Set Free - Lies

 It seems appropriate that we are finishing up our Set Free series on Memorial Day weekend.  A lot of men and women sacrificed and worked hard so that we could be free and this series has shown us that we also need to work hard to experience the freedom God has for us.  But let’s be clear, over and over again what we have heard is that what we need to work hard at is trusting God and leaning into God’s grace and power to experience freedom.  On our own, we only get so far, but with Christ, full freedom is possible.  

I hope that at some point during the last month you heard God speaking to you.  Maybe you heard God say that it is time to stop worrying, or to overcome that thing that has mastered you for years.  Maybe you heard God say that you need to let go of anger and resolve the bitterness that is poisoning your life.  

I also hope that you responded to what God said, and replied, OK God, I’m going to do it.  I am letting this go.  I am going to trust you and step into the freedom that you have for me.  And maybe you actually stopped worrying… for a day.  And then the worry came back.  Or maybe you bought that ice cream at the store and then realized you didn’t need it so threw it out the window on your way home (ok David, really… who does that).  But then when you saw that Turkey Hill ice cream was “buy one get one free”, you bought some more.  Or maybe you forgave someone and gave your anger to God before the sun went down, but then found yourself angry when the sun came up the next day.  

If you are like me, you experienced something like this during this series and when you did, you told yourself, you know what, this is just who I am.  I have tried to change and I can’t.  I want to do better but this is just the best I can do.  We say things like this to ourselves all the time.  We really want to do better, we set out and try to do better, but then we struggle and fail.  With that failure comes guilt and shame and condemnation.  We tell ourselves that we aren’t good enough.  We aren’t faithful enough, and things will never change.  

Today we are going to finish our series by looking at how to overcome lies.  The lies we tell others can literally tie us up so that we can’t experience freedom, but it is the lies we tell ourselves that really hold us hostage.  What lies have you told yourselves that have shaped your life?  What lies have you told yourself that have held you back in school, in relationships, at at work?  Many of those lies are part of one particular lie that we are going to face head on today and that is the lie that says, we aren’t good enough, we aren’t faithful enough, and our lives will never change.  

If we can be set free from this lie then we can find the faith, the strength, and the power to experience the fullness of life God has for us.  If we can overcome this lie then maybe we find the power to face down all the other lies that hold us back.  So let me ask you, what is it that sets us free from a lie?  Truth!  Truth sets us free.  

When I was in junior high school my sister and I got off the bus after school and realized we both had forgotten our house key, so we did what any enterprising young teens would do. We took out the extension ladder and got in through an open second story window.  We then put the ladder back thinking no one would know.  The problem was that we have a Dad who notices when things in the garage are out of place and of course, the ladder was out of place.  When my dad asked my mom who moved the ladder, my mom asked us.  And we lied.  We don’t know.  We didn’t use it.  So my mom decided to go and ask the neighbors if they had seen anyone use the ladder and we knew that we were busted.  I was smart enough to get to my mom before she talked to the neighbor, but we were still grounded.  Not for using the ladder but for lying.  

While we were grounded for a week, we were set free.  We were free from guilt and shame and having to live a lie.  We were free from worrying about what my parents might ask the neighbors about the ladder and when we might be found out.  It was the truth that set us free.  

Jesus said, if you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free.  John 8:32

So it is God’s truth that sets us free from lies, which means it is God’s truth that can set us free from the lie that we can’t change, or that we aren’t good enough, faithful enough, or loved enough.  So here is one truth of God that we need to remember when we think that our lives now are as good as it gets.  Ephesians 2:10, (LT).  For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.  

What I like about this translation is the word masterpiece.  Most other translations use the word workmanship, which is fine, but I like to think of ourselves as a masterpiece.  A masterpiece is something unique.  A masterpiece is one of a kind and priceless.  A masterpiece can’t be improved upon, and if we are a masterpiece created by God, then we are NOT limited by our sin or failure.  We are not limited by our own strength and faithfulness.  

