WINNING THE WAR OVER YOUR WASTED YEARS

SERMON SERIES WITHIN THE SERIES

WINNING THE WAR OVER YOUR WASTED YEARS

SHOW HOW THIS SERIES CONNECTS WITH OUR EXODUS SERIES

INTRODUCTION

NONE OF US CAN TOTALLY AVOID WASTE IN OUR LIVES; BUT ALL OF US CAN AND SHOULD LOOK AND FIGHT TO MINIMIZE IT

IN THE LAST MESSAGE I MADE THIS POINT

THE PRODIGAL LEAVING HOME WAS THE FRUIT OF HAVING ALREADY LEFT HOME – HEART, MIND, AFFECTIONS AND WILL

HERE IS A KEY POINT THAT I WANT YOU TO KNOW

THE PRODIGAL GOING HOME WAS THE FRUIT OF HAVING ALREADY BEEN HOME – HEART, MIND AFFECTIONS AND WILL

GET THIS...

You are already home when You repent.

Just like leaving starts in the heart so too does home happen WHEN YOU REPENT

1 John 1:9 ESV

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

ITS GETTING TO THAT PLACE OF INTIMACY THAT REMAINS OUR PURSUIT

AFTER HIS SIN WITH BATHSHEBA DAVID SAID WHAT EVERY REPENTING HEART LONGS FOR

HERE IS THE INTIMACY WE DESIRE

Psalm 51:12 ESV

Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

THE WAY HOME- what does it look like? What is this road paved with?

HERE IS WHAT LIFE LOOKS LIKE GOING HOME - GETTING BACK TO INTIMACY WITH THE LORD

I. RENOUNCING YOUR SIN(S)

TALKED ABOUT REPENTANCE - TURNING AWAY

REPENTANCE IS WALKING BACK OVER YOUR SIN

BUT, THERE IS SOMETHING THAT IS NECESSARY FOR THIS TO BE SUCCESSFUL: RENOUNCING YOUR SIN

HERE IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONFESSING OUR SIN AND RENOUNCING OUR SIN:

Confession breaks the pattern, but it takes renunciation to kill the cycle.

PATTERNS BECOMES CYLCES: CYCLES ARE AUTOMATIC PROCESSES THAT HAPPEN TO PRODUCE A RESULT (LIKE WASHING MACHINES)

ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS FOLLW THE PATTERN OF PUTTING CLOTHES IN, DETERGEN, PRESSING SOME BUTTONS AND THEN, IT JUST HAPPENS

THE CYCLE HAPPENS WHEN, AFTER CONFESSING YOUR SIN, YOU HAVE TO WALK OVER IT TO GET TO INTIMACY WITH THE LORD. IF YOU DON’T RENOUNCE IT, IT CAN CREEP BACK IN AND

THIS IS WHY KILLING SIN IS HELD AS A PRIORITY IN THE LIFE OF A CHRISTIAN

Romans 8:13 ESV

For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.

Colossians 3:5 ESV

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

TO RENOUNCE SIN INVOLVES MENTAL AND SPIRITUAL PROCESSES THAT WE MUST GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO HAVE THE RESTORED JOY AND INTIMACY OF OF RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST. HERE IS THAT PROCESS:

FIRST: TO RENOUNCE SIN MEANS TO DIS-OWN IT!

TO DISOWN A SIN BEGINS WITH ACCEPTING THE FACT THAT YOU ONCE OWNED THAT SIN

TALK ABOUT OWNERSHIP OF SIN - LET’S SEE WHAT THIS LOOKED LIKE

PETER’S DENIALS REPRESENT PETER “DISOWNING CHRIST”

to refuse to acknowledge as one's own. 2. a. : to repudiate any connection or identification with

TAKE OFF LANGUAGE - THIS IS THE ACT OF DISOWNING SIN: RIDDING OURSELVES OF ANY MENTAL, SPIRITUAL AND MORAL CONNECTION WITH IT, IN ANY WAY

Ephesians 4:22 ESV

to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires,

PETER SAYS IT DIFFERENTLY

1 Peter 2:1 ESV

So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.

TAKING OFF OR PUTTING AWAY SIN MEANS REDEFINING YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO IT. HERE IS WHY

SIN WILL ALWAYS BE PRESENT. THE SIN YOU DISOWNED WILL NOT GO OUT OF EXISTENCE JUST BECAUSE YOU DISOWNED IT. IT WILL STILL BE PRESENT. BUT YOUR RENOUNCING IT CHANGES YOUR VIEW OF SIN; IT CHANGES THE ANGLE BY WHICH YOU SEE IT

AS YOU GO HOME YOU WILL ENCOUNTER THAT SIN THAT TOOK YOU AWAY FROM THE LORD, BUT YOU WILL ENCOUNTER IT DIFFERENTLY

SECOND: TO RENOUNCE SIN MEANS TO NAME IT

NAMING A THING MEANS BRINING IT TO LIGHT

PAUL SAYS IN

2 Corinthians 4:2 ESV

But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God.

