One of our biggest obstacles to living an overcoming life is often the one we look at in the mirror. Usually, the last thing that the body wants to do is live a disciplined life. Our flesh would rather feast than fast, but to follow Jesus, we have to make it obey.

(Matthew 16:24 NKJV) Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me."

Jesus is speaking of crucifying the flesh, nailing it to the cross. So be wary of a watered-down religion that costs you nothing and lets your flesh run free, greasy grace with no accountability. "Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the law" was the central teaching of Aleister Crowley, who was called "the wickedest man in the world," not the Bible.

True freedom always comes at a price, for the enemy will not let you go without a fight. James said it this way:

(James 1:22-27 NASB) But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks at his natural face in a mirror; for once he has looked at himself and gone away, he has immediately forgotten what kind of person he was. But one who looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty, and abides by it, not having become a forgetful hearer but an effectual doer, this man will be blessed in what he does. If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless. Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.

James mentions three things:

1. We are to control our tongue and stay free from gossip and slander, or our religion is worthless. You don't have freedom of speech in the kingdom of God. Well, you can, but you will be held accountable for every word.

(Matthew 12:36-37 NASB) "But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment. "For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."

2. We are to care for the helpless who cannot take care of themselves. The widows and orphans of the day were the most helpless people in society then, because they had no chance of earning a living. It does not mean helping the lazy, who are able to work but would rather not. Paul wrote it this way:

(2 Thessalonians 3:10-11 NASB) For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies.

3. We are to live a pure life unstained by the world. We live in the world, but we are not of the world. Our eternal home will be with God, and everything that you see around you is temporary and will pass away. So don't become too attached to stuff.

What does this mean for us? That we may not be able to watch every movie or video out there, because what you see will get inside of you. You might not be able to read every book written, because some will not help you live a Godly life. You might have to reel in your eating or drinking and find balance. You may have to speak to people in love rather than tell them what you really think. You have to practice restraint.

Paul repeatedly called himself a bond-servant of Christ, which is a person bound in service without wages, basically, a slave of Christ. He was set apart from the world (Romans 1:1). In other words, following Christ cost him a lot of fun in his life. He is talking about self-discipline, making your body behave so that you can reach your fullest potential.

Jesus is our Redeemer, and we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ, but faith without works following it is useless (James 2:20). If your habits and activities haven't changed since you met Jesus, well, they should.

Consider Samson, the mighty deliverer in the book of Judges, who could tear a lion apart with his bare hands (Judges 14:5-6). The Philistines were the dominant enemy in the land then, and they were a constant military threat to Israel. The "Angel of the Lord" announced Samson's birth.

Fun fact: When you see the "Angel of the Lord" in capitals, it is likely a Christophany, an appearance of Jesus Christ in the Old Testament. This figure often speaks in the first person as God and uses terms like "I Am." Some examples: (Genesis 16:10-13); (Genesis 22:11-18); (Judges 2:1); (Judges 13:3-5); (Judges 13:21-22).

Samson's father was named Manoah. Scripture does not mention his mother's name, but the Angel of the Lord told her:

(Judges 13:5 NKJV) "For behold, you shall conceive and bear a son. And no razor shall come upon his head, for the child shall be a Nazirite to God from the womb; and he shall begin to deliver Israel out of the hand of the Philistines."

Samson began his life with great expectations. Hardly anyone has been born with more potential besides the Lord Jesus Christ and John the Baptist. Samson was born to be Israel's deliverer during a desperate time, and he had an incredible future ahead of him. He was set apart for the service of the Lord, born for such a time.

The Spirit of God came on Samson early on, and incredible miracles began to happen through him. His people expected great things as Samson came of age, but as his gifts grew stronger, his character seemed to grow weaker. His lack of discipline started early, and eventually his life became a mess. He tended to use his strength selfishly and wastefully, mostly to get what he wanted, Philistine women.

For example, after the Spirit of God came on Samson and enabled him to miraculously defeat 1,000 Philistines with the jawbone of an ass, he celebrated by finding himself a prostitute for the evening (Judges 16:1).

Samson was born when Israel desperately needed a deliverer to fight the Philistines, but he wasn't really interested in that. In fact, he rather liked them, especially their women. It appears that all the women in Samson's life, besides his mother, were Philistines.

Then along came Delilah. She made three attempts to hand Samson over to the Philistines, but he kept coming back. As Samson became more and more immersed in the world, he became insensitive to the fact that the Spirit of God could leave him. His powers were not unconditionally his. His strength was given to accomplish a task, delivering Israel, not chasing prostitutes. Finally, the mighty Samson became a slave of the enemy:

(Judges 16:20-21 NASB) She said, "The Philistines are upon you, Samson!" And he awoke from his sleep and said, "I will go out as at other times and shake myself free." But he did not know that the LORD had departed from him. Then the Philistines seized him and gouged out his eyes; and they brought him down to Gaza and bound him with bronze chains, and he was a grinder in the prison.

Samson kept playing with fire until he was burned, and a man of great potential came to a tragic end. I know that Scripture tells us that the Lord will never leave you nor forsake you, and that the gifts and calling of God are irrevocable, but it didn't stop Samson from squandering his life with prostitutes and dying in prison. I find it hard to believe that was the Lord's perfect will for him.

Even Jesus told His disciples, "Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and not do what I tell you?" (Luke 6:46). We should.

The liberty we have in the Spirit is not a license to sin. If you want to reach your full potential in the kingdom of God, then you have to learn to restrain yourself. Like Paul, it may cost you some fleshly fun in your life, but it will also protect and automatically deliver you.

Those who are willing and obedient will eat the good of the land (Isaiah 1:19). Submit to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you (James 4:7).

The Philistines continued to harass Israel until God found someone after His own heart, David, who utterly defeated them (Acts 13:22).

Jesus gives us a new kind of freedom -- the freedom to rise above our sins and to live a holy life. It’s a liberty we never had before: the freedom to choose what’s right, to choose what’s best, to keep growing, to become the person God meant us to be, and to put on the mind of Christ.

That is to be free indeed -- and Scripture points to how it happens: by abiding in God’s Word, by knowing it, and by doing it. When we live there, freedom becomes more than a word; it becomes the way we walk each day. (John 8:36); (Romans 12:2); (John 15:4-5).

You can pray this with me if you like:

Prayer: Heavenly Father, please help me get in tune with You and to become the best version of myself while here on Earth. Give me the boldness to take a stand for You. Help me see beyond the immediate and to focus on eternity. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.