True Spirituality - How to Overcome the Evil Aimed at You, Part 1

Is there someone in your life that is you or someone that you love and you just can't get past it. When you're honest, bitter, resentful, and you just don't know how to get unstuck. If so, today's the day. Hang with me.

You get answers to that issue.

Welcome to this Edition of Living on the Edge with the mission of these daily programs is to intentionally disciple Christians, the Bible, thanks for joining us as we near the end of our current series. True spirituality becoming a Romans 12 part series is for all of us were serious self-assessed where we are walking so if you've been challenged to take your relationship with God deeper let others know take a moment after this message, ensure the series with different either through the chipping roadmap by downloading the free MP3s Living on the Edge work for this message. Chips in one of the toughest parts of Romans 12 explaining how to love people don't love you Angela here.

Responding differently is not only a huge challenge that holds the potential for some truly life-changing select airstrip with his message how to overcome the evil aimed as we get started on asking to go to a place that may not really want to go but I'll tell you in advance it be worth it like to lean back just a little bit be reflective and want to answer this question in your mind.

Feel free to even close your eyes for just a moment if it's helpful of all people in your life today that you would say have hurt you the most, who comes to your mind, who's wounded, you who's lied about. You who's walked out on who's taken your money who's gossiped about you, who sexually or physically abused you when you were younger. Who's been ungrateful and humiliated. You in front of a group of people who said things that a Bible study or even church that produced incredible pain and disunity and you were made to be the person who was at fault who's betrayed you got it. I don't mean to pull off the scab.

I don't mean to conjure up things for many of you. Some of these things are pressed down pretty deeply. I want you to follow along and I want to read to you what I think are the most radical words that have ever come out of any person's mouth that is walked on the earth. The familiar to some of you, which is unfortunate because they lose the power so as I read these.

I want you to think about who wanted you, but I think what you think about what it would be like if you were living in an occupied country and your possessions were being taken away from you and you are being rejected by family members. All because you believe that this itinerant preacher was in fact the Messiah, the God man came to save the world and you knew you needed to follow him. As a result of that, everything from the persecution being walked into the Coliseum to be excommunicated from your Jewish family.

This is what Jesus would say to them, and here's what he saying to us. Matthew chapter 5 in the sermon on the Mount you've heard it said love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, and then he gives the reason why that you may be sons of your father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and he sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward you get are not even the tax collectors doing that and if you greet only your brothers what you doing more than others do not even pagans do that D perfect the word is telling us that's our word for mature has the idea of something or someone fulfilling its ultimate design be mature, be perfect, even as your heavenly father is perfect as you pull out your pen and polite your notes. I want you to write something down because you need to really get this it is not hard to be a Romans of Christian get that out of your mind. Some of you think it's really really really hard and you're thinking it's been timing surrendered to God and separate from the world values it is not hard it is impossible right that were now it's impossible because if you don't think it's impossible you'll try to be one and you'll try to be one out of your self effort in your flesh and your energy and your personal discipline and your willpower and the people to get good at it are called Pharisees in Romans 12 was never written to help you in your power my power to have a stronger moral code. It was a profile. It was a picture. It was a snapshot of what happens to a person when they experience the mercy and the grace of Romans chapters 1-234-567-8910 11 it's a faith response noticing your notes. Romans 12 Christians focus on relationships, not rules.

Early's activity doesn't mean there aren't any rules and it doesn't mean as a follower of Christ aren't some religious activities but the focus of any rule or any religious activity is to cultivate my relationship with God in relationship with people. Even my relationship with myself in a healthy healthy way.

In fact, you could summarize Romans 12 Christians their highest aim. Our highest name is love you. When Jesus was asked what's the greatest commandment to member what he said love the Lord your God, how with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind with all your strength and what else and love your neighbor as your self, you know, if you took everything that's in Romans 12 as we do. Just a quick review here is because what happens you know pretty soon you forget what we talked about two through four sessions ago really.

Romans 12 is a snapshot of in my minds eye.

