Failure to Follow

Judges 1:27-36

Good morning, Church. If you have your Bibles and I trust that you do, go ahead and make your way to Judges 1.

I’m glad to be back up here this morning. I’m thankful for our time in Ecuador and I’m thankful for Brother Tommy bringing the word the last two Sundays. But I’m glad to be home.

Hey- if you weren’t here on Wednesday and want to hear about everything that happened on the Mission trip, I would encourage you to go to our youtube page and take a listen.

This trip wasn’t just a week away—it was a week in step with the Spirit. God opened doors, softened hearts, and reminded us that the harvest is still plentiful. I’m so thankful for every single person who prayed, gave, or went. You were a part of every conversation, every gospel seed, every act of compassion.

We want to be a people who say yes when the Lord says go.

Whether it’s down the street or across the sea, we want to walk in obedience and trust that His plans are better than ours. And Lord willing—we’ll go back. Next year. Same place. Same mission. Same God doing immeasurably more than we could ask or imagine.

Let’s keep saying yes.

We want to be obedient to what the would have us do.

And speaking of obedience—or the lack of it—that brings us to the book of Judges. It's the seventh book of the Bible, if you haven’t flipped over to it yet.

The Book of Judges could easily be called “The Book of Failure.”

But why would any Christian today want to dive into something that feels like such a downer? Well, Paul in 1 Corinthians gives us a powerful reason to do just that…

He says these events happened as examples for us. (1 Corinthians 10:6)

Israel’s journey, their downfall in the wilderness, wasn’t just a past story. It’s a warning for us today. Paul tells us that these things were written down so we wouldn’t crave evil things, just like Israel did. Remember when they longed for the food of Egypt, forgetting the manna God had provided? (Numbers 11:4)

Does that remind you of our own desires today, especially in a culture that constantly offers us distractions and comforts that pull us away from God’s best? These Old Testament stories were written for our instruction, so we don’t repeat their mistakes. They serve as a wake-up call, especially for us living in the final days.

And here's the truth: If we forget our past, we are doomed to repeat it. "Straight ahead lies yesterday."

The message of Judges is clear: when we abandon God’s way and do things counter to the Lord, we corrupt ourselves from within and open the door to oppression from without.

Compromise brings failure every time. If we don’t deal with sin at the start, it will keep coming back to haunt us, often stronger than before. Israel shows us this truth, and it’s a picture of our own fallen nature.

Let it burn out any tolerance for sin, especially the little compromises that we think don’t matter. and if it was a sin 2000 years ago, it’s still a sin today.

I don’t care what this world says about it.

We can’t expect to walk in God’s rest and blessing if we let partially defeated sins hang around. If we "flirt" with things that seem harmless, we’ll soon find ourselves shackled by them.

Now we’re calling this series "Cycle of Sin Cycle of Grace"—because that the manner in which everything happens in this book.

The book of Judges is like the spiritual version of Groundhog Day, where the cycle repeats itself over and over again: Sin > Suffering > Supplication > Salvation.

Israel, like a hamster on a wheel, keeps running through the same pattern. They stray, they suffer, they cry out, and God, in His mercy, raises up a deliverer. But here's the kicker—this cycle isn't just a random happenstance. It's all part of God's plan. It's His discipline.

Every time Israel falls into sin, they end up in servitude, and God Himself is the one who allows it. It's a wake-up call to His people, reminding them of the cost of disobedience and the need to return to Him.

And don’t miss this: the phrase "the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord" shows up again and again. It’s like a spiritual signpost marking Israel’s downfall, and every time it happens, you know the cycle is about to start all over.

But here’s the grace: God doesn’t just leave them there. Even though Israel repeatedly turns their back on Him, God, in His faithfulness, raises up deliverers.

Now, as for the judges themselves—God didn’t just raise up any kind of leader. He raised up three kinds:

Warrior-judges, like Gideon and Samson, who led Israel in battle against their enemies. These men were like the spiritual SWAT team, called to rescue Israel from oppression with military might.

