Breaking Free Of Controlling Habits!

BREAKING FREE OF CONTROLLING HABITS!

Galatians 5:1-2

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. Sometimes being close isn’t good enough. Like Bill, who ordered a cord of firewood to be delivered for $100.

2. When the firewood was delivered, Bill got upset. “That’s not a full cord of wood,” Bill objected. “That’s what I call a cord,” the man answered firmly.

3. Bill fished around in his pocket and thrust some bills into the man’s hand. “Hey wait a minute,” the woodsman complained after counting the money. “You only gave me $70!" Bill shrugged his shoulders & replied, “That’s what I call $100!”

B. TEXT

1. Galatians 5:1, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”

2. Today I want to speak to you about how to break free from life-controlling habits. 2 Pet. 2:19 says, “They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for “people are slaves to whatever has mastered them.” The Living Bible says, “For a man is a slave to whatever controls him.”

3. Many times when people hear a message about breaking free from habits, they think, ”This is a good one for the drug addict and the alcoholic; I’m not in the spotlight.” But 2 Peter could apply to almost all of us, because most people need to break free from something.

4. Some people are slaves to work, some are slaves of jealousy, some are slaves to gossip, some are a slave to anger, pornography, legal drug prescriptions, over-eating, or are slaves to fear or peer pressure.

5. So Today I want us to take an inventory of the Controlling NEGATIVE HABITS we allow in our lives, that need to be broken.

I. HOW DO WE IDENTIFY A CONTROLLING HABIT

A. WHAT IS A CONTROLLING HABIT?

1. A controlling habit is something you find yourself doing even though it is destructive – either physically, mentally, emotionally, relationally or spiritually. It’s something you do even though you wish you wouldn’t do it.

2. Paul recognized this dilemma, “I do not practice what I want to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate” (Rom. 7:15), even though he had good intentions. We must understand – MANY GOOD PEOPLE ARE BOUND by controlling habits.

3. Some think that if we admit we have a habit, then we’re less spiritual. Denial only covers up the problem.

4. In a recent survey in Discipleship Journal Magazine, BELIEVERS reported that their greatest spiritual challenges came from:

#1 Materialism

#2 Pride

#3 Self-centeredness

#4 Laziness

#5 Anger/Bitterness (Tie)

#6 Sexual Lust

#7 Envy

#8 Gluttony

#9 Lying

5. Look at this list. Honestly, how many of these could be applied to you? Have you given up struggling against them? It’s important to bring your inabilities to God and let Him deal with them.

6. “Pride” is a major issue facing Christians that keeps them from getting deliverance. The church is sick but she doesn’t want to admit it. We have to admit we’re sick before we can take steps to achieve healing.

7. Modern Christians have adopted an ‘unbelief in change,’ adopting secular counseling ideas which tells us, “this is just who I am.” People accept their fallen natures and then decide they can never change. We’ve accepted the victim mentality. It doesn’t matter whether it’s alcohol, over-eating, or same-sex attraction – it all derives from temptation & our fallen natures. We need redemption and re-creation!

8. YES, IN THE NATURAL, WE CAN’T CHANGE, BUT WITH GOD, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE! Aren’t we a people of resurrection and hope? Don’t we serve a God Who still works miracles? Isn’t the Spirit who raised Christ from the dead living inside us? We need to leave off psychoanalysis and get back to the Jesus who still “breaks the power of cancelled sin!”

B. ILLUS: EXAMPLE OF CONTROLLING PRIDE

1. In the summer of 1986, two ships collided in the Black Sea off the coast of Russia. Hundreds of passengers died as they were hurled into the icy waters below. News of the disaster was further darkened when an investigation revealed the cause of the accident.

2. It wasn’t a technology problem like radar malfunction or even a thick fog. The cause was human stubbornness. Each captain was aware of the other ships presence nearby. Both could have steered clear, but according to news reports, neither captain wanted to give way to the other. Each was too proud to yield first. By the time they came to their senses, it was too late.

C. SIN IS A BIG DEAL IN GOD’S EYES

1. Red Devil Tool Company of Union, N.J. has as their slogan, “It’s easy with the devil.” They boast that their tools transform difficult tasks into simple ones. But they’re wrong: it’s NOT EASIER WITH THE DEVIL! The Bible says, “The way of the transgressor is hard!”