Normal Isn’t Working // Part 2
3 Steps to Take to Get Rid of Termites:
Termites are silent killers. They do most of their damage when no one is looking. And if they go unchecked they can literally destroy a house.
Are there silent killers, secret sins, lurking within you?
I did a little research. If you actually find termites in your home they say there are 3 things you need to do:
1 // INSPECTION
If you discover that you have termites in your home, the first step is to do an inspection. To see how much damage has been done. To see how deep the damage is. Sometimes you can do this yourself. Sometimes you have to call in the professionals.
The same is true in your life. What Paul was asking these Christians to do was to search their hearts and to see what they discovered hidden within. What happens when you search your heart? What do you find hidden in the recesses of your heart? What evil desires are lurking within you?
Only you can answer these questions, but you have to answer these questions. Because God is calling you to holiness. Jesus is calling you to an abundant life. And you know that a life filled with secret sin is not an abundant life.
When you do an inspection you need to know that your enemy will not leave you alone. The enemy will constantly try to lie to you and tell you that you are unlovable. That God can’t love you because of what you’ve done and that the people around you can’t love you because of what you’ve done. When you hear the enemy whisper that in your ear, I want you to remember that it is a lie. There is nothing you could ever do to make God love you less. Jesus himself said that God loved the world so much that He gave His one and only son so that whoever believes in Him would not be condemned, but would have eternal life. That’s the truth you can hold on to.
2 // TREATMENT
When you find termites in your house, after you’ve inspected the affected areas, you can begin to treat them. This will take time to kill the termites, remove the damage, and make the necessary repairs.
Again, this same idea is true in your life as well. You need a treatment plan. You need to repent. That’s a word that literally means to turn away from, make a 180-degree turn, and change direction.
You need a plan to put to death the sins you’re facing. You need a plan to heal the parts of your life that have been damaged. To heal the relationships that have been damaged. And you need a plan to make the necessary repairs.
Remember that you are not alone. Everybody struggles.
3 // PREVENTION
The last step after performing an INSPECTION and developing a TREATMENT plan is to install a system to PREVENT future termite attacks. If all you do is inspection and treatment, chances are the termites will return and destroy all the work you’ve just done. The only way to ensure that doesn’t happen is to come up with a prevention plan.
So what’s your prevention plan? Everybody needs one because everybody struggles.
The first step needs to be to find a friend you can share your struggle with. Someone who can help you, encourage you and hold you accountable. You can’t do it alone.
You also need to find your weak spots. My guess is that you are most vulnerable when you are ALONE and you are TIRED. When you have no one to protect you and no energy to fight for yourself. If that’s true for you, get a battle plan before you get to that place to protect yourself.
And I think it also helps to remember WHO you’re fighting for.
Your integrity matters because there are people all around you who are counting on you. So you’re fighting for yourself, but you’re not just fighting for yourself. You’re fighting for your family. For your wife, your husband, your kids. You’re fighting for your friends. For people who are looking up to you. And your fighting for your future!
We live in a world where greed, lust, and sexual sin are NORMAL. But NORMAL isn’t working. Maybe it’s time for us to live different.
5 Ways to Live Different
How do we live different in a world where greed, lust, and sexual sin are normal?
- Remember, you can’t out sin God’s grace.
- Repent and turn away from secret sin.
- Find a friend to share your struggle with.
- Find your weak spots and form a plan to protect yourself.
- Never forget WHO you’re fighting for.
Everybody struggles. Here’s what we need to remember today: God sees us, God loves us, and God continues to pursue us.
It’s amazing when you read the story of Jesus. I don’t think he ever condemned a single person who was known for sexual sin. But he did have harsh words for religious people who were hypocrites, who were pretenders, and who judged others who were caught in sin harshly.
Church, our response to the person who is honest, who confesses sin, who is brave enough to tell the truth, we can’t overstate how important it is for us to demonstrate a loving response to that person.
Why?
Because that’s exactly the way Jesus would respond.
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