Priest-judges, like Eli, who were there to guide Israel in their relationship with God. Eli’s job was to point the people back to the altar and teach them how to live rightly before God.

Prophet-judges, like Deborah and Samuel, who spoke God’s Word to the people. These judges didn’t just lead by the sword or the sacrificial altar; they led by proclaiming God’s truth and calling Israel to repentance. They weren’t just military leaders or religious figures—they were mouthpieces for the Almighty.

Each of these judges played a unique role in keeping Israel from completely falling apart. And even though Israel keeps tripping over the same sin, God’s grace keeps stepping in, delivering them once again. It’s a reminder that no matter how many times we fall, God’s grace is always ready to pick us up.

and I think we can relate to that.

You ever have one of those moments where you're like, “How did I end up back here?”

I mean if you're honest- I know it's a church- no place for that kind of thing- but if you're honest- you ever found yourself in the same place again and again and again and you get to that place and you're like what am I doing here again I promised I would never do this again

You swore you'd never go back. You prayed that prayer—“Lord, if You just get me out of this, I’ll never do it again.” But then... You did. Again.

Anybody know what I'm talking about or am I preaching to myself?

Maybe some of you have been on this kind of detour for years—maybe even a decade. You were close to God once, and somewhere along the way, you took a break. College, work, life... whatever it was, you drifted. But now, you're back. Praise God—you’re back.

And that’s the thing about the Book of Judges—it's a story about people who keep repeating the same mistakes. But it’s not just their story; it’s ours too.

See, I’ve got a PhD in this kind of theology. You know what it’s called?

Summer camp.

Every year, we’d show up, all excited, and at the end of the week you’re all full of sugar and barely any sleep.

Last night of camp—you haven’t slept for 4 days, you’ve been running on Mountain Dew and Little Debbie cakes, and some guy gets up and preaches like the building's on fire. And you’re crying, snotting, holding hands with your friends, singing “I’ surrender all”

And you meant it.

Like for real, you meant it. You wrote your sins down, nailed them to a cross, burned them in a fire, maybe even threw them in the lake.

And you said: “This is it. I’m different now. God, I’m all in.”

And you were. For like... two weeks.

But then school started. The old friends came back. The old habits kicked in. And by October, you were already asking, “When’s camp again?”

Here's the problem: I didn’t understand the Gospel. I thought the Christian life was this broken cycle: Regret → Remorse → Try harder → Repeat. Sound familiar?

That’s why the Book of Judges matters. Because it doesn’t just tell the story of Israel’s failure— It tells the story of God’s faithfulness in the middle of our failure.

So if you're stuck in that cycle—making the same promises, feeling the same regret, thinking, “Maybe next time I’ll get it right,”— Friend, this book is for you.

And today—we’re going to talk about how to break the cycle of what I call "crappy Christianity." Because that's not what God has in mind for you.

He wants more. And He's made a way.

So let us read Judges 1:27-36

Judges 1:27–36 ESV

Manasseh did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shean and its villages, or Taanach and its villages, or the inhabitants of Dor and its villages, or the inhabitants of Ibleam and its villages, or the inhabitants of Megiddo and its villages, for the Canaanites persisted in dwelling in that land. When Israel grew strong, they put the Canaanites to forced labor, but did not drive them out completely. And Ephraim did not drive out the Canaanites who lived in Gezer, so the Canaanites lived in Gezer among them. Zebulun did not drive out the inhabitants of Kitron, or the inhabitants of Nahalol, so the Canaanites lived among them, but became subject to forced labor. Asher did not drive out the inhabitants of Acco, or the inhabitants of Sidon or of Ahlab or of Achzib or of Helbah or of Aphik or of Rehob, so the Asherites lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land, for they did not drive them out. Naphtali did not drive out the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh, or the inhabitants of Beth-anath, so they lived among the Canaanites, the inhabitants of the land. Nevertheless, the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath became subject to forced labor for them. The Amorites pressed the people of Dan back into the hill country, for they did not allow them to come down to the plain. The Amorites persisted in dwelling in Mount Heres, in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim, but the hand of the house of Joseph rested heavily on them, and they became subject to forced labor. And the border of the Amorites ran from the ascent of Akrabbim, from Sela and upward.

