Staying Out of The Cooler

Intro

One of our adjustments to living in Michigan…for me

Not the snow so much

Not even the cold so much

It has been the ice

My belief

Ice belongs in a cup

With ice tea poured over

Or a carbonated beverage

Experience walking on ice last winter

The problem created by ice

Is no traction

Entering into 2025

Ready to put Pr 3:5-6 to use

Excited to see what the Lord will do

What He will do in transforming us

Yet when we struggle with temptation and sin

It’s like we hit an ice patch and start slipping every which direction

Fall

Then try to get back up

Problem

We’re still on the ice

Can’t. Get. Traction.

Discouragement sets in

Because we keep slipping up and falling over this sin or sins that keeps us from experiencing this new life in Christ

Praying over this message

This passage popped into my mind almost immediately

Kept praying on this

Never. Budged.

Important to Keep in Mind

We all struggle here

We all fail here

Yet Jesus has won victory for us here

What we are looking for here

Is how to experience the victory that Jesus has won for us

James 1:13–15 ESV

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death.

James actually uses fishing terms in this passage

And the battle over temptation is much like fishing

However, here we are not the fishermen

We are the fish

This fisherman is not a “catch-and-release” sport fisherman

He is looking to devour us

To reel us in

Put us in the cooler

This passage is going to help us in our effort in Staying Out of The Cooler

Every Christ follower can experience the victory won in Christ over sin in a greater way by knowing the following truths:

1. Know Our Enemy

A. Who It Is NOT

NOT God

James 1:13 ESV

13 Let no one say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one.

In other words

Stop blaming God for things He didn’t do

NOT other people

Don’t blame someone else for making you do wrong

Guy driving wrong way on freeway

Ultimately, the only one who makes me sin is me

B. Who It IS

Satan

1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)

8 Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.

Facts about Satan

He’s stronger than me

He’s smarter than me

He hates me

My enemy, my adversary

Σατανᾶς

“enemy, adversary”

“one laying in ambush”

He wants to destroy me

1Pe 5:8—“Your adversary the devil prowls about like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour”

Keep this verse in view

He cannot force me to do anything

But he is a great salesman

He cannot read my mind

But he takes great notes

Knows what I’ve done

Knows what I fall for

Knows where I am when I take that bait

So he is the fisherman who is fishing to ruin me

Our Own Desires

James 1:14 ESV

14 But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.

Truth

My old sin nature is my enemy

It is self-exalting

It is self-promoting

It is self-preserving

It is self-pleasing

It is my Me Monster that lurks in me

Because all I am thinking about is ME

C. How the Enemy Works

1) Luring Phase

Drawn away from the safe zone

James 1:14 “But each person is tempted when he is lured”

Lured

present passive participle

ἐξέλκω

To draw out, as out of one location to another

Fishing

Safety in schools

Safe spots in vegetation

Fisherman tries to draw that fish out of those “safe zones”

Fish moves out of

School

Safe zone

Fish is drawn out to go over and check out the new shiny, tasty-looking thing now in the water

2) The Bait Phase

Bait is dangled out in front

James 1:14—“But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed”

Enticed

present passive participle

δελεάζω

To arouse interest in something by enticing measures

To catch by a bait

Fishing

Make that lure appear to be alive

3) The Hook Phase

Take the bait

Set the hook

James 1:15—“Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin…”

Now it is going to take some work to get un-hooked

4) The Cooler Phase

Sin fully grown

Gives birth to death

James 1:15—“…and sin when it is fully grown brings forth death”

Without that work to get un-hooked

Staying hooked means I will be reeled in

Remember truth about this fisherman

Not a “catch and release” fisherman

Remember 1Pe 5:8?

“Seeking someone to devour”

Put in the cooler

2. Know Our Safe Zone

The problem arises when I wander away from my safe zone

When I find myself alone

When I find myself thinking about me

It’s then that I start looking at the shiny bait out there

And think, “I can try it just this once”

A. Our “Fortress”

Jesus

Psalm 18:2 “2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”

Psalm 31:2 “2 Bow down Your ear to me, Deliver me speedily; Be my rock of refuge, A fortress of defense to save me.”

Psalm 31:3 “3 For You are my rock and my fortress; Therefore, for Your name’s sake, Lead me and guide me.”

Psalm 71:3 “3 Be my strong refuge, To which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, For You are my rock and my fortress.”

Psalm 91:2 “2 I will say of the Lord, “He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.””

Psalm 144:2 “2 My lovingkindness and my fortress, My high tower and my deliverer, My shield and the One in whom I take refuge, Who subdues my people under me.”

Praise the Name of Jesus

B. Our “School”

Jesus’ Church

Hebrews 10:24–25 “24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, 25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

Community of a small group

Not just a social club

It can be much more

It can be your safe place

Where you are encouraged

Where you are challenged to know Jesus more deeply

3. Know Our Rescue Route

Reality

You will mess up

You will wander off

You will take the bait

You will get hooked

You will be in the process of being reeled in because you’re hooked

About to give you probably the most valuable truth in this message:

Mess Up? Fess Up! Turn Around!

1 John 1:9 ESV

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

Mess up, ’fess up

Confess that sin

What happens?

You are forgiven

You are cleansed of the unrighteousness

Turn around

Repent

Admit it

Quit it

Stop doing it

Get back to your safe zone

Jesus

Your “school”

Now What?

Important to Remember

We don’t need this in order to become winners

1 Corinthians 15:57 “57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Romans 8:37 “37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.”

We need this BECAUSE we’ve already won

Through Him who loved us

Through the Lord Jesus Christ

So we can experience the abundance of the life that He has so freely given to us

Not a Credit Card

This is not a credit card

Go do whatever you want

Just confess it

Jesus paid for it

Life that He paid for with His own blood

Something that we remember as a church when we observe Communion/Lord’s Supper