BUT I LIKE THE NEW AMERICAN STANDARD VERSION LANGUAGE

2 Corinthians 4:2 (NASB95)

but we have renounced the things hidden because of shame, not walking in craftiness or adulterating the word of God, but by the manifestation of truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.

NAMING SIN IS NOT SIMPLY NAMING WHAT IT IS: LYING, STEALING, ETC. BUT, IT IS SEEING IT IN CONNECTION TO THE SHAME IT BRINGS

WHEN YOU NAME YOUR SIN YOU SEE IT AND PUT IT IN ITS RIGHT LIGHT - TO SEE IT FOR WHAT IT IS:

AS CHRIST NAMED IT IN THE DEVIL’S INTENTIONS:

John 10:10 ESV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

IT IS RIGHT TO SAY IT THIS WAY: “SIN COMES ONLY TO STEAL AND KILL AND DESTROY

THUS, YOU HAVE TO RENOUNCE SIN BY NAMING IT - YOUR SIN(S): THOSE THINGS THAT PRODUCED YOUR WASTED YEARS (FINANCIAL, RELATIONAL, SPIRITUAL, EMOTIONAL, ETC)

YOU MUST RENOUNCE THEM BY BRINGING THEM TO LIGHT (NOT HIDE THEM) SO THAT THE INFLUENCE IT HAS IS DISCERNED AND, THIS DESTROYED.

We must never forget the cost of doing business with sin

Romans 6:23 ESV

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

BUT NAMING SIN DEMONSTRATES A LEVEL OF POSITIONAL POWER OVER THAT THING

SO, HERE IS OUR POSITIONAL AUTHORITY

Romans 6:12 ESV

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.

Romans 6:13 ESV

Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.

1 John 2:1 ESV

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.

SO, NAME YOUR SIN THAT CAUSED YOUR WASTED YEARS: RENEW AND RESTORE YOUR POSITION OVER IT IN CHRIST JESUS.

Colossians 2:13–14 ESV

And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

Colossians 2:15 ESV

He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.

THIS IS WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER WHEN SIN TRIES YOU:

1. Resolve In Yourself to Choose the right

2. Remind yourself that sin no longer rules

SO, HERE IS WHERE WE HAVE BEEN THUS FAR

FIRST: TO RENOUNCE SIN MEANS TO DIS-OWN IT!

SECOND: TO RENOUNCE SIN MEANS TO NAME IT

NOW

THIRD: TO RENOUNCE SIN MEANS TO SEE IT FROM A DIFFERENT ANGLE

WHEN YOU NAME YOUR SIN YOU ARE REDEFINING YOUR RELATIONSHIP TO IT. HERE IS WHY

SIN WILL ALWAYS BE PRESENT. THE SIN YOU DISOWNED WILL NOT GO OUT OF EXISTENCE JUST BECAUSE YOU DISOWNED IT. IT WILL STILL BE PRESENT. THIS IS WHY JOHN TELLS US:

1 John 2:15–16 ESV

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world.

YOUR PREVIOUSLY OWNED SIN WILL ALWAYS BE THERE BUT YOUR RENOUNCING IT CHANGES YOUR VIEW OF SIN; IT CHANGES THE ANGLE BY WHICH YOU SEE IT

AS YOU BEGIN GOING HOME YOU WILL ENCOUNTER THAT SIN THAT TOOK YOU AWAY FROM THE LORD, BUT YOU WILL ENCOUNTER IT DIFFERENTLY.

SO LET ME ENCOURAGE TO THIS WAY OF SEEING:

See Sin In Light Of Its Impact On The End, The Goal And The Aim Of Your Spiritual Maturity. Do Not See Sin As An Act That Is Separate Or Isolated From Impeding Growth In Intimacy With Christ.

- EXPLAIN IT IN LIGHT OF CELEBRATION MEAL AND E2M

- THEN NLF REPLAY - ALWAYS THAT ONE ANGLE THAT IS THE ANGLE and ETERNITY IS GOD’S ANGLE

YOU AND I CAN ONLY SEE FROM THE ANGLE OF HEAVEN IF WE DESIRE HEAVEN MORE THAN WE DESIRE THIS WORLD

Hebrews 11:24–25 ESV

By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.

Hebrews 11:26 ESV

He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures of Egypt, for he was looking to the reward.

