“Choices”
Romans 8:6-8 NLT
There are a lot of things we try to get around & avoid in our life; but there is one that we will never escape.
Choices will make a demand on our life as long as we are breathing.
As we see from our scriptures this morning, letting our flesh control us will lead us to choices that will produce death; letting the Spirit lead us will bring us life & peace.
Choices are a very vital part of “Spiritual Warfare” in life.
2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NCV We do live in the world, but we do not fight in the same way the world fights. We fight with weapons that are different from those the world uses. Our weapons have power from God that can destroy the enemy's strong places. We destroy people's arguments and every proud thing that raises itself against the knowledge of God. We capture every thought and make it give up and obey Christ.
I. The Earthly Man…
Romans 1:20-22 NLT For ever since the world was created; people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see His invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship Him as God or even give Him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. (Choices)
The person living in this world & has not been born again through the precious blood of Jesus cannot even see the sense in listening to the ways of God or the things of God.
The choices of lost men will be motivated by many of the things you see hanging on the wall behind me.
1 Corinthians 1:19-21 NLT As the Scriptures say, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent.”
So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world’s brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.
It is not until a person gets to the place that they understand they are not smart enough to figure it all out & there just may be something to this Jesus story that God can begin to reveal Himself to them.
If we continue to reject that drawing of God then we will continue to make choices that bring bad results.
Proverbs 14:12 NKJV There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
If you or anyone you know is still following the ways of the flesh; prayer is the only thing that will ever bring change!
II. The Carnal Christian…
The reason this series is so important is that the battle does not end when someone accepts Jesus as their Savior.
Romans 8:12-14 CEV My dear friends, we must not live to satisfy our desires. If you do, you will die. But you will live, if by the help of God's Spirit you say "No" to your desires. Only those people who are led by God's Spirit are his children.
There is a constant struggle going on in us between the Flesh & Spirit.
We must learn that the desires that God has placed in His Word for us are those that will lead us to a life that is FULL & abundant!
Romans 8:5 GNT Those who live as their human nature tells them to, have their minds controlled by what human nature wants. Those who live as the Spirit tells them to, have their minds controlled by what the Spirit wants.
You cannot live for self & the flesh & please God! It is impossible! That is why so many today struggle trying to live a Life with Jesus.
The world, the flesh, & the pride of life is the trick of the devil to keep a person from going all the way in their relationship with Jesus.
1 John 2:15-17 MSG Don't love the world's ways. Don't love the world's goods. Love of the world squeezes out love for the Father. Practically everything that goes on in the world—wanting your own way, wanting everything for yourself, wanting to appear important—has nothing to do with the Father. It just isolates you from him. The world and all it’s wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out—but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity.
Is this easy??? No way! We must take up the whole armor of God & learn to stand. Carnal & fleshly choices will do nothing but bring trouble.
2 Timothy 2:3-4 NLT Endure suffering along with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Soldiers don’t get tied up in the affairs of civilian life, for then they cannot please the officer who enlisted them.
III. HIS Choices bring Victory…
The only way to live with greatness in this life is to live with a true hope of where I will spend FOREVER!
1 John 5:12-13 NLT Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have God’s Son does not have life.
I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God; so that you may know you have eternal life. (Choices)
All the garbage that the enemy tries to use to bring disunity, offense, jealousy, bitterness, sexual sin, etc… is cut off as we begin living fully in HIS choices.
Curses, demons, rebellion, bondage, sin, hell, & death lose their impact in our life as we begin to exercise the things HE has told us to choose.
Romans 8:37 NKJV Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
John 10:10 NLT The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
What is influencing your choices today?
You can deceive your friends, your pastor, & maybe even your spouse; But you are never fooling God!
Today you can come clean before the Lord & begin seeing some of the stuff that keeps bringing bondage in your life begin to fall away.
You can begin to see that “More than a Conquer” status begin working in your life today!
If God is for you, then who can be against you…
Why not come today & take some steps to move you forward in your relationship with Jesus?
