Truth about Lies
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Intro
Know God
Find Freedom
Discover Your Purpose
Make a Difference
This is the Spiritual Journey we want to take you on. Many of us need to get going in our walk with the Lord.
This message is a find freedom message.
Finding Freedom is one of the ministries Jesus did…
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,
Look what Jesus did…
38 And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
Jesus had a ministry of deliverance… he set people who were oppressed by the devil… free.
Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil.
8 But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil.
12 That is why the Lord says, “Turn to me now, while there is time. Give me your hearts. Come with fasting, weeping, and mourning.
25 The Lord says, “I will give you back what you lost to the swarming locusts, the hopping locusts, the stripping locusts, and the cutting locusts. It was I who sent this great destroying army against you.
This year… God wants to give you back the things the devil has stolen from you.
Strongholds grip too many people.
Strongholds grip too many people.
Theme verse
3 For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
Most of us have something, that’s a stronghold in your life. It may not be an addiction, but a stronghold. Maybe you keep making NYR and then fail over and over again.
Def of Stronghold…
Stronghold - A prisoner locked by deception Living life by something that’s not true
Stronghold - A prisoner locked by deception Living life by something that’s not true
ILL of Elephant. Chain him to the ground and after a while, they just use a rope that he could easily break, he just doesn’t know he can.
This series is to who you that you can break free. Do you believe that… this can be your best year up.
Beth Moore - Praying God’s Word.
“Anything that exalts itself in our minds, pretending to be bigger or more powerful than out God.”
“Anything that exalts itself in our minds, pretending to be bigger or more powerful than out God.”
Elizabeth Smart Story - he kidnapped her and camped out in a tent for 9 months where he raped her every day. After 2 weeks he had her convinced she could not be free. One time, at a library, the police walked up to him asking about a little girl. She stayed quiet because she was convinced that he would and could kill everyone.
We are the same way. We have been lied to by the devil for so long, we are convinced it’s the truth. We have the power not him but we are convinced he has it.
Symptoms
Strongholds steal our focus
Strongholds steal our focus
Strongholds cause us to feel controlled
Strongholds cause us to feel controlled
They will make you take the identity of a stronghold… I am an alcoholic…
Strongholds consume our emotional energy
Strongholds consume our emotional energy
Strongholds distract us from our purpose
Strongholds distract us from our purpose
The devil really wants to mess with you. If I can keep them addicted, they will never do anything to make a difference in people’s lives.
Strongholds rob us of abundant life
Strongholds rob us of abundant life
Jesus came to give you abundant life…
10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
Jesus wants you to have an abundant life. He doesn’t want you trapped in strongholds…
We want you to...
26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.
Give it a shot. Come to every message of this series. When offered get into a small group.
Overcoming Strongholds in our lives
Overcoming Strongholds in our lives
Jesus describes the process…
21 “When a strong man, armed to the teeth, stands guard in his front yard, his property is safe and sound. 22 But what if a stronger man comes along with superior weapons? Then he’s beaten at his own game, the arsenal that gave him such confidence hauled off, and his precious possessions plundered.
That’s Jesus giving us the process of Freedom…
1. We have to take back our thought life
1. We have to take back our thought life
We have to take every thought back.
5 Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. 6 So letting your sinful nature control your mind leads to death. But letting the Spirit control your mind leads to life and peace.
I will never change my life until I change the way I think
I will never change my life until I change the way I think
2 Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.
We have to change the way we think. That’s what these 21 Days have been about.
2. We have to identify the lie
2. We have to identify the lie
There is a stronghold that the devil is lying to you about.... Next week, we will look at addictions… the sexual and relational Lies.
44 For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.
When we expose the lie, we defeat the liar.
When we expose the lie, we defeat the liar.
3. We have to replace the lie with God’s truth
3. We have to replace the lie with God’s truth
We have to put the right thinking, the truth into our minds.
Nothing is bigger or more powerful than God.
Nothing is bigger or more powerful than God.
10 A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. 12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. 14 Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. 15 For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. 16 In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. 17 Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. 18 Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.
The Word of God
The Word of God
Prayer
Prayer
We have been in 21 days of prayer and fasting. It ends this Sunday, but you don’t have to stop spending the extra time with the Lord. Don’t go back… don’t!