To see something far greater than it as more compelling

1 Peter 2:2 ESV

Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation—

SO… LONG TO GROW UP SPIRITUALLY

LONG TO SPIRITUALLY GROW UP!

View moments in the light of eternity. Weigh every moment in light of its ability to cause you to own or disown Christ. Weigh the value of momentary cravings, momentary passions and momentary desires in the light eternal glory:

2 Corinthians 4:16–17 ESV

So we do not lose heart. Though our outer self is wasting away, our inner self is being renewed day by day. For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

The prodigal now viewed his present moment in the light of Home: Home became his reference point: not moments

became valued based on their moving one away from home or closer to home

c. Resolving to give ourselves to better

a. Renouncing sin is the acknowledgement that you have power over sin: you are no longer ruled by it.

i. This is what you must say when it raises up within you. Renoucning therefore is

II. REMIND YOUR SELF

- What that moment was like when you saw yourself

- Don’t forget to remember: 1 Corinthians 6:9ff

o Remembering dark times is crucial to never going back to dark times

o Moving on and forgetting is a sure sign that you will return

o Remembering in the light of being in a new position is healthy

- If you forget, you always remember the wrong way

o This is how the wasted years still feel wasted:

§ The best way to illustrate this is in relationship

· You get hurt and the pain is significant. You resolve to move on from it, BUT you

- Never let the sinful actions of your wasted years be seen as anything other than what they were

o Yes, as we saw in the first message, God’s grace is and was all over your wasted years: He was doing something in you so that He could do something for you, in spite of you

o BUT YOUR SIN STILL WERE ACTIONS OF DISOBEDIENCE. JUST BECAUSE HE DID NOT DESTROY YOU BECAUSE OF THEM DOES NOT MEAN THAT HE WOULD HAVE BEEN WRONG TO DO SO

o THIS WAS DAVID’S HEART AFTER HE WAS EXPOSED IN HIS SIN WITH BATHSHEBA

§ 51:7

III. REHEARSE YOUR RETURN (rehearsing what you are going to do when you get home is important to getting home. It reminds you of home and it reminds of you of the pit. In a word, rehearsing what you will do and say differently is helping you to never FORGET- you PIT and His GRACE

a. This signifies that going home was something that he could do

i. Notice he does not even hint at being rejected from coming home

b. THIS SIGNFIES THAT HE HAD A PLAN OF WHAT HE WOULD DO WHEN HE GOT HOME you need to have a plan; an idea of what your life will be like when you get there

i. He positioned himself lower than he was BEFORE HE LEFT

1. HE PLAYED SMALL BUT HE HAD A LOVING FATHER

ii. HE DID THIS for two reasons

1. Mentally and emotionally he did not feel deserving

a. It is ARROGANCE to assume that God will give you your post back after you have wasted His gifts and showed yourself unfaithful

b. It is FAITHLESS to assume that He will not give you better

c. ALL THAT THIS MEANS IS THIS: WHEN YOU RETURN, JUST RETURN WITH GRATITUDE AND HUMILITY THAT YOU CAN RETURNTO THE PLACE OF INTIMACY WITH THE FATHER – WHATEVER THAT LOOKS LIKE. DO NOT BE CALCULATING

i. DON’T SAY, “I WILL DO THIS SO THAT HE WILL DO SUCH AND SUCH”

ii. DO NOT BARGAIN WITH GOD. GET HOME AND LET WHAT HAPPENS HAPPEN- JUST BE THANKFUL TO BE HOME

2. It did not matter what his role was; being home was all that mattered

a. Psalm 8 something I would rather be a door keeper in heaven than….

3. HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO FIGHT AGAINST WHEN RETURNING HOME – DO NOT PLAY SMALL

a. HE PLAYED SMALL BY REDUCING HIMSELF TO LESS THAN WHAT HE WAS (FROM A SON TO A SERVANT)

b. BUT THE CELEBRATION THAT TOOK PLACE IS A REMINDER OF WHAT TRULY AWAITS THOSE WHO UNDERATAND THE WASTE OF THEIR WASTED YEARS AND REPENT AND COME HOME: GREATER

c. NOW, THIS GREATER MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN

Keeps in your mind - fresh- what you just left and keeps in your eyes the beauty of what you are going back to but DIFFERENTLY

Notice the son went home but the home was different than what he left it.

It’s the same house, the same father and the same brother but it’s different because he is different.

Renouncing sin not renouncing the physical thing that you messed up:

Don’t renounce sex: renounce your misuse of it

Don’t renounce pigs- renounce that you allowed yourself to become less than yourself.

Don’t renounce people you worked for- renounce that you squandered your riches and had to work for someone else.

PEOPLE YOU WILL MEET

3. Resistance the Haters