Snap Out Of It!

OVERVIEW & PURPOSE

Taking the Intentional Steps To A Renewed Mind and Life through practical and revelational teaching of the parable of the Prodigal Son. (Luke 15:11-32)

LIFE HAPPENS

We can get too comfortable with our walk with our Father.

We ask for too much before its time because of our lack of maturity. (More money when we are poor stewards, get married and we still have emotional and mental traumas that are unaddressed, a new job when you aren’t even punctual at the job you currently are at, etc).

What happens when our decisions find us outside of the Father’s will?

Do we quit seeking God?

Do we get angry at God because He is not coming to see about us when we are the ones making the wrong decisions?

Do we get angry at ourselves almost to a point of unforgiveness? “I will never be good enough”, “this is just the way it is”, “I just can’t seem to find light at the end of the tunnel”, “I deserve this”.

OBJECTIVES

How to bounce back with INTENTIONAL STEPS

When was the last time you hit a low point in life? Have you ever relapsed? What were your steps to remediate (resolve) the issues?

If it was another person involved, have you forgiven: you, them, and God if you blamed God for your choices made that did not work out?

Methods to Snap Out of It for Good (WHEN FORGIVING YOU OR OTHERS)!

REACH METHOD

R-ecall the Hurt: This is only effective if you are willing to move past the feelings of the event. You made the decision to walk it out, this is the part where you dismantle the ability to cause further damage in you and the relationships connected to you. Recalling it, is not RELIVING IT!

E-mpathize with the transgressor: To forgive yourself or the one that has committed the offense you must change the negative unforgiving emotions to less negative to a positive emotional state. Take the initial step to do this and work on it day to day. One of the formulas to help reinforce this are: Sympathy, compassion, and agape love. Several positive emotions will help offset the negative.

A-ltruistic (Unselfish) Gift of Forgiveness: Sowing into the place of offense ultimately sets you up for total healing from that place. Many want to receive healing at a distance, but a seed(does not have to be money, but it does have to be an intentional gift) will seal the deal. Find a way to sow into their lives, even if it is you who you cannot forgive.

C-ommit Publicly to the Forgiveness One Experiences: Your testimony is the very thing that the devil who is the enemy of your soul needs you not to share. For we have overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the WORDS OF OUR TESTIMONY! When you share it (your experience), you will shed it (the offense) for GOOD!

H-old on to Forgiveness When you Doubt: Fear and Anger are natural body responses when you have experienced injuries mentally, physically, or emotionally. It is our job to persevere through the negative experiences and consequences of what happened to us, in short CHANGE THE CHANNEL you have watched that show and you are healed, so there is no need to replay the situation so that you don’t get past it.

CONFESS METHOD

C-ONFESS WITHOUT EXCUSE: When we do this, this shows the one we have trangressed against (natural and spiritual) true contrition and the fervent need to be received as forgiven.

O-FFER AN APOLOGY (MUST BE BELIEVABLE AND SINCERE)

N-OTE THE OTHER PERSON’S PAIN: When we do this it gives them the understanding that we know to a degree the depth of hurt or pain we have caused them from this situation. Acknowledging their pain is critical, you must be empathetic.

F-OREVER VALUE THE PERSON: words like “repairing this relationship means more to me than being “right” or attempting to show justification for my actions. You can actually say this in prayer and it will be received when your heart is postured to humble yourself to have the necessary conversation in prayer. We must exercise everything that we do with God, with each other. Whatever you do unto your neighbor, you do unto me. 

E-QUALIZE THE SITUATION: Whatever penance you can make with them, do it. In most if not all cases to resolve it moving forward it will primarily require a changed behavior. We must not stop at an apology and confession, we must now show them as an example we are willing to walk it out through our actions.

S- SAY,”I’LL NEVER DO IT AGAIN.”: Meaningful reinforcements are always necessary.

