MISSION IMPOSSIBLE

(ME)

How many of you guys remember the movie Mission Impossible? For those of us that don’t remember, Its about an American Spy who is accused of Espionage, so he spends the whole movie, trying to convince the agency he’s not a double agent. This is one of the movies that set the blueprint for movies like Get Smart, Red Notice, and any other movie where people are pretending to be someone who’s good or helpful, but actually work for the bad side.

(We)

I believe we’re in a time that satan is pulling out all the stops to draw believers and non-believers a like further and further away from Christ. Some are being pulled away from God because of ignorance, false doctrine and sin. Others are pulled away from intimacy w/ him because of life situations, busyness, sickness, etc. But it’s honestly bigger than that. Satan is excited about anytime he can pull you away from God. It’s not that Satan doesn’t want you to know someone he has a bro-mance w/. So he’s sabotaging you’re hanging time and egging your house. He literally wants you to build a habit of sinning. He wants you to soak in it like a hottub. He knows sin seperate us from God.He knows that the wages of sin is death! Satan wants to steal our eternity. He’s willing & will take advantage of anything that will accomplish that goal!

Look at the world, we are divided over politics, sexuality, race. Because of different types of division, we end up sinning or distancing ourselves from other believers. When there’s infidelity in a marriage it breeds more sin, when there’s isolation from other mature believers there’s more sin, when we don’t take into strong consideration when fellow believers advise against something, often times there’s sin.

(God)

Something satan wants us to believe is that once we’re divided or once we’ve sinned, that God wants nothing to do w/ us and his plan he had for us is over! That is a lie. Philippians 1:6

Philippians 1:6 ESV

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.

It’s important to know that, even when we fall for the schemes of satan or fall into life circumstances that these things can be used to propel us into God’s mission for our lives to completed well with the help of the Holy Spirit.

The mission God has for each individual person, is to know and grow in God and make him known to others so that it can be repeated.

There are many external works for you to do to prepare yourself for your mission, but the ones we’re going to talk about today are knowing your flesh (limitations/weakness), eliminating room for your flesh (weakness/ limitations), & smashing your flesh in front of others.

Knowing your Flesh:

What is flesh? We see flesh used in a couple different ways through out the old Testament, as well as a good amount in Paul & John’s writings in the new testament.

One way we see it used is referring to the physical body.

Like for instance in Genesis 6:13

Genesis 6:13 NKJV

And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.

It seems to clearly be talking about our flesh in the sense of bodies.

But then there’s other scriptures like Romans 8:5-8

Romans 8:5–8 NKJV

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

(You)

We find that either one these can be used in to draw us away from the lord, but the bottomline is that our flesh is the part of us that is limited in serving God because our humanity can only allow for certain things to be accomplished after that we need an outer power to help us.

The last time I was opening the service transitioning in to worship, I mentioned something about how the Holy Spirit will guide you in a way that when you’re in traffic and someone cuts you off you can say “bless the lord” Instead of something else. I didn’t know it at the time but my little strawberry shortcake was on the front row saying to me, “That’s not what you say daddy!” Kids are our involuntary accountability partners aren’t they?

Our flesh is the part of us that has limitations to carry out the spiritual things God commands of us to show who he is and bare his name well.

In that moment that eden reminds me that I don’t always say bless the lord, I was submitting to my limitation as a human, not to the work of the Holy Spirit. It may seem like a silly example for how the holy spirit is working in my heart. But it’s the small submissions that prepare us for the big submissions.

Eliminate opportunities for the Flesh:

When we can see our weakness in the flesh, our limitations, it’s easier to fight. But, I think another one of the big questions is, How do we fight giving in to our limitations when we don’t see them coming or there?

The answer is, stay ready so you don’t have to get ready!

If there is an opportunity to be weak, it will be! If left upto our flesh to say no to things that could lead us down a road to sin, we’re headed towards it almost everytime. Sometimes God speaks to us in audible voices at the right time, Other times we have to tell that flesh no! Or tell that flesh yes! And do it consistently.

If there is sin in your life & you find yourself no longer drifting, but running to that sin and further away from God; Tell that sin no! If you find yourself in heated conversations about politics, socio-economic topics that you’ve noticed has started distancing you from people in away that keeps you from encouraging others to grow in their faith or come to faith, tell that flesh no. If you find yourself so busy you don’t have time to spend w/ the Lord. Tell your flesh this is a non-negotiable. Don’t allow anyone especially satan to pull you or anyone else further away from God.

One of the ways we can fight our flesh is in Psalm 119:9

Psalm 119:9 NKJV

How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word.

Asking what does the word say, is one of the ways we can fight the fleshes urges.

Another way we can fight our flesh is by self denial. 1 Corinthians 9:27

1 Corinthians 9:27 (NKJV)

But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

Some results of us falling into temptation is lack of discipline. Whether its in controlling our mouths, telling ourselves we can continue to be places that we know triggers desires in our flesh to sin, etc. But part of living in the spirit is living in discipline according to the instruction God has given us.

We eliminate room for the flesh to have its way by being consistent in drawing near to God through study, prayer, & worship.

Eliminating opts for our Flesh in front friends:

One of the things that’s been done in the church, probably since the beginning of the church, is dealing w/ our flesh and not sharing how we have overcome. Every situation is not appropriate to share every detail of deliverance. W/ that being said, we should be looking for opportunities to share how God delivered us from the things he’s brought us out of. How we are studying scripture and coming to more understanding of what its saying, instead of allowing others to be stuck in cycle for years because they dont have access to the revelations God has used to fight your flesh. How do we do that?

By not hiding in our busyness & sin. Walking in community w/ believers. Building trust in that community so you can grow.

By making ourselves accountable to those who will challenge us in love.

By failing forward.

James 5:16 “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

1 Thessalonians 5:11 “Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.”

Proverbs 27:17 “As iron sharpens iron, So a man sharpens the countenance of his friend.”

Conclusions

I want you to picture how the body of Christ would be affected, your family, our local church, If we all shared of God’s faithfulness in not just healing or deliverance from addiction but the Holy Spirit leading and empowering us through this mission that seems to be impossible. Imagine instead of walking forward in complacency that we walk forward in power of who we serve! It may cause for us to have to put somethings down. It may cause for us to fight in a different way then we knew of. But we can finish the life well! We can be unstoppable by his power.

Grab a couple volunteers.

We have talked about Knowing our flesh, Eliminating opts for the flesh, & Eliminating opts for our Flesh in front friends.

ALTAR CALL

Today i want to invite you to pray for a couple things. Salvation & strength to complete the mission God has set before us.

Goal:

What do they need to know? Info-You have a mission from the moment you were born. It’s not the same as everyone. You can do it!

Why do they need to know it? Motivation-Satan wants you your friends and family. He’s got different schemes. Work to be ready for the schemes not just so you can dodge them but also so you can warn others.

What do they need to do? Application-Know your flesh; Eliminate room for flesh; Smash your flesh in front of others.

Why do they need to do it? Inspiration-What would that look like in your community, your family, our church. If we didn’t just celebrate w/ each other but we also submitted ourselves to the work of the holy spirit through the holy spirit working in trusted believers around us.

What can I do to help them remember? Reiteration-Grab some youth, or young people and a small child one more person to illustrate nothing stopping us from pursuing God & showing others we’re doing it in our everyday lives.