A PRESCRIPTION FOR DELIVERANCE
5. Take personal responsibility. Rom 6: 12-16
When you confess your sins, God promises both cleansing and forgiveness 1John1:9
When you confess the same sin repetitively, each time God forgives-but your inner-self becomes progressively weaker in confidence and acceptance. Avoid “confessionitis” – that is the act of repeatedly confessing sin, then immediately returning to that same sin after confession, because you are in bondage to it. To kill “confessionitis”, call the sin out specifically and take responsibility-this is humility at work to free you from habitual sin control.
John 8:36
Freedom is not passive. You submit to God to become active. You are free to actively do what God wants you to do.
Negligence- To believe that God will accept us, even when we do not perform what he has already commanded to be done. Defeat or surrender without attempting to fight! Refusal to show up on the battlefield. Retreat before engagement.
There is child neglect. Are you guilty of God neglect?
Mt 18:15-17
17 And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican.
1Ti 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
Heb 2:3 How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;
Haggai 1:1-15
Some interesting commentary:
What the sin of the Jews was at this time, Hag 1:2. As soon as they came up out of captivity they set up an altar for sacrifice, and within a year after laid the foundations of a temple, Ezra 3:10. They then seemed very forward in it, and it was likely enough that the work would be done suddenly; but, being served with a prohibition some time after from the Persian court, and charged not to go on with it, they not only yielded to the force, when they were actually under it, which might be excused, but afterwards, when the violence of the opposition had abated, they continued very indifferent to it, had no spirit nor courage to set about it again, but seemed glad that they had a pretence to let it stand still. Though those who are employed for God may be driven off from their work by a storm, yet they must return to it as soon as the storm is over. These Jews did not do so, but continued loitering until they were afresh reminded of their duty. And that which they suggested one to another was, The time has not come, the time that the Lord's house should be built; that is,
1. "Our time has not come for the doing of it, because we have not yet recovered, after our captivity; our losses are not repaired, nor have we yet got before-hand in the world. It is too great an undertaking for new beginners in the world, as we are; let us first get our own houses up, before we talk of building churches, and in the mean time let a bare altar serve us, as it did our father Abraham."
They did not say that they would not build a temple at all, but,
"Not yet; it is all in good time."
And so the great business we were sent into the world to do is not done, under pretence that it is all in good time to go about it. The question is to anyone-are you ready to be a sacrifice?
2. "God's time has not come for the doing of it; for say they the restraint laid upon us by authority in a legal way is not broken off, and therefore we ought not to proceed, though there be a present collusion of authority."
There is an aptness in us to misinterpret providential difficulties in performing our duty, as if they amounted to a discharge from our duty, when they are only intended for the trial and exercise of our courage and faith. It is bad to neglect our duty, but it is worse to vouch Providence for the patronizing of our neglects.
What the judgments of God were by which they were punished for this neglect, Hag 1:6,9-11. They neglected the building of God's house, and put that off, that they might have time and money for their secular dealings. They desired to be excused from such an important work under this pretence, that they must provide for their families; their children must have meat and portions too, and, until they have got before-hand in the world, they cannot think of rebuilding the temple. Now, that the punishment might answer to the sin, God by his providence kept them still behind-hand, and that poverty which they thought to prevent by not building the temple God brought upon them for not building it. They were sensible of the smart of the judgment, and every one complained of the unseasonable weather, the great losses they sustained in their corn and cattle, and the decay of trade; but they were not sensible of the cause of the judgment, and the ground of God's controversy with them. They did not, or would not, see and own that it was for their putting off the building of the temple that they lay under these manifest tokens of God's displeasure; and therefore God here gives them notice that this is that for which he contended with them. Note, We need the help of God's prophets and ministers to expound to us, not only the judgments of God's mouth, but the judgments of his hands, that we may understand his mind and meaning in his rod as well as in his word, to discover to us not only wherein we have offended God, but wherein God shows himself offended at us.
Habits of the Heart
We are not born with mental and emotional habits. They are acquired as we grow. A good habit is to say thank you when someone does something nice for you. Gratitude is an acquired habit. Babies are born with clutched fist and must be taught appreciation.
Superstitious habits-“Step on a crack. Break your mother’s back”
Instinctive habits- stuttering, scratching an allege wound after it has already healed.
A habit is a behavior pattern acquired by frequent repetition that is reflected in regular or increased performance.The word “habit” comes from a root meaning “clothing that is usually worn”, such as a nun’s habit. Habits may express themselves in simple outward traits, or in complex emotional responses and habitual attitudes toward life. Habits reside in our human spirit-the heart.
Habits reflect themselves differently. Life is a choice, people who have bad attitudes, have chosen to have bad attitudes. They get up in the morning grumpy and choose to be irritated at their spouses, children or co-workers. By frequent repetition, they have chosen a constant state of irritation or anger. They have chosen a negative personality.
Habits bring bondage-Psychological, physical or social bondage.
Break Negative Emotional Habits
The longer the habit has been performed- the deeper the root.
Is 58:6 Is not this the fast that I have chosen? to loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke?
Fasting is not commanded in the New Testament- however it is a tool to provide answers to prayer when correctly implemented.
Matt. 6:18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly.
Fasting builds self discipline, self-esteem, and invites God into the problem.
Background study 1 Kings 18 and19 chapter
Elijah runs away to the wilderness- Negative habits emerge. Despondency.
Jezebel not the problem, Elijah’s problem is himself. Recognizes he is not in control- isolates himself from his people, the nation of Israel.
Deliberately chooses to go were there is no food. Prays that God would take his life. Victim of his own negative emotional habits.
Some major lessons:
Defeat often follows victory.
1Kings 18:46-hand of the Lord on Elijah. Was Elijah’s boldness at the contest with the prophets of Baal only a cover-up for his deeper insecurities or habits of pessimistic withdrawals?
Gen.9:24, 25 Noah preached against the drunkenness of an entire generation, yet his children were judged because of Noah’s sin of drunkenness.
Gen. 12:12 Abraham trusted God by faith, yet lied about his wife.
Num 12:3 Moses meekest man-struck instead of spoke to the Rock!
When you have great success with God, you are a prime candidate for satanic attack!
1 Cor. 10:12
God knows the heart and its habits
1Kings 18:15 Elijah boasts, or 1 Kings 19:2 was he just “grandstanding”.
In the crisis of the moment Elijah ran away, all along God knew his heart.
1Sa 16:7 But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
We can get depressed doing God’s work.
1 Kings 19:10 Self-centeredness. Elijah so focused on himself that he could not see what God was doing in the lives of others. “I am left alone”
Hebrews 12: 2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God
Past victory may not break bad habits.
Having been used great by God in the past does not mean you are presently ready to serve God. Yesterday’s victory does not guarantee tomorrow’s successes.1 Kings 19:10NIV“They are trying to kill me too.”