Lets pray

They failed to follow God’s command. They compromised on what should never be compromised.

We can never compromise on what God clearly says.

and the thing is they started out strong, right? God’s with them, they’re going to conquer the land, they’re moving in obedience.

But something happens along the way. They are like the folks who jump into the gym on January 1st and they are there everyday for 3 weeks but then something happens and you don’t see them again until the next year.

The Bible tells us what the something that happened to the Israelites.

Judges 1:19 says, “The Lord was with Judah, and he took possession of the hill country, but he could not drive out the inhabitants of the plain because they had chariots of iron.”

This is the moment where things start to slip. They’ve conquered part of the land, but not all of it. Why? Because they couldn’t get rid of the enemy who had iron chariots.

And here’s the question that should shake us: Could they not, or would they not? You see, it wasn’t that they physically couldn’t drive out the enemy, it’s that they didn’t trust God enough to fully obey Him.

They were good with the easy stuff, the parts they could handle, but when the battle got tough, they backed off. They let fear and doubt creep in. They said, “Well, I can’t do that, God. I can handle the hill country, but that flat land with chariots? That’s a little much.”

But here’s the reality: partial obedience is still disobedience.

God didn’t ask them to take part of the land, He asked them to take all of it. And when we try to manage sin in our lives, when we say, “Well, God, I’ll clean up most of it, but I’m going to hang on to this one thing,” that sin will eventually rise up like those Canaanites. It will come back stronger and more destructive than before.

You can’t domesticate sin. It’s not just something you can tame. It’s a monster that will devour you if you give it an inch.

and if that’s you- where you’re saying, “I’ll obey God in every area except this one,” that’s where the enemy will strike. Just like the Canaanites, sin will rise up when you least expect it and destroy what you’ve worked so hard to build.

Let’s not fool ourselves into thinking we can keep sin as a pet. We can’t. We’ve got to let God deal with it completely, or it will eventually take us down.

1. The Importance of Obedience

Deuteronomy 6 laid out the blueprint for Israel’s success: The Shema- Deuteronomy 6:4–6 ““Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.”

When it says the Lord is one, that isn’t like he is one on a laundry list of things. He is the paper in which we write our lists on. He encapsulates everything.

love and obey the Lord as the one true God (vv. 1–5); teach His commandments to your children (vv. 6–9); be thankful for His blessings (vv. 10–15); and reject the idolatry of the surrounding nations (vv. 16–25). Tragically, the new generation failed to live up to these commitments.

Instead of seeking God’s kingdom first, they turned to the false gods of the nations around them. This rebellion led Israel into a downward spiral of moral, spiritual, and political decay.

So what went wrong? Either the older generation neglected to pass down the truth of God’s Word, or the new generation simply refused to listen. The reality is clear: “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people” (Prov. 14:34, ESV). Without a true king to lead them—without God’s reign in their hearts—Israel was left to their own devices, and the consequences were disastrous.

The tribes of Benjamin, Ephraim, Manasseh, Zebulun, Asher, Naphtali, and Dan all faced defeat.

Instead of driving out the enemy, they allowed the godless nations to remain in their land, even letting the enemy push the tribe of Dan from the plains into the mountains.

The Jebusites stayed in Jerusalem and will stay there until King David conqueor them, and though the Canaanites were later made to serve as forced labor (vv. 28–30), their presence continued to be a problem.

This marked the beginning of a decline in Israel’s faith. They were no longer trusting God for victory, and it showed in their failure to live by His Word.