We are also not just what God created us to be in the flesh - we are all God created us to be IN CHRIST.  Which means that we can overcome all things.  It means we can change.  We can grow.  We can do more than we ever thought possible.  We can experience freedom from worry, bitterness and anger.  We can overcome all that seeks to master us because we are a master-piece, created anew in Christ Jesus for the abundant life God has for us.  We have the power of Jesus in us and if Jesus rose from the dead, defeating sin and death, then there is a power working in us that can change us.  

So we overcome the lie of Satan, who accuses us of never being good enough or strong enough or faithful enough, and who daily tells us we can’t overcome our failures, with the truth that we are God’s masterpiece.  We are the work of His hands and are created anew in the image of Jesus.  So we overcome Satan’s lie with God’s truth, and here is a biblical strategy on how to do this 

1. Capture lies.  2 Corinthians 10:5.  We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

God’s word says we are His masterpiece.  That's the truth, so when we tell ourselves that we are mastered by something else and can’t change, that’s a lie.  We have to capture that lie.  We capture that lie by first acknowledging that the thought is there.  We have to face it, own it, and shine a light on it.  We have to be honest and say, yes God I do worry too much.  I don’t want to forgive and am allowing bitterness to take root in my life.  I am mastered by things that aren’t good and I feel helpless to do anything about it.  We have to capture these thoughts and not allow them free reign in our minds and hearts.  We have to take them hostage so they don’t shape our lives.  

It’s important to be honest about what we are thinking because we can’t overcome the lies until we are willing to see that it is a lie that we are allowing to speak to us.  So we capture the lie.  Maybe we write it down so we come face to face with it.  Maybe we share it with someone so that we can get our hands around it.  But capture the lie.  And then we overcome the lie with truth. 

2. Speak the truth.  Proverbs 18:21a The tongue has the power of life and death,

While we might read this and think that this verse is talking about our words to others that can either build them up or tear them down, which is true, this is also talking about our words to us.  What we say to OURSELVES can bring life or death.  If we speak truth to ourselves we will experience life.  If we speak truth to ourselves we experience freedom.  So once we have captured a lie we need to speak to that lie the truth of God.  

Notice that Proverbs 18 specifically says the tongue has the power of life.  So it’s not thinking the truth that brings life.  It’s not believing the truth that can overcome lies and set us free.  It is what we say to ourselves.  It’s our words to ourselves.  There is something important about speaking God’s truth to ourselves.  It’s important that we actually say the words out loud and hear God’s truth.  

So what is God’s truth when it comes to who we are?  What does God think of us?  What does God see in us?  What does God see in you when God looks at you?  Here is just some of God’s truth: 

● I am fearfully and wonderfully made

● I am a child of God

● I am part of the Body of Christ

● I am forgiven

● God has wiped away all my sin

● There is no condemnation of me in Christ Jesus

● God is for me

● I can do all things through Christ

● I am loved by God

● Nothing can separate me from the love of God

We could keep going for the rest of the hour quoting the truth of God we find in scripture, but you get the idea.  These are the truths that can set us free from the lies of Satan.  Once we capture the lie that tells us we simply can’t stop worrying about things, we need to speak to that lie and say out loud, I can do all things through Christ.  When we capture the lie that says I can’t be forgiven for my sin, we need to say out loud, I am forgiven and there is now no condemnation for those who trust in Christ Jesus.  When we think this is all there is and we simply can’t become any more like Jesus, we need to tell ourselves, NO, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in me. I am God’s masterpiece and God has so much more for me.  

We need to speak these truths to ourselves over and over and over again.  I want to invite you to write down 10 things that God says about you.  You can use the 10 we just said together (next steps) or you can find your own ten, but find 10 truths and write them down.  Then every day speak these truths to yourself.  Set a timer, maybe at 10:10 every morning or evening, and speak these 10 truths to yourself.  When you start feeling hopeless and lost, say out loud the 10 truths.  When you have failed and feel trapped in your failure, say these 10 truths out loud.  Our tongues can bring life.  God’s word of truth can overcome the lies we tell ourselves, the lies others say about us, and the lies Satan accuses us of every day.

