Lord, Help Me Change by Shane Idleman

[Applause] you I want to talk tonight on the topic of change is there anybody in here that wants to change any aspect of your life if you're not I'd love to meet you after the service and tell me actually how you do that because there s sinners SS on this side of the cross there are gonna always be areas that we need to change and want to change and sometimes that can be healthy because that can drive us to God will be the person who says I don't need to change I'm good I got God down I'm doing everything by the book usually they're not doing everything by the book they need the book to be enlightened to show them areas that they need to improve on and maybe it's just as my role pastoring role I've never would have chosen god chose it and I'm grateful for that but the hardest part for me and I've explained this before is seeing people die spiritually with living water just steps away I mean just if you just drink if you would just take of this living water your thirst will be okay if you just take of this hell watching them go through many different things it's hard but most people you know they'll say Shane I just I want to change I don't want to continue this addiction or I don't want to continue this this temper I'm destroying my family I don't want to get lord I need to change I need to change and that's what I want to talk about tonight and the interesting thing is the church as a whole we either get caught on this side where it's all about me willpower I just got to just kind of push through I just got to get back on track I just got to do this I gotta do this I gotta do this I gotta do this I got to do this new year's resolutions are gonna do it and then that won't work cuz you need God but then there's the other side where it says okay God changed me change me help me lose this weight as I went by Krispy Kreme Doughnuts and eating those while I'm watching TV just changed me snow you've got it you've got to do something so we want to find that balance because God it's God who changes us but he also requires that we do certain things on our side and it they work together God says if you do this I'll do this if you do this I'll do this so anytime you want to change you don't want to eliminate either one of those you're gonna have a responsibility you can't do god's part let him do his but you have a responsibility I have a responsibility to be involved in that process so what's that look like well let's dive into this Matthew 12 verse 43 actually I came across a casting Crowns song this morning some of you have heard east to west and it reminded me of this topic I actually read it the first page just to to read this it says here I am Lord I'm drowning in a sea of forgetfulness the chains of yesterday surround me I yearned for peace and rest I don't want to end up where you found me and it echoes in my mind it keeps me awake tonight I know you've cast my sin as far as the east from the west and I stand before you now as though I've never sinned but today I feel like I'm just one mistake away from you leaving me this way I think can we relate to that a lot of times we command just one more mistake God's about ready to just drop the hammer on me he's done with me and thank God he's I mean they say he's a got a second chances he's God of 10,000 chances I mean talk about a merciful loving gracious God that that draws us back that forgive that prodigal son imagery that you have of coming back to a loving father but you have to isn't interesting the prodigal son came to himself and then he ran back to the Father God just didn't instantly pick him up and bring him home like a puppet there's responsibility on our part so Matthew 12 verse 43 that's where we left off last week when an unclean spirit goes out of a man he goes through Dry places seeking rest and finds none then he says I will return to my house from which I came and when he comes he finds it empty swept and put in order then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself and they enter and dwell there and the last state of that man is worse than the first so shall it also be with this wicked generation now let me relieve some of you right now this in context this scripture isn't talking to Christians that was a close one but there's a principle here that we can definitely glean from the context if you remember as Jesus was talking about blasphemy of the Holy Spirit you remember the religious leaders were rejecting him they're rejecting his call they're rejecting his good works they said you're just doing these good works because you're Satan and Jesus said you are stiff-necked people your existing the Holy Spirit you're you're actually participating in the unpardonable sin and that's the sin where if you reject Christ the day we breathe our last breath that's a pardonable because we can't be forgiven we lost that opportunity so the context is still this group of people rejecting Christ that's the context it's it's not a Christian and warning okay you better you better do something or you know you better keep Christ in your heart or the the devil is gonna come in and bring seven spirits more worse or worse than the first and it has nothing to do with the believer the context is an unbeliever you can outward you can do outward things and then sweep the heart do Reformation but that's not gonna make a lasting change and I like what Matthew Henry said he's a commentator back in the 1700s he said the unclean spirit leaves for a time but when he returns he finds Christ is not there to shut him out the heart is swept by outward Reformation and the man becomes a much more decided enemy of the truth every heart here this every heart and it's maybe some in this room is the residents of unclean spirits except those which are temples of the Holy Ghost by faith in Christ so that's the context there but here's the important principle that we're going to talk talk about tonight we must fill our heart with the things of God if you don't fill your heart with the things of God guess who comes in the Satanic influence comes in and they they begin to dominate they begin to rule they begin to reign they begin to control because you've given up control so there's an important principle here if our heart is not full of the things of God what's it going to be full of the things of the world that we're opening up ourselves to that satanic is assault and some of you might be saying I'll change Satan Santana I don't well let me just tell you upfront and and truthfully there is a heaven there's a Hell there is a good there is a evil there is a right there is a wrong there