The priests, entrusted with the Book of Deuteronomy, were commanded to publicly read it to the people every Sabbatical Year during the Feast of Tabernacles (Deut. 31:9–13). Had they been faithful, they would have warned Israel against sparing their pagan neighbors and reminded them of God’s promises to help them defeat their enemies (Deut. 31:1–8).

It was through the Word that Joshua had gained the faith and courage to conquer, and that same Word would have equipped the new generation to take the land. But when the Word was neglected, the people began to falter.

The same thing happens today.

When people, even those who claim to follow Jesus, abandon the truth of Scripture and embrace the lies of the world—whether it’s supporting abortion rights, endorsing homosexuality, or distorting what the Bible clearly teaches—they too are neglecting the Word.

Whenever you hear someone say, "my Jesus," just know whatever they are about to say has nothing to do with Jesus of the Bible.

My Jesus accepted everyone for who they were. My Jesus would would go to a Gay wedding. My Jesus would accept trans people. My Jesus would support all religions.

The problem isn't with the true Jesus; it's with how people are twisting His message to fit their own desires.

They let their ears be tickled with horse manure and don’t follow God’s Word because they don’t read it.

We cannot ignore the truth of God's Word and expect to live in victory.

Just as Israel crumbled when they neglected the Word, we will crumble if we allow culture to dictate our beliefs over the clear commands of Scripture. The Bible is our foundation, and when we stray from it, we stray from the victory and power God offers us.

Israel’s downfall began when they neglected the Word of God. They didn’t just forget to read it—they abandoned it. They allowed the culture around them to shape their beliefs and values, instead of letting God’s Word be their foundation. This is the exact same mistake we make today. You see, when Israel turned away from God's commands, they opened the door to defeat and spiritual slavery. What happened to them can happen to us. If we allow culture, politics, or personal preferences to dictate our beliefs, we will end up in a similar cycle of disobedience, suffering, and loss. The Word of God is the cornerstone of our faith, and when we drift from it, we lose our anchor.

2 Timothy 4:3–4 warns, "For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths."

We live in this time. We are surrounded by teachers and voices that tell us what we want to hear, instead of what we need to hear. and its all within a click of the button. In fact, algorithms are so advanced today that they just shovel the things you want to see and agree with- doesn’t make it true- onto your phone.

These teachings are often surface-level, designed to appease our desires for comfort, wealth, or success. But what happens when we take this path is that we miss out on the transformative power of God’s Word. God is not interested in shallow spirituality—He wants to change us from the inside out. He wants to bring us into the fullness of His power and purpose, but that only happens when we take His Word seriously.

Voddie Baucham once said, “The Word of God is meant to confront us, correct us, rebuke us, and change us. It is a mirror that shows us who we really are. And it’s a sword that pierces our hearts to expose our deepest motives and desires.” The power of the Word doesn’t come from hearing what we want to hear—it comes from hearing what we need to hear, whether it comforts us or convicts us. The Bible is not a tool to affirm our pre-existing views or desires; it is a tool to shape our lives into the image of Christ. The truth is, we need the Bible not just for information, but for transformation. When we neglect it, we miss out on the work that God wants to do in us.

So, let’s be clear—when we forsake God’s Word, we forsake His power. This isn’t just a theological statement—it’s a practical one. God’s Word is not just a nice add-on to our lives; it’s the foundation. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). Without it, we stumble in the darkness, unable to see the way forward. But when we walk in the light of God’s Word, we walk in His victory.

The Israelites’ failure was not just a result of external forces—they were defeated because they forsook their covenant with God, which was sealed in His Word.

Today, we must not make the same mistake. It’s a wake-up call for the Church. If we’re not seeing God’s power in our lives, it’s likely because we’re too distracted by surface-level spirituality and too distant from the deep, convicting, transformative work of Scripture. Our victory, our power, our transformation, and our ministry all hinge on our obedience to God’s Word. Without it, we are not just missing out on God’s blessing—we are opening the door to defeat.

