Overflow with Craig Booker

Send us Fan Mail

Note: A lot of the material is inspired by Craig Groeschel's book. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

It’s All You – Introduction

Craig Groeschel opens the section with a story about his friend Paco. The two of them were at the gym doing a chest burnout. After lifting a bunch of very heavy weights, you switch to a lower weight and perform high-rep bench presses until you are worn out. At the end of the workout, the goal was to bench the bar fifty times. Paco was really into this and kept encouraging Craig along the way. He would yell, “Keep going. It’s all you!” Toward the end, Craig saw that Paco had control of the bar, so he let go, and magically the bar kept going up and down. Eventually, Paco realized what was happening, and they both began laughing.

“…at the end of my power, I discover God’s power. His power is always there. When I am weak, he is strong.”1

“Willpower doesn’t work, but God’s power does, and his power is: “1

• Available
• Accessible
• Active
• Abundant

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want.”Galatians 5:16-17

“The ‘Spirit’ is the Holy Spirit; God in us. When you give yourself to God, he gives himself to you. He moves inside of you– like the creme filling in a Twinkie. He lives inside you to empower you to live the life he has for you.”1

“Paul also wrote about the ‘flesh.’ The Greek word translated ‘flesh’ is sarx, used 149 times in the New Testament “1

“Part of you wants to lead you in a way you really don’t want to go; in a way God doesn’t want you to go. That part of you explains why you keep doing what you don’t want to keep doing, as in: “1

• “I don’t want to keep gambling.”
• “I don’t want to keep talking about people behind their backs.”
• “I don’t want to keep looking at that website.”
• “I don’t want to keep feeling jealous.”
• ” “I don’t want to keep spending more money than I have on things I don’t even need.”
• “I don’t want to keep wasting my life scrolling through photos of other people’s lives.”

“I don’t want to, but I do.”1

“For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—”Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“In other words, we put no confidence in our own willpower.”1

“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”‭‭Galatians‬ ‭5‬:‭16‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Walking by the Spirit, rather than the flesh, is a decision to live, overcome our self-destructive habits, and pursue our goals not in our power but in God’s. Because we can’t, but he can.”

Send us Fan Mail

Note: A lot of the material is inspired by Craig Groeschel's book. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

But God Can - Intro

Craig Groeschel begins this section much like the last, telling a story. In this instance, he tells about a Buick Century he once owned that got rear-ended. [1]

Prior to the accident, his Buick had “Sport Coupe” stenciled on the side. When he got it back from the repair shop, it had “Turbo Coupe” instead of “Sport Coupe.” [1]

“Because willpower doesn’t work, you and I really require more power. We can think we’re a Turbo Coupe, but we’re still just a Sport Coupe.” [1]“Paul knew he needed more power. That’s why he asked in Romans 7:24, “Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” (NIT). That is the question we all need to answer.” [1]“But Paul answered his own question with his next sentence in verse 25: ‘Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord’ (NLT).” [1]

“Paul understood, I can’t get myself unstuck, so I need a power I don’t possess. The power he found was Jesus. Paul discovered, I can’t. But God can.” [1]

“Let’s look at something Paul wrote in another of his letters:’As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins’ (Eph. 2-1). Wow. The reality is, we don’t just feel stuck, we are stuck. Worse than stuck, we are dead.” [1]

“That’s discouraging. But Paul provided some hope-inducing truth. ‘I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power that raised Christ from the dead’ (Eph. 1:19-20 NLT).” [1]

“The same power that got Jesus out of a grave, resurrected from death to life, is available to you.” [1]

“In the next chapter of Ephesians, Paul wrote, ‘But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much, that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!) (2:4-5 NLT).” [1]

“God will continue giving you new life in your dead places until his work is complete in you.” [1]

“Paul wrote that because of God’s grace, you have been “saved.”

Saved is a verb. You can write a verb in past, present, future, or perfect tense.

Past tense speaks of something that has already happened.

Present tense describes something happening right now.

Future tense refers to something that will happen eventually but hasn’t yet. [1]

“Perfect tense speaks of something that has happened in the past, is still happening in the present, and will continue in the future. It draws attention to the continuing effects of something that has happened in the past.

Paul wrote ‘saved’ in perfect tense! You were saved by God’s grace in the past, but the effect is still happening.” [1]

“You never have to feel defeated.You can never give up.Because God didn’t just save you. He saves you. He is constantly saving you.” [1]

“God will continue giving you new life in your dead places until his work is complete in you.” [1]

“You can’t, but God can. And God will, if you turn to his power.” [1]

Exercise

Complete these sentences to write out a prayer, being as specific as you can in what you are asking God to do in your life. Use this pattern as many times as you need. [1]

God, I can’t:

But you can by:

Principle"You can’t, but God...

