By: Elisabeth Pointer
SPIRIT OF Starvation
INTRODUCTION “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God,� (Matthew 4: 4). Christ said these monumental words while being tempted by Satan during his fast that lasted 40 days and 40 nights. It is the word of God, which we find in the bible, that nourishes and feeds our spirit.
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THE WORD OF GOD Though food may preserve our physical bodies, it alone cannot preserve us spiritually. Simply put, we need the word of God daily to show us how to gain eternal life. Most in this world are spiritually malnourished, some more than others. The more their spirits starve the closer they draw to eternal damnation. Knowing this, we must do all that we can to fight starvation of the spirit. So let us first take a look at starvation in common terms before we further draw any spiritual comparisons.
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STARVATION Starvation is a worldwide threat, killing more people every year than Aids, malaria and turbuculosis combined. Starvation is the most extreme form of malnutrition that can ultimately lead to death. It is said that individuals can survive anywhere from 3 weeks to 70 days without food depending on hydration and fat reserves.
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STARVATION Starvation is a process nor do fatal consequences occur in one day. Why? Because God engineered our bodies to fight for survival. But even still, our flesh is mortal and we as human beings are fragile. If we go without food for too long, our bodies will eventually break down its own muscles and tissues for energy. Essentially cannibalizing itself.
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CAUSES OF STARVATION Not only that, the immune system becomes greatly compromised due to deficiencies with minerals and vitamins. In fact, many individuals that die from starvation die from immunerelated diseases. Causes of starvation can vary whether it be due to poverty, scarcity of food, or medical conditions.
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EATING DISORDERS At times, starvation can be selfinflicted because of an eating disorder. What is an eating disorder? In general, Eating Disorders are psychological disorders that are characterized by extreme attitudes, emotions and behaviors surrounding food and weight. Now there are multiple types of eating disorders but for the purpose of this presentation, we will focus on two major types including anorexia and bulimia nervosa.
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ANOREXIA Anorexia Nervosa is primarily characterized by self starvation and excessive weight loss. A person with this condition will eat little to no food even if their health is drastically compromised. Some signs of this disease to keep in mind are: Dramatic weight loss Refusal to eat certain foods Denial of hunger Consistent excuses to avoid meal times
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ANOREXIA Anorexia Nervosa is self inflicted starvation. As mentioned before, when the body is deprived of the nutrients, severe health consequences can occur. More specifically, individuals with anorexia may suffer from: Severe hydration, which can cause kidney failure Muscle loss Loss of bone density, which leads to brittle, dry bones Decreased heart rate and blood pressure General fatigue and overall weakness Death
BULIMIA Bulimia Nervosa is characterized cycles of binging often followed by self induced vomiting, laxative use or diuretic use in attempt to undo the effects of binge eating. As with anorexia, severe health consequences can occur including: Electrolyte imbalances that can lead to heart failure or death Inflammation or possible rupture of the esophagus due to vomiting Tooth decay and staining due to frequent vomiting Chronic irregular bowel movements and constipation as a result of laxative abuse.
SPIRITUAL RELEVANCE So why would there be any spiritual relevance to these psychological disorders. First, the word of God can be compared to food. “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts,” (Jeremiah 15; 16).
CHRIST IS THE WORD Furthermore, the scriptures have taught us that the word of God is synonymous with Jesus Christ. How do we know this? “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth,� (St. John 1: 1-3 & 14)
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CHRIST IS THE WORD You see, Christ is the living and spoken word of God the Father, which is almighty and all powerful. He embodies the laws of God, for he wrote them with his finger and not only that, lived by them even when subjected to sin and death while on this earth. His teachings and principles are a testimony that will stand the test of time and have been recorded in the bible so that we can learn to obey and be saved.
CHRIST IS THE WORD Christ’s word is not confined to what many refer to as the “New” testament but the entire bible, from beginning to end. Remember the scripture we just read. “In the BEGINNING was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” Therefore we must read the entire bible, to fully understand what we must do to obey God.
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CHRIST IS THE WORD Christ, who is the word, also compared himself to food, more specifically the bread of life. “Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. I am that bread of life. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world,� (St. John 6: 27, 33 & 48-51)
CHRIST IS THE WORD How do we feed on Christ? We know he is not speaking in literal terms but figuratively. We feed on Christ, by reading his word in the bible and making it a part us. And just as we need food every day to physically nourish our bodies as well as maintain its health, we must read the bible every day to maintain our spiritual health. This now brings us back to the eating disorders, anorexia and bulimia. As it pertains to reading the scriptures, anorexia and bulimia represent two different spiritual conditions.