So, let’s return to the Word. Let’s let it confront us, correct us, and change us. It’s not always easy, but it’s always worth it.

When we take God’s Word seriously, we invite His power into our lives and our ministries. And that, my friends, is where the true victory lies.

2. God is faithful

You and I are a lot like Israel, aren’t we? We make promises, we step out in faith, and then we fall flat. We try to follow God with good intentions, but when the rubber hits the road, we end up cutting corners, rationalizing our sin, or making excuses. Israel did the same thing, didn’t they?

They were given a promise. They were supposed to be God's chosen people, living in the land He promised them, yet over and over, they failed.

But here’s the thing: God is faithful, even when we’re not. If you think about the Book of Judges, it’s like watching a tragic play unfold. Israel keeps failing, they keep falling into sin, and they keep facing the consequences of their actions.

And you’d think after so many failures, God would just wash His hands of them. But that's not what happens. Even when Israel was completely unfaithful, God was always there, always pursuing them. He never quit on them, even when they failed miserably.

I mean, how many times can a relationship go wrong before it’s over? How many times can someone let you down before you say, “I’m done”? But with God, we see this relentless, unyielding faithfulness.

Even when Israel couldn’t keep their promises, God never broke His. This is the heart of the Gospel. It’s not about our ability to stay perfect or be flawless in our obedience. It’s about His perfect faithfulness, His unfailing love. He doesn’t walk away because of our failures. No, He keeps coming after us. He keeps calling us back. That’s grace. That’s what we see in Judges.

And the people of Israel did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and served the Baals.- Judges 2:7

Even when Israel failed, God was still working. When they turned away, He didn’t. When they abandoned Him, He didn’t abandon them. He was faithful through it all, even in their rebellion.

Whenever the Lord raised up judges for them, the Lord was with the judge, and he saved them from the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge. For the Lord was moved to pity by their groaning because of those who afflicted and oppressed them. –Judges 2:18

And that’s the story of the Gospel, isn’t it? That God was faithful when we were unfaithful. When we were lost in our sin, when we were stuck in our mess, God sent His Son to die for us. Jesus didn’t die for us because we deserved it. No, He died for us because God is faithful. He kept His promise to redeem us, even when we couldn’t keep our promises to Him.

Here’s the thing, church: the Gospel isn’t just a one-time ticket to heaven. It’s not just something that gets us in the door.

It’s the story of God’s faithfulness to us when we fail, when we falter, when we sin. It’s about sanctification, that ongoing process of God shaping us, refining us, and making us more like Jesus. It’s about preaching the Gospel to ourselves every single day. Not just when we mess up, but as a constant reminder that we are His, and He is faithful to continue the work He started in us.

So, when you mess up, don’t just say, “I’m done. I can’t do this anymore.”

No, look to God’s faithfulness. His grace is greater than your failure. His mercy is deeper than your sin. He who began a good work in you will be faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6). That’s the promise we hold onto. The Gospel is the power to break free from the cycle of remorse and resolution. It’s the power to keep moving forward, not in our strength, but in His.

Let me ask you something: What part of your life are you holding onto that you think God can't handle?

What thing are you not doing God’s way? Money, sex, relationships,

Where have you been rationalizing sin, saying, "I can’t do it, God"? Because here’s the truth—you can’t do it. But God can. He is faithful, and His power is made perfect in our weakness. That’s why we don’t just resolve to try harder. We don’t just promise, “God, I’ll do better.” We repent. We change direction, and we keep our eyes fixed on the Gospel, because it is only through the power of Jesus that we can be transformed.

So as we walk through this series in Judges, let’s remember one thing: God is faithful. And He will never, ever give up on us. He’s still working, even when we’re not. And He’s calling us to trust Him completely, not partially. Let’s surrender it all to Him, knowing that He will finish what He started in us. Amen?

