Presented at 13th Street Church of God, LaFollette, TN
Enjoy the video!
Sermon Notes: https://www.heartofgraceministries.com/blog/after-the-fact/stop-living-denial-face-issues-christ/
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hurting
Stop Living In Denial And Face The Issues Through Christ
2 Timothy 3:1-5
3 This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.
2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3 Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,
4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;
5 Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.
We realize that in these words that it opens a window of what should help us strive to be stable in our faith. The enemy is working through people and situations that strain our spirit. What I am afraid of more than anything is that one day we will think we have the power to overcome anything but from our denial of sins and temptations that we will be no better than our enemy.
Sadly, we church members do not sufficiently realize the extreme subtlety of our heart’s disease. Denial does not come at us loudly proclaiming to be our deadly enemy, saying, “You are a bold faced liar and you are going to burn in the Lake of Fire!” It comes like Judas, with a kiss, and like Joab, with his hand extended in friendship and his tongue uttering flattering words.
- “It’s okay to do this”
- “They can’t judge you”
- “Why should you care what anyone thinks, you should be happy”
- “It’s their fault you’re in this predicament so it’s OK to do what you want”
- “You don’t have to repent, they are just hypocrites themselves”
- “God loves you and it’s okay to stumble from time to time, even when you know better.”
- “My pastor told me it was okay”
- “It’s not like anyone sees me”
- “It’s not like it’s on facebook”
Amos 8:11-12
11 Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord:
12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.
We are facing an ever constant battle of spiritual warfare. The enemy seeks to steal your mind and rob any imagination that would lead you to have a constant lifestyle aligned in God’s will. As we allow these fiery darts to prevail in our thought process we see that we begin to lose our spiritual vision (faith). And as our spiritual vision goes we begin to try and listen for anything that will let us continue as we are and reject any notions from God that take us towards a faith that leads us blindly through our trials.
This prolonged rejection of the word leads to a cold bitter heart that has little or no acceptance to God’s word, prophecy, encouragement or exhortation.
How do we overcome denying our faults?
1) The Worship of God and Christ will empower the Holy Ghost inside of you. The Holy Ghost will teach you and align you to the truth of God’s word and purpose, thus making you free
John 8:28-32
28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.
29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.
30 As he spake these words, many believed on him.
31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
2) Walk in the counsel of God’s word through preaching, teaching, encouragement and what you receive in prayer/prophesy. And as you continue to walk in this way you are blessed from God being pleased with your living example
Psalm 1:1-3
1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.
3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.
3) Examine your life daily. If the doctor tells you to examine yourself and to take care of yourself to live long…then chances are when we perform our spiritual checkups that we can deal with things and rid them in the earlier stages rather than waiting until we are in denial!
2 Corinthians 13:5
5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
About Good Friday
Good Friday is the completion of Jesus Christ’s sin-cleansing and life-saving empathy that brings eternal life to all who put their confidence in him.
On Good Friday the Son of God who always loves everyone is betrayed by Judas, falsely accused and condemned by the religious leaders and Pilate, scourged almost to death, abandoned by his disciples, mocked by the crowds, and tortured to death on the cross. Far worse than these humiliations and sufferings, he who never sinned takes on the hideousness of humanity’s sin, choosing to receive the punishment that we deserve so that we could be healed (fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 53).
He died with our sins so that we do not have to die today in our own. Jesus empowered us with the strength to resist what would come in our future.
Romans 5:6-10
6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
Jesus paid the price that covered us all
Romans 5:18
18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
He healed the things that would have went without healing on earth
1 Peter 2:24
24 Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.
Jesus suffered in His spirit so that the door could be opened for the spirit to have a worthy dwelling place
1 Peter 3:18
18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:
He died so that we could become a people that could finally overcome our iniquity
Titus 2:14
14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
He died so that we would no longer be segregated by anything and could become one church
Romans 3:22-24
22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference:
23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
He died so that we could see an example of how what lengths we should go to when we help and love one another
1 John 3:16
16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Jesus died so that we could live in peace on Earth
Colossians 2:6
6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
Jesus Died so that your sins could be forgiven
Acts 3:19
19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.
Jesus died so that you could be saved!
Romans 10:9-10
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.