It is not in our nature to give up control or to submit. It reminds me of a story I once heard: The
captain of the ship looked into the dark night and saw faint lights in the
distance. Immediately he told his
signalman to send a message: “Alter your course 10 degrees south.”
Promptly a return message was received: ”Alter your course 10 degrees
north.”
The captain was angered; his command had been ignored. So he sent a second message “Alter your
course 10 degrees south – I am the captain!”
Soon another message was received: “Alter your course 10 degrees north –
I am seaman third class Jones.”
Immediately the captain sent a third message, knowing the fear it would
evoke: “Alter your course 10 degrees south – I am a battleship.”
Then the reply came: “Alter your course 10 degrees north – I am a
lighthouse!”
This past Sunday I taught on learning to give up control of our lives to
God. This area is a struggle for many Christ followers and is a stumbling block
to those who are investigating the truths of Christ. Our thinking is when I
give up control, then I can’t lead I have to follow. Exactly! Think about the
many times you have planned and strategized and the plan or strategy ended with
different results than what you anticipated. It is because you cannot control
every factor of life and when you try, you mess things up. This is why it very
important to realize that you are not God and you are not in control. If I am not in control and God is, them it
make logical sense to let him have control of my life. I want to share with you
three steps to hand over control to God.
1. OUR DESIRES – THE SOURCE
OF CONFLICT James 4:1-6
Pride,
Greed, Envy, Anger, Lust, Gluttony, Laziness?
estimate of self, looks down on others.
Proverbs 16:18-19, 29:23
Greed is the desire to have more. The same word as covetousness.
Envy can also be know as jealousy.
Anger is a violent emotion; frustration, to
exasperate.
Gluttony is defined as worthless, to squander,
to over consume as in food.
Laziness means to not be diligent and
alert. Also, sluggish and slackness.
Proverbs 10:4,12:24, and19:15.
We try to Get What We Want the Wrong Way
a) If I want something I have to get it on
my own
I can do it
on my own and I do not need anyone else or God to
b) I will fight to get what I want.
Means that we
do whatever it takes include being deceitful,disrespectful,killing, fighting and
arguing.
2. OUR RESPONSE: REPENTANCE
– GRIEVE, MOURN, AND WAIL
yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come
near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and
purify your hearts, you doubleminded. Grieve, mourn and wail.
Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. James 4:7-9
What would move me to
this type of response? Just because I tell you to? No. This type of response comes
because of a broken heart for when we try to control our lives. Life is hard and we get hurt. We have been taught that when we get hurt it
will make me stronger and the truth is, it will. Some of us allow our hurts to
grow into bitterness and our heart becomes cold. When was the last time your heart was broken because
you chose your desires above God’s desires?
Grieve: to be afflicted and
miserable. To have hurt, shame or guilt.
Mourn: Sorrow and deep hurt for the
person or thing you are mourning over.
Wail: Weeping as a sign of pain
and grief, to lament.
3. GOD’S RESPONSE: GRACE
– HE WILL LIFT YOU UP
natural to his character. It is because that he loves us that His response is
one of love and favor.
a) we cannot resist until we give up
control
b) if we truly desire to know God, He will
come close to you
c) we must turn away and have nothing to
do with sin
d) when we give up control and are humble,
He will lift us up into heavenly places
and things