Last truth

3. The Consequences of Compromise

You know, when we start cutting corners with God—when we take a step back from what He’s called us to do and think, “I’ll do this part, but not that part”—we begin a dangerous pattern. It starts small. You start thinking that maybe God didn’t really mean all of what He said.

But make no mistake: when we compromise God’s commands, when we fail to obey fully, there’s always fallout. The consequences are real, and they don’t just affect us—they affect everyone around us.

A.W. Tozer said, “The whole course of the life is upset by failure to put God where He belongs. We exalt ourselves instead of God and the curse follows.”

The curse follows. When we exalt ourselves—when we put our own will, our own desires, and our own comfort above God’s will—that’s when we start down a road of destruction. It’s like driving a car, thinking you can steer it wherever you want, but you’re actually headed for a cliff.

Look at Israel. God commanded them to drive out every single one of the Canaanites, to take possession of the land He promised them. But what did they do? They compromised.

Judges 2:1–5 ESV

Now the angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and brought you into the land that I swore to give to your fathers. I said, ‘I will never break my covenant with you, and you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall break down their altars.’ But you have not obeyed my voice. What is this you have done? So now I say, I will not drive them out before you, but they shall become thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare to you.” As soon as the angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the people of Israel, the people lifted up their voices and wept.

Play dumb games, win dumb prizes. The compromised and The curse followed. Sin has consequences.

And here's the thing—it's not just about the big stuff. You can’t domesticate sin. You can’t keep it around as a pet and think it’s going to be fine. We tell ourselves, “I’ll just keep a little of this sin here, and God can have the rest of my life.”

But what we see is that when we fail to put God where He belongs—at the center—on the throne- we open ourselves up to the curse of our own selfish desires. We end up exalting ourselves over God, and we pay the price. And just like Israel, we will find ourselves in a cycle of disobedience, regret, and destruction.

You might be thinking, “Well, Pastor, what’s the solution? How do I break this cycle? How do I stop compromising and exalting myself above God?”

The answer, church, is repentance. True, heartfelt repentance.

Repentance is not just feeling bad about what you did. That’s remorse. It’s the feeling of regret you get when you’ve been caught or when you’ve realized you’ve messed up. But repentance is different. Repentance is a change of direction. It’s not about just crying over your mistakes or making a new resolution to try harder next time. It’s about saying, "God, I’ve been doing this my way, and it’s killing me. I need to turn around. I need to stop this cycle. I need You."

1 John 1:9 tells us, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Praise God, He doesn’t leave us in our mess. His forgiveness is a promise. And here’s the beauty of it: when you repent, He doesn’t just forgive you—He cleanses you. He removes the stain of sin from your life, and He gives you the strength to turn away from it for good.

But here’s the catch—repentance isn’t a one-time thing. It’s not like we repent once and then go back to our old ways. Repentance is an ongoing process. It’s waking up every day and saying, “God, I surrender again. I don’t want to go my way anymore. I want to follow You.” Every day, we preach the Gospel to ourselves. Every day, we acknowledge our sin, and we turn back to God. Every day, we lean on His grace, trusting that He is faithful to forgive us and give us the power to live for Him.

Let me break this down for you in a way that makes it practical. The first thing you need to do when you repent is acknowledge the sin. Don’t sugarcoat it. Don’t rationalize it. Don’t make excuses. Just admit it. Tell God, “God, I messed up. I’m wrong.” This is where it starts.

Next, you need to expand your view of the Gospel. What I mean by that is, don’t just look at your sin and feel bad about it. Look at the cross. Look at what Jesus did for you. He didn’t just forgive your past mistakes. He died for every single sin you’ve ever committed and ever will commit. And when you see the magnitude of His sacrifice, your sin begins to look smaller and smaller.

