It’s deeper than food: Exposing Ungodly Appetites
Updated: Aug 31
Sign up to receive our blogs directly to your inbox
My food struggles were the consequence of a deeper problem.
From series: What’s Your Story?
There was a period when I kept giving in to this temptation. One morning, while praying, I asked God once again to help me overcome this struggle.
As I was finishing my prayer, I decided to read a book. While reading the book, God gave me the answer to why I kept falling into this temptation.
Prior to receiving the answer that morning, I remembered how God had already given me a related answer days before. I realized that my problem wasn’t necessarily about food but was rooted in both pride and ungodly appetites.
He showed me that I had a propensity to satisfy my fleshly appetite. I realized that when Peter said to abstain from fleshly lusts, it was more than simply being licentious; it includes all types of injurious appetites (1 Peter 2:11).
In hindsight, I realized that God knew I was reading this book and knew beforehand that I would ask Him for help. He used the book to show me the answer.
Before I continue, let me first explain what the term fleshly appetite means for those who may not have heard this term.
A fleshly appetite is an inner desire to satisfy a sinful hunger.
Some examples of sinful hunger or fleshly appetites are pride, sexual perversion or immorality, greed, hate, ego, selfishness, drunkenness, and anything that defiles the body and harms people (Galatians 5:19-21; 1 John 2:16).
It’s also described by terms such as carnality, lust of the flesh, and worldliness.
Anything categorized under these terms can be considered a fleshly appetite.
It’s important to understand that our sinful hungers are not always obvious unless God points them out (Jeremiah 17:9).
In the book I was reading, the author speaks about ungodly appetites. He gave two examples from the Bible that helped me understand what God was showing me.
In Jesus’ case, the attempt was to tempt Him to develop an appetite for personal gain, wealth, and power. However, it didn’t work (Matthew 4:1-11).
And with the church of Thyatira, their appetite to satisfy their fleshly cravings, including sexual immorality and perversion, led them down darker paths (Revelation 2:18-29).
Some other biblical examples are Esau, who gave in to his flesh and forfeited his birthright for temporary relief and a single meal. He traded a long-term blessing for short-term cravings (Genesis 25:29–34).
And David, who allowed his lustful appetite to overpower his judgment, leading him into an adulterous relationship with Bathsheba. Then, in an attempt to conceal his sin, he arranged the murder of her husband, Uriah (2 Samuel 11:1–5).
Although eating foods that are bad for you may seem minor, the lesson God was showing me was that it stemmed from something deeper. I was acting out of what was in my heart (Proverbs 4:23; Psalm 51:10; Ezekiel 36:26).
The seeds of pride and ungodly appetites had been planted, and if I didn’t allow Him to uproot them, they would grow. And the more they grow, the more power and influence they will have over me.
Even when eating certain foods caused chronic pain, I still ate them. This confirmed what God was showing me: I had already been influenced by my fleshly appetites, even though they were causing me physical pain.
The need to get what I wanted was more important than the consequence.
But our desires should be for things that are wise, excellent, honorable, pure, and healthy (Colossians 3:1-3).
If I couldn’t control my appetite with food, then when I was exposed to stronger temptations, I could easily take the bait. My lack of self-control in one area is what the enemy can use to tempt me in other areas.
God was preparing me for my season of harvest, but I first had to get rid of the harmful seeds that had been planted.
The enemy is strategic, exploiting areas of weakness and lack of self-control to tempt us further in other areas of life. That’s why God works to purify us by removing corrupt seeds and refining our character so we can be ready for the season of harvest.
In the face of temptation, especially those tied to fame, fortune, or influence, we must remain firmly rooted in Him.
When we fail to surrender these sinful desires to God, they only grow stronger, eventually gaining control over our actions and decisions. If we are unable to master our ungodly appetites in moments of lesser temptation, we will be far more vulnerable when faced with greater ones.
The Bible tells us that we can have an appetite for almost anything, and when we cater to those sinful appetites and impulses, we displease God (Romans 8:8).
Prior to this day—actually, weeks before—I had asked God to show me areas in my life that Satan could use against me, and this was one of the things He was showing me. It made me realize just how much we need God in our lives.
While searching the Bible to better understand ungodly appetites, this Scripture showed me that there is a way of escape. It says:
“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” — 1 Corinthians 10:13 ESV.