is a God and there Satan that opposes him it's crystal clear throughout Scripture and we can even see it working in our own life sometimes you wonder how in the world did that happen and we see that that demonic element taking place and I like there's another commentator he said no good parallel has been sighted for the journey in waterless places but the imagery is probably based on the idea that demons will move naturally in realms where conditions are antithetical to our well-being and devoid of the blessings of God and I had to underline that and I highlighted I said this is profound and it's absolutely true here's the point demonic activity will move naturally in realms where conditions are post our well-being and devoid of the blessings of God so in a nutshell you remove God guess who moves in I'm not talking about demonic possession and you know Exorcist and all that stuff ironically you know all these young adults now like the American Horror Story I just watch the trailer of that and get you know nightmares I mean I don't know how I mean we're feeding our mind with this garbage we wonder why God seems distant we wonder why we're struggling in these areas it's because you're creating an environment for Satan to thrive Satan to flourish see that's the interesting thing if we're not filling our heart with the things of God just by default you're gonna fill it with the things of the world and then you're going to be led astray by the things of the world influence it they're gonna influence you in the direction of that opposes God so that's a very important point for us we either provide fertile ground for Satan to work or fertile ground for the things of God to grow and you know how often say your sin neither sin either grows or withers depending on whether you feed or starve it if that's one thing you take from this you highlight it write this down sin either grows or withers depending on whether we feed or starve it that's the principle this whole message what do we fit what are we what's in our heart is Satan gonna come and say I can't get in there God's got shelter he's got a protection he's got that covered or do we open ourselves up for the demonic influence and here's what the Bible says about this area Ephesians 4:27 do not give the devil a foothold so that tells me I can't give the devil a foothold how by opening the door you ever do that semi opens the door like my kids open throw they want to slam it let's put my foot right there guess what that doors not closing I've got a foothold now I've got advantage now the doors open now I come in that's the imagery so don't even give the devil foot hole but what we like to do we like to play with the lion that's sent to kill still endure stroll is that a cute little kitty huh and we use a baby gate to guard a lion so the Bible says don't give the enemy don't give the devil a foothold because once you do he will pounce through that door remember the Bible also talks about your enemy your adversary goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour how does he devour us open the door if the door shut there's no devouring and that's really what this point is about don't give the devil a foothold might be saying okay Shane you got me thinking how do I do that well that's we're getting into the practical application just a minute also the doctrine of balaam I've talked about last year in numbers 22 it's a doctrine that the theologians call it the doctrine of balaam because what happened is King Balak hired Balaam to curse the children of Israel he hired him to curse the children of Israel so once he kept trying to curse the children of Israel God said no you're not can't curse them you can't curse them there's peace there there's peace there and the guy came back said I can't curse the children of Israel because they are blessed so that the whole doctrine there is you cannot curse what God is blessed so what happened to the children of Israel then they were blessed of God they removed themselves from the covering so that the the the the false prophet said listen I can't I can't curse them but I'll tell you what you can do you can have them curse themselves bring in the women of the land bring in idolatry and let them be seduced and pulled away from God see that's how he works he says come on come see you know see isn't that easy Oh see nothing's happening nothing's come on that's how you get you out of that covering get you out of that shelter in that protect that's another way he operates in the final one Ephesians 6:11 put on the whole armour of God that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil what is the word wiles their trickery deceit so I says put on the armour of God because the devil is gonna come in and trick you he's gonna deceive you he's called an angel of light he doesn't come in as an angel of Darkness though he comes in as an angel of light you know that's not that bad that's no big deal you know and we begin to compromise in these areas so when we abandon God's plan for our lives we also abandoned his covering his shelter his protection and that's the interesting thing I looking back now I say duh but I mean my my teenage years in my you know early 20s you know you always get mad at God's Word I got ly bunch of do's and dont's but then you realize that they're actually guardrails through the canyons of life now that's what it does so when you remove when we abandon God's plan for our lives we we abandoned his covering his shelter his protection doesn't mean lice perfect doesn't mean life's great but you can remove yourself from God's covering from that protection and open yourself up I mean Peter says the enemy goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour how do you how does he devour we open up to that we remove ourselves from God's protection and open ourselves up so let's get into the practical application if you want to change tonight and I'm talking about any I'm talking about change from anger issues addiction gossiping tongue lust I mean we know what they are right I mean their hearts are going okay I need to work on that area we just won't tell anybody about it but we hold it in there and that's the first thing I want to talk about if you really want to change if we really want to change you have to expose the sin you have to you have to expose it it's eye cancer you got to expose it doesn't mean you tell everybody doesn't tell you a lot of people you go to some trusted people or spouse and maybe that's not a good idea for some of you but you go to somebody you know somebody the elders of the church love to meet with you afterwards of somebody