John 18:10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. 11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?
It is the spontaneous, first reaction that reveals the real person. The scripted response, after thinking long and hard about it with much prayer and fasting is not usually the real you and me. If out of the blue satan can cause us to trip a fuse, then the impulsive reaction reveals the real person. But if without thinking, the mind will automatically respond in righteousness, then we know that the image of God in us is being brought to perfection.
Again, when persons become addicted to drugs and pornography, it is an automatic sequence of events which essentially subjugates their freedom of choice even though they still retain it. The very scent of ganja triggers a series of thoughts, and actions that could totally evade one’s rational thought processes, and render that person virtually incapable of resisting the urges, when he or she has reached the point of addiction.
In fact, there are many instances, where in the deep recesses of a person’s mind, they may want to stop, but they cannot on their own, because of the sheer force of habit which has locked them down in iron chains, from which they vainly try to escape. In other words, their minds have been trained for so long, and those urges become so overmastering and fierce, that repetition eventually moves them from a manual transmission, to the automatic transmission mode of thought and action.
Romans 7:19 For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20 Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21 I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22 For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23 But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study of His word. God bless!