I began to think about the times when I had the opportunity to escape. God showed me that every time I had the urge to buy foods that caused health-related problems, He would encourage me not to buy them. Unfortunately, I would rationalize why it was okay and refuse to acknowledge that God was speaking to me.
This attitude and way of thinking was rooted in pride and disobedience.
Another Scripture was Genesis 2:17, and the phrase that stood out to me was, “…in the day that you eat you shall surely die.”
The Scripture doesn’t mean physical death.
When this commandment was given to Adam and Eve and they disobeyed, they died spiritually. Spiritual death causes separation between us and God (Ephesians 4:18).
This passage was a warning about what would happen to me if I continued to disobey. As Paul said, “those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:21).
My desire to get closer to God, and my concern about losing what I already had, hinged on my obedience to Him. Every time we choose to disobey God, we give the enemy an opportunity to deepen the distance between us and Him.
The other Scriptures were Matthew 10:28; Ezekiel 18:4, 20 and 1 Timothy 6:12-16. They drove home the importance of listening to God and challenged me to ask myself: Is satisfying my flesh more important than my relationship with God?
Then 1 Timothy 6:12 encouraged me to keep fighting and trusting God to get me through these moments.
As the author admitted, I too wasn’t sensitive to the Holy Spirit when He would speak to me. Neither was I reverential. Once I fully realized this, I thanked Him for revealing the root cause of my struggle. Afterwards, I repented and asked Him to eradicate the spirit of pride and ungodly appetites from my life.
“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” — 1 Corinthians 10:31
This Scripture became more real to me after hearing a testimony from someone who shared their experience of what God showed them in hell about gluttony. It reinforced for me that God is serious about how we treat our bodies.
As believers, we are expected to value our bodies because doing so honors God, and our bodies belong to Him (1 Corinthians 3:16-17).
“And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature together with its passions and appetites.”* — Galatians 5:24
“Satan seems to dare Jesus to go outside of the Father's will in order to meet His own desire for food. Satan is tempting Jesus to make Himself independent of the Father. After all Satan is saying, you are the Son of God. You should be able to do as you please, when you please, especially when it's something good and healthy like food...Jesus tells Satan in no uncertain terms that He will live on obedience to the Father's word before giving into His appetite for food.” (BibleRef Commentary)
The problem wasn't with the food itself
The focus was not on the food itself, but on my willingness to obey God’s instructions.
This echoes the dispute Jesus had with the Pharisees over His disciples not adhering to the tradition of washing their hands before meals. Those who intentionally consumed impure foods didn’t become ritually impure because of the items themselves, but because of their intentions and heart.
What we eat cannot defile or hurt a person’s spirit or soul, but disobedience can.
We should be living our lives primarily according to what God says and not according to our fleshly desires (Matthew 4:4). Therefore, pray and ask God to give you a desire to obey Him over the desire to do what is wrong.
Stubborn Spirit
Although we ask God for answers and solutions, the truth is, we often just want Him to co-sign or approve what we’ve already decided.
You can recognize this pattern in yourself or others by observing behavior.
For example, you might ask someone’s opinion about something you want to buy. When they respond that they don’t like it, instead of accepting their input, you try to convince them it’s actually a good purchase. You begin acting like a salesperson, doing all you can to prove that what you want is right. But if your mind was already made up, why ask for their opinion at all?
The root issue is that you’ve already decided, and you’re simply looking for validation, not counsel. And we do the same thing with God.
We pray for something and, when we don’t receive the response we hoped for, we go ahead and do what we want anyway—often justifying it, even going so far as to quote Scripture to back ourselves up. But didn’t Satan do the same with Jesus? (Matthew 4:5–6; Luke 4:9–11; Psalm 91:11–12).
Just because Satan used God’s Word didn’t make him right. He was twisting truth to try to manipulate Jesus, and when we misuse Scripture to justify our will over God’s, we’re following that same pattern.
Not knowing you’re doing something wrong doesn’t mean you’re not doing it. The same is true with the laws of the land—ignorance is not an excuse. Just because you didn’t know you were breaking the law doesn’t mean you’re exempt from the consequences.
The law isn’t concerned with what you know; it’s concerned with what you did.