Send us Fan Mail

Note: A lot of the material is inspired by Craig Groeschel's book. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

Craig Groeschel begins the section by telling a funny story about a thirty-five-year-old woman in Ness, Kansas, who got stuck sitting on the toilet for two years. [1]

She sat there so long her skin grew around the toilet seat. [1]

Her boyfriend brought her food and water and asked her to come out every day. [1]

Each day her response was, “Maybe tomorrow.” [1]

I think to some extent, we have all been that woman. We have all gotten stuck in different capacities thinking that maybe tomorrow will be different.

Sure, you might not be stuck on the toilet, but we all get stuck in a situation.

It could be:1

• A job you hate
• You are stuck spiritually, hoping to take things to the next level.
• You are overweight and in poor shape.
• You desperately want to stop yelling at your kids.
• Maybe you want to spend more quality time with your spouse.

So, how do we get unstuck?

Let’s take a look at the story of Paul.

He was Jewish and strongly against Christianity and following Jesus.

After a magnificent encounter with Jesus, he was radically changed.

He went from persecuting Christians to being a pastor.

“I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it.I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?” Romans 7:15-24 NLT

“We can all relate to Paul because he was confessing that he was dying inside.

Paul wanted to do what God wanted. But he was stuck in patterns of sin, wrong thinking, bad habits, and addictive behavior.

He had tried. And tried. And nothing had worked.” [1]

Paul’s story is so relatable and relevant to where many of us are today.

You may wonder, “Why was Paul stuck?” Then again, why do we get stuck?

Here is what we have learned.

It could be because: [1]

1. We put do before who.
2. We try instead of train.
3. We hope for change instead of starting (and stopping) the right (and wrong) habits.
4. We do occasionally what we should do consistently.

“We stay stuck because we rely on willpower instead of God’s power.”  -Craig Groeschel

The problem with my situation and probably your situation is we mistakingly believe that we can do it. [1]

The truth is we can’t. [1]

You might say, “Now, wait a minute, Craig, that is not very motivating.”

Sometimes the truth hurts. Understand I am going somewhere with this.

For far too long, you and I go about trying to do something in our own power. Maybe you are trying to quit a bad habit, and you say to yourself, “I can quit whenever I...

Send us Fan Mail

Note: A lot of the material is inspired by Craig Groeschel's book. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

“Farmers know that you not only reap what you sow but also reap after you sow.”1

“You plant in one season and then have to wait until another season for the harvest.”1

“The same is true in life. But we so often miss this. That’s why we get discouraged. That’s why we wrongly conclude that small decisions don’t matter. It’s why we’re tempted to quit.”1

We get started doing something:1

-Going to the gym

-Going to marriage counseling

-Eating right

-Saving money by not eating out

After one month, we get discouraged because:1

-We aren’t meeting our goals

-We still fight with our spouse

-We only lost one pound

-We only saved $300

“Remember, getting the life you want will be the result of countless seemingly small decisions, done consistently over time. They will feel insignificant, but with every action, you are choosing a direction.”1

“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”Galatians 6:9

“When your marriage or health or finances or spiritual impact are struggling, you think, It’s bad, and it will never be better. You grow weary of trying to make things better. You tried to change, but it didn’t work. And that confirmed your belief that you are pathetic and will always be stuck. Those. Are. Lies.”1

“Your hard work, your discipline, your sacrifices, and your faithfulness are never wasted. Your efforts are just being stored up.”1

James Clear calls the waiting between sowing and reaping the “Plateau of Latent Potential” or the “Valley of Disappointment.”1, 52

“In the Valley of Disappointment, we feel like all of our trying has been worthless No. “This work was not wasted?” Clear writes, “It was simply being stored.”1, 53

One day you wake up and:1

-Your marriage is better than ever

-You’re leading a Bible study

-Your skinny jeans fit again

-You are debt free

“They didn’t see you getting up early. Working out. Praying. Fasting. Going to your support group. Saying no when you wanted to say yes. Training. Confessing. Sweating. Holding your tongue. Writing encouraging notes. Putting your phone down. Getting counseling.”1

Don’t give up:1

• Believing
• Praying
• Sharing your faith
• Fighting to stay pure
• Getting up early
• Saying “I love you”
• Asking
• Walking forward
• . Having faith that God will free you from addiction
• Studying
• Forgiving
• Climbing out of debt
• Sacrificing
• Choosing what you want most over what you want now

“You won’t see the results you want today. Be patient. You’ve planted the right seeds. The harvest will come.”

“It won’t be because you had the best intentions or high hopes but because your actions determined your direction.”1

Exercise1

Where have you given up and need God’s help to get started again?

