PUTTING OFF STINKIN’ THINKIN’
SERMON STARTER
Last week I spoke about the transformation that occurs in regeneration. Regeneration is the process by which a person becomes “in Christ,” and becomes that “new creation spoken about in First Corinthians 5:17.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
Repentance is the foundation of transformation. Transformation is God’s job. Repentance is man’s job. As a believer and follower of Jesus Christ my responsibility is to constantly re-think and re-shape my thinking, conforming it into God’s Word and the teaching of Jesus Christ.
This sermon explores what I refer to as an on-going purging of ungodly thoughts that keep believers outside God’s Kingdom. It is easy to allow time and circumstance to distance ourselves from God. The Christian believer must stay focused on Christ and His Call on their lives. Repentance, that is, purging your mind of ungodly thoughts, is a constant, 24/7 process, and it paves the way for Christ’s transforming power.
March 9, 2008
Sheepfold Ministries / Pastor Phil Roland
PUTTING OFF STINKIN’ THINKIN’
“Some thoughts need to be purged from our minds as soon as they come to us. They may seem right, but are subtle lies and tricks of the devil.” Pastor Phil
NUMBER ONE STINKIN’ THINKIN’ NOTION:
“If I just pray, learn scripture, live holy, or attend church enough, I will get closer to God, be accepted by Him, and enter into His presence.”
Proverbs 14:12; 16:25
“There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.”
TO PUT OFF STINKIN’ THINKIN’
I. YOU CAN’T EARN GOD’S APPROVAL, JESUS LIVES INSIDE OF YOU
A. Jesus Already Resides in You - 2 Cor. 13:5; 1 Cor. 6:19,20
“Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?
“. . .do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in
you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bough
at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God's.”
B. How much more “holy” can you get than that?
C. He promises not to leave us - Hebrews 13:5b
"I will never leave you nor forsake you."
II. FIX YOUR EYES ON JESUS, AND AWAY FROM SELF AND THE WORLD
Hebrews 12:1
“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith,”
A. Distance between You and God was b-4 Jesus’ came into your life
B. Lost Intimacy w/God in the Garden – Genesis 3:23,24
“So the LORD God banished him from the Garden of Eden to work the ground
from which he had been taken. After He drove the man out, he placed on the
east side of the Garden of Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing back and
forth to guard the way to the tree of life.”
C. Lost by the first Adam, restored by the Second Adam, Jesus
1 Corinthians 15:45-49
"The first man Adam became a living being" ; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit.
The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual.
The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven.
As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man
from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. And just as we have borne
the likeness of the earthly man, so shall we bear the likeness of the man from
heaven.
III. YOU ARE ALREADY IN GOD’S PRESENCE BY THE BLOOD OF JESUS
Hebrews 10:19,20
“Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body,”
A. Jesus has declared us worthy to be in His Presence – Eph. 2:4-6
“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by
grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit
together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,”
B. Jesus has declared us Sons and Daughters – 1 John 3:2a
“Dear friends, (Beloved) now we are children of God,”
C. Jesus has given us overcoming power 1 John 4:4
"You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one
who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world."
IV. THE SEPARATION IS GONE BETWEEN YOU AND GOD – 1 Cor. 6:17
“But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.”
A. Our very Being is from and in God – Acts 17:28
“. . .in Him we live and move and have our being,”
B. The Sin that once Separated us has been Removed by Jesus
C. God Is Already at Work in your Situation - Phil. 2:12,13b
“. . .work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works
in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”
V. NO EVIL CAN HURT YOU – Psalm 23:4
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me;”
A. No Weapon Formed Against you will Prosper – Isaiah 54:17
“No weapon formed against you shall prosper, And every tongue which rises
against you in judgment You shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants
of the LORD, And their righteousness is from Me," Says the LORD.”
B. The Enemy’s Evil Schemes Against you Will Fail
VI. REJECT THE LIE THAT SAYS GOD IS “OUT THERE SOMEWHERE”
Romans 10:8
"The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart"
Romans 8:38,39
“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
stinkin’ thinkin’
For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has a positive answer for it.
You say, "It's impossible."
God says: "All thing are possible." (Luke 18:27)
You say, "I'm too tired."
God says: "I will give you rest." (Matt 11:28-20)
You say, "Nobody really loves me."
God says: "I love you." (John 3:16 John 13:34)
You say, "I can't go on."
God says: "My grace is sufficient." (II Cor. 12:9 - Psalm 91:15)
You say, "I can't figure things out."
God says: "I will direct your steps." (Proverbs 3:5-6)
You say, "I can't do it."
God says: "You can do all things in Me." (Phil 4:13)
You say, "It's not worth it."
God says: "It will be worth it." (Romans 8:28)
You say, "I can't forgive myself."
God says: "I forgive you." (I John 1:9 - Romans 8:1)
You say, "I can't manage."
God says: "I will supply all your needs." (Phil 4:19)
You say, "I'm afraid."
God says: "I have not given you a spirit of fear." (II Tim. :7)
You say, "I'm always worried and frustrated."
God says: "Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)
You say, "I don't have enough faith."
God says: "I've given everyone a measure of faith." (Romans 12:3)
You say, "I'm not smart enough."
God says: "I give you wisdom." (I Cor. 1:30)
You say, "I feel all alone."
God says: "I will never leave you or forsake you." (Heb. 13:5)
Courtesy of Sheepfold Ministries, Sharon, PA, Pastor Phil Roland