Road to Freedom

Part 5

February 11, 2023
Rev. Paul Alf

Making Changes

Road to R.E.C.O.V.E.R.Y.

R - Realizing I’m not God

E - Earnestly believe that God Exists

C – Consciously Choose to commit all my life and will to Christ’s care and control.

O – Openly Examine and Confess my faults to myself, to God, and to Someone else.

V – Voluntarily submit to every change God wants to make in my life and humbly ask Him to remove my character defects. (Romans 12:1-2)

Where do my character defects come from?

We each get chromosomes from our parents, and so we inherit some weaknesses

You were raised a certain way, things have happened to you

GOD CAN HEAL YOU, HEAL YOUR PAST….YOU ARE NOT YOUR PAST

If you choose to do something long enough, it becomes a habit…your bad choices of yesterday might still affect you today.

LET GOD FORGIVE YOU AND RELEASE YOU FROM YOUR CHOICES FROM THE PAST

Why is it so hard to change them?

Because I’ve had them so long…like an old pair of shoes, I’m used to them, hard to let go
Because I Identify with them…we often confuse our identity with our defects.
Because they have a payoff.

“I do it because it takes my mind off of the pain for a time…I like how it feels”

He is here to steal, kill, and destroy. He will constantly tell you you’re not worthy, you don’t have the strength.

How do I cooperate with God’s change process?

Focus on changing one defect at a time (Proverbs 17:24)
Focus on victory one day at a time (Matthew 6:11) “Give us this day our daily bread”
Focus on God’s power, not willpower (Jeremiah 12:23)
Focus on what God wants, not what my flesh desires (Philippians 4:8)
Focus on doing good, not feeling good (Galatians 5:16)
Focus on people who help me, not hinder me. (Proverbs 27:17)
Focus on Progress not perfection. (Philippians 1:6)

What things in your life do you need to bring up and offer as a sacrifice before the Lord?

In what way do you need God to come and transform or renew your mind?

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