight loss, get healing from the inside first. Get to the root of why you do what you do.

Isaiah 43:19, ” See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?” NIV

You are blessed!