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Let Sleeping Monsters Lie
Contributed by Scott Morris on May 1, 2002 (message contributor)
Summary: Visually illustrates the power of temptations.
Let Sleeping Monsters Lie!
Have you ever known the quiet kid that never starts anything and everyone thinks he’s just a simple kid?
Then one day someone pushes him too far and he woops their tale!?
That’s like a monster!
That’s why you watch out for the quiet kids & YOU Let sleeping monsters lie!
There are many temptations in this world that you will face, but you don’t have to face them all NOW, while you’re a teenager.
Let sleeping monsters lie!
Text - Songs of Solomon 2:7 - Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.
We usually don’t understand how powerful a monster is until he’s awake.
Then we see that he takes control of our thoughts, out free time, time that used to be family or homework or even FUN time (sports, etc).
The awakened monster is constantly there, affecting how you perceive the world. How you look at:
Ø Your friends
Ø Your family
Ø Your school
Ø Your girlfriend or boyfriend
Ø & GOD!
ILLUSRAITON: YOUth come out wearing t-shirts spray painted with titles below, face paint, hair gelled-messed up and wearing chains & rope. As you talk about each one, monsters (youth) wake up.
Monster of:
1. Self-Centeredness; Selfishness & Rudeness
2. Anger (temper, self-control)
3. Alcohol & Drugs
4. Sexuality (lust, relationships)
5. Rebellion
6. YOUr MONSTER – unlabeled for you
1. If you wait & wake them when it’s time, you’re already married and you kill the monster of lust because you don’t lust after anyone. (except your spouse – that’s a good thing!)
2. If you wake them up before it’s time, then they will get you to confuse LOVE & LUST!
Ø If you get in the habit (wake up the monster) of being sexually active with each boyfriend-girlfriend, then what will you be like when you get married and you get in a fight with your spouse?
How many monsters can you fight at one time? (how many people can someone fight at once… and win)
Once you wake one up, it’s VERY HARD to ever get them to sleep again.
You can put them back in their place, but usually you can’t put them back to sleep.
The only way I know how to put a monster back in his place to commit your life to God and die to your OLD self and let God recreate YOU and help you defeat them.
John 15:5 - If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
Philippians 4:13 – I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
SAY “I can do everything through Him!”
Now that you know this, 2 altar calls:
1. To pray that God will help you to not wake up any monsters until it’s time to kill them!
2. To commit your life to God and help you fight & win against the Monster you’ve already woke up!