Title: Road to Restoration
Content Isaiah 57:18,19
It takes only a few minutes to receive Jesus, but to become like Jesus is a lifetime. The most difficult thing after believing in Jesus is that our personalities do not change easily. When our personality is restored, the world looks remarkably different. It takes time for our personality to grow. There are factors that hinder personal growth. The wounds inside us get in the way. Life gets in the way of disruptive habits. There are psychological disorders that make us suffer. We must overcome this.
There are five things God wants to restore in our lives.
First, when we are hurt, God says, “I want to heal you.”
Second, when we are confused, He says, “I want to guide you.”
Third, when we feel helpless that we can't change anything, He says, "I've helped you change."
Fourth, when you feel that no one understands your problem, he says, “I want to comfort you.”
Fifth, when we are anxious, anxious, and fearful, He says, “I want to give you peace.”
Life is hard. We live in a very imperfect world. That's why we hurt others and ourselves. The Bible says, “All have sinned.” This means that we are all imperfect, we have failed, and we have made mistakes. While we are hurt and hurt, we also hurt others. The only exception is if you are the perfect person. But no one seems to be an exception. We often hurt others without our realizing it. They also give and receive hurt from the person they love the most. If your life isn't perfect, if you're constantly being hurt by someone, if you have a habit or psychological disorder that you want to get rid of, and if you're very tired, then you definitely need recovery.
It is as if Ji-Sung Park has undergone surgery, is undergoing rehabilitation and is recovering. The player is not thinking of ending his playing career here. He just needs to recover to play again on the field. We must recover. So we have to live a victorious life on the ground of the world.
If you want to recover, there are first things you must do. It must recognize that I am not God. I have to admit that I don't have the strength to overcome the situation in which I'm making a mistake and I have no control over my life.
Have you ever stayed up all night watching TV, worrying about needless sleep, drinking alcohol and chatting while you know you need to sleep? Are you just eating more calories than your body needs? Do you know that you need to exercise, but aren't you doing it? Are you lazy when you have the right thing to do and don't do it? Don't you fall into temptation even though you know it's something you shouldn't do? Aren't you supposed to be selfish, but not selfish? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then you are a human being like me. We all need recovery.
The cause of my problem is my sin nature.
The Bible says that sinful nature is what leads us to do things we don't want to do. My sinful nature puts me in all sorts of trouble. We drink what is not good for us. I do it even though I know it's destructive. They don't eat things that are good for their body, they eat things that are harmful to their body. When you're hurt, you don't choose the right way to restore the relationship when you've been hurt, but you react in the wrong way, which only nurtures and aggravates the wound. They react to people the wrong way even though they know they shouldn't. When you do that, you react in the wrong way, even though you know the outcome will be bad, and you get a backlash. I try to solve the problem in my own way, but rather amplify the problem. Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it is the way of death.”
We live our lives with this sinful nature, the desire to do wrong. This sinful nature does not disappear until we go to heaven. Even after becoming Christians, the desire to mislead us still remains. Because Paul knew this, in Romans 7:15-17, Paul said, “I do not know what I am doing, that is, I do not do what I want, but I do what I hate. I am not the doer, but sin that dwells in me.”
The first principle of recovery is to determine the cause of this problem. Why is this happening in my life? First you need to know the cause and effect of this problem, and then you need to find a solution to the problem.
What are the causes of our problems? The most fundamental cause of all problems lies in trying to become God by ourselves.
We try to decide for ourselves what is moving and what is wrong. The standard by which you evaluate your value is yourself. “I won’t listen to anyone else. I make the decision, I will do what I want, I don't want to be redeemed anymore, no one can command me to do this or that.” This is the attitude of self-becoming God. It means you want to rule everything. It is one of the oldest natures of man to try to act like God. Adam and Eve stumbled because of this very problem. God allowed them to live in the Garden of Eden, but they tried to take control of it. God said, “From every tree of the garden you shall eat with your own accord, but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you will surely die” (Genesis 2:16,17).
But what did they do? It was the tree, the only object that God forbade in the Garden of Eden. Satan tempted them, saying, “In the day you eat of it, your eyes will be opened and you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5).
Adam and Eve were attracted to Satan's words that you too could become like God. I thought that if I became God, I could know everything and I could do everything. The fundamental problem was that I wanted to become God and live according to my will without being controlled by anyone. He did not acknowledge his limitations and wanted to have absolute power like God. This is human. It is human nature to not want to be under someone's authority. It's human nature to want to do more of what you're told not to.
What is the result when sin reigns?
First comes fear and shame.
“I hid myself because I was naked” (Genesis 3:10). They hid behind a tree. They saw their shame before God. They also found out about their nakedness. Their eyes were opened and they saw more of their shame. When sinless, they had no shame in each other, and they were beautiful just the way they were. But when sin entered, they could not see each other. God let them see with the eyes of grace, but now they see with shame.
Sin separates us from God. Fear of God makes them flee and hide.
You can be healed when you lay all your faults out to God, admit them, and admit that you are powerless. Then you can be free.
Ex) A story of a person I met at an outlet
The story of a evangelist that I liked when I was young, but I didn't want to show my darkened self, so in the end, I hated the evangelist I liked and left the church.
Second, transfer responsibility.
Adam blames Eve. “The woman God gave me to be with me, and she gave me from that tree, and I ate it.” This is human stubbornness.
Eve shifted the blame to the serpent. Adam blamed Eve. Eve shifted the blame to Satan. No one said it was their responsibility. Humans make excuses in the face of sin. trying to avoid. Because they fear the consequences of sin. So, they are surrounded by lies.
That's human. Humans are fundamentally irresponsible beings. Jesus Christ died and took responsibility for this very sin.
What is the first step to recovery?
1) Acknowledge your helplessness.
You have to admit your weaknesses. It is a difficult problem for an independent and strong ego person. You have to admit that you can't solve it on your own. We need others and we need God.
1) Acknowledge your inability to change the past
The wounds of the past are still painful and cannot be erased from the memory, but no matter how much resentment, the past cannot be undone. I have no power to change my past. God said that I am the LORD who blots out your sins God said he doesn't even remember. Our sins have already been nailed to the cross.
2) Acknowledge your inability to control others.
We try to manipulate or control others. Think of a man who came into the house drunk. Have the whole family sit down and give a long speech or freeze. You have an instinct to control others and get them to behave your way. But we have no power to control others. It is the true ability to move and inspire others.
3) Admit that I am not capable of overcoming my actions and habits on my own!
Changes in habits and behavior cannot be made with determination and willpower alone. In the hymn, he said, "When I rely on my own strength, I can only be defeated." I have to admit and admit that I can't do it by my own strength, by my own efforts, or by my own will. We will never change until we acknowledge that.
conclusion
“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Grace is the power to change me. God's grace is absolutely necessary for us to overcome the wounds, psychological obstacles, and confusion within us. It is said that God gives grace to the humble. ‘I have a problem. I am lacking. First admit, “I have a wound.” Confess This is to humble yourself. I am not whole. If you do, others will be tolerant of you. When we say we are perfect, we tend to judge and condemn others. Psalm 75 tells us not to be proud. It is said that God will exalt you when the time is right.
See Isaiah 57:18,19. “I have seen the way, and I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him and to those who mourn,” says the LORD, who produces the fruit of lips. Peace be with them both far off and near. Behold, I will heal him.”
You say you will fix it. He promises to guide him and bring comfort to those who mourn. He says there will be peace to those who are far and those who are near. You promise to fix it.