It's the apostle Paul taking the sermon on the Mount and the apostle Paul out of his conversations with the resurrected Christ in Arabia, in Jesus told them to love God love themselves love others in Paul's and very brilliant didactic guy writing to a Roman audience and he knows it's got a get real practical and so he says let me show you what it looks like to love God in everyday life. It means on a certain day at a certain time after you received his grace, and been born spiritually. You say to God, I surrender all, I'm all in. Because that's the spiritual service. God desires and that's what it means to love God and he says there's a competition for that love never the world system that wants to seduce you and tell you to the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, the real significance and real success in world power and real happiness is gonna come they said you have to refuse the love for the world. If any man love the world, the love is not in and then in verses three through 80 talk about loving yourself looking not just in the mirror and saying I'm am fearfully and wonderfully made it looking in the mirror of your soul to the lens of God's word and saying I'm forgiven, I'm adopted. I had the spirit of the living God inside of me. I concealed I have spiritual gifts on the object of his affection. I am in Christ, God the father now looks at me in the same way that he looks at his son Jesus. I am righteous in his eyes. That's a sober self-assessment and yet in a fallen world, and it goes from loving God and not loving the world and loving yourself to the loving the family. The body of Christ radically serving one another, and then finally the talk in the session. What's it look like practically to love your enemies, open your Bibles if you will to Romans chapter 12 he begins to clearly tell us how to respond to the evil aimed at us in verse 14 and verses 14 to 16 is going to give us a positive command. This is how you respond to that person that came to your mind that I started this message with and ask you to think about is gonna say here's how you respond to that person numb to warn you it's gonna sound ridiculous and impossible.

Bless those who persecute you.

Bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn, live in harmony with one another.

Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not be conceited. He's gonna say you need to bless them and that's how many gives a negative command that the temptation when our enemies and people of Curtis. There's a temptation and he's gonna hit it right between our eyes.

Verse 17 do not repay evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everybody. If it is possible as far as it depends on you, live or be at peace with all men do not take revenge, my friends, but leave room for God's wrath for its written it is mine to avenge, I will repay, says the Lord. On the contrary, here's how you to treat that person that is in your mind. If you enemies hungry feeding if she's thirsty, give her a drink. In so doing you will heap burning coals upon their head and that doesn't mean God will blow their brains out will learn a little bit what that really means.

And then there's this supernatural result is there's a saying that when you act the way Jesus acted toward his enemies because Jesus lives in you by his spirit and you do it in the power of his word and authentic community.

He says do not be overcome by evil, and it's an evil world, but he says or something more powerful and evil. Overcome evil with good. Know what I want to do in the remainder of our time is up.

I want to I want to break down very specifically and practically what it looks like to bless those who persecute you. That's the first and positive command command is this, bless them that persecute you. That's what you're called to do in verses 14 to 15 and 16. He's going to give you three specific ways to bless them. The word bless by the way, this is not like you know someone sneezing all bless you. This is not that okay this word literally means to desire the salvation of another person, it means to desire and longing for God's blessing and favor to be upon them. I mean it's like for that enemy that actually their life would work out well, but if they're married their marriage bit deeper if their parents or kids would do well if they have a job to be feminist blessing. That's what you're praying and when it says the people who are cursing you. These are people that are just using curse words at you the idea of this word. Bless those who curse you, it's people who socially ostracize you because of your faith. It's people who verbally humiliate you because of your faith. It's people that in the first century in many places around the world. People who undercut you and actually persecute and want to kill you because your follower of Christ, he saying what I want to do is blossom and there's three components are the first component of blessing others is forgiving them as hard, forgiving them mean it if you if you're to pray for and blessing is for their salvation. If God if you want God to forgive. And guess what, you get a forgiving and you know that little section, sort of, and we call it the Lord's prayer.

Forgive us our sins, just as we forgive others see that the premises going to be in. And this is the key to loving your enemies. You and I have to come to the point where we really grasp how merciful and God has not given us what we deserve and there's part of it where it's a dark place.

You need to go and you kinda need to look at your motives and some things that you've done some stuff that you have begged God, oh God, please, please don't let me get the consequences of that one old can't pick me up and cleanse me in and he has and then what is gonna say is I want you to do for that person. What I've done for you that people get very confused when it comes to forgiveness because they tell me things like well my husband walked out on me.

He's not paying any child support or you know my boss sexually harassed me and I went to HR and you know the kind of glossed over it on this one, and so on.

Living with this and every time he makes some sort of comment I forgiving him that I feel very angry and Bob forgiving him, but so how do you square this forgiveness or one of my folks sexually abused me. I forgiving them.

I think hundred 44 times in the and the phone rings and it's a certain time on Sunday afternoon and I think it's gonna be them to get knots in my stomach and this anger forgiveness has three phases jockeys down please phase number one is a choice to forgive. It's when you it is not emotional. It has nothing to do with your feelings. It is a choice. By the end of our time together many of you will open a section in your Bible, and USAID for gave blank today and you put a date because it's a choice. The second thing is the forgiving process so you forgive and it's forgiving. That's a journey and that journey is where your emotions catch up with the choice that you made because you can forgive, and you do that you say and and and the word means to release or to loose.

