Admit your Struggle with Sin

(and move forward in accord with God’s plan for you)

(Deut. 1:6-8; 26-33, 42-46)

We are called to sanctification (cleansed, blessed, made pure, made holy, set apart) (Lev.
11:44; 1 Thess. 4:3 & 7; 5:23; 2 Thess. 2:13; Rom. 12:1; 16:5; Eph. 1:4; 1 Pe. 1: 2, 13-16;
John 17:19, Acts 26:18, 1 Cor. 1:18; 2 Cor. 2:15; Ezek 36:25-27; Gal. 5:16-25)

When a person is set apart, he or she is set apart for a sacred purpose and, by the grace of
God will be capable of achieving that purpose. (Jer. 29:11).

Our salvation is not an end, it is a beginning! Sanctification is a theological term that

describes both an event and a process. When we are saved, we are covered by the blood
of Jesus and a process of the Holy Spirit rooting out sin from our hearts begins. That is
why we can say with confidence that we have been sanctified (Heb. 10:14) and we are
being sanctified. (Rom.7:15-20; 1 Thess. 5:23)

The Old Testament speaks about "the beauty of holiness" (1 Chron. 16:29, 2 Chron.
20:21, Ps. 29:2, 96:9), the inner attractiveness that is apparent when someone begins to
function inwardly as he or she was intended.

To reject sanctification is to reject God (1 Thess. 4:8; 1 Sam. 8:7)

Even though we will not achieve perfect sinlessness (sanctification) until Our Lord returns
to claim us, we should strive for godliness.

We are all a “work in progress”, with “room for improvement”. (1 Thess. 4:1)

We are called to progress to spiritual maturity

Grumbling & Arguing is a sign if spiritual immaturity (Deut. 1:27; 1 Cor. 10:10;
Phil. 2:14; James 3: 14-18; 5:9; 1 Pe. 4:9; Rom. 12:8; Eph. 4:31-32) (Contrast:
Joy in all circumstances)

Sanctification involves putting ourselves at God’s disposal

“Work out your own salvation” (i.e. serve God) with fear and trembling (Ps. 2:11;
Phil. 2:12, Heb. 12:28)

Katergazomai, Gk. ”Working out”/Determined effort/Intense

striving//Pressing on (see Heb. 6:1)/Giving whole-hearted performance
necessary to achieve victory

Epekteinomai, Gk. Reaching out/Stretching for (Phil. 3:13)

Dioko, Gk. Chase after (Phil. 3:14)

 It also requires living according to the truth as you best understand it (i.e.
Maintaining your integrity)

Advancement in God’s Kingdom begins with faithful service (Luke 16:10)

Sin can hold us back from progressing spiritually and taking hold of what God has
prepared for us.

We are each on a spiritual journey, the path of which has been laid out before us by God

He has gone before us, he has prepared us and what lies ahead for us (Deut. 1:8)

halak {haw-lak'}Heb. = went, walked, led

paniym {paw-neem'} Heb. = before and behind, in the presence of, in

sight, before the face of

God knows our weaknesses/vulnerabilities and if we let Him lead, He will

help us steer clear of situations that are likely to harm us spiritually, and
thereby possibly diminish our faith in Him (1 Cor. 10:12-13)

Following God’s lead protects us from both seen and unseen dangers.

If you will only let God lead you, He will perfect that which is lacking in
you.

Following God’s lead will bring blessings and will set you above and apart
from the world. Failing to do so, will make you accursed and be overcome
by the world (Deut. 28)

God, our Great Shepherd, leads with both strength and gentle affection
(Isa. 40:10-11)

Those whom God leads, and who follow, He also “keeps” (Gen. 28:15)

Shamar {shaw-mar'}Heb. keep, guard, treasure, preserve, protect,

retain, save, watch over, celebrate

God leads us in a way that is consistent with His merciful nature, covering
and sustaining us (Isa. 49:10)

We may not always understand why He chooses a particular route for us to

travel, but we can be sure of the ultimate destination. God will ultimately
lead us away from the path to death unto the way to eternal life.

We should desire and pray to be led by God (Ps. 5:8; 25:5; 27:11; 31:3;
43:3; 61:2; 67:4; 139:24; 143:10; Matt. 6:13; Luke 11:4)
 God has greater plans for you than you do!

