Jordan Wilson. Wednesday May 3rd, 2017.
Messy – Handling Our Own Baggage
The Mirror
Jesus Took Our Baggage
Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”
Hebrews 12:2 “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.”
When we look at the baggage we’ve been carrying in our lives, it is difficult to understand what is true and false about ourselves, others, and God. We call this misbeliefs.
Proverbs 23:7 “as a man thinks in his heart; so is he.”
Also could be worded this way, “the way you think becomes the way you behave.”
Guilt, Self-Consciousness, and despair from Loss.
James 3:13 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. 15 For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom. Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. 16 For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.
Misbeliefs generally appear as truth to the person repeating them to themselves. That is partly because they often do contain some shred of truth, and partly because the sufferer has never examined or questioned these false assumptions.
John 14:6 “I am the way, the TRUTH and the life; no one comes to the Father except through me.”
John 8:32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Misbelief: “I must please people.”
Truth: “The Christian doesn’t need to find approval from people, but from God.”
Misbelief: “I can’t do anything right.”
Truth: “I do have talents and gifts, even if I fail in something, it is not the end of the world!”
Misbelief: “I don’t need anyone anymore, I can’t trust people because they always let me down.”
Truth: “God gave me a desire to be loved and to love, even if I have been hurt I know that God can still place people in my life that truly love me!”
Misbelief: “It will be horrible if nobody talks to me at social gatherings (or if I don’t know the people).
Misbelief: “It’s terrible to feel self-conscious and nervous.
Truth: I can enjoy myself wherever I go, and do not need the acceptance of others in order to have a good time.
Truth: Feelings of self-consciousness won’t kill me.
It’s okay to experience these feelings.
What you THINK and BELIEVE determines how you FEEL and what you DO.
Our SIN is the biggest hinderance to running our race.
Our misbeliefs can lead us into sinning against God and sin can lead to more misbeliefs.
Hebrews 12:1 “Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us.”
We must KEEP OUR EYES on JESUS and NOT on our baggage (misbeliefs, sin, distractions).
Hebrews 12:2 “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame (baggage). Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. 3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.”
Guys, we must NOT give UP.
3 Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.”