Dealing With Your Mess

Sermon  •  Submitted
0 ratings
· 1,494 views
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
View more →

Hot Mess

How many of us heard the term Hot mess?
In the early years when people talked about a hot mess it was geared more toward a the Mesh hall. A place where people would gather and eat. It would be what we would consider a buffet style restaurant in our day?
Then with the evolution of words hot had a new definition which radically changed the meaning of the term hot mess.
Now hot mess means attractive disaster. I see people all on facebook taking selfies and calling themselves a hot mess. When put in it’s first definition this gets really hilarious. People calling themselves a messy buffet.
Whichever definition you subscribe to I believe a mess shows an optimal point opportunity to clean. If I walk into a messy room I automatically begin to look for things to throw away and remove. I am a tosser. I don’t like clutter. So if you’re clothes are all over the floor, I don’t see that as a folding challenge I see that as a lets separate things I wear to things I don’t and get rid of stuff challenge.
The same is true for our lives. What if I told you that your current situation isn’t about overwhelming you, but rather giving you the opportunity to spring clean.
Currently I have been reading about money and finances and I came across this quote from the book Rich Dad Poor Dad:
In regards to lack of money there is a difference between someone who is broke and someone who is poor.
What he goes onto say is poor is an attitude problem and broke is a money problem. Rich people can be poor. Broke people can also be poor. Poor is an attitude of settling. This is how I am. I will always be that way. Rich people can be poor because their outgoing over reaches their incoming. Money is never the issue—and yes—this coming from someone who doesn’t have a lot of it. Their are ex-professional athletes who live under a bridge-once making millions now down and out. There are lottery winners who are financially worse off than before they won the lottery. Money isn’t the issue—our attitude or our view of money is the issue.
The same is true with messes in our life. Messes come and go in everyone’s life. Disappointment happens, death happens, financial hardship happens, but our attitude about our mess will determine if we overcome our mess or if our mess overcomes us.
This morning I am going to talk about a very familiar verse, but don’t tune me out knowing you heard this verse preached on before.
Romans 12:12 ESV
Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.
Romans
This isn’t our main scripture but it sets the president for us as Christians. Each on of us here are meant to be overcomes not overcome. When we utilize the tools God has given us we can turn our messes into an opportunity for holiness. An opportunity to clean house and come closer to God.
Our Scripture this morning comes from:
2 Corinthians 10:4–6 MEV
For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, and being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is complete.
Satan was stirring a mess for Paul as he does for each one of us, but it’s how you deal with your mess that determines if Satan won or if God receives the glory. I am sorry to say that mess aren’t avoidable. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the world or in Christ messes will find you. Trouble will come your way.
Satan was stirring a mess for Paul as he does for each one of us, but it’s how you deal with your mess that determines if Satan won or if God receives the glory. I am sorry to say that mess aren’t avoidable. It doesn’t matter if you’re in the world or in Christ messes will find you. Trouble will come your way.
This verse has implications about our prayer life—how to help someone out of the world and implications for you. Today I want to help you truly discover both.
Who here has heard a sermon on this verse?
It has implications regarding our life and outlook.
Stay with me because I hope that I get to teach you something new about something familiar.
First off a stronghold doesn’t always equal Dominic. A stronghold is like money, It’s amoral—neither good nor bad. It’s what we allow in our stronghold that will determine it’s morality.
By definition a stronghold is a place secure incase of attack.
This is verse in 2 Corinthians is the only verse with the Old Testament term stronghold in it.
Understand: A tree doesn’t grow with one drop of rain, fruit doesn’t die with one drop of poison. A stronghold isn’t built by one brick. Fortresses takes time. It’s out of our habits that strongholds are built and it’s out of our habits that determines who inhabits our strongholds. A stronghold in your life is a mindset developed over a long period of time. It’s comes from what we are taught, what we decide to learn, what we focus on, and what we spend our time doing.
Stronghold in our life can often resemble a mound of dishes in our sink. An overwhelming amount of laundry. A schedule that is jam packed from sun rise to sun set. When we come against strongholds in our life begins to induce doubt and fear. We begin to say things like: I am never going to get caught up, this is just too much for one person. I can’t overcome this obstacle so why should I even try.
The False prophets where setting up strongholds of doubt in people’s lives concerning the message Paul was giving them. They began to state things like: Paul is bold in his letters but weak in person. That Paul’s authority was only surface deep, but inside Paul couldn’t command an ant.
Paul didn’t see this mess being created as a hinderance to the gospel, but rather a teaching opportunity.
Paul begins to beg them not to make him be authoritative in their presence; that he prefers to authoritative in letters so when they are together he can enjoy their time together, but Paul states he can and will be authoritative if it is necessary for the sake of the gospel.
So while being hulk before hulk was create---don’t make hulk mad he gave them three ways to defeat the enemy and tear down the stronghold the false prophet wanted to build.
I entitled this: 3 keys to a clean closet.
In order Paul talks about:
Mindset
Pride
Thoughts and temptations
I am going to continue with my illustration of cleaning the house—or the hot mess.