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SPIRITUAL ANOREXIA Recall that anorexia is characterized by self starvation and excessive weight loss. In spiritual terms, this is liken to an individual that fails to read the bible at all or they may read a scripture here and there but it is not nearly enough to sustain their spiritual health. These individuals are therefore, severely malnourished. They do not have the truth and live in a life of darkness, making themselves extremely vulnerable to Satan.
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SPIRITUAL ANOREXIA Recall that some of the physical signs of anorexia are: Dramatic weight loss Refusal to eat certain foods Denial of hunger Consistent excuses to avoid meal times
SPIRITUAL ANOREXIA Have you ever talked to people who refuse or choose not to read the bible? I have. I often find that they may deny God all together. Not only that, they deny that the bible is necessary to live, because they focus on this common life and not on eternal life. This is liken unto a person with anorexia who denies that they are hungry or requires food to live. Just as an individual with physical anorexia will make excuses not to eat, a person with spiritual anorexia will make excuses for why they should not read the bible.
SPIRITUAL ANOREXIA This is the rationale of Satan that has mislead so many people in the world. As such, those with spiritual anorexia, who do not overcome this condition, become emaciated, malnourished and ultimately will die the eternal death. Why? Because they have not consumed the word of God, which is necessary for all of his children to be saved. One famous excuse that comes to mind...the bible was written by man, so how do we know what is accurate!
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SPIRITUAL BULIMIA Now Bulimia is different from anorexia. Remember that it is characterized by cycles of binging often followed by self induced vomiting, laxative use or diuretic use in attempt to undo the effects of binge eating. Spiritually speaking, a person will bulimia is liken unto a person who actually reads the bible, perhaps everyday. They may study it diligently and know the truth. However, they do not apply what they have learned in the bible to their every day life as if to regurgitate these teachings to prevent any effect.
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SPIRITUAL BULIMIA In other words, they undo their effort of reading the bible by continuing in a life of sin and rejecting or expelling the word of God, just as a person with bulimia expels food from their body during the purging phase. Like the person with spiritual anorexia, the person with spiritual bulimia, will become malnourished and ultimately die the eternal death if they do not overcome.
OVERCOMING I say “if they do not overcome,� because like individuals with physical eating disorders, those with spiritual eating disorders can be rehabilitated by God. They can gain their spiritual health. Believe it or not, there are saints of God, who are currently suffering from the spirit of anorexia or the spirit of bulimia. They could be a child of God that is consumed entirely with this world and therefore blind and deaf to the truth. They do not read the bible and will not know the truth until the Holy Spirit touches their hearts and calls them out of darkness (spirit of anorexia).
THE HOLY SPIRIT Only then will they seek the word of God and seek nourishment so that their souls can be nursed back to health. They could also be the child of God that is fully aware of the truth and scriptures but continue to reject and disobey the laws (spirit of bulimia). It is Holy Spirit who has the power to prick their hearts. He will force them to see their own reflections for what they truly are, bringing them into repentance. Only then will they truly hear, see, understand and apply the scriptures they have read to their lives.
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THE BIBLE IN QUESTION Now after reviewing this class some might think of it as propaganda and still question if the bible is really all that important. Well if you look with a carnal heart and carnal eyes, you will merely see a book, that after all, was written by men and therefore is subject to debate and can easily be disregarded if it does not fit or accommodate your lifestyle of choice.Â
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THE BIBLE IN QUESTION But we as human beings give ourselves way too much credit, forgetting how fragile and powerless we really are. So much so, we cannot even count the hairs on our head or control whether or not we wake up the next morning. But God can because he is all powerful. Yet and still, many people choose the doctrine of men over the doctrine of God, a God they cannot see, touch or feel therefore they do not believe. This belief does not come easily, however, for it requires strong faith, which comes by the Holy Spirit.
SEEK THE WORD But I say you should seek out the word of God. Study the bible for yourself and pray for understanding and guidance of the scriptures. The bible is not merely a book of opinions and nice stories. It teaches us the law. It tells of our history as well as the strengths and shortcomings of men and women of God as examples to us all. The bible is a testimony to the works of Christ, who paved the way to salvation.
SEEK THE WORD The bible gives us hope and sheds light on the judgement that lies ahead. It is strength, it is comfort, and a warning to us all. Therefore, take not for granted the word of God and starve not the spirit. Value it even more than food that nourishes the body. For God's word is food for the soul, holy nourishment that will help you gain eternal life. Amen.
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QUESTIONS? For questions regarding this presentation please contact us via email at info@householdofisrael.org or by phone at 219.949.9308.
SPECIAL THANKS This presentation was developed by: Elisabeth C. Pointer s