S-EEK FORGIVENESS

Scripture Luke 15:11-32

Observe the text

There comes a time when we smell ourselves as we are becoming adults, and forget that our parents were once their age.

Even as believers we feel like we just have this walk down where we believe we are just wise, and have this thing called life figured out. So did the son in this parable.

A taste of life can sometimes make us drunk with indignant power when we take on too much of it at one time.

talk about some decisions that I made in the beginning of my life. (getting married too soon....and unstudied).

The son deprived himself by getting his inheritance too early. How many times have we made decisions that deprived us of:

money

peace

time

happiness

our rights as God’s child?

The son that left lost his friends that he once had when he was wealthy.

When you disconnect from God you tend to lose connection from your saved friends. Which is a dangerous place to be if you are not mature to handle the elements outside of the Father’s presence.

Snapping out of it takes Repentance which true repentance to the Father brings Restoration.

When we are intentional about getting back on course with the Father and we know we were out there doing whatever we thought big enough to do. God is simply waiting for us to SNAP OUT OF IT!!!

The most interesting thing about this entire text is the fact that no matter what was done while he was away the fact that he came home is what mattered most.

We must be intentional with our position with God and know that there should not be anything that should separate you from God.

If you got a man/lady that you are seeing that takes you away from church and His presence it’s time you let them go. Snap out of IT!

Anything that compromise your moral compass. Snap out of if!

The conversations that were had about you behind your back that altered your God-given judgement of who you are in Him…Snap Out OF IT!!!

Your mommy/daddy rejected you and you now feel lost and unidentified by the world have elected to take on alternatives. Snap out of it!!!

Your parents never secured you so now you fall for anybody that will give you attention. SOI!!!!

Battling Depression and Thoughts of Suicide SOI

THE FATHER IS LISTENING FOR YOUR VOICE!!!!!! SNAP OUT OF IT AND FIND YOUR VOICE TO CALL UPON YOUR FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN THAT HAS NEVER FORGOTTEN ABOUT YOU!!!!

ONE THING I NEED TO DRIVE HOME HERE IS THAT HE NEVER STAY COMMITTED TO THE POOR DECISION THAT HE MADE TO LEAVE THE FATHER’S HOUSE.

GUESS WHAT NEITHER DO YOU!!!! IT’S TIME YOU SNAPPED OUT OF IF AND INTENTIONALLY GET YOURSELF BACK IN HIS PRESENCE, BECAUSE IN HIS PRESENCE YOU GET YOUR IMAGE!!!!!!

You were shuffled through you accepted the time of day and attention because you though you were unlovable the devil is liar He LOVES YOU AND THERE IS SOMEBODY OUT THERE FOR YOU BUT THE PROBLEM IS YOU HAVEN’T BEEN IN HIS PRESENCE LONG ENOUGH SO THAT WHO NEEDS TO FIND YOU IS TO MARRY YOU!!!!

HIS PRESENCE GIVE US HIS IMAGE AND THE LIKENESS THAT WE NEED TO SEE TO MARRY WHO GOD HAS CALLED US TO BE WITH!

GOD HAS GIVEN THEM THE GODLY VISION OF YOU, NOT THE ONE YOU PRESENT IN FILTERS!!!

Share a story of the time you made a poor decision by getting married and then getting divorced. How I believed I did not deserve to be married again after already being married twice. I felt the opinions and criticisms of people and pastors that knew me and my situations, but the reality of the matter is that they didn’t know my heart.

That I never CHOSE TO DISHONOR GOD BY DIVORCING, HE KNEW THAT SO WHEN I WENT TO APOLOGIZE AGAIN HE SHUT MY MOUTH AND IN LESS THAN A YEAR HE RESTORED ME AND GAVE ME THE WIFE THAT HE NEEDED AND DESIRED FOR ME TO HAVE, BUT I HAD TO (SOI)!!!!

YOU DO NOT GET TO STAY WHERE GOD IS TELLING YOU TO LEAVE FROM, BE INTENTIONAL ABOUT YOUR FREEDOM.