He has called us to go from the ordinary to the extraordinary

God can use ordinary people (like us) to do extraordinary

things

Through are weakness He can show His strength (1 Cor.

1:27-29)

God leads His own

nachah {naw-khaw'} Heb. = lead, guide, put/place, govern

and correct.

God has greater plans for this church than we do!

He is not content to allow us to stagnate (Deut. 1:7-8)

A stagnant river breeds mosquitoes; an unmoving vehicle is destroyed by

rust; a person who stays in bed too long develops bedsores.

We were called to be soldiers not squatters!

Someone said, "The tragedy of life is not that it ends so soon, but that we
wait so long to begin it."

We sometimes become too comfortable

Inertia - the tendency of a body at rest to remain at rest, to resist

acceleration, to remain in the same line of movement unless acted
on by a stronger force.

How might you move out of your “comfort zone” for the glory of
God?

We sometimes become discouraged

In a Nike advertisement some years ago, a voice came over the

television saying, "I’ve missed more than 9,000 shots in my career.
I’ve lost almost 300 games. Twenty-six times I’ve been trusted to
take the game-winning shot and missed. I’ve failed over and over
and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed." - Michael
Jordan.

President Abraham Lincoln:

 Was defeated for the state legislature in Illinois in 1832
He was defeated for Congress in 1843
He was defeated for Congress again in 1848
He was defeated for the Senate in 1855
He was defeated for Vice Presidential ticket in 1856
He was defeated again for the Senate in 1858
He became president in 1860 and lives on as one of the
greatest Presidents in our history.

The Law of Expectations says that, basically, we get what we

expect out of life. We tend to see what we expect to see, we tend to
feel what we expect to feel, we tend to act the way we expect to
act, and eventually, we tend to achieve what we expect to achieve.

Do you live in confident expectation?

We sometimes forget that it is not about our abilities, but about His

We also need to remember that, despite appearances, He is in

control (Matt. 10:24-30)

Our courage must be based on our trust in His faithfulness

Do you live your life as though you actually believe in the

promises of God? (Heb. 11:1, 6)

Fear Not (Gen. 26:24, 46:3; Deut. 1:21, 20:3, 31:6-8;

Joshua 1:9, 8:1, 10:25, 11:6; 2 Kings 1:15; 2 Chron. 20:15,
32:7; Judges 6:23; Isa. 35:4; 41:13-14; Jer. 1:8, 42:11;
Ezek. 2:6; Ps. 23:1-6, 27:1-3; Matt. 14:27, Matt. 17:7; Luke
12:4; John 6:20; Acts 18:9, 27:24; 1 Pe. 3:14)

Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith

empowers; fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens,
faith heals; fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable-
and, most of all, fear puts hopelessness at the heart of life,
while faith rejoices in its God.

Fear or anxiety chokes out the word of God (Matt. 13:22)

We sometimes lose our vision (Isa. 29:10-12; Prov. 29:18)

ro'eh {ro·eh' }Heb. = prophetic vision

Such visions can come from God (Hosea 12:10; Joel 2:28; Acts
2:17; Hab. 2:2-3)

It seems somehow a part of our nature to seek visions

 But people often buy into false visions (Jer. 14:14; Ezek. 3:7)

Many of which are merely man-made (Jer. 23:16)

Because corrupt leaders will receive no legitimate

visions for God (Lam. 2:9; Micah 3:6)

Satan would be happy to lead you as well. To lead

you into captivity, into darkness, into despair, into
death.

Just as God often uses people to accomplish His

will, so does Satan

People can be used by Satan mislead and capture

our minds and hearts

However, we must also move according to His timing, not going ahead of
Him (Deut. 1:42-46)

Moving forward sometimes requires spiritual renewal

We need to confess/acknowledge our sin

We need to make a conscious effort to resist attitudes, actions and situations

which are likely to lead us into sin. (1 Pe. 5:9)

Which includes avoiding relationships that are likely to turn our hearts
away from God’s calling. (2 Cor. 6:14)

Separation is essential to consecration (2 Cor. 6:17; Rom 12:2)

“…, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run
with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and
perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and
sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from
sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Heb. 12:1-3)