Getting to No Quotes

“Satan’s most successful weapon is fear.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“Greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“The mind is a target for satanic attack.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“Our sin is never a private matter. We cannot say, “It only hurts me.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“Sinful habits are usually indicative of unresolved conflicts.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“James wrote, “Let no one say when he is tempted, ‘I am being tempted by God’; for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“If God is able to forget your past, why can’t you? When you confess your sins and ask forgiveness of them, God throws your sins into the depths of the sea, and then puts up a sign on the shore that reads, “No swimming.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“Guilt is not God pushing us away from Him; it is God trying to put His arms around us.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“you need to realize that Satan has no rights,”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“You simply cannot give in to all the desires of your body. You would be dead in less than a week if you did!”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“Finally, realize that your ultimate goal is not victory, but relationship with God Himself.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“And whatever God asks of you, He will give you the strength to do.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“Temptation is not a sin; it is a call to battle.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“Temptation is His X-ray machine, revealing the hidden conflicts that need attention.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“Whatever circumstances our pasts may hold, we can rise above them into a future shaped by God’s grace.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“When you doubt God’s goodness, you hug sins tightly to your bosom, afraid that God will rob you of your crutch, your pastime, your pleasure.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“Temptation is God’s magnifying glass; it shows us how much work He has left to do in our lives.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“He allows us the luxury of difficult choices so that we can prove our love for Him. These are our opportunities to choose God rather than the world.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“Clearly God does not shield us from circumstances where we are vulnerable to sin.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“First Peter 4:1 says, “So then, since Christ suffered physical pain, you must arm yourselves with the same attitude he had, and be ready to suffer, too.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“Satan never fears your good intentions. Only your obedience drives him to distraction.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Study 1. Psalm 32 is an account of how David felt when he tried to hide his sin. List the effects of unconfessed sin as mentioned in verses 3 through 5. Have you been feeling any of these effects lately? If so, what can you do to change that situation? 2. Think of various actions for which we often feel guilty because we cannot forgive ourselves. How can we know whether our guilt is brought about by ourselves or by God? 3. Reread the account of the fall of humanity in Genesis 3. What evidence is there that Adam and Eve felt guilty when God came to them? What characteristics of guilt are found in the record? What was God’s response to Adam and Eve’s need? In what ways can you relate to Adam and Eve’s actions? How do you think God will respond to you when you come to Him with humility, seeking forgiveness? 4. Once we have confessed our sins, we must continually thank God for His pardon. Memorize these verses and recite them as an expression of praise to God for His forgiveness: Psalm 32:1-2; Romans 8:33-34; 1 John 1:9. 5. Take some time now to pray and think about the times when you have not felt forgiven for your sins. Ask God to change your attitude toward His sacrifice and to bring you to a place where you can accept His forgiveness and move forward. (Chapter 8 will further address how we separate our “feelings” from God’s truth.)”
― Erwin W Lutzer, How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“Questions for Personal Reflection or Group Study 1. This chapter identifies three necessary conditions you must accept if you want to say no to temptation and mean it. They include the belief that God is good, the understanding that you must accept full responsibility for your behavior, and the belief that deliverance is possible. Where are you right now with these conditions? What, if anything, is holding you back from fully believing these truths? Read the following verses and meditate on their application to your life: Luke 1:37; John 8:32; and Hebrews 3:12. Seek prayer from others for your perseverance against sin. 2. No doubt David spent time finding excuses for his sin with Bathsheba. For example, unexpected circumstances led him to notice her just when her husband was out of town. Couldn’t God have controlled those circumstances? But eventually, David came to realize the fault was entirely his own. He couldn’t blame anyone else. Read David’s prayer of repentance in Psalm 51 with these questions in mind: What evidence is there that David finally took full responsibility for what he had done? What evidence is there that David realized that his sin was first against God and only secondarily a sin against others? Now read Romans 1:18-32. Trace the downward spiral of sin by asking, Why is this man responsible for his behavior? 3. What do you think is the most difficult behavioral problem to overcome? Why do you think we so often fail to tap God’s resources for help? 4. Which people in the Bible successfully resisted your particular temptation? Why do you think they were successful? Are there any people in your life right now who have successfully resisted this same temptation? If so, how can you gain their support and encouragement in your struggles? 5. Take a few moments now and thank God for the areas of your life in which you are already experiencing victory. Ask Him to help you remember those victories in times when you struggle with other areas of sin.”
― Erwin W Lutzer, How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“ACTION STEP: We cannot expect transformation of our attitudes and behavior until the barrier of resentment/anger is removed. Go to God and stay there as long as you need to, confessing all of your resentments and anger to Him. Be specific: name people, circumstances, etc., and let it all spill out. This may take some time, but do it!”
― Erwin W Lutzer, How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“1. John 3:21 says, “Whoever lives by the truth comes into the light.” Take inventory of your life: What is your most persistent temptation? Be honest. Why is it so difficult for you to say no to this temptation and yes to God? In what situations do you most often encounter this temptation? What do you hope to gain from conquering this troubling part of your life? 2. Read the story of Jesus’ temptation in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11). List all the reasons He might have found it easy to give in to Satan’s suggestions. Speculate as to what the consequences of such acts would have been. Contrast His response with the way the Israelites acted when they were hungry (Exodus 16; Numbers 11). What can we learn from this contrast between the Son of Man and the children of Israel? 3. Before you read the next chapter, spend some quiet time in prayer with your own particular temptations or sins in mind. Ask God for wisdom in the following areas: a. to help you properly identify the cause of your defeat, and b. to understand that you have been given the grace that is necessary to overcome this habit or persistent sin. 4. If you are reading this book alone, ask God to reveal one or two other people with whom you might be able to share your struggles, or even invite to join you in your journey through this book. 5. Take a few moments right now to thank God for the good things He is already doing in your life and for what He will do in the days ahead—in particular, how He will show His strength and grace at the point of your weakness.”
― Erwin W Lutzer, How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“ACTION STEP: Present yourself to God and ask Him to give you the faith to believe that you can experience genuine change in your attitude and behavior.”
― Erwin W Lutzer, How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“God does not save us by circumventing our will. He works through our will, giving us the ability to choose to believe in Christ and also to do what is right.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“Be controlled by the Spirit, rather than drugs or alcohol or any other stubborn habit. The Spirit’s control will replace sin’s control.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“The victory over sin that you seek will come from your relationship with God.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit

“His will is not merely that you be free from sin; He wants to conform you to the image of His Son.”
― Erwin W. Lutzer, Getting to No: How to Break a Stubborn Habit