Capture lies, speak truth, and then 3. don’t quit.  

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  Philippians 3:12-14

The Apostle Paul talks about our faith like a race and if you want to win a race, you have to keep running.  If you want to just finish a race, you have to keep running.  If we are going to be set free from anything and everything that holds us back, we have to keep going.  We can’t give up.  We can’t quit.  We can’t say, this is as far as I can go.  We can’t say, this is all there is.  There is always so much more for us.  God always has so much more for us.  

This Memorial Day weekend we remember and give thanks for people who didn’t quit.  They kept going, at times they kept fighting, at times they kept dreaming, at times they kept trusting, but they always kept going.  If there is a place in your life today where you are ready to give up, to say I can’t go any further, then let me speak some truth to you, you can go one more day.  You can go one more day. YOU CAN GO ONE MORE DAY!

I also believe that God has much more for us as a nation.  After seeing violence so much violence recently, and another school shooting this week, we begin to feel like things can't change.  We start getting numb to the violence and simply accept it as part of life.  But things can change, and our communities can improve, and we need to keep praying for peace, keep working for the wellbeing of our children and youth, and keep asking God to change all of our hearts.  God has so much more for us, for all of us, and we can’t quit.  As a family, a church, a community, a nation, we can’t quit but keep working for God’s peace and blessing and kingdom.  

So we speak one more word of truth.  We capture one more lie.  We go one more day, and the freedom God wants us to experience can be ours.  This is God’s truth, hear it one more time: you are God’s masterpiece.  God has created you anew in Christ Jesus for His purpose and plan. Speak that truth again and again and it will set you free.  

 

Next Steps

Set Free - Lies

What lies have you told yourself that now shape your life?  

What one lie do you wish you could overcome?

Through this Set Free series, how have lies about yourself crept into your thinking?  

1. Capture Lies: Read 2 Corinthians 10:5

● Identify the lie that you need to capture.

● Name the lie.  Write it down. Share it with someone.

● How has this lie held you hostage?

● What would your life look like if you could overcome it?

● How has the lie, I can’t change, held you back?  

2. Speak Truth: Read Proverbs 18:21a

Write down 10 truths that God says about you. Here are some suggestions:

● I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14)

● I am a child of God (1 John 3:1)

● I am part of the Body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27)

● I am forgiven (Ephesians 1:7)

● God has wiped away all my sin (Psalm 103:12)

● There is no condemnation of me in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1)

● God is for me (Romans 8:31)

● I can do all things through Christ (Philippians 4:13)

● I am loved by God (Romans 5:8, John 3:16, 15:13)

● Nothing can separate me from the love of God (Romans 8:37-39)

Speak these truths to yourself daily.  

Speak them when you are ready to give in and give up.

3. Don’t Quit: Read Philippians 3:12-14

● Hear this truth of God: 

○ YOU CAN GO ONE MORE DAY!

○ Pray for peace and healing this Memorial Day.  

Set Free - Anger

In his book undistracted, Bob Goff talks about a friend he made while leading a small group at San Quentin prison.  The man called Bob one day and said, “guess what?  I’m on the other side of the wall!”  Bob was hoping his release didn’t involve a bunch of bed sheets tied together.  The man said no, he had just been unexpectedly released from prison.  Bob was very happy for him and asked what his first thought was when stepped out the doors.  Bob was thinking it would be something profound and life changing, but after a moment the man said, “I have pockets.”

This was not the deep theological response Bob was expecting, but then he realized it was a profound truth and in a moment of clarity Bob said to him, “be really careful what you put in them.”  We all need to be really careful what we put into our pockets because if we put in the wrong things - we can end up in prison.  And no, I am not talking about filling our pockets with money and possessions that don’t belong to us, I’m talking about emotions and behaviors that keep us locked up and living behind walls and bars.  The kind of prison where we are kept from being able to experience the freedom and fullness God wants for us.