In other words, I'm get a take back my desire for them to get paid back and I'm going to release them from that, like God is released it and so I'm not gonna say anything negative about them.

Unlike in which negative for them anymore. I'm gonna release them to God and I'm get a forgive them the way God's forgive me freely and so it's a choice, but then you know when I drop off this kids in the kind of poison the kids against you, and then you get this letter in the mail and you hear about this guy that stole much money from unities vacation Hawaii reread about them in Forbes and you just go for doesn't mean you haven't forgiven no major on the journey and the journey means when you bless, you begin to pray for is the journey to pray for I when I first experiences I got betrayed in a tremendously hurtful painful way and I got stuck and I couldn't get out of it and I had a good friend walk me through this passage and teach me how to do this in as I started to pray in my prayers honestly start out like this.

Dear God give that sucker what he deserves serious heavenly father take him out and as I continue to pray the Holy Spirit was making evident that that was not exactly what blessing was all about them. But you know part of it to is you need to be real with your emotions with God. I think some people think you know God has a sanitized room like I got news he can handle whatever you can bring in what he what he appreciates is authenticity and sometimes is painful in its role read the Psalms and then I got to her own God. Would you just help them see how wrong he is in bringing in him and I had to pray every time I heard something about an anger would come up know.

I've forgiven him, but I got a key processing and euros two or three months later God that you bless his marriage. He he which you and I begin to pray and then I for me. I just decided every Lord's supper. I would never take the Lord's supper until I prayed honestly and from my heart to bless this man in his life, his marriage and his kids, and all I can tell you is that over time, and he moved out of state. He didn't change. I don't believe that I did see this poison in your soul when there's bitterness and you been wounded and is someone wisely said when we refuse to forgive.

It's like we drink poison and think the other person's gonna die. Can I just make a comment because I think there's a lot of confusion about forgiveness and emotions and why don't feel like I forgiving them. Forgive is a choice and then you bless them you pray for them to learn in a minute. You not only pray for them, but you start doing good things for your actual enemies like if they're hungry you feed him with the Thursday and the specific ways that you do good things for people who don't deserve it but I like if you would think about Jesus in the garden. He died to forgive you to forgive me and sometimes we make the singer Jesus loves me this I know. Can I let you in a little secret.

He didn't feel like forgiving you everything that he's in the garden, he's sweating like drops the stress like blood coming out of his pores and is fully God buddies fully man. He didn't die with some ass on his chest like I'm going to the motions as a man, he could die. But as God the son he knew that when he was going to get on that cross your sin and my sin. The sin of all people of all time would be placed upon him he became our sin offering. And when the moment sin came upon him. The father would turn away and for the first time in eternity.

The father and the son will be separated and he would experience that isolation and the price of sin. And as that was coming, let alone getting beaten within an inch of his life. And, let alone being humiliated and stripped naked and a crown of thorns and being public display. We think that's the big deal that's the small stuff and it's horrendous and you member when he prayed. Father let this cup pass you what he saying I don't want to do this. I don't feel like doing this forgiving and loving isn't doing what you feel like it's choosing to give another person what they need the most when they deserve it the least great personal cost and when God says to forgive this person.

All were doing is were stepping in the same path of Jesus and were doing for this person. They don't deserve it. Of course not. Neither did I did you. And so the process of forgiveness is a choice. Second, forgive forgiving is a process and then forgiven is it's done and here's how you know when it's done you can spontaneously rejoice at blessing in their life had been praying this is my first real battle with this. I've had multiple ones sense I guess the older you get more betrayed and difficult things you get in your life but in this particular situation is been about nine months since I went to this betrayal and I was hurt and angry and taken the Lord's supper and I'm praying for the sky every I'm praying for him or my mom can help because of the anger fantasies would come up every time they would answer praying for him and blessing him and and so I was a dry before supposed to speak in a guy thought it would be a positive, and I suppose you so, did you hear about so-and-so this really good thing happen him and I did the good Christian family, all while great in my insides going oh, that stinks. That is so unfair after what he did here and he got blessed over there while still not done.

Two years later. I don't know why source helps me in church two years later I'm in church and a guy walks up the did you hear about so-and-so. I said no sick this this this and this happened in the sky and before I could think before I could process joy. I said that's great.