where you can expose it you bring it to the light see sin loves deception it loves darkness it loves that hidden element or say I can handle this myself I can quit anytime I can handle this but when you expose it you say listen I'm I'm struggling this area I need help I need I need I'm exposing it I remember a while back I knew there was a there was a spouse who came to their other spouse and said man listen is gonna be hard for you to hear but I'm struggling with lust they're like why say but but I I'm bring it to the light would you help me that's can you can we talk about it more can you help me it keep me accountable in here and that's can we bring more intimacy back in our marriage so the devil doesn't have a foothold and that helped the marriage you think you had hurt but be by the spouse admitting hey I'm struggling here can you help me it brings it to the light it loses its power the enemy goes out darn it that was my ace in the hole that's gonna keep working on that but now it's to the light you've exposed it it loses its power grows in darkness and the pole of sin often doesn't vanish but the power of it fades when it exposed that's one of the steps you know you look at these celebrate recovery or AAA or whatever it is people go to and they say listen here it is I'm whatever and I'm exposing this I want you to keep me accountable this is the area I need help on this area I struggling and the enemy just loses ground so if you want to change you have to admit what you want to change but like the many of us are we play Church really well and I'm so I couldn't ever anything said got my life together man if you could if you could see everybody's thought life in the course of a day it would make you sick I mean let's be honest we Lord will help us change not my thought life though it's good you guys well I'm going to talk about that a minute how did how to really change in this area but there's a website I want to encourage some people to go to if you're not open for a meeting like celebrate recovery or different things but called setting captives free calm and it's like a forty day study on addiction setting captives free calm it'll bring scripture will bring testimonies but they I was looking over before I recommended I want to look it over and it said there is deception thinking you can handle this yourself that's where pride comes in I can handle this myself when you're at that point you no longer look to the Lord for your help then they're ashamed because you're living a deceptive dual life so we say I can handle this and you can't and then when you fall and fall and fall it brings shame and now I'm living in shame it's a it's a double minded man and stable on his ways I'm miserable I don't want to go to church what do you think let's be honest why do you think so many people miss church not this year all the church is why they're living in sin and they don't want to be confronted then I don't like that here I go again down this road again their ego is hammering me again boom boom boom boom boom it's because we don't like I'm not going to I'm not going to church this week I'm not going next week and we avoid it many Christians avoid church because they don't feel the conviction there I don't want that and they live this dual life and deep in their hearts I said Laura Lord I return to I want to return to my first love know what you want that passion back when worship when worship used to pop and it used to just worship God and tears had come down your face and the word of God became alive and you spent hours and hours each week reading the Word of God it came alive and you filled the Spirit of God you couldn't wait to get to church I'm gonna get there early and it where'd all that go cuz we're caught in this cycle that has to be broken I believe it has to be broken tonight and one of the ladies testimonies on their website said this I gotten to the point that I could not even look another Christian in the eye have you ever been there I have and I know because people avoid me a lot it's funny for me so I are you must have a lot of friends everybody wants to know the pastor actually everybody wants to avoid the pastor that's the truth I mean a lot of my own family membership you know just we don't want to be around you because you that what you stand for we don't like they only realize hey I'm a struggler too hey that's we're just all sinners together let's let's not point fingers let's not judge let's help each other but we see this a lot I've gotten to the point I couldn't even look another Christian in the either walk with Christ was convicting to me and just on that note if we are the people convicting others we should also be the ones offering the grace to them and say hey listen I know you're going through a lot if you need thing let me know I'm not any better I've been there I can help instead of how could you and we push him further and further away so you can you can your actually your ear you can have a huge ministry by just forgiving and loving and allowing God to draw them back doesn't mean there doesn't mean their walk is right but it means you're gonna you're not gonna judge them I found many times they don't need your quoting scripture they are well aware that they're on the wrong path and then I come in there haha lookie here no drunkards and our thieves and or homosexuals or adulterers are gonna enter the head enter the kingdom of heaven you're in trouble like I know that that's why I'm can you help me here so they need us they need us to bring bring life to that dead walk I mean I'd love to go and encourage people you guys remember while back we were ministering inside of hospital homes and on that note we do need helpers we've got three or four different homes throughout the valley and a lot of these people are terminally ill they're not gonna be they're not gonna be getting out and one guy I met in West Palm day I walked in and the nurse said I don't know if you want to go in there he's pretty depressed he's on a lot of anti I mean he was he's pretty depressed I mean you could see you could just you walk in a room you ever feel that oh I don't like this you know this is this is not my playground and I walked in there and he was just a heroin addict thirty years heroin addict cancer has pictures of his little son and grand it's a grandson who he knows will never see they're not going to come see and I was depressed and just listening and and his name was John and I just started to encourage him for about half hour you know but look at what you can do now restore that relationship with him show them how you're back and right