A changed mind must be followed by a changed heart!

ROM 12:2

Those that are emotionally broken suffer from addictive behaviors. There was something emotionally off about this son for him to have been so impulsive. He blew the whole bag in a matter of weeks before he was broke. He had to be doing a lot of turning up… like your whole inheritance....?

You just don’t understand pastor I love worship, but I need porn

I love God and I want a wife, but I believe that I should be able to have another woman on the side if my main one don’t work.

I love my husband but I entertain work relationship to get what I don’t get what is at home.

But I need to watch Scandal because it helps me to escape and live in the fantasy of being this guys mistress that I like that I know is married. Olivia Pope gives me validation to go out and get “my man”.

When he was met at his lowest at the pig slop that is when he SOI

GOD COMMANDS THAT WE SOI!

DO YOU NEED BIBLE FOR IT, HERE YOU GO...

IF ANY MAN BE IN CHRIST!!!!! THEN YOU ARE FREE TO BE MADE NEW, INTENTIONALLY!!!!

Don’t your poor decisions with good intentions at the time make you feel like you deserve to be condemned because it was poor judgement on you0r behalf.

Say it with me: I did it, but I am not there anymore!

The Father has been waiting for you to SOI and is ready to initiate restoration. It will happen as fast as you submit to Him receiving you (Lk 15:22)

Some people will think you deserve to miss out and lose out on everything else that comes with sonship, but the reality of the matter is you chose to SOI, God is SNAPPING YOU BACK IN!!! Back in HIS ARMS!!!

WE HAVE TO BECOME INTENTIONAL WITH OUR LIVES, YOUR LIFE MATTERS TO GOD.

THE TRAJECTORY OF YOUR LIFE HAS A DESTINATION BUT YOU HAVE TO AGREE WITH GOD.

The King’s Embrace

When his father embraced him it was something that was unprecedented, why? Because legally once you had your inheritance that was all you had left, but not in this instance. The King had done the inconceivable it was something not common at all in that day. That is why the son had such sorrow in coming back and was in disbelief as to how the King embraced him.

The “injustice gap” when we have wronged/been wronged or hurt/been hurt we create this. And when this happens it creates distance to forgive. The deeper the hurt or the easier you hurt, the harder it is to forgive.

Believer’s are to destroy every every point for the “injustice gap” to live.

your Decisional forgiveness and Emotional Forgiveness must line up with each other or your forgiveness will eventually cancel itself out. You must decide and believe that you deserve this life! It doesn’t matter if you believe the Father or not, but it does matter how it is received.

There is a method to help you RELEASE THE FULLNESS of forgiveness it is called the REACH method:

REACH METHOD

R-ecall the Hurt: This is only effective if you are willing to move past the feelings of the event. You made the decision to walk it out, this is the part where you dismantle the ability to cause further damage in you and the relationships connected to you.

Recalling it, is not RELIVING IT!

You don’t Get to Relive What You Can RECALL!

E-mpathize with the transgressor: To forgive yourself or the one that has committed the offense you must change the negative unforgiving emotions to less negative to a positive emotional state. Take the initial step to do this and work on it day to day. One of the formulas to help reinforce this are: Sympathy, compassion, and agape love. Several positive emotions will help offset the negative.

A-ltruistic (Unselfish) Gift of Forgiveness: Sowing into the place of offense ultimately sets you up for total healing from that place. Many want to receive healing at a distance, but a seed(does not have to be money, but it does have to be an intentional gift) will seal the deal. Find a way to sow into their lives, even if it is you who you cannot forgive.

C-ommit Publicly to the Forgiveness One Experiences: Your testimony is the very thing that the devil who is the enemy of your soul needs you not to share. For we have overcome by the blood of the Lamb and the WORDS OF OUR TESTIMONY! When you share it (your experience), you will shed it (the offense) for GOOD!