And I minute I stopped praying for the Lord's supper on what was done was done. Forgive choice forgiving process for you. Motions go up and down as a blessing, pray forgiven stun some of you to get out of prison today. Some of you been pushing this down. That's why you're depressed some of you eat when you're not hungry. Even pushing the stuff down some of you have ulcers and migraines and there's lots of physical causes, but a big part of why our bodies don't work very well and why we do stuff that doesn't make sense and can we set a sanctified quote addictions and not so sanctified, addictions, and a lot of it is rooted in this lack of forgiveness and be willing to release people and you can start that today was 10 to overcome the evil aimed will be right back with his application for this to drink from a series true spirituality becoming a Romans 12 Christian the word Christian means little Christ. So when we put our faith in Jesus we are to look and act like little copies of Jesus. Unfortunately that is not the reputation Christians have in this day and age, so how can we change that will through the series chip teaches us what it means to be a genuine follower of Christ by studying Romans chapter 12 you'll discover God's plan for you and me why we matter the need for genuine community and how we should respond to evil and injustice. So if you're wanting a clear blueprint to becoming a true little Christ. These messages are for you wasn't any time on the trip and remap or@livingontheedge.org website is also where you can learn more about the resources for this series which are discounted for limited time and while you're on our site. Let me encourage you to sign up for the brand-new daily discipleship with chip based on true spirituality for 17 days triple walk with you through Romans 12 and reveal what it means to really follow after Jesus and the ups and downs of everyday life. You can sign up for the study right now and when you do will send you our friend Lance with devotional based on Romans 12 called leave ordinary behind at no cost. Sign up now. While this offer lasts by going to LivingontheEdge.org or calling 8883336003 that's AAA 333-6003 or go to LivingontheEdge.org hapless nurse just tap discipleship. I want to take just a few minutes to talk about something really important and I hope especially for those of you that are regular listeners you will agree God is been using the ministry of Living on the Edge in incredible ways we been growing and reaching folks like never before and you're an important part of that. Your gifts to Living on the Edge make it possible for us to be present in places that without you. We simply couldn't be many of these places are extremely dangerous to proclaim the name of Christ in your gifts make it possible for us to reach people in desperate situations, you know right here in the United States. I can't tell you how many emails and letters I received that somewhere in that letter or email.

It's like I was on my way to the abortion clinic or I was planning to end my life, for I was about to give up on my married your I was giving up on God because of something terrible that happened to me but then I started listing to my drive to work or my neighbor gave me this book or I found your ad or whatever it was God's catalyst to begin a total transformation my life. These things aren't happening because of Chip Ingram or even Living on the Edge there happening because God is working in and through those who by faith respond and obey him. You know we can't do anything alone is because it's not God's plan for any of us.

We are in this together and Living on the Edge as God's ministry is about you and me doing exactly what God calls us to do and so I would ask you first.

Would you really pray for the ministry. And second, would you pray specifically about partnering at a deeper level and partnering with us financially. Do whatever God leads you to do and let me say in advance.

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Your generosity is greatly appreciated. Now here's chip with a final thought about today's message as we wrap up today's program. I understand it is really really heavy and some of you right now are kind of putting up those emotional walls and you don't want to go there because the idea of forgiving someone, even though your intellect says I know it's biblical.

I know it's right.

I know I ought to do it. Your emotions are going no no bug and so here's what I just want to do. I mean I wish we could have a couple coffee.

I wish I could just lean forward right now. Look you now and say look, man, you know, this is killing you and that other person there sleep in her sleep like a baby, their life's going fine. You freely received God's forgiveness. Why did you take this mess and everything you want to see happen this person and want you just say you know what God I bet you can handle this better than me and I'm going to do it right now. I'm going to release my desire for vengeance. I'm gonna release my desire for them getting paid back by me.

And Lord I'm going to give that to you and I'm going to choose to do something that makes no sense. Today I'm gonna write in my Bible literally, or in my journal. I forgave and put their name there and put the date today. It was a choice and I'm going to start. That's right, just start the journey of blessing, then you can pray God's blessing and, if appropriate only if appropriate in some way. You will do something good for them. You may need to do it anonymously because of the relationship but you gonna forgive. You gonna pray and then you can act, and you will be set free because this is the truth in God's going to do a great work in you and that is good and do great work through you and you will be like your heavenly father giving good in response to evil as we close. If you're looking for a way to get more out of chips teaching.

Let me encourage you to download his message notes that this helpful tools available for every program. Ships notes include his outline all of the Scripture references. Lots of fillings to help you remember what you're learning you can download them@livingontheedge.org under the broadcasts tab app listeners just Fill in notes little next time.

This is Dave saying thanks for listening to this Edition of Living on the Edge