Beating Controling Habits

BEATING CONTROLLING HABITS

GAL 5:1

2 PETER 2:19

INTRO-

GAL 5:1- READ FROM THE BIBLE

ILLUSTRATION- FROM MAX LUCADO

CHIPPIE THE PARAKEET NEVER SAW IT COMING, ONE SECOND HE WAS PEACEFULLY PERCHED IN HIS CAGE, THE NEXT HE WAS SUCKED IN, WASHED UP, AND BLOWN OVER. THE PROBLEM BEGAN WHEN CHIPPIE ‘S OWNER DECIDED TO CLEAN CHIPPIE’S CAGE WITH A VACUUM CLEANER. SHE REMOVED THE ATTACHMENT FROM THE END OF THE HOSE AND STUCK IT IN THE CAGE. THE PHONE RANG, AND SHE TURNED TO PICK IT UP. SHE BARELY SAID HELLO, WHEN SSSOPP CHIPPIE GOT SUCKED IN. THE BIRD OWNER GASPED, PUT DOWN THE PHONE, TURNED OFF THE VACUUM, AND OPENED THE BAG. THERE WAS CHIPPIE...STILL ALIVE BUT STUNNED. SINCE THE BIRD WAS COVERED WITH DUST AND SOOT, SHE GRABBED HIM AND RACED TO THE BATHROOM TURNED ON THE FAUCET, AND HELD CHIPPIE UNDER THE WATER. THEN REALIZING THAT CHIPPIE WAS SOAKED AND SHIVERING, SHE DID WHAT ANY COMPASSIONATE BIRD OWNER WOULD DO... SHE REACHED FOR THE HAIR DRYER AND BLASTED THE PET WITH HOT AIR. POOR CHIPPIE NEVER KNEW WHAT HIT HIM. A FEW DAYS AFTER THE TRAUMA, THE REPORTER WHO INITIALLY WROTE ABOUT THE EVENT CONTACTED CHIPPIE’S OWNER TO SEE HOW THE BIRD WAS RECOVERING. ‘WELL, SHE REPLIED, “CHIPPIE DOESN’T SING MUCH ANYMORE- HE JUST SITS AND STARES”

***SUCKED UP, WASHED UP, AND BLOWN OVER... THAT’S ENOUGH TO STEAL ANYONE’S JOY

*THIS MORNING I WANT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT BREAKING FREE FROM LIFE CONTROLLING HABITS.

ONE MINUTE EVERYTHING IS GOOD AND THE NEXT THING , WE ARE STRUGGLING WITH THINGS THAT WE CANNOT GET CONTROL OF IN OUR LIVES.

IF THE TRUTH BE TOLD, WE SAW IT COMING, WE JUST DIDN’T THINK IT WOULD HAPPEN TO US.

2 PETER 2;19- “FOR A MAN IS A SLAVE TO WHATEVER HAS MASTERED HIM” NIV

MESSAGE BIBLE PARAPHRASED- SAYS ‘A MAN IS A SLAVE TO WHATEVER

CONTROLS HIM OR HER.”

MANY TIMES WHEN WE HEAR A MESSAGE ABOUT BREAKING FREE FROM HABITS, WE PICTURE DRUG ADDICTS, THE ALCOHOLICS,

THEY NEED THE MESSAGE, BUT I WILL SAY LOVINGLY AND CAREFULLY- SO DO YOU, AND SO DO I

I AGREE, THOSE PEOPLE NEED IT, BUT 2 PETER IS MUCH MORE DEEPER THAN THAT, AND MANY WHO SIT IN THOSE PEWS TODAY NEED TO BREAK FREE FROM SOMETHING.

PETER SAYS WE ARE SLAVES TO WHATEVER HAS MASTERED YOU

***SOME HERE TODAY ARE:

SLAVES TO WORK,

SLAVES TO JEALOUSY, TO ANGER,

TO GOSSIP, TO WHAT PEOPLE THINK INSTEAD OF GOD,

TO SEX,TO THINKING THEY ARE BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE.

***TODAY , WE NEED TO TAKE AN INVENTORY OF THE NEGATIVES HABITS IN OUR LIVES,

***TO LOOK AT WHAT THE LORD NEEDS TO TAKE OUT OF OUR LIVES

***NOTICE I SAID THE LORD, BECAUSE IMMEDIATELY YOU CAN THINK OF THINGS YOU’VE TRIED TO BREAK, BUT CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH.

THERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS I WOULD LIKE TO ANSWER.

WRITE THESE DOWN ...QUESTIONS TO ASK AND ANSWER TODAY

I. HOW DO WE IDENTIFY A HABIT

FIRST LET’S GIVE IT A DEFINITION

A NEGATIVE LIFE CONTROLLING HABIT IS SOMETHING YOU FIND YOURSELF DOING EVEN THOUGH IT IS DESTRUCTIVE EITHER PHYSICALLY, MENTALLY, EMOTIONALLY, OR SPIRITUALLY. OR YOU CONSISTENTLY DO SOMETHING YOU WISH YOU WOULDN’T DO, BUT YOU FIND YOURSELF DOING IT ANYWAY

*** ROMANS 7:15- “I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT I DO. FOR WHAT I WANT TO DO I DO NOT DO. BUT WHAT I HATE I DO.

***HE UNDERSTOOD THAT HE HAD GOOD INTENTIONS, BUT ON HIS OWN, WITHOUT THE HOLY SPIRIT, HE STRUGGLED.

***YOU HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THAT GOOD PEOPLE ARE BOUND UP BY BAD HABITS

SOME OF US, ESPECIALLY LONG TIME CHRISTIANS, FIND IT HARD TO ADMIT A HABIT, BECAUSE WE FEEL LESS SPIRITUAL

DENIAL IS NOT THE WAY TO DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM

TAKE A MOMENT, WRITE DOWN THE HABITS IN YOUR LIFE THAT YOU WANT TO SEE VICTORY IN

II WHY ARE HABITS SO POWERFUL

HABITS ARE FORMED AT A SNAIL PACE, ALMOST ALWAYS UNNOTICED.

USUALLY THE PERSON DOESN’T EVEN KNOW THEY FORMED A HABIT, AND IS SOMEONE ASKS- “I CAN QUIT ANYTIME” “THIS IS NOT A PROBLEM”

IT IS LIKE A CABLE WITH FINE THREADS OF WIRE, EACH DAY THREADS ARE ADDED UNTIL THEY ARE WOVEN TOGETHER TO BECOME AN UNBREAKABLE CABLE.

QUOTE- BAD HABITS ARE LIKE COMFORTABLE BEDS, EASY TO GET INTO, BUT HARD TO GET OUT OF.

GOOD CHURCH HABITS DON’T HAPPEN OVER NIGHT. THEY HAPPEN OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.

SMOKERS DIDN’T GET ADDICTED ON ONE CIGARETTE, IT TAKES TIME. SMOKE AFTER SMOKE BEFORE THEIR BODY BECOMES DEPENDENT UPON NICOTINE.

HABITS ARE FORMED THROUGH WILLFUL BEHAVIOR. THE PERSON HAS GIVEN IN MANY TIMES AND NOW THEY ARE ADDICTED.

THAT’S WHY THEY ARE POWERFUL- THEY START SUBTLE AND THEY BREAK YOUR WILL.

YOU DON’T EVEN WANT TO RESIST ANYMORE, BECAUSE YOU FEEL YOU CAN’T BREAK FREE’