Power of the Son of God

What are you doing with your story?

I am a believer who struggles with ______________. (insert your struggles).

Why is it important to start that with I am a believer? It shows that your identity is in Christ not in your struggle.

God allows us to make bad decisions. Everyone has made choices they are not proud of. Look at Adam and Eve, they could not follow a command from God not to eat the fruit from the tree of life.

Genesis 3:1–7 NIV

1 Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” 2 The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, 3 but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” 4 “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. 5 “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” 6 When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it. 7 Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig leaves together and made coverings for themselves.

What decisions have you made that you are not proud of?

When I was in High School. I got involved with the wrong crowds and started doing things that I should not have done. At 16 I started experimenting with illegal narcotics. Fortunately for me, I didn’t enjoy the narcotics. However, around 18 I tried alchol. That’s really where the story begins. I started to really enjoy it. Over the years the addiction got worse. It started out socially. After I joined the Navy it got progressively worse. My dad passed in September 2016. This is where things took a turn for the worse. I went on work ups and deployment from February 2017 until May 2018. I was placed on anti-depressants so I could help cope. I went through therapy which also helped. During this whole time I wanted nothing to do with God. Looking back now it wasn’t so much God as much as it was a skewed version of God. After deployment, through the power of people praying for me. It was at that point I really started to ask questions and research information. The more I researched the more I realized He was what I was missing. That’s when our Pastor in San Diego explained his past to me. Once I realized that no shame was too great for God is when I decided to give my life back to God. This year He revealed to me that my story is what he wants me to use in the Ministry. God has called me to be a Pastor so I can show people the power of Christ despite bad decisions and horrible life circumstances.

Romans 6:23 NIV

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

Everyone is going to sin. We are not perfect. We are all going to make mistakes. How do we get through them?

We can spend our lives running from God. Look at Jonah! He ran to different countries. Eventually he was caught by the Lord.

Jonah 1:1–4 NIV

1 The word of the Lord came to Jonah son of Amittai: 2 “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me.” 3 But Jonah ran away from the Lord and headed for Tarshish. He went down to Joppa, where he found a ship bound for that port. After paying the fare, he went aboard and sailed for Tarshish to flee from the Lord. 4 Then the Lord sent a great wind on the sea, and such a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up.

We all go through storms in our life.

I got addicted to alcohol. I almost lost my wife, my kids and my job. I knew something had to change.

God is using your decisions to create your story that he is going to use later for his purpose. There is nothing you have done that God hasn’t already sent his Son to forgive you for.

Satan is going to give us shame, guilt, hatred, disdain and self-loathing and he comes to steal everything God has created.

John 10:9–10 NIV

9 I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved. They will come in and go out, and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

No matter what destructive decisions you have made, God has already paid the ultimate sacrifice.

John 3:16–17 NIV

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

The Son of God was fully man and fully God. After the Resurrection, the Holy Spirit was left with us and for those accept Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. You possess the same power.

Hebrews 2:14–15 NIV

14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

Saul was a murderer among other things. Saul was the guardian of the clothes for the executioners of Jesus. He later became Paul and wrote several letters to various churches throughout the New Testament.

What have you done that can’t be used for the purpose God has for your life?

Nothing! If God can use a murder to share the Gospel why can’t he use you?

God will never leave you or forsake you, NO matter how bad you think you have messed up.

Joshua 1:5–6 NIV

5 No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. 6 Be strong and courageous, because you will lead these people to inherit the land I swore to their ancestors to give them.

Everyone here struggles with something in their lives. Whether it is addiction, pornography, over eating, anxiety, depression and the list goes on. Whatever it is rest assured that God’s shoulder’s are much bigger than ours. You do not have to carry the weight and pain all by yourself.

You are good enough and God is going to use whatever you are going through as your God story to help someone else and do the will of God.

God is going to allow you to go through certain things. Sometimes so we have to lean on him and not unto our own understanding.

Acts 2:38 NIV

38 Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Not only do we have to ask God for forgiveness but we also have to forgive ourselves and ask for forgiveness for the ones we have hurt along the way.

Forgiveness does not mean to forget. It simply means to let go of and choose to love in spite of the issue.

2 Corinthians 2:5–8 NIV

5 If anyone has caused grief, he has not so much grieved me as he has grieved all of you to some extent—not to put it too severely. 6 The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient. 7 Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8 I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him.

The good news is that Jesus Christ came and died for our sins and nothing can overcome the power of God the Son.

Why would we carry around our burden? I know someone who has much larger shoulders and can carry more than we can.

Turn your cares over to the Lord and let him take them from you.

Matthew 14:22–31 NIV

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. 25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. 27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” 28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” 29 “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” 31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

God pulled Peter up when he started sinking. Just reach up and let him help you up from wherever you are. Nothing is too great for him to handle.

God has amazing plans for your life. Let him use you!

Jeremiah 29:11 NIV

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

We are all a mess but we don’t have to remain that way if we surrender our lives to Jesus. Things aren’t always going to be easier, but with God guiding your path, the valley becomes more bearable.

This journey to fulfill God’s calling on my life has not been an easy path. If anything it has been a lot more difficult. Having God in my corner, and knowing that he is in control makes the journey so much better not having to do it alone.

Lay your issues at the cross and let Jesus take the burden from you. You are not alone.

Instead of asking God to do something for you. Ask him to do something in you first.