This month we have been talking about how to be set free from many things that can hold us back in life.  Pastor David has done a great job talking about how bitterness, worry, and addictions are things that can hold us hostage and derail our lives and families, but they don’t have to.  With faith and trust in God, we can overcome these things and be set free.  Today we want to look at something that far too many of us are filling our pockets with - anger.  

We live in an angry world.  I’m not sure if there is more anger today than in the past, or if we are just hearing more about it because of social media and a 24 hour news cycle, but people are angry.  From Buffalo to Chicago to Los Angeles, we have seen anger turn into violence and shootings.  Anger is leading to unprovoked attacks on innocent pedestrians on the streets and in the subways.  Fast food workers and wait staff are getting yelled at for mistakes and misunderstandings.  Airline passengers are losing control on flights and are having to be duct taped to their seats.  We have seen anger at the Academy Awards and the Supreme Court.  People are angry about inflation, supply chain problems, growing shortages, rising gas prices, and politics.  Everywhere we turn, people are angry, and if we are honest, we feel it too.

Anger is a strong feeling of annoyance, displeasure or hostility.  It’s important to know that anger is a natural and human emotion.  We all get angry.  The 2 questions we need to ask ourselves when we do get angry are these: what are we angry about?  and what will we do with that anger?  

What are we angry about?  If our anger is aimed at an injustice in the world, or the evil that is around us, it can be harnessed for good.  Jesus got angry when He entered God’s temple and saw that the one place set aside for Gentiles to worship and pray had been turned into a market.  The Court of the Gentiles was the only place non-Jewish people could worship God and that was the place set up for people to buy animals for their sacrifices, or exchange money to pay their offerings.  A sacred place set aside for outsiders to worship God had been turned into a mini-mall.  

But it was even worse than that because the business transactions in the market were taking advantage of the poor.  Doves that might have been sold for pennies elsewhere were going for dollars.  Exchange rates for foreign currency were higher in the temple than elsewhere, so the Gentiles were not only being kept out, but the poor were being taken advantage of and all of this made Jesus angry.  Jesus wasn’t angry at individual people because of a personal insult, He was angry because God’s house had been turned into a place of corrupt business practices that kept people away from God.  Jesus got angry at systems of injustice and He used that anger to drive the evil out of the temple.   

Anger at unjust systems can motivate us to work to dismantle them.  When we get angry enough at poverty, world hunger, racism, and the abuse of those who are the most vulnerable in our community, we might start working to change things.  Is our anger helpful or harmful?  Is it aimed at unjust systems or individual people?  Are we angry about how others are being treated or about how we are being treated?  When we are angry we need to ask ourselves, what am I angry about?   

If we are honest, most of the anger we experience is probably not righteous anger aimed at systems of injustice.  It’s personal.  We are angry because we don’t get our way.  We are angry because someone got in our way.  We are angry because we aren’t in control.  We are angry because things are changing and we don’t like it.  We are angry because someone said something about us or offended us in some way.  If our anger is personal or directed at specific people we don’t like or who have harmed us and if it can’t be used for God’s greater purpose, then the Bible is pretty clear about what we are to do with it.  We don’t put it in our pockets!  

We all have pockets and if we fill them with anger, we will find ourselves locked up in our own prison.  The Bible is clear and says, don’t hold on to your anger.  The Apostle Paul said, “in your anger do not sin: do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.”  Ephesians 4:26-27.  

Paul doesn’t say, never be angry.  Anger is a natural, human emotion, but if our anger is not healthy and if it can't be used by God to bring about positive change, then we need to let it go.  Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry.  When Paul says this, he is not just talking to spouses who shouldn’t go to bed mad, although this is good advice for spouses and families.  You shouldn’t go to bed angry, but the reality is that none of us should hold on to anger because if we do, we are giving the devil a foothold in our life.  The word foothold actually means room, like a guest room, so Paul is saying, don’t invite anger into your life because if you do, you are inviting the devil to come and live with you.  If you keep anger in your pocket, you are carrying the devil with you everywhere you go.  