relationship with the Lord let's get you in the Word of God let's start doing and he started crying and gave me a hug as I left like bawling like I'm so encouraged and he started coming to church a few times sitting in the back row and he just he was working he walked in just start crying worshiping Mike how this guy go from suicide to this hope hope and I wasn't doing anything magical exhaust Shane what you talk to this person this person I mean it was hard yeah I can't do anything you guys can't do and you get them focused on the hope and he was a built his relationship with the son every I mean it was just a and he passed away I think I don't want to get it wrong but a few months ago from you know what he went through what he put his body through but offering hope and she continues their walk with Christ was convicting to me because of the overwhelming shame and guilt I felt I ran to alcohol to numb myself because I didn't want to feel the very thing the Lord was using to get my attention my heart began to get harder and harder sin is debilitating debilitating exhausting and paralyzing this zapping of strength have you ever felt that keeps us powerless to fight the enemy and an ineffective and serving God it's the opposite of I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me and it leaves us spent tired and emotionally drained by keeping that sin bound and in secret but then she goes on to say fortunately there is a way out and the first way out is we have to expose it we have to expose that's one of the things I talked to you know when I go to men's conferences because I don't know if you guys are realized but but pornography is this a huge issue with men and women it's just it's everywhere it's it's destroying families it's destroying walks with the Lord it's it's it's everywhere and I tell the guys you've got it you've got to expose it you know you let let your spouse don't let your friend know get to look you know man I want to do that well how bad do you want it I mean that's what it boils down to doesn't how bad do you want it how bad do you want to change because obviously this isn't working then you have to expose it so that goes back to what's our role you we expose it we repent and we ask God for help maybe on an ongoing basis for a while expose it repent ask God for help that's our job and then what does he do here's what he does he fills us with his strength he fills us with his spirit so now we're full of the Spirit of God because we conquered that that besetting sin that's how they work together you see how that works but if we don't bring it to the light guys not gods over here going unless it comes to the light I can't deal with it I can bring consequences that might bring it to the light but that you don't want to go down that round so here's the second thing once you bring it to the light here's the second thing safeguards are guardrails you've got to put safeguards in place this this is huge this is where the rubber meets the road this is where you will see a lot of change takes take place if you can do this but we don't like guardrails do we we want to live free I don't anybody tell me what to do I don't want these restrictions I want to just do whatever I want to do and the enemy comes and works that because guardrails hold the line back safeguards what's a safeguard well drastic change requires drastic measures and I usually shoot people straight I say you want to change you're talking I'm talking to people you know hooked on this or hooked on that or hooked on I mean if you really want to change it's going to require drastic measures jesus said if your eye causes you to sin go buy a pair of glasses what's he saying cut it out if your arm causes you to sin is he talking about physically doing that of course not because you can still do that still less still commit sin but the imagery there is whatever it is whatever it is that's causing you to continue in this lifestyle to draw you away from God you better cut it off before cut you off and we have to take drastic measures when people fall it's often because they use a baby gate to guard a lion as I said earlier here's what happens after a fall a person's quick to repent and get back on track right that was a close one never again Oh next week repent back on track never again it's fall repent fall repent fall repent fall repent and then shame comes in and guilt and humiliation and failure and the enemy loves to get us in that spot where I'm just I'm a failure I've I was born this way I was just dust destined to be I mean I can't do anything's with these desires anything with these impulses and he I can I'm so defeated and he just works in that defeat because from defeat comes excuses right if I'm feeling defeated I'm feeling man life stinks every day we just keep we just continue in it we just feed that with excuses so we have to have safeguards in place to help with this again these aren't these aren't things that just stop everything but they help minimize the attack of the enemy because if he comes in like a lion threat he comes in roaring seeking whom he can devour you got to keep that door closed with safeguards so he hits that safeguard and says there's a shelter there's a protection and God's Word is clear on this area - here's a couple ways I'll just tell you up front you're not going to like these especially young adults you're not gonna like the first one there's an app you can go on the App Store and find this that allows parents to monitor their children's text messaging and Facebook posts or you can go on their Facebook page you can monitor their text messaging now what kid and the right mind is gonna want this to happen nobody why because they're enjoying their sin can we just shoot straight tonight if anybody says that's a great idea let's do it you know they want to see God if they say no way you're not touching that thing say well you're hiding something I found out something interesting when young adults text PIR it means parent in the room see you for six see you for sex number nine parent watching number 99 my parents gone they have all these little codes it's a safeguard if you're if I was a young adult said get me some safeguards because when I was your age you had to drive to a liquor store to find something on the desert I mean there is no nothing you guys there's an onslaught of attack coming into your phones coming into your homes you've got to put the safeguards in place if you don't want it why why in the world would you not want a safeguard I'll tell you why mm-hmm-hmm on the blank because I want to continue in my sin I want to feel guilty