H-old on to Forgiveness When you Doubt: Fear and Anger are natural body responses when you have experienced injuries mentally, physically, or emotionally. It is our job to persevere through the negative experiences and consequences of what happened to us, in short CHANGE THE CHANNEL you have watched that show and you are healed, so there is no need to replay the situation so that you don’t get past it.

REMEMBER THIS DENIAL AND JUSTIFICATION ARE CALLED AGGRAVATING ACCOUNTS AND THEY ONLY MAKE MATTERS WORSE. CONFESS WITHOUT EXCUSES IF YOU SEEK SNAPPING OUT OF IT!

IF YOU ARE THE TRANSGRESSOR YOU MUST USE THE CONFESS MODEL

C-ONFESS WITHOUT EXCUSE

O-FFER AN APOLOGY (MUST BE BELIEVABLE AND SINCERE)

N-OTE THE OTHER PERSONS PAIN

F-OREVER VALUE THE PERSON

E-QUALIZE THE SITUATION

S- SAY,”I’LL NEVER DO IT AGAIN.”

S-EEK FORGIVENESS

SO WHEN WE DON’T CONFESS IT IS HARD FOR THE VICTIM’S TO REACH THEIR HEALING, AND WHEN YOU DON’T REACH TO FORGIVE YOU MAKE IT MUZZLING FOR THE TRANSGRESSOR TO CONFESS!!!! HOW CAN TWO WALK TOGETHER TO REACH HEALING?

Tug of War: Rope symbolizes our life choices that separate us from the Father.

Our grip on the rope symbolizes our commitment to those bad decisions. (Ask for somebody from the audience to come preferably a male)

Start out side by side (symbolizes how we were once good and were in great fellowship with the Father)

Now have him go to the other side of the rope. (Time not spent in our Word, not praying, not serving, not connecting with other brothers and sisters that will keep us accountable. Creates distance and a loss of identity. The son once he got what he wanted and left he ultimately lost his sense of identity.)

Now have him pick up the rope, now he has committed to the decision to stay disconnected. Have them pull away as I tug at pulling them closer.

how long will you wrestle with being disconnected from the Father. It is time you made the INTENTIONAL DECISION to GET BACK TO THE HOUSE, WHERE YOU BELONG!!!!

It’s Hard to be when you haven’t forgiven yourself and you are still living under that false judgement made by you and others.

Once He Arrives...

He now arrives to the trough and this is when he came to his senses and says,” wait a minute!!! I am better than this!!!! My fathers live better than this back home!!!”

THIS IS WHAT I CALL THE PLACE WHERE HE HAD “REACHED” THE PLACE OF CONFESSION!!!

THE MOST HOLISTIC APPROACH IS KNOWING THAT WHEN WE DEAL WITH THE PLACE OF OUR OFFENSES WE WILL SEE THAT WE HAVE BEEN JUST AS MUCH OF A TRANSGRESSOR AS THE ONE THAT HAS TRANSGRESSED AGAINST US.

YOU HAVE NOW REACHED LIVING AN INTENTIONAL LIFE IN GOD!

The older brother he is:

your mother/father they don’t like the fact that you have become a better critical thinker than they are when it comes to life.

family, friends, loved ones they only want to see you where you were, not who you are to become

ex girlfriend or boyfriend they don’t want to see you whole and winning!

Conclusion

Today we took the training wheels off of living an intentional lifestyle through practical steps when we commit poor decisions, and when others commit bad decisions that hurt and how to deal with them.

You do not have to stay committed to negative events in life. God always gives us the power to overcome these places. We must flood the negative with the positive as much as possible. The Word of God is the greatest tool in doing so. 

Scriptures to focus on when walking it out:

Mark 11:25: And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”

1John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Matthew 18:21,22 Then Peter came up and said to him, “Lord, how often will my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you seven times, but seventy times seven.

Matthew 6:14,15 For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.