Restoring Focus on Christ

Today I want to give you a few practical ways to maintain a Christ-centered life.

Evaluate opportunities/work/mission in light of God’s mission, first. What is the priority task? What is my calling right now? How does this opportunity fit within that calling?

Evaluate knowledge/information in light of God’s truth, first. What does God have to say about any topic you are discovering or faced with answering.

Evaluate pleasure from God’s perspective, first. Is this something God has given me to enjoy? Is this something God has given for my good?

Evaluate people from God’s perspective, first. How does God view your wife? How does God view your coworker? How does God view your children?

We are going to look into scripture and see how the Lord has spoken through Peter to tell us how to face distractions and keep our minds set/focused/meditating on Christ. Get your Word ready at 1 Peter 5:10.

Overcoming the devil’s distractions requires clear minds, authentic faith, and a satisfied heart.

Illustration: Hungry Bear

If pleasure is our aim, what is the source of pleasure God has given us?

Luke 10:38–42 CSB

38 While they were traveling, he entered a village, and a woman named Martha welcomed him into her home. 39 She had a sister named Mary, who also sat at the Lord’s feet and was listening to what he said. 40 But Martha was distracted by her many tasks, and she came up and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to serve alone? So tell her to give me a hand.” 41 The Lord answered her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, 42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has made the right choice, and it will not be taken away from her.”

If work is our aim, what work has God given us?

If people are our aim, what people has God given us?

Pleasure, work, people, and knowledge. All are God given blessings. But...

Not all pleasures are given for our benefit. Not all work for our hands. Not all knowledge for our minds. Now all people for our community.

We must clearly think about what “one thing is necessary.” You are worried and upset about many things.” But, what one thing is necessary.” If we are going to find what God has given us, we need to have clear minds in pursuit of Christ.

1 Peter 5:8 CSB

8 Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour.

Distraction robs us of sober-minded living. Distraction robs us of being alert. The devil is prowling around looking for anyone. Last week we talked about focus, setting your minds on things above, and meditating on God’s Word. The devil wants to distract you, God calls us to be sober-minded and alert. If you want to be ready for the battle in front of you, focus on God, set your mind on things above, and meditate on God’s Word.

If pleasure is our focus, what has God given us to focus on? What do you gain from the pleasure? What do you lose from the pleasure?

I know it looks good, I know it feels good, I know you want it. Your senses are heightened, your experiences are starving and searching for fulfillment. The devil is ready to be worshipped and our hearts are ready to give in.

1 Peter 5:9 CSB

9 Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world.

Resist him. Your brothers and sisters are experiencing these sufferings. They are facing the temptations. The devil is attacking them. We are all in this battle together. If you want to win the battle, eliminate distractions and focus on what God has given you.

If wisdom is your focus, what is the source of wisdom God has given you? What is the devil’s distraction?

If purpose is your focus, what is the source of wisdom God has give you? What is the devil’s distraction?

If truth is the focus, what is the source of truth God has given you? What is the devil’s distraction?

If knowledge is your focus, what is the source of knowledge God has given you? What is the devil’s distraction?

If health is your aim, what is the right way to find health according to God? What is the devil’s distraction?

In all things, we seek to bring glory to God. So no matter what we do, we need to recognize the devil working against us. He is distracting. He is tempting. He is seeking you out.

If we know the answer, and we determine the distraction, we begin to understand the battle.

God is restoring.

1 Peter 5:10 CSB

10 The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while.

Focus your heart and mind on this for a second:

The God of all grace called you to his eternal glory in Christ.

Someone here today lost direction for their career because of Covid.

Someone here today lost direction for their family because of isolation and a world turned upside down.

Someone here today lost focus on the gospel because of the news and politics.

Someone here today lost friendships over masks policies and vaccine mandates.

Someone here today has isolated themselves into a phone.

Someone here today has been fulfilled by pleasures from the devil, not the Lord.