Church but I don't really want to change and cry a little bit I don't really want to change we cry because we got caught that's like talk to man I said are you crying because you got caught or you crying because you really want to change and then here's where you find out here's what I need you to do I'm not doing that Oh Ethan you don't want to change you just want to be a little boy and cry and the wife comes back and then you continue in it so I would encourage get apps you think I'm not gonna get this app I was so excited to hear this apps available like it daddy you're not doing oh I'm I'm not called to be your friend I'm called to be your parent there's a roaring lion seeking to devour you I'm gonna do whatever I can as often as I can to protect you that's my calling that's my goal I'm not here to be your buddy I'm not here to be like other parents don't do that what other parents aren't your parents that's just that would be a huge safeguard do you think that might deter some what they call sexting you think that just might be a big deterrent if my parents are going to see my text messages and what I post on Facebook alright personally I think Facebook is very dangerous very dangerous in a certain age maybe 18 and and you have you know I don't know but if that thing is not good because you can open the door I mean I can count on both my hands how many divorces have resulted because of Facebook hey haven't seen you in 12 years what are you up to Oh nothin how about you hope my husband doesn't see this thing and then there we go the enemy says I'm in thank you no safe garden place we start sharing our safe our Facebook page about I don't know four five six years ago now you know she was getting hit on I was getting hit on it's like hey let's just stop this real quick let's combine it guess what nobody gets hit on safeguards safeguards there's also an app that helps with unaccounted time so your spouse can go hmm why are you schooners and not Vaughn's right hi you in in northridge at the Kit Kat club versus I don't know if that does exist I'd sounded right but aren't you supposed to be in unaccounted time hey I told Morgan let's put that thing on my phone I'd love it if you can't look and see where I'm at something's wrong and if somebody doesn't want to do it why hey listen you're pulling the wool over my eyes anymore I've had the wool pulled over my eyes dozens and dozens of times by people who say one thing and do another I don't care what people say anymore I want to see what they do show me your actions I love what aw Tozer said he said don't come up here and cry about it go home and live it out because we can we can cry all done but then when it comes down to now here's the other biggie website accountability do you want to have your your web sites all the websites you visit go to accountability partner once a week no you crazy exactly why why you have no safeguards in place I mean I probably tell people this in 1 out of 20 actually do it 1 out of 20 well I'm not putting out on my phone why why I'll tell you why you're enjoying your sin you don't really want to change you want to play games with God if you really want to change you'll put in safeguards think about if every website you've got and go to goes to your mom and your spouse you think you might think twice about clicking something oh you'll think you won't think twice you'll go never never that that'll kill it safeguards it's a shame you need safeguards oh absolutely I'm not scared as the devil as much as I am with the devil within I've said that many times before we're filled with the holy spirit but we're also filled with filthy flesh that would do nothing who would love nothing more than to just take me down so the safeguards help in that area we tell you I tell the elders they tell me hey here's an area I'm struggling in help keep me accountable show me oh you bring it to the light loses its power then okay Shane struggles in that area I need to help hold accountable versus me coming in here huh okay what do you I don't struggle with anything what's wrong with you guys you've got apply the Word of God your life come on be like me some day if anybody says that they've got so much sin in their life they're just hiding all of it anytime you have to act so spiritual there's something wrong again share facebook page at pages I know this is you know they seem like oh wow but you you a lot of people are friends with people they shouldn't be let's just let's just be honest like I don't want my wife seeing my why you guys are called to be one flesh and be the purity of heart purity of mind if you're hiding things if you're secretive that's not good that's deceptive and you're on the wrong path well hasn't taken me down yeah I will remember the enemy doesn't come to you as a as a red guy dressed in a red suit with the porch with a pitchfork and telling I'm gonna get you he comes in as an angel of light bringing you in things Oh see it's not that bad it's not that bad he doesn't one step at a time the next thing that's important is why I just said checking in with those who love you and will help you have somebody's accountable they're shipping people in your life say hey I struggle with this issue would you help hold me accountable would you and they they're not the answer trust me accountability partners are not the answer because you can work right around them it's just supplemental they help another safeguard there for example if I told everybody hey I'm addicted to chocolate please help me he'll I'm going on a fast you think if you saw me it stores you'd be looking at my hey what are you doing what are you buying in there is that organic chocolate or regular chocolate it's okay because you're you're okay you're you're bringing that to the surface number five on putting safeguards this I would say this is probably one of the biggest things you can do if you're under 35 and older of course but this is this is the thing that keeps tripping up people it's it's not a month goes by I don't get emails or Facebook or something with this is the problem you need to evaluate your relationships and you need to cut off those that are taking you away from God you might think that's strong but if somebody's pulling you away from God you need to cut that loose well came about of ministering to the know you're nine the Bible doesn't say to if we fall when we reach out to somebody that that's okay especially young adults they go back into drinking back into buying oxy back into heroin back into meth back into back my friend they just keep pulling me back in they pull me back in sexual intimacy outside of