Then, you need to discern the sin behind the sin. What’s driving you to sin? What’s going on deep down in your heart? Is it pride, fear, insecurity, or something else? If you’re just managing the surface sin, it’s like trimming the weeds but never pulling them up by the root. Get to the root. Ask God to reveal it.

After that, receive God’s forgiveness. The Bible says that when you confess, He is faithful and just to forgive you. He doesn’t withhold forgiveness. He gives it freely, no matter how many times you’ve messed up. Accept that forgiveness.

And finally, ask the Holy Spirit for strength. This is the part we often miss. We think we can do it on our own. We think if we just try harder, we’ll get it right. But here’s the truth: You can’t do it without the Spirit of God. You need Him to give you the power to change. It’s not about willpower. It’s about relying on the strength He provides.

Church, the curse follows when we exalt ourselves over God. When we compromise and fail to put God where He belongs, we invite destruction. But the beauty of the Gospel is this: God is faithful, and when we repent, He forgives, He cleanses, and He gives us the strength to break free from the cycle of sin. Let’s not just feel bad about our mistakes. Let’s truly repent. Let’s change direction and walk in the freedom that Christ has given us.

Closing

as we come to a close today, I want to challenge you with this: it’s time to break the cycle. We’ve all been there. We’ve all gone around that mountain of remorse and resolution. We’ve made promises, only to fall back into the same old patterns. But today can be different. Today, you can step out of that cycle of failure and into the freedom that comes from full obedience to God.

Let me ask you this: What is God calling you to do? Maybe there’s an area in your life where you’ve been compromising. Maybe you’ve been rationalizing sin or justifying disobedience. Maybe you’ve been holding onto something you know God wants you to let go of. It’s time to surrender it all. God isn’t asking for partial obedience; He’s asking for all of you. He’s asking you to trust Him completely, even when it’s hard, even when it feels impossible, and even when you’re scared. God is faithful, and He will give you the strength to do what He’s calling you to do.

Maybe you’ve never surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus. Maybe you’ve been sitting here today thinking, "I’ve been caught in this cycle for so long, but I don’t know how to break free." Let me tell you the answer: It starts with Jesus. He is the way, the truth, and the life (John 14:6).

He came to break the chains of sin and death in your life, to give you freedom, forgiveness, and the power to live a new life in Him. If you’ve never put your trust and faith in Jesus, today is the day to surrender to Him.

I want to give you an opportunity right now to make that decision. If you have never given your life to Jesus, if you’ve never made Him the Lord of your life, I want to invite you to surrender to Him today.

Don’t wait another moment, don’t put it off. Come to Jesus. He is ready to forgive, to cleanse, and to set you free.

And for those of you who are already in Christ, but you’ve been holding back areas of your life, now is the time to give it all over to Him. Stop holding onto what He’s calling you to let go of. Stop putting limits on your obedience. Let today be the day you say, “God, I’m all in. Whatever you want, I’ll do it.”

In just a moment, we’re going to sing one more song. This is your chance to respond. For some of you, it might be your first step of obedience—trusting in Jesus for the first time. For others, it might be laying down that area of compromise, that sin, that thing you’ve been holding onto. Whatever God is calling you to do today, don’t hesitate. Obey Him.

Break the cycle. Obey the Lord. Trust His plan for you. Surrender to His Lordship. There is no better decision you can make than to follow Him wholeheartedly.

Let’s pray.

Father, we thank You for Your faithfulness. We thank You that You never give up on us, even when we fail. Lord, we repent of the times we’ve compromised, the times we’ve put ourselves in charge instead of letting You be the Lord of our lives. We ask You to forgive us, to cleanse us, and to give us the strength to obey You fully. We surrender to Your will, God.

I pray for those here today who need to make that first step of surrender, who need to trust Jesus as their Savior. God, I pray that they would have the courage to step out in faith and give their lives to You today.

As we sing this final song, may Your Spirit move in our hearts, leading us to obey You fully. We pray all of this in Jesus’ name, Amen.