II.       So, Now We Are Looking For Help To Survive And Get Our Life Back On Track And Help To Keep Us From Making The Same Mistake Or Even A Bigger Mistake.

            Where can we go for help? There are different places we might try to go. . .

            A.        We Might Go To A Government Program.

There are all kinds of government sponsored programs in our community to help folks in various ways. We’re not here to knock their programs tonight, we just tell you that those programs, by themselves, are not adequate to truly meet our needs.

The Bible says in Psalm 146:3–“Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.”

            B.        We Might Look To Other People Or Programs For Help.

                        There are a lot of good people who are concerned enough to try to help us.

Some folks have come up with some wonderful ways to help people in need. We’re not here to knock their programs or the help they are trying to give tonight.

Thank God there are people and programs that are wanting to help us with our problems, but I want you to see that they can’t do it alone.

                        By the way, that goes for our people and our program too.

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10–“Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. 10For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.”

In Psalm 108:2, David said–“Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man.”

            C.        Where then is the primary place that we must look for help?

When we have a problem with a product, we take it to someone who specializes in repairing our product or to the manufacturer.

                        Well, guess what, that is exactly where we need to go with ourselves.

God specializes in mending what is broken in our lives. He is both the specialist and the manufacturer! He made us and He knows what it is going to take to get us back to the way we need to be.

Psalm 121:2–“My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.”

Psalm 46:1–“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”

Psalm 146:5–“Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the LORD his God:”

III.      Now Understand That There Are Some Folks Who Want To Blame The Manufacturer For The Problem When They Haven’t Bothered Following The Instruction Manual.

Have you ever done that before? Have you ever tried to get by without reading and following the instruction manual to something before?

We say, “Who has time to read manuals?” Once we mess up big time, then we realize that reading and following the manual would have saved a lot of problems.

            A.        We Need To Understand That We Put Ourselves In This Position–Not God!

                        Have you ever tried to blame God for whatever it is that has a hold on you?

James 1:13–“Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: 14But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

Galatians 6:7-8--“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

                        We all have a tendency to want to blame others for the problems we have.

When we were growing up we never wanted to accept blame!

                        We have grown up now but we still don’t want to accept the blame sometimes!

                                    “It’s my parents’ fault!”

                                    “It’s my friends’ fault!”

                                    “It’s society’s fault!”

                                    “It’s somebody else’s fault!”

The fact is that we each chose to do something that got us in the predicament that we are in right now.

One of the things we need to do is stop playing the blame game and just accept the fact that though we may have been influenced by many people or things, the bottom line is that we chose our actions to get involved in whatever it is that now has control of us!

                        We can’t fool God, because He sees all and knows all.

                        We put ourselves in this position; God didn’t.

            B.        We didn’t follow God’s instructions and that is why we got into trouble!

Every product comes with an instruction book.

                        The instruction book for us is the Word of God! 

Psalm 32:5–“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”

Proverbs 1:5–“A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:”

Proverbs 1:7–“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Proverbs 6:23–“For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:”

                        Proverbs 8:33-36

Proverbs 15:32–“He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.”

                        What happened to get us off the path that God wants us on?

                        1.         First, We Were Deceived.

We don’t like to think that we could be deceived, do we? But each of us has been at one time or another.

                                    How are we deceived?

                                    a.         Our Hearts Are Deceitful.

Jeremiah 17:9–“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”

                                    b.        Sin Is Deceitful.

                                                Hebrews 3:13 talks about the deceitfulness of sin.

Proverbs 20:1–“Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.”

                                    c.         People Can Be Deceitful.

2 Timothy 3:13–“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

                                    d.        Satan Is Deceitful.

1 Timothy 2:14 says that Eve was deceived by Satan in the garden of Eden. Genesis 3:1-13 proves this.

                                    So, First We Were Deceived. 

                        2.         Then, We Sowed Our Seed. 

                                    2 Corinthians 9:6 gives one of the laws of sowing and reaping:

“But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”

                        3.         Now, We Are Reaping The Results Of What We Sowed. 

Galatians 6:7-8--“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 8For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.”

You know we can learn a lot about sowing and reaping by looking at farming. There are some well known laws of the harvest that apply to farming as well as matters of the flesh and Spirit:

                                                            The Laws Of The Harvest

                                                1.         We reap what we sow.

                                                2.         We reap what we sow.

                                                3.         We reap later than we sow.

                                                4.         We reap more than we sow.

                                                5.         We reap in proportion to what we sow.

                                                6.         The laws of the harvest apply to both the good and the bad.

                                                7.         We reap the full harvest of the good only if we persevere.

Galatians 6:9–“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”

IV.      We Need To Change Our Decision-Making Process.

One of the main reasons that people develop a wrong habit or stronghold in their lives is because they have made some poor decisions in the past.

From the point of those wrong decisions in the past, many have continued to make poor decisions because of the power that the flesh has over us. Why is this?

            A.        Before We Come To Know Jesus As Lord And Saviour, Our Decision Making Process Is Flawed Because Of The Sin Nature.

Romans 8:5–For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

1 Corinthians 2:14–“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

James 1:14–“But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. 15Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.