When I was in college, I shared an apartment with a friend from the campus fellowship I was part of.  You would think two Christian friends sharing space wouldn’t create any stress or problems, but it did.  You see, my friend never paid his bills.  Food bills,  phone bills, utility bills, he never paid them.  I did.  At first I did it graciously, but then I got angry and instead of dealing with the anger, I held on to it.  I thought about it all the time.  I had made room for the devil and the anger not only poisoned our friendship but it slowly started to eat away at my own peace of mind.  I was consumed by anger and I was miserable.

When we hold on to anger, even overnight, it starts to hold us captive, so we need to learn to let it go.  So how can we empty our pockets of anger?  Whether it is a small annoyance, or a deep and painful hurt that we have been carrying around for a long time, what steps can we take to let go of our anger and experience freedom?  Let me offer 4 steps.

1. Count to 10.  I know this sounds too simple, but James 1:19 says, My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.  

Being slow to speak can help us keep from getting angry.  If we can count to 10 and allow our annoyance or frustration to subside, we might see the situation differently.  Being slow to speak, or slow to text or tweet or hit reply, gives us time to put things into perspective, maybe see our own role in the problem, and it allows the Holy Spirit to direct our hearts and words and actions.  

If watching the news gets you angry, turn off the TV and count to 10.  Then count to 10 again.  During those 20 seconds of quiet you might gain perspective, hear God’s voice, and let go of what you just heard.  When I was on vacation I didn’t watch any news, but I did check the headlines a few times, and boy was I sorry.  The Supreme Court, politics, shootings, gas prices hitting an all time high, electric prices going up 45%.  I could feel the frustration and anger rising and decided I needed to count to 10 before I got angry.

There has been a lot of talk about Elon Musk buying twitter, and a lot of anger about it all too.  I’m not on twitter so I don’t have any strong feelings about it, but if he does buy it, maybe I’ll suggest he add a 10 second “tweet timer”.  You can hit send, but then there is a 10 second countdown that gives you time to think about it, and then before the tweet actually sends, a voice asks you, are you sure you want to send this?  If we are slow to speak, and if we spend more time listening to others, it can help us keep anger away.  

But this doesn’t mean we never speak and just hold on to our frustration because this can lead to bitterness, so we need to learn to 

2. Talk it out.  I’ll be honest, this is what I didn’t do when I was in college.  I kept all my anger inside instead of being honest about the situation and talking with my friend.  If we can talk about our anger, we can learn to deal with it in healthy ways, and slowly begin to let it go.  

The first time we see anger in the Bible it’s between Cain and Abel.  They both brought an offering to God but for whatever reason, God accepted Abel's offering but not Cain’s.  Instead of talking to his brother to see what he was doing right and why his offering was being accepted, and instead of talking to God to ask why his offering wasn’t being accepted and what he might need to do differently, Cain pocketed his anger and held on to it.  

God even asked Cain, why are you angry?  If you do well will you not be accepted?  God was giving Cain a chance to talk it out.  Talk to me.  Talk to your brother.  Talk about it.  But he didn’t.  Cain held on to that anger and that anger held on to him and it led him to kill his brother.  When we hold on to anger it poisons our hearts and kills relationships, so if we have the chance, we need to talk it out.  

If you aren’t in a place where you can talk about your anger with the person directly, then talk to someone else who can help you.  Talk to a trusted friend.  Talk to a parent or coach or teacher.  Talk to a small group leader or pastor.  Talking it out with someone who loves and cares for you can help you work through it.  

Sometimes the anger and hurt are so deep and so complex that you might need to talk to a counselor.  Pastor David did a great job of reminding us that there is no shame in getting help to work through our feelings, emotions, and the difficult and painful moments of our past.  If you need help, if you need to talk to someone, please reach out.  We have several people at Faith Church who work as counselors, and some of them have made themselves available to help people understand if counseling might be a good option and what kind of counseling is needed.  If you would be interested in talking to one of these people, reach out to Pastor David, Pastor Terry, our Youth Director Jeff Pilger, or me so that we can help out.  This is true with any of the issues we have talked about in this series.  Sometimes addictions, bitterness, and worry need trained people who can help us work through these things.  Please reach out to us if you are looking for help.  

