Why Your Out-of-Control Appetite Isn’t a Food Problem After All

I recently read an article by my friend Kimberly Taylor of Take Back Your Temple ministry. It was a new thought for me. It caused me to think! That is where most of us are; we need to have a new thought. The old way is not working!

Kimberly shared Proverbs 23:1-3 (NKJV): “When you sit down to eat with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you; and put a knife to your throat if you are a man given to appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, for they are deceptive food.” The question she shared is, “What is the difference between hunger and appetite?”

I had read this Scripture many times, but I had never had insight from it until reading this article. Are you a person given to appetite? This is any appetite: food, alcohol, drugs, porn, whatever you have no control of in your life. You have a desire to change, but don’t have the power to change.

Appetite is different than being hungry. Hunger is a God-given desire for food that your body needs to nourish it and give it strength to do what God created it for. According to Scripture, your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit. It carries a “treasure.” (See 1 Cor. 6:19, 2 Cor. 4:7).

Appetite is a strong desire or liking for something, a craving, longing, hunger, thirst, lust, love, zest; a desire to satisfy any bodily need or craving. If not controlled, it leads to addiction.

As a child of God, you are created to crave God’s Word. It is life to those who find it (Prov. 4:20-22). Job tells us, “I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth More than my necessary food” (Job 23:12).

I have had a weight challenge most of my life. Up and down, losing weight and then gaining it back with a few more extra pounds. The world is full of information about food, diet and exercise! We are intelligent people, so why is this such a “big” problem in our society? Food is not the problem! The world bases everything on food: what we eat and when we eat. But the problem is why we eat!

When your appetite is out of control, you are eating when your body is not physically hungry. You eat out of boredom, because it looks good, and you become addicted! This is where Satan wants you; this has been his plan for you all along. When you are addicted, you no longer have control of your appetite. It controls you, just like a cigarette. I remember how tobacco had a control on my life. I had to have a cigarette before I did anything, and especially after I finished dinner.

Food is not the problem, because this is a spiritual issue! God is a Spirit, the devil is a spirit and you are a spirit. The thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, and since food worked so well in the garden, why change? (See John 10:10.)

Satan gained legal access to the world when Eve took a bite. When she took that bite, she revealed what was in her heart! Eve had been deceived, and when she believed a lie, she empowered the liar.

An out-of-control appetite is a spiritual issue. The world gives us information about a substance and why it is bad for us, but only the Word of God can bring transformation in our life that can break any addiction that has control of our appetite.

What is your appetite costing you? Time, money, disappointment and discouragement? Are you reaping the benefit of depression because you can’t control your appetite?

The only power that can break addictions is the power of the Holy Spirit! Until your spiritual eyes are open to the truth, you will go around that mountain again and again!

One day I saw the words, “The devil wants you fat!” I was crushed; I hated the devil! It was a moment that brought repentance and an awareness that I was responsible and accountable for the care of my body! I repented and asked my Helper, the Holy Spirit, for His help.

That was all that was needed. My repentance, recognizing that I could not break this addiction on my own and depending on the Lord for His help in my deliverance.

God spoke to me, “Break the habit!” I knew exactly what He meant. My food habit. Eating without thinking, reacting unconsciously when a thought of food came to my mind!

That is the battlefield; I had to purposely cast down imaginations and every thought against the Word of God (see 2 Cor. 10:4-5.)

God gave me a battle plan that worked from the inside out. Gluttony is a sin, and the only cure for sin is repentance. You can be skinny and be a glutton.

You can read my testimony in my book, Why Diets Don’t Work–Food Is not the Problem. Taste and see that the Lord is good. Nothing tastes as good as obedience!

Joyce Tilney is founder of Women of God Ministry, teaching women today from women of yesterday, wogministries.com. She is the author of Why Diets Don’t Work—Food Is not The Problem, whydiets.com.