But we are going to talk about this backwards because one cannot hit the center of the fortress when the rest is still standing. To illustrate this point I want to use the marching of Jericho—because while Paul is talking about a spiritual string hold—Jericho was a physical strong hold.
1. Thoughts.
Before you can control your pride or change your mindset you must first take on your thoughts. It’s why when we pray for people we ask God to silence the mouth of the enemy so that the person we pray for—So their thoughts aren’t influenced or distracted.
Have you ever walked into a room that you decided to clean and have been so completely overwhelmed by what you see?
What’s the first thing that happens?
I can’t do this!
It’s too much!
Maybe I can just close the door and pretend it doesn’t exist!
Life is better on the couch!
You begin to be defeated in your mind long before you get defeated in your actions.
What you don’t realize is that a war is taking place in your head. In one corner you have the get ‘er done attitude. In the other corner is Procrastination nation. Immediately they begin to fight. The issue is the longer the fight goes on the stronger procrastination gets. The more we entertain the thoughts mentioned above. Both attitudes are at war for the space in our head. One has to win and one has to lose.
This is the same concerning sin, it’s the same concerning who we give authority over our life. It all begins in our thoughts. That’s why you hear the term morning devotions ringing from many pulpits. Because if we set our mind on the right track before our day starts it’s more than likely going to end on the right track.
Here’s the issue: You can prove a case for both sides of the coin. It’ll determine which facts you want to present. That’s why Paul states to give every thought over to Christ. Meaning measure every thought against the bible. Just because an argument is true doesn’t mean it’s biblical.
Was Paul more forward in his letters than in person? That probably could be a fact—it was more than likely true.
Sometimes the enemy will send a ploy out to distract you from the real argument—this is usually where gossip starts. Paul wanted his time w
However it wasn’t Paul’s letters that were called to action it’s Paul authority and his motives. That’s why he states take every thought—meaning every word someone has spoken that has entered your head space, every idea that you have, every notion and submit it to scripture. Paul didn’t have the bible, but he did have the actions of Christ.
That’s why in verse 1 he states that Christ came first in meekness and gentleness. We know the second coming will be in a more authoritative manor than the first. Paul was showing them that he was acting like Christ. Coming to them in meekness, but if they didn’t listen to the authoritative letters he could also come in boldness.
It may be true that the task before you is big. It may be true that it is difficult. It may overwhelm you at first, but line those thoughts with scripture!
Will it overtake you? No—not when submitted to Christ.
Will the addiction in your life consume you—not if you cast every-time the thought to act on that addiction before God.
Will anger consume you? I am trying to put this in practice in my life—when angry pray first. I am finding it hard to be angry and in an attitude of prayer at the same time. Submit it to Christ. Discouraged? Read the bible. Phrases like I can do all things through Christ who give me strength can reinforce the idea that the task can in fact be overtaken.
2. Pride
The saying is true Pride comes before fall.
So you taken thoughts captive. You started cleaning the room. You get into the task and here it comes. Stupid kids-Why can’t they learn to pick up after themselves? Am I their maid?
Ugh my husband—why did I have to marry such a slob? He never treats me the way he should. Look another pair of underwear. Is it really that hard to walk it to the laundry basket.
Truth-you kids should learn to take care of their stuff
Truth- Your husband can respect what you do more by picking up after himself.
But pride begins to question other people’s motives. Do your kids purposefully leave their toys laying around. Probably not-I have watched my kids play—they play until something else catches their attention before you know like moth to a light they are draw to this item.
Husbands can they pick up their own underwear sure, but if you are like me it isn’t an assault on you, but rather my thinking of the 100 things I have to do that day.
Pride will tell you you’re wife doesn’t care because she didn’t make your coffee this morning. Reality is she was busy.
Pride will tell you your kids are out to get you. Reality they are kids and their thought life is fleeting.
Pride takes everything as an insult and an attack.
We must remind ourselves that it isn’t about us. The reality is the false Prophets weren’t attacking Paul—they were attacking the message.
To discredit Paul served to discredit God, Paul wasn’t the target he was the middle man. When Pride rises up it declares you to be the target. They are coming after you. When in reality they are coming after Christ.
The current attack on Mike Pence—calling him mentally ill because Jesus talks to him really has nothing to do with Pence or Christians, but has everything to do with discrediting Christ and the Christian bible. Pence’s argument was like that of Paul’s. He stated: I wanted to laugh it off; but I couldn’t. not because I felt personally attack, but rather because it was a blatant attack on Christianity and Christ.
He took the fight to the field it was actually on, but that took a removal of pride.
3. Mindset
2 Corinthians 10:4 ESV
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
Some translations state use the word imaginations. It comes from the Greek work logismos (La-geese-mas)-meaning ones collective reasoning.
This is literally you mindset.
Fear or faith
Rich or poor
Fight or flight
Overcomer or overtaken.
It’s your default setting-a pattern-something we return to when the going gets rough.
It’s the drug to the drug addict.
It’s anger to angry
It offense to the insecure.
This is why you have to take every thought captive and set pride aside. Because those thoughts and that pride if let loose will develop overtime to be your collective reasoning or your mindset.
Understand this as well. When trying to take down a stronghold it takes the same time and progress. You have to start with your thinking, move to your pride, and finish with your mindset.
Related Media
See more
Related Sermons
See more