            B.        After We Come To Know Jesus As Lord And Saviour, Our Decision Making Process Can Change:

                        1.         We Can Change Because We Have Been Given Spiritual Life.

                                    Ephesians 2:1ff

                        2.         We Can Change Because We Have Been Given A New Nature--Christ’s Divine Nature.

2 Corinthians 5:17–“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

                                    2 Peter 1:3-4

                        3.         We Can Change Because We Have Been Given The Indwelling Presence Of The Holy Spirit.

John 14:16-17–“And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.

Galatians 4:6–“And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”

1 John 4:4–“Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

                        4.         We Can Change Because We Have Been Given The Word Of God.

The Bible was a closed book to us before we came to know the Lord. (Look at 1 Corinthians 2:14 again).

After we are saved, the Word of God opens up to us and God speaks to us through His Word.

                                    a.         What Functions Does The Word Of God Perform?:

                                                1)        It Upholds. (Psalm 119:116)

                                                2)        It Orders Steps. (Psalm 119:133)

                                                3)        It Produces Joy. (Psalm 119:162)

                                                4)        It Strengthens. (Psalm 119:28, 1 John 2:14)

                                                5)        It Gives Hope. (Psalm 119:74, 81)

                                                6)        It Gives Light. (Psalm 119:105, 130)

                                                7)        It Gives Understanding. (Psalm 119:169)

                                                8)        It Shows God’s Will. (Isaiah 55:11)

                                                9)        It Builds Up. (Acts 20:32)

                                                10)      It Produces Fruit. (John 15:7)

                                                11)      It Convicts Of Sin. (Hebrews 4:12)

                                                l2)       It Converts Soul. (James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:23)

                                                13)      It Cleanses The Conscience. (John 15:3)

                                                14)      It Consecrates Life. (John 17:17)

                                                15)      It Corrects The Wrong. (2 Timothy 3:16)

                                                16)      It Confirms The Right. (John 8:31)

                                                17)      It Comforts The Heart. (Psalm 119:50, 54)

The Bible is given to us to assist us in avoiding satanic deception after we come to know the Lord.

It is imperative that we get into the Word of God after we are saved.

Just as medicine in a bottle cannot do you any good until you take it, so is the Word of God.

The Bible is of no value in our lives if we do not feed on It, absorb It, and let It do Its work in our lives!

Hebrews 4:12–“For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

                                    b.        How Should We Respond To The Bible?:

                                                1.         We Need To Desire It. (1 Peter 2:2)

                                                2.         We Need To Read It. 

(Deuteronomy 31:11; Isaiah 34:16; Luke 4:16; Ephesians 3:4; Colossians 3:16; Colossians 4:1; 1 Thessalonians 5:27;

                                                            2 Timothy 4:13; Revelation 1:3)

                                                3.         We Need To Heed It.

                                                            (Psalm 119:9; Matthew 4:4; 1 Timothy 4:16; James 1:22)

                                                4.         We Need To Use It. (Ephesians 6:17)

                        5.         We Can Change Because We Have Been Given Direct Access To God Through Prayer.

                                    We need to pray for God’s direction in our decisions!

Jeremiah 33:3–“Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.”

Psalm 32:8–“I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.”

James 1:5–“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.”

James 4:3–“Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”

Hebrews 4:16–“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Conclusion

So we come admitting that we have lost control of at least one area of our lives, if not more.

We need help to survive and get our life back on track and help to keep us from making the same mistakes again or even a bigger mistake.

We can’t blame God for our problems when we haven’t bothered following His instructions.

We put ourselves in this position; God didn’t.

We need to change our decision-making process. We need help to do this right. God made us.

He knows best what it will take to fix us!

The first step towards changing our decision-making process is to make sure that we have a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. Have you done that?

HOW CAN WE HAVE A PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE GOD OF THE UNIVERSE?

I.            WE MUST REALIZE THAT WE ARE A SINNER. (Romans 3:10-12; 5:12)

              Romans 3:23--“For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”

II.          WE MUST REALIZE THAT THERE IS A PENALTY FOR SIN. (Revelation 20:14-15)

Romans 6:23--“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

III.         WE MUST REALIZE THAT WE CAN DO NOTHING TO SAVE OURSELVES.

Romans 3:19-20--“Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in His sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

IV.         WE MUST REALIZE THAT GOD LOVES US AND THAT OUR SIN DEBT HAS BEEN PAID IN FULL BY GOD’S SON, JESUS CHRIST, ON THE CROSS OF CALVARY AND THAT ONLY HE CAN SAVE US.

              Romans 5:8--“But God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

V.          WE MUST PLACE OUR TRUST IN CHRIST AS OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR AND BELIEVE THE GOSPEL. Romans 10:9-10--‘That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Once we have done this, we know that our decision making process can change because we have been equipped by God for change!:

1.         Because we have Spiritual life!

2.         Because we have been given a new Nature!

3.         Because we have been given the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit!

4.         Because we have been given the Word of God!

5.         Because we have been given the direct access to God through Prayer!

But we have to put those things into action in our lives in order for them to work effectively in helping us to overcome the strongholds that have a grip on us!

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