Satan Lies: God Can't Use You

Satan Lies - God Can't Use You

Robert Groover General Obedience

Through the noise we hear from the world, we hear that God cannot use people like us. This is a lie

The noise that we hear from the world today is very depressing. The source of 24/7 news is not uplifting but to tear each other down. Turn on the TV and you will see riots or demonstrations some where, it is almost a given.

When it comes to religion, we are degraded, den-graded and made to feel insignificant. We are made to believe our faith is in fairytales and not reality. The bedtime story of kids of the flood and a big boat and saving a bunch of animals, just may not be enough to get you through.

Belittling you is the goal. To get you to think (if not like them) that God doesn’t love you, or that He can’t use you. That Jesus is not divine and the Son of God. We hear:

• You have no Identity with God

• Live in the Past, Dwell in Your Misery

• You are not forgiven, That sin will Mark You FOREVER

• God Doesn’t Guide People Like YOU

When I look at the preachers, evangelist and speakers of today, I see gentlemen that spent a lot of time learning the word of God. I see people that seem to have their lives together. I don’t see men that are known for sin.

So is there any truth to the noise that we are hearing about God not using us?

Instead of listening to others, or to what the world says, ask: What does God word say?

Ephesians 4:11–13 ESV And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

2 Timothy 3:16–17 ESV All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

Paul is telling us here that God has given us the apostles, prophets and even today evangelists, shepherds (or Pastors), and teachers to guide us in His work. That we are to work for Him in sharing His glory today. Even though we are not perfect, we are to be about His work. Because His work is good for teaching and correcting as well as training others in righteousness.

We work and share this information so that we can be complete in God’s measure. We do this so that we can mature in our walk with God.

What about the sin I have committed? Is it too great for God to use me?

Let’s begin by looking at who is giving this information - Paul 1 Timothy 1:12-13

1 Timothy 1:12–13 ESV I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief,

Paul a Pharisee, a zealot for what he believed to be true. He persecuted the church and believers. overseeing the beating, jailing and yes even the murder of believers. A man that thought himself above the law because he felt he was doing God’s work, but he was only a puppet on the string of man. He was misguided and had a violent streak also. He didn’t care about other people’s rights, but his actions were done in ignorance.

In a sense he was blind to the truth. Just like many of us. We sinned against God before we really knew who and what God is. Now this doesn’t forgive us or our actions, but is the reason why. The forgiveness comes only from God when we repent of our sins. Let’s take a look at something that happens today. We get so outraged when government makes laws that we don’t agree with. Ones that go against our faith and beliefs. Remember this, you cannot legislate moral behavior. We cannot expect people to act like Christians because of laws. It has to be through changes that God makes.

We say hate the sin, love the sinner. Why should we even care about the sin, we have no control over that aspect. The only thing we can do is show mercy and grace towards everyone we meet.

When we put our faith in Jesus Christ. You say:

But this is just one man. How can you say God uses people like me?

Let’s look closer to the beginning, Noah - Scripture says he was a just man, perfect in his generations, he walked with God Genesis 6:9

Noah - Scripture says he was a just man, perfect in his generations, he walked with God Genesis 6:9

He was picked by God to build the ark, but what happened when the flood receded? He got Drunk. By all accounts, we would call Noah a good Christian today, just not a Baptist. Even though he was good, he was not perfect.

Abram (Abraham) Genesis 12:2 says : And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing.

Now it sounds like Abram is a pretty good and upstanding fellow, right? But in Genesis 11 we learn that Abram comes from a family of idolaters. The city he is from (Ur) is very famous for the idols and Babylonian religions. He even lied to save his own skin after he was walking with God. Not once but on a few occasions.

Moses - The leader of the Israelites out of the slavery in Egypt.

In Exodus 2 verse 12 we learn that Moses kills an Egyptian that was beating an Israelite. So he was a murderer, and in Exodus 4:10 Moses even says that he is slow in speech. Other words he stutters. Moses is making all kind of excuses to get out of this assignment. But God is not having any of this mess.

David the giant killer, general and warrior, king and ruler of Israel

In 1 Samuel 16:11 we find that when Samuel came to Jessie, upon orders from God to anointed the next king. David was left in the field. With the important visit from Samuel, David was left to tend the sheep. He was overlooked.

