Graduated Faith (3)

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Abandon Self

we started this series talking about the difference between Faith and trust. How we can have faith and still lack in the trust needed to serve God to our fullest potential. So far we talked about how fear is the enemy of trust and we asked the question

If you were guaranteed success in anything you set out to do- What could you accomplish? We discussed the weapons of power, love and sound mind.

This morning we are going to talk about abandoning ourself.

Proverbs 3:5–6 ESV

5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6 In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.

So how do we fully trust in God.

Worship

I have found that those who cannot worship God are typically those who cannot trust in God. Worship is truly a letting go of self moment. It’s setting aside every form of embarrassment and self preservation. Don’t believe me?

I have heard people say- I can’t worship like you because people will make fun of me. Or it takes me out of my comfort zone. Worship allows God access to our pride.

When Abraham was taking Issac up the mountain to sacrifice him to God there came a point in their journey where Abraham looked at those who were with him and Said.

Genesis 22:5 (ESV)

...I and the boy will go over there and worship and come again to you.”

Abraham was saying we are going to abandon ourself to God’s control, but then he says and come again to you. Here’s part of the issue. When we worship God, When we abandon ourselves we give ourselves over to God, but we don’t trust that God will give us something better.

Abraham fully understood that he was going to sacrifice Issac, but Abraham trust God, knew God’s character enough to know that this sacrifice wasn’t the end of Issac’s story. God had something miraculous in mind. Because

God will never ask for big obedience and not provide a big miracle.

We loose out on big miracles because we are afraid to make big moves. We are afraid to abandon ourselves fully to God because in the back of our mind he may just fail us.

Worships

David, as part of his judgement for the sins he committed, lost his kingdom. Absolom was taking over David’s kingdom.

2 Samuel 15:26 (ESV)

26.. let him do to me what seems good to him.”

How many of us in the midst of tormoil can say let God have control of my life?

David was talking to Zadok the high priest told him to take the ark of God back to the City of Jerusalem and remain there. And David declared God knows more than I do.

A few verses later David worshiped like Abraham

2 Samuel 15:32 (NKJV)

32 Now it happened when David had come to the top of the mountain, where he worshiped God...

David wrote Psalm 40 as it says for the director of music of David

Many theologians believe that Psalm 40 was written when David was running from Absolom

Psalm 40:4 ESV

4 Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after a lie!

David knew who was in control and David full put his life in God’s hands.

Are we willing to trust God to the point where we put our lives into God’s hands?

Here’s the truth:

You can have EVERYTHING God promised you—you just can’t control it.

You can’t control how it will happen, when it will happen, or how much the blessings will occur. All you can do is receive and believe.

3. Listens

Hebrews 13:5 (ESV)

5 ...for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

Where did God say this…God said this 3 times, because every good sermon has 3 points. God said to Joshua 3 times. I will never leave you nor forsake you. This is when Moses was dying Moses said it to Joshua 2 and then God said it to Joshua once.

Deuteronomy 31:6 (ESV)

6 He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Deuteronomy 31:8 (ESV)

8 He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you.

Joshua 1:5 (ESV)

5Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you.

And Joshua led the Israelites into the promised land. In order to trust God you must listen to God, you must give God control, and you must worship God.