Likewise, Satan thrives on our ignorance of God’s Word. When we don’t know what God has said, the enemy can easily influence us to sin because we lack the truth to stand against deception.
A stubborn spirit is one of the most deceptive forces a person can fall into. It’s dangerous because even God will allow you to have your way when you’re persistent and determined not to change your attitude—despite good counsel or correction.
This is a high level of pride, and it can be fatal.
When we reject God’s guidance and insist on our own way, we will, as Proverbs warns, eat the fruit of our own decisions and be filled with the results of our own plans (Proverbs 1:29-31).
Paul reinforces this in Romans 1:24, where he explains that when people persistently reject God, He eventually gives them over to the path they insist on. This is why stubbornness in our relationship with God is so dangerous.
While God is sovereign, He doesn’t force us to follow Him. He invites, He warns, and He calls us to choose. The decision is ours (Galatians 5:13; Joshua 24:15; Deuteronomy 30:19).
Jesus does not force His way in. He knocks. He waits. He responds to willing hearts (Revelation 3:20).
God sometimes allows people to have what they persistently demand, even when it’s not His best for them. He does this for a purpose:
In 1 Samuel 8:6–7, the people rejected God as King and demanded a human king—so He gave them Saul.
In Numbers 11:18–20, the people complained about manna and craved meat—so God gave them quail, along with consequences.
In Romans 1:24–26, people rejected God’s truth for sinful desires—so He gave them over to those desires.
In Numbers 22:20, Balaam knew God's will, but pursued his own way—so God allowed him to go, warning him through a donkey.
Listen—we must be persistent against pride and cast it out before it takes root in us. Otherwise, the very thing we’re asking God to remove—pride and stubbornness, which are deeply connected—we keep welcoming back through our actions.
Every time pride is driven out of our hearts, we risk letting it back in when we ignore God’s counsel and choose our own way.
His grace and His mercy
I can attest to God being able to deliver us from ungodly fleshly appetites, because God delivered me from perversion and alcoholism (1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:13; 18-20; Philippians 1:20; Romans 12:1).
Anything you need help with, God is faithful to help. It’s God’s grace and mercy that allows us to have this privilege.
I’m constantly baffled and in awe of his goodness, grace and mercy, and I don’t think I will ever completely understand it.
But I’ve been a benefactor of them my entire life as God forgives me and shows me compassion when I don’t deserve it.
His grace is what he gives us to overcome situations, get through anything, be able to do the impossible, and so much more!
His loving, patient, tolerant, and forgiving nature are reasons why I love him greatly, and as God is with us, we should be the same with ourselves and with others.
Knowing the nature of God is key to having a fulfilling relationship with him.
You’ll notice how God is not like how He is sometimes unfortunately portrayed. He is gentle, caring, and loving. But He is also a just, righteous, and holy God. Therefore, He would rather you come to Him so He can help you instead of suffering under His judgment (Ezekiel 18:23).
Although my situation was mainly rooted in pride and feeding my ungodly appetite, I believe my health was also under attack to slow me down, stop me, or worse, cause premature death.
Satan doesn’t want us to change the world, so he will attack our health and soul—even if he has to use what we eat.
Through everything I’ve learned, I’ve come to see that God’s process—whether through discipline, deliverance, or delay—is never meant to harm us but to prepare us.
Every season has purpose, and even in moments of struggle or solitude, He’s shaping us to reflect His heart.
If you want to read more stories, experience, or testimonies like this, please click here for our series called : What’s Your Story?
Before you go...
Join thousands of subscribers and get monthly blogs to see how the Bible is your guide for life, helping you grow, mature and get through anything in life. Join
One last thing...
If this message encouraged you, share it! Every share is an opportunity for someone else to discover God’s perfect plan and the life He intends. Whether it’s on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Threads, or Facebook, your simple act of sharing could change someone’s life today.
Explore our website...
Sharing Solutions For Life Videos
Take the First Step: Receive Salvation
When you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior, His Spirit comes to live in you. You no longer have to rely on anyone else to reach God—He is with you, guiding every step.
Here’s how to receive this gift:
Repent of your sins and acknowledge your need for forgiveness.
Believe that Jesus died for your sins and rose again.