But even after success, David lusted after another man’s wife, had him killed by going into battle, took her for his own.

Looking at the people God used, being a small sample, here. They are jacked up. You got liars, drunkards, murderers, and spoiled leaders. This doesn’t sound like a group of Godly, holy stuffed shirt kind of guys. These are ordinary messed up guys just like us.

Surely when Jesus got on the scene, there were better prepared and godly people.

Jesus started choosing people to help with His ministry. He began with fishermen. Several of the disciples were fishermen, but a few had a rather notorious past. Matthew was a tax collector. They were hated men. They cheated the people and put additional fees into the amounts of taxes they owed. This money was so bad, that it was illegal to donate or give any portion of it to the church. No tithing at all from this portion.

Then Jesus also chose Simon the zealot - a rebel. His whole existence was to start uprisings. Today we call them community organizers.

Then He had a betrayer, turncoat. When you look at the disciples as a whole they were not any better than the people God used in the Old Testament. They were troublemakers, thief’s , turncoat traders, loudmouth trouble makers. Again no real difference from what you see today when you look around.

God doesn’t call the qualified, He qualifies the called!

Let’s unpack those first few objections that satan tries to use on us and see how we can defend against and turn down the noise we hear.

You Have No Identity with God

You are the adopted son of God, the heir to the King of Kings. What do you mean you have no identity with God. Christ died for our sins, and when we accept Him, submit to Him, it is no longer our live but His live. God resides inside of us through the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 2:20 ESV I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

We are not able to live a life worthy on our own it was and is by the Holy Spirit living in us that obedience is achieved. Look at the disciples, they were afraid, the gospels record many failings, struggles and doubts. Even Jesus brothers did not believe in Him until the resurrection. When Jesus restored Peter, and the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples and Jesus brothers, they were new men. They lived truly for Christ. They lived a life abandoned, they cared not for themselves but cared for what Christ cared about.

Live In The Past, Dwell In Your Misery

Tomorrow is gone. Why should I look back when I am driving in a different direction?

Isaiah 43:18 ESV “Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old.

It is good to know where we came from. It is good to know our history. This knowledge can prevent us from making the same mistakes that we did prior to our knowledge and understanding of God. But remember this, It is our reliance on Him that we get the strength to overcome temptations. Think of Proverbs 3:5

Proverbs 3:5 ESV Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.

Christ has paid the full price for our sins. We are not to dwell on them any longer. They were buried with Him and did not come back. We were cleansed completely by the blood of Christ. Don’t keep reliving that sin through your thoughts. A cute saying after repenting of the sin is: don’t repeat it, delete it.

You Are Not Forgiven, That Sin Will Mark You Forever

1 John 1:9 is a verse that comes to mind quickly.

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.

You want that sin to be gone, then you have to confess that sin. God is faithful in fulfilling His promises. The confessions is not a part of salvation, that is from God and only God. Confessions is working with the Holy Spirit in your sanctification. It leads to the removal of sinful behaviors and desires.

Most people have heard the old phrase you are what you eat. Desire works in a similar way. If you desire sinful things, then that is what you will devour. But if you seek and desire Jesus, then that is what you will devour.

God doesn’t Guide People Like You

When you hear this from satan, use the words of Christ as found in Luke 5:32.

Luke 5:32 ESV I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

Jesus is not here for the self-righteous. He seeks the outcast, and the jacked up into a time of discipleship with Him. If we say that we are not a sinner, then we are calling God a liar. That is why we don’t see the self righteous being sought after. They have pride as a foundation and would not change. They are blind to their own sin, but see that of others.

Everyone that we have looked at that God used throughout scripture, was messed up. But God cleansed them and used them.

Rick Warren says: “God uses us and our failures to strengthen and build up others.”

You want to see a stark difference in how people respond to failure: Peter and Judas

Same sin, absolutely same sin they both denied Jesus Christ and turned their back on Him.

Judas became a traitor, Peter became a teacher

Judas lived a life of condemnation, Peter lived a life of Praise

Judas was incriminated, Peter was acquitted.

What are you going to do with YOUR SIN, YOUR FAILURE?

What we need to do is to confess our sin and get busy doing the work of Christ.