Where are you struggling and being tempted to give up and need God’s help to endure?

Where are you experiencing a harvest and reaping more than you have sown?

Principle

You will reap a harvest if you don’t give up.

“They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season.Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do.”Psalm 1:3 NLT
🔗 CONNECT

✉️ Subscribe to the newsletter

💼

Send us Fan Mail

Note: A lot of the material is inspired by Craig Groeschel's book. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

“You don’t just reap what you sow.You reap more than you sow.” [1]“If you put a kernel of wheat in the ground, it will produce a stalk with three heads of wheat. A head can contain fifteen to thirty five kernels.” [1]“True in agriculture. Also true in life.”1
Why do you reap more than you sow?The Cumulative Effect“The cumulative effect is the powerful outcome produced by an action that happens, even if it’s small, over and over across a long period of time.” [1]
Example: Magic Penny

First Option

“I will give you a magic penny that doubles every day for one month. So on the first day it’s one penny.

The second day it’s two. The third day it’s four, and so on.” [1]

Second option

“I’ll give you that penny or $5 million.” [1]“At the end of the thirty days, that penny would be worth $5,368,709. Unless it’s a thirty-one-day month, then double the extra day and it would be worth $10,737,418. You’d be a fool to take the $5 million. “ [1]“But so often we settle because we discount the cumulative effect: the powerful impact of something happening over and over for a long period of time.” [1]
The Compound Effect“This is typically called “compounding interest,” used in reference to finances. This is the interest you get on the interest.” [1]

“Grasping the significance of these principles will change your life. In fact, they have already shaped your life.” [1]

“Who you are today is because of the cumulative and compound effects.” [1]

In his special message at the beginning of Darren Hardy’s book The Compound Effect Anthony Robbins writes, “Decisions shape your destiny. Little everyday decisons will either take you to the life vou desire or to disaster by default.” [2]
Financial“If you want to win financially, start now and consistently do the small, right thing.” [1]
Physical“If you eat just one hundred more calories than you burn every day, you will gain ten pounds in a year.” [1]

James Clear writes, “Time magnifies the margin between success and failure. It will multiply whatever you feed it. Good habits make time your ally. Bad habits make time your enemy.” [3]

“A small difference each day adds up and multiplies over time.” [1]
Spiritual“You read about a spiritual hero – like a Billy Graham. Or you meet someone who is close to God and has a powerful impact on people for him.” [1]

This causes you to want what they have. You desire to be like this person. [1]

“There’s a reason those people are tight with God and have become a spiritual force. They consistently do spiritual disciplines that connect them to God.” [1]
The Small Stuff

Book – Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff [1]

Realize that “it’s all small stuff.”

When it comes to our habits, “there is no such thing as ‘small stuff.'” [1]

Because of the cumulative effect and compounding interest. [1]

• Saving two dollars a day and putting it into a retirement account is not small stuff.
• Eating an extra hundred-calorie bag is not small stuff.
• Deciding to skip working out today is not small stuff.
• Telling your spouse...

Send us Fan Mail

Note: A lot of the material is inspired by Craig Groeschel's book. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

We’ve been talking a lot about habits. We’ve probably said a time or two that habits shape your life.

You may have thought to yourself, “Where does God tell us that in the Bible?”

Short answer

Galatians 6

“…God doesn’t use the word habits. He uses the metaphor of seeds.” [1]“In biblical times, people lived in an agricultural society.” [1]“People back then would understand the concept of planting seeds and harvesting crops…” [1]“Their lives and economy were based largely by on farming.” [1]“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:7-9).

Let’s establish some definitions: [1]

• To sow means to plant-to put seed in the ground.
• To reap means to gather the fruit the result of the seed planted.

So the passage starts, “Do not be deceived.” [1]

“The idea is: don’t be led astray. Don’t be fooled, or stupid.” [1]

“It continues, ‘God cannot be mocked.’ The Greek word translated mocked means to snub or thumb your nose at someone. You can do that to someone, but not God. Don’t be deceived, God cannot be mocked. You might fool a lot of people, but youre not going to fool God.” [1]

“‘A man reaps what he sows’ That’s what we need to understand and not be stupid about.” [1]

What does that mean? [1]

• You will harvest what you plant.
• You will get out what you put in.
• Your outcomes will be determined by your inputs.
• The results of your life will be based on the decisions you make, the habits you stake, and the habits you break.