marriage Paul told me back out but I just love her I think she'll come to Christ someday no that's not Bible doesn't say that the bible doesn't say okay keep that going on and then try to witness to her in the process doesn't say any of that this has come out from among them be separate be holy for i your God am holy and once you cut off friendships that are bringing you down the wonderful thing is you filled the Spirit of God because you remove this this deceptive influence I mean this this took me down in my when I was 17 18 19 20 all the friends bro just bring me back into that lifestyle and that's a safeguard have people in your life to build you up not pull you down and again this is where the rubber meets the road I tell people do this thing I'll think about it why why don't you wanna do it cuz you enjoy we we enjoy that sin we enjoy that friendship and them taking us down if not we would run for cover we'd run in the other direction and number six avoid the triggers might say what does that mean well glad you asked what's a trigger do right pulls the trigger boom boom that's it you have to avoid those things you know what they are what are those what are those triggers that make us in going on the internet alone single people only Friday night let me get rid or what avoid places at fuel lust let me send people athletes Joe told my wife I'm there I never want to go to the gym and evenings that place is a smorgasbord of spandex and cosmic surgery and I mean it's just like wow it's everywhere look what these people when to get to how can it get any tighter I mean you just you can't get any tighter and every just wants to show it ice like just that's not a good place you have to avoid those pray about being too transparent you have to avoid those places when you go on the mall you saw there's Frederick's of Hollywood wonder what's in wonder what's on sale there I mean you read uruk's a Hollywood you know those those stores you just avoid those places for man okay I'm talking about man women you avoid the triggers what's triggering you shopping or places that you know that's a trigger for me to sin I'm gonna that you avoid those triggers and I didn't say this in the first service about I'll ask it here and it also especially young adults argue trigger from what you post on Facebook are you pulling people down by your tire or pictures you post on Facebook or or or bringing people into sinful lifestyle are you the trigger you need to repent as well there's purity in the house of God and again it goes back to how bad do you want it how bad to you do you want it you can't play with a lion who goes about seeking to destroy you so back to God and us worst we're called to install safeguards if you want a lot of Bible verses how many I mean we could sit here for the next hour make no provision for the flesh right put in a safeguard let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus there's my thought life flee sexual immorality don't fuel it it goes on and on and on and on be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind so I've got all these responsibilities I have to do but then on God's side what does God do when I do all that he keeps the lion caged he keeps the lion on the leash it's caged Shane it's not gonna hurt you but if you go and you open that door let's see if this little guys came now oh he's not and we it's both we have our responsibility thing and I think a lot of times think God take this away guy take this away God take the way saying I'm trying to I'm trying to I would recommend a few if you are a guy get some accountability stuff on your phone on your computer do it guess how many people do it no not many nobody who haven't asked me where to get it I don't want them to see that it's a problem there's a problem there you should be transparent you maybe sell your spouse that might not be a good one for some of you but get accountability partner who you can sent the websites to or something there's got to be some safeguards because sin doesn't again it Withers right either you feed or you starve it so if you feed it it's gonna grow and grow and grow and grow if you starve it it's gonna be minimized and minimized and minimized number three the third point change is not easy change is not easy you need to prepare for the battlefield in the mind okay prepare for it and I tell people this often that are coming off of addictions or different things that you have to prepare for if you're coming off the withdrawals are gonna be hell the withdrawal I mean it's it's hell you have to prepare people for it the addiction comes in it begins to pull you away I like what the NIV Study Bible said about Esau his life he acted on impulse listen does this sound like some of us Esau acted on impulse satisfying his immediate desires without pausing to consider the long-range consequences of what he was about to do when we see something we want our first impulse is to get it we might feel such great pressure in one area that nothing else seems to matter and we lose our perspective getting through that short pressure-filled moment is the most difficult part of overcoming temptation so it's okay to tell people listen you're gonna fill that desire sometimes I used to speak up at a men's camp for addicts coming out of jail and they could tell me the stories like Shane I felt that I mean he the devil just grabbed my steering wheel and I knew right where that dealer was at on the street corner or he just grabbed it and I felt I write to the liquor stores and and it's almost like they fill this this in this this overwhelming impulse to sin oh god forbid has anybody else ever felt that and we have to but if you prepare people and say listen getting through that short pressure-filled moment is often the most difficult part of overcoming temptation the Bible says no temptation has overtaken you but what is common to man but God who will provide a way that you may be able to bear it escape God's going to provide the wave escape one translation says that you may be able to endure it and that word endure is interesting because that means suffering patiently that does not sound fun we forget there's there's a cost to overcoming temptation you're going to have to suffer patiently but then the fruit is the filling of the Spirit the fruit is love and joy and peace and contentment I've overcame that now the word of God becomes living and active now worship again is sweet to my soul because I've overcame that and we don't tell people there it's a battle it's gonna be hard it's almost like oh it's you know you just raised that way there's nothing you can do and we