Fruit of the Spirit Pt. 3 - Week 2, Day 1

Day 1
Battle Plan

Here is the thing about self-control. It’s easier to see an area of someone else’s life that is out of control than to see an area out of control in our own life. You can spot a guy who is addicted to drugs or alcohol a mile away. If you want to know if a person has a problem with keeping their mouth under control, all you have to do is hang around with them for a few seconds and have a conversation with them. You will figure that one out pretty fast as well.

Looking in the mirror and admitting that you have a weakness that you can’t seem to make a strength is a tough thing to do. It’s tough to look in the mirror and see that you have a problem with pornography, lying, gossip, or whatever. But, on the other hand, we are the kind of people who look around at everyone else and say, I’m not as bad as so and so, so I’m in pretty good shape compared to them.

We say things to distract us from what is going on in our life. We say…

I can handle it.
I have it under control.
It’s not that big of a deal.
I could stop if I wanted to.
I’m not as bad as that person.

My question is, “what is it going to take for us to admit that we have a problem.”

Do you have to lose your integrity?
Do you have to lose your closeness to God?
Do you have to lose your driver’s license, your parent’s respect, and what limited freedom do you have because you got grounded?

What will it take before we wake up and realize the damage we are doing to ourselves and others?

In Texas, they have a saying that if one person tells you you’re a horse’s rear, ignore it. If two people tell you you’re a horse’s rear, look in the mirror. If three people tell you you’re a horse’s rear, buy a saddle. If three people tell you that your spending is out of control if three people tell you that you’re obsessed with guys or girls if three people tell you that you’re using food, alcohol, or drugs to dull the pain in your life, if three people tell you that you’re wounding people with your words and your anger, buy a saddle.

If you don’t conclude that you are powerless against it, then you will experience pain. You will lose something of vital importance to you. You’re going to lose something that you are not prepared to live without.

Pain is the megaphone that God uses to shout at us. Next, it’s the catastrophe where we hit rock bottom, and finally, the only way we can look is up.

In the Old Testament, we find a time in King David’s life when he tried to convince himself that he didn’t have any problems. He says in Psalm 32:3 (LB)

“My dishonesty made me miserable and filled my days with frustration.”

The bottom line we must admit and recognize that we are powerless. Notice I didn’t say hopeless; just powerless, and we desperately need God’s help.

A person can’t fix what they refuse to admit, and a person can’t get God’s help until they confess the sin in their life.

Time Out:

1. King David blew it big time when he slept with a girl named Bathsheba. His sin disappointed God, but rather than admitting what he had done, he tried to hide what he had done from God, which is stupid since God knows everything. So for one year, David tried to hide what was wrong in his life. Look up Psalm 32 and read the entire chapter, then answer the following questions.

In verse 3, David describes what his life was like when he kept trying to handle his sin on his own. Write down below what he experienced.

Verse 3:

Verse 4:

After David confessed his sin to God, what did he feel like then?

Verse 1-2

Verse 11

God can’t fix what we refuse to admit is wrong? Do you agree or disagree with that statement, and why?