3. Forgive. Certainly forgiveness is needed for us to let go of anger; but forgiveness can be really difficult, because we aren’t called to forgive only after the person who has hurt or offended us has finally come to their senses and asked for forgiveness, we are called to forgive as God has forgiven us.  This is what Paul said to the Ephesians.  Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.  Ephesians 4:32

God was willing to come into our world in the person of Jesus and take on the penalty for our sin so that we could be forgiven, and God did all this long before we ever thought about turning to Him to ask for forgiveness.  By the time we ask God to forgive us, God says, It’s already done.  And that is what God is asking of us.  Can we forgive what has been said and done to us long before the offender may ask for it?  Can we forgive what has been said and done to us even if the offender never asks for it?  

I know it doesn’t seem rational.  I know it doesn’t seem right, but if we aren’t willing to forgive, then God can’t forgive us.  Filling our pockets with anger weighs us down and keeps us from being able to fully experience God’s love and grace.  To fully understand the power of God’s grace and love, we have to learn to forgive.  And it is something we learn.  Forgiveness doesn’t happen in an instant.  Healing and restoration might take time, but if we can let go of our anger, if we can forgive, we can begin to experience the freedom God wants for us.  

4. Stay connected to Jesus.  Jesus said that He is the vine and we are the branches and that if we will remain in Him we will bear good fruit.  Some of this fruit is what we call the fruit of the spirit which is: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.  Galatians 5:22-23

The Bible says love keeps no record of wrongs, so the more we grow in love, the more forgiving we will become.  Patience with others can keep us from getting frustrated and angry.  Kindness and gentleness toward others means we will be slow to anger and quick to listen.  Self-control helps us evaluate our anger and process it so we can overcome it.  The fruit of the spirit leads us away from anger, so we need to allow this fruit to develop and mature in us, and we do this by staying connected to the vine which is Jesus.  

It almost seems too easy, but all the practices that help us stay connected to God can help us overcome anger.  Connecting to God in worship and prayer can shape our hearts and help us let go of anger.  Reading God’s word alone and with others can help us understand how much God loves us and how we are called to love others.  Friendships and serving with other people of faith can help us learn to live in relationship with one another in healthy ways.  Staying connected to Jesus can help us overcome anger.  

If we want to experience God’s freedom and fullness then we have to be careful what we put in our pockets.  Fill your pockets with the fruit of God’s Spirit.  Live your life connected to Jesus and let go of anger.  Don’t hold on to it.  Count to 10, talk it out, forgive others just as God has forgiven you, and stay close to Jesus.  

Next Steps

Set Free From Anger

When was the last time you got angry?  What caused the anger?  Did you hold on to it?  How did you learn to let it go?  

What made Jesus angry:  Read John 2:13-17

● How was this anger “righteous” and not personal?  

● What did Jesus do with His anger?  

● How can this be a model for evaluating our anger?

4 steps to overcoming anger

1. Count to 10: Read James 1:19

● Where do you need to stop and count to 10?

● In what relationships do you need to be “quick to listen”?

2. Talk It Out

● With whom do you need to have a difficult conversation?

● Pray for that person.  

● Pray for the strength and grace to share your feelings.  

● Ask someone to pray for you as you meet.

● If you need to “talk it out” with a counselor, start the process of finding someone this week.  

3. Forgive: Read Ephesians 4:32

● Think of all the ways God has forgiven you.  

● Make a list of these ways and come to terms with the depth of God’s grace in your life.  

4. Stay Connected to Jesus: Read Galatians 5:22-23

● How can the fruit of the spirit keep us from getting angry?

● What fruit do you need to cultivate in your life?

● What is one thing you can do this week to stay connected to Jesus?