forget that yeah God has given us the ability to overcome these things Romans 13:14 do not think about how to gratify the flesh Paul sang to the church in Rome and to make no provision for the flesh don't think about I would bet there's a good portion in this room I'm already thinking about how they're gonna sin later any wonder why we keep falling because we're not supposed to make any provision for the flesh yeah Shane just ruin my plan what about second Corinthians 10:5 take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ take every thought see we're give as believers we're given the ability to take our thoughts captive so if I have a thought that's not a good thought I have the ability to take that thought captive say no I'm imprisoning you you're not imprisoning me you see the difference I'm taking out that's not right that's not right I don't care resist the devil and he will flee doesn't say he's gonna flee like that it you got to resist maybe you'll say Lord if you don't take this away I'm gonna blow in ten nine eight seven six five four three two you didn't take this desire away says no I didn't because you've got to fight there's an endurance there you take those thoughts captive you control your flesh you don't let your flesh control you and that's one of the that's one of the big reasons why I promote fasting that's why fasting when you starve the flesh it loses control loses Dominion and you and you get your fill the Spirit of God again you're putting the flesh and submission because you're controlling those appetites and a lot of life is about controlling the appetites you either control them or they control you one or the other think about it how many people have to get up in the morning and have to have their yeah you said it I was gonna say coca-cola or something how many people get them the one have to have their water right our desires are controlling I have to hit Panda Express on the way home actually I live by n Out Burger I'm controlled by my desires I have to have this and then I have to and I'm we're just controlled by our desires the Bible has a different answer you control those desires you put the flesh at bay you put the flesh under your foot you make no provision for the flesh to fulfill its lust you control it it doesn't control you as believers and it's hard it's difficult but it can be done and the fruit that comes from that is the filling of the Holy Spirit that's what comes from that so here's what we do we renew the mind and apply God's Word and they got strengthens us every news s and brings peace and joy we're no longer prisoners of our appetite that's how that works together when desires pressures or bad habits come for the love of God change the environment usually it's the environment that creates certain things change that environment don't put on certain music don't put on this don't call the get into the Word of God to get into worship change the whole environment so your whole thought is renewed I did that back in 1999 given my testimony a few different times but this was a biggie for me it's changing my environment you know you're single you're 30 you know it's Friday night you're coming to the Lord's like oh man people call me let's go to Vegas let's go to Bakersfield big country country bars let's go to you know Hollywood let's hit the whiskey go go let's hit all I'm like ah what do you do with this we change environment change turn the phone off turn your lights off get on Hillsong worship for an hour and a half get into the Word of God before you know it's time to go to bed I just changed a whole environment you have to if not it'll call and it'll keep calling you have to change the environment that's fostering that that that addiction or fostering that that bondage you're in we can't live like hell all week and expect to overcome by setting sin we can't fill our mind with darkness we can expect the light of Christ to shine we can't feed the lion and expect him to die they can't and I added this part sometimes they go back and forth say Lord I've already said this a lot and but when I'm talking about change I can't ignore this as much as I want to I can't ignore this many of you know we did a health seminar last Saturday and the reason is because I often see in the videos available now we've got three videos myself Luke and Sheila spoke but I often see a parallel between our physical health and our spiritual health when I'm dominated by addictions I can feel it when I'm dominated by addictions they eat too much too much caffeine too much coffee too much sweet too much too I'm just my whole life is I'm addicted to these things I can tell big time how it affects me you've got the testimony I gave in your bulletin my wife remember many years ago I mean it's always just always a struggle but I was I mean anger irritability mood swings all these things and she's saying she just finally said you're a jerk I know I am but I had a bad day don't do a lot of pressure and I began to realize I was the cause of my bad days and my mood swings because of what I was feeding my body but this image stick in if paddy can get it up there who can relate right who can relay the funny thing is people I'm often taken back and how many people get upset when I talk about things like this it's almost like they want to cover their addiction they want to enjoy it and I'm just shooting you're straight if you're putting things into your body that are counterproductive there is a price there is a cost so you say Lord play take this anger away he says give up that 500 milligrams of coffee for the love of God you're a Christian on crack that's Christian crack and I would pray for years more take this away take this way no I know you're convicting me about that but there's no way this veinte is going anywhere for a while so you just take it away and guess what he didn't he didn't you start realizing I am a jerk lord I need your help and when you wean off and we know now I have like this much I'm like oh I'm never him I mean just because but the first week and a half was hell I mean I told my wife take the kids and just go somewhere for the next two hours because I just want to hit somebody I had the withdrawals alone tell you how powerful this stuff is I was I was in shocked I'm like this alters your mood this messes you up so I all I see a physical and a spiritual connection a lot of times how we take care of our body affects us spiritually there's if you don't think so just show me one scripture to the contrary when God says this is the Temple of the Living God Paul says I will be not I will not be brought under the control of