Sowing seeds to the flesh vs the spirit [1]

“There’s a law at work. Not a law like ‘You must do this!’ More like how gravity is a law of nature. It’s how the world works. You don’t have to like it. You don’t have to agree with it.” [1]

“Gravity work for you, and on you the same way it works with everyone.” [1]

“God tells us there is a law of sowing and reaping.” [1]

“True in agriculture. True in life.” [1]

“If you plant good habits, you’ll get good outcomes. If you plant bad habits, don’t be deceived and expect good outcomes.” [1]

“If you don’t like what you’re reaping, change what you’re sowing. If you don’t like the harvest, change the seed.” [1]Exercise

“Here’s the assignment we just covered. Use this pattern for as many areas of life as you need to address.” [1]

God, I have sown [BLANK] and have reaped [BLANK] because of my habit of [BLANK].

To change this outcome, I need to start or stop my habit of [BLANK], so help me to plant the seeds of [BLANK] so l can reap [BLANK].

Principle

“If you don’t like what you’re reaping, change what you’re sowing. If you don’t like the harvest, change the seed.” [1]

“You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature.” [1]

But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting...

Send us Fan Mail

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

In this episode, we discuss consistently doing the right things, in this case, our habits. This episode is part of a study inspired by The Power To Change by Craig Groeschel. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

CONNECT

✉️ Subscribe to the newsletter https://overflow.community/newsletter/

💼 Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigbooker/

📷 Connect on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/craigbooker/

LEAVE A REVIEW

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show :)

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overflow-with-craig-booker/id1707602354

Note: A lot of the material is inspired by Craig Groeschel's book. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

“What if you had met Elon Musk in 1995 when he left Stanford University to start his first software company?” [1]“What if you’d met Simone Biles when she was fourteen years old and competing in her first classic gymnastics event in her hometown of Houston, Texas?” [1]

Would you have been able to spot something different in either of these examples ten-plus years ago?

“What if I told you I could predict what your life will be like in ten years?“ [1]

What if I could tell whether you’ll be:1

• Better off financially
• Closer to God
• Healthier
• More together than ever
• Happier
• In a circle of good friends

“The life you are living right now is shaping the life you will live tomorrow.” -Craig Groeschel

How?

“Because your habits today are telegraphing your future. The life you are living right now is shaping the life you will live tomorrow.” [1]

“We all have the best intentions, but intentions don’t determine direction. Actions do.” [1]

“We all have hopes. But hoping for a different future doesn’t lead to a different future. Hope doesn’t change your life. Habits do.” [1]

“So if you keep doing what you’ve been doing, you’ll keep getting what You’ve been getting. The life you’re living today is shaping the life you’ll live tomorrow.” [1]

“The life you want can be the life you’re living in ten years. But you will not get there because of your intentions, your hopes, or a few ‘lucky breaks.'” [1]Two Essential Components

Let’s focus on two essential components you’ll need to become the you that you want to be. [1]

Small“The first component is ‘small.’ Remember: the small things no one sees can lead to the big results everyone wants. The issue with small things is that they are easy to do but also easy not to do. They never seem significant. Ignoring or skipping them always feels acceptable. But you sculpt your life with the small stuff.” [1]Consistent“The second component is ‘consistent.’ Doing the small thing once is insignificant. Doing the right small things over and over has magnitude you cannot measure.” [1]

“…getting the life you want will be the result of countless seemingly small decisions, done consistently over time.” [1]

The Story of Nehemiah

Nehemiah was the cupbearer for Artaxerxes, the King of Persia. [1]

The Babylonians invaded Jerusalem during Daniel’s time, seventy years before Nehemiah. [1]

The Babylonians destroyed...

Send us Fan Mail

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

In this episode, we discuss fanatical consistency. This episode was part of a study inspired by The Power To Change by Craig Groeschel. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

CONNECT

✉️ Subscribe to the newsletter https://overflow.community/newsletter/

💼 Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigbooker/

📷 Connect on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/craigbooker/

LEAVE A REVIEW

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show :)

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overflow-with-craig-booker/id1707602354

Send us Fan Mail

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

In this episode, we discuss the chapter From So to Who which is about goals. This episode was part of a study inspired by The Power To Change by Craig Groeschel. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

CONNECT

✉️ Subscribe to the newsletter https://overflow.community/newsletter/

💼 Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigbooker/

📷 Connect on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/craigbooker/

LEAVE A REVIEW

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show :)

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overflow-with-craig-booker/id1707602354

Send us Fan Mail

Episode Description

In this episode, we discuss How To Stop Before You Flop, which is about stopping habits. This episode was part of a study inspired by The Power To Change by Craig Groeschel. Each week, I take concepts from Pastor Craig Groeschel's book, The Power To Change, and apply them to brain health.

Connect

✉️ Subscribe to the newsletter https://overflow.community/newsletter/

💼 Connect on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/craigbooker/

📷 Connect on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/craigbooker/

Leave a Review

If you enjoyed listening to the podcast, we'd love for you to leave a review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover the show :)

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/overflow-with-craig-booker/id1707602354