The devil isn’t going to win today. He’s prowling. God’s restoring. He’s prowling and God’s establishing saints. He’s prowling and God’s strengthening warriors. He’s prowling and God’s supporting the weary. The devil’s looking to devour and God’s calling you to Him in Christ Jesus.

Someone lost focus on what God has for them.

1. You were hurt.

2. You were told a deeply penetrating lie.

3. You aspired for higher positions in the vanity of pride.

4. You settled for less in the fear of insecurity.

Fix your mind on Christ. Cut out the distractions. I told you we were going to talk about the issue last week and I was going to tell you the solution this week. Here it is:

I want more: Christ is more. 2 Corinthians 12:9 “9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me.”

I feel unable: Christ made me able. Philippians 4:13 “13 I am able to do all things through him who strengthens me.”

I feel weak: Christ made me strong. Romans 6:22 “22 But now, since you have been set free from sin and have become enslaved to God, you have your fruit, which results in sanctification—and the outcome is eternal life!”

I crave the world: Jesus overcame it. John 16:33 “33 I have told you these things so that in me you may have peace. You will have suffering in this world. Be courageous! I have conquered the world.””

I’m tempted by the world: Jesus provided a way out. 1 Cor 10:13 “13 No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; he will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.”

I’m confused: Jesus gave us a counselor. John 16:7 “7 Nevertheless, I am telling you the truth. It is for your benefit that I go away, because if I don’t go away the Counselor will not come to you. If I go, I will send him to you.”

I’m full of shame: Jesus is full of grace. Romans 8:1 “1 Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus,”

I’m weary, tired, broken, and messed up: The God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore you. (1 Peter 5:10)

This temporary shame is nothing in comparison to His eternal glory.

Somebody wants more unhealthy pleasures, and Christ has offered you fulfillment.

Somebody feels unable to lead their family or friends, but Christ is offering you His presence.

Somebody feels to weak to break the stronghold of sin, but Christ has promised freedom from sin.

The worst part is that all of these promises are readily available to you every moment of every day but the devil is distracting you from these truths so that you never access the power and blessings of God in Christ Jesus. We have been saved by God and distracted from our salvation by the devil, and that’s not the end of our story. We recognize the battle, and we have come with more than we ever thought possible this morning. This morning, we aren’t going to back down. Someone in this room has been distracted from these promises in Christ Jesus and today you are going to restore:

Your career for God’s glory

Your family for God’s glory

Your mind from temptation

Your life from the hell of sin

Someone today is going to find Christ Jesus in the mess of this world, through the clutter or foolishness and cleverness of lies. The veil of darkness that has overshadowed truth is being torn down and your heart is being set to the tune of the good news of Jesus Christ. The Spirit is calling you home, out of the foreign world.

1 Peter 4:12–19 CSB

12 Dear friends, don’t be surprised when the fiery ordeal comes among you to test you, as if something unusual were happening to you. 13 Instead, rejoice as you share in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may also rejoice with great joy when his glory is revealed. 14 If you are ridiculed for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you. 15 Let none of you suffer as a murderer, a thief, an evildoer, or a meddler. 16 But if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God in having that name. 17 For the time has come for judgment to begin with God’s household, and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who disobey the gospel of God? 18 And if a righteous person is saved with difficulty, what will become of the ungodly and the sinner? 19 So then, let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust themselves to a faithful Creator while doing what is good.

We will always face difficulties, whether distractions or temptations. But, we have the choice, we can either do what is good in the midst of distractions, or do what is evil. Peter, the one who distracted Jesus, chose to do what is good.

Gospel Response:

Clear Your Mind by...

Setting your eyes on Christ, before

Focusing your thoughts on Christ, before

Meditating before decisions in Christ, before

Restore Faith

During the temptation or distraction, remember 1 Peter 5:10. He restores, supports, strengthens, and establishes.

Satisfy Your Heart in Christ

If you are hungry, he satisfies.

Would you commit to an extended season of filling your mind with God’s Word through a Life Group or DGroup?