anything but think about how many people have to have there's something tonight or tomorrow have to have it and if I don't have it I'm a jerk and I mean I'm rude that's a problem that's a problem and we wonder why we have no passion for God why anger and selfishness are dominating why are we miserable and unhappy it's because we're allowing the flesh to control our life we're allowing these things to control our life the final thing point 4 is and this is important it's God who makes us stand firm in Christ it's God who makes us stand firm in Christ Paul said something interesting I had more time in the first service but I won't now where he was fighting against something and God said listen my grace is sufficient for my power is made perfect in your weakness and I thought about that this week I'm like what how is my weakness is actually a strength and it dawned on me that the weakness can keep you humble if I say hey I'm weak in this area that keeps you humble and you have safeguards and you're their use I'm weak in that area I'm staying away from you I'm weak I'm not I'm weak in that area and there's humility there their strength there that's where the strain I'm weak there and there's there's there's there's humility there's honesty there's transparency God loves that now you're alert now I'm on guard now and wearing the armor of God because I exposed it and here's here's the key god rebuilds a broken he exalts the humble he protects the weak he strengthens the sick how by turning to his strength you create an environment where your faith can flourish and can grow when I turn to his strength he says great finally finally now you're giving it up to me that's where that strength comes from and then many people say I tried that it doesn't work rylann go over all these points they'll still go out but I tried that doesn't work I didn't mean to hit that hard Duff coffee today but come on to liven up here but they tried that it doesn't work often the reason is because they've tried outward reform rather than inward renewal you're not supposed to try harder you give it to him you surrender your life to Him if a person drifts it's because they let go the anchor if your boat drifts it's because you let go the anchor if we drift from know we let go of that anchor I'm not talking about reforming and reforming I'm talking about inward renewal the heart changes confession takes place repentance takes place full surrender takes place to God everything everything is there for that environment to flourish and the closing part there god says or jesus said so shall it be with this wicked generation it's interesting that word wicked basically we think of wicked as oh you know something terrible but wicked is just somebody who rejects God in his ways it's a perversity of mine the minds perverted it's when the natural man surrenders himself to evil impulses wickedness has its seat in the heart and it's inspired by Satan it's progressive and it's contagious that's wickedness so closing on the eye one just want to close on these three three I want to talk to three people number one the group and this is you know who you are those who are progressing down the wrong path and you may even be leading others down I want to talk to you right now on this point you are you know it you're on the wrong path and you might even be heading bringing other people down because sin is progressive know one way the devil appears as an angel of light is by showing us the party not to hang over the fun not the misery he's taking you down one step at a time you're on you're on the wrong path you're on the wrong path you have to expose it you have to repent you have to get back on track and I just came across a story again I don't know if many of you remember last year about the Google executive who died he's married with kids he died on his yacht of a heroin overdose as a prostitute walked over him to call for help what happened he was going down the wrong road and he didn't turn back there are consequences there are consequences for our choices for the roads were on we're on the path run this type of message is a wake-up call to say listen bring it to the light there's a prayer team in the back bring it to the elders or somebody close to you bring it to the light say I need help in this area I'm bringing it to light you think we're not we don't hear people say I'm an addicted to pornography hear it all the time cheating on my spouse I hear it all the time I'm hooked to this or that hear it all the time Muskaan Minh you don't have to fill a shame and loan and lonely because this is what sinners do we come to church because we need the healing power of God so I would encourage if you are if you're on the wrong path and you know it this is one change needs take place tonight I also want to talk to the group that you're trying to hold the line by outward Reformation and you'll say things like this I'm exhausted I want to give up I'm exhausted I'm trying too hard exactly stop trying you've got to surrender this to God there's tremendous peace i've trust me i've had to surrender many things and there's tremendous peace that lord this is yours and when the thought comes me oh that's not my that's i'm taking my cut thought captive lord would you answer the door surrender it to him stop this would work if i just read the bible 20 minutes a day if I just pray just Oh tired but holding tight no just give it to him surrendering and and have the heart change and then of course the final group is wickedness might be seated in your heart you've surrendered yourself to evil you're not on God's side and the Bible says repent repent confess your sin and allow that time of refreshing to come from the presence of the Lord and he will save you so no matter what your situation is if you're caught in besetting sin you're on the wrong path you're caught in the middle you're on the road of reformation it's exhausting maybe here's another good annotate indicator your zeal for God is gone the worship is dead Bibles just I don't I can't read that thing you need the heart needs to repent the heart needs to cry out to God that's why we have the time now we have the worship team come back up now this is why we have a time of prayer and worship so you can get right relationship with God you can get back on track [Applause] you

Channel: SermonIndex.net

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Keywords: Revival, Character Of God, Free Sermons, Video Sermons, Jesus Christ, What Is The Gospel, SermonIndex, What Is The Truth, Shane Idleman

Id: lw7Vd39DGlM

Length: 56min 43sec (3403 seconds)

Published: Tue Jan 13 2015