Invite Jesus into your life and commit to following Him.
Confess Him as Lord over your life.
When you take this step, you are saved and welcomed into God’s Kingdom—becoming a member of the family of Christ!
Prayer to Receive Salvation
"Jesus, I confess that You are Lord, and I believe in my heart that You died and rose again for my sins. I repent and ask for Your forgiveness. I invite You into my heart and life, and I receive You as my personal Lord and Savior. In Jesus’ name, Amen."
Renounce the Kingdom of Darkness
To fully embrace your new life in Christ, renounce any ties to darkness and recommit yourself to God:
"Right now, I renounce and break all ties, covenants, and agreements with the kingdom of darkness, knowingly or unknowingly made. I reject Satan, all his works, and every influence of evil over my life. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit. Lead me, teach me, and establish me in Your purpose. From this day forward, I belong to Jesus. I am a child of God, and I walk in the light. In Jesus’ name, Amen."
Grow in Your Faith
After taking this step, seek a church or ministry where you can grow spiritually, learn more about God’s Kingdom, and start walking in the abundant life He promised.
Watch this interview with Dr. Michael Brown as he explains how he broke the stronghold of food over his life. He says, "A healthy eating is cooperating with the Lord."
SEO Keywords: Food, Sin, UngodlyAppetites, SSFL, Christian, Appetite, Pride, Fleshly, Stubborn, Jesus, God, Spiritual, Hell, Heaven, Worldly
bonoclub lo abrí un día por pura curiosidad y me sorprendió que todo esté bastante al grano. No te bombardea con mil pantallas, y lo de iniciar sesión recuperar acceso está donde esperas, sin tener que rebuscar. De hecho una vez me falló el acceso porque tenía la contraseña guardada vieja y el navegador se quedó con algo raro, y ahí mismo te sugieren probar en ventana privada, que suena simple pero ayuda un montón cuando estás atascado. También se agradece que metan un par de avisos de seguridad sin ponerse pesados ni convertirlo en un manual eterno. En general se ve ordenado, con la guía de acceso y recuperación separada en bloques claros y encabezados fáciles de ubicar.
de88.net hôm trước mình cũng tò mò vào thử vì thấy mọi người nhắc hoài. Mình không đọc kỹ nội dung gì đâu, chỉ lướt xem giao diện ra sao thôi. Cảm giác đầu tiên là trang nhìn sáng và thoáng, không bị nhồi nhét quá nhiều thứ một lúc nên kéo xuống khá dễ chịu. Mình để ý cái menu đặt khá “đúng chỗ”, nhìn phát là biết bấm đi đâu, chuyển qua lại giữa các mục cũng nhanh, không phải tìm vòng vòng. Mấy phần thông tin họ chia thành từng khối riêng, canh lề gọn gàng nên liếc qua là hiểu đại khái chứ không rối mắt. Nói chung lướt vài phút thấy ổn, nhất là cách…
This page felt super easy to take in right away—no walls of text, just quick bits that actually tell you what you need. I was mostly skimming the headings and then ended up clicking into Drift Boss in the middle of it, and it loads fast and gets you playing without any extra steps. The one-button thing sounds almost too simple, but once you’re drifting on those narrow platforms you realize you’ve gotta time it pretty carefully. I also like that it doesn’t clutter the screen with distractions, so you can focus on the game info without hunting for it. The “How to Play” section is set up as a clean, obvious block with the tap release basics right there.
kèo nhà cái mình thấy dạo này nhắc hoài nên cũng bấm vào xem thử cho biết. Mình không rành kiểu phân tích sâu hay canh giờ gì đâu, chỉ quan tâm trang có dễ nhìn và dễ nắm thông tin không. Vào cái là thấy bảng kèo bóng đá trực tuyến cập nhật theo các trận trong ngày, nhìn khá sạch sẽ, lướt nhanh vẫn hiểu vì cột nào ra cột nấy. Mình thích nhất là họ để luôn phần cả trận với hiệp 1 tách rõ, khỏi phải đoán số liệu đang nói đoạn nào. Chữ với tỷ lệ canh thẳng hàng nên mắt đỡ bị loạn, nhất là mấy cột 1x2 và tài xỉu nằm ngay trong…
What's the book you read? Didn't see a name of it listed?