THE BEST WAY TO FINISH 2025
POWER POINT: Some things in life, you must stop before you start something else.
Text: Hebrews 12:1-3 (NLT)
Q: Are you the kind of Christian that you want to be?
Q-Is God pleased with your life?
- Stewardship is an INSIDE JOB, before it is an OUTSIDE JOB.
Hebrews 12:1
TO LIVE A BETTER WAY, THERE ARE SOME THINGS YOU HAVE TO STOP……
1. YOU HAVE TO PRAY TO FORGET BAD MEMORIES. Philippians 3:13-15
AMP: Phil. 3:15 – “All of us who are mature [pursuing spiritual perfection] should have this attitude. And if in any respect you have a different attitude, that too God will make clear to you.”
Recognizing the voice of the Holy Spirit is a BETTER WAY TO LIVE.
Paul is telling us…I haven’t done much right, but one thing I have done right is…
“I forget what is behind me.” These things are not at the forefront of my mind. I don’t think about it all the time.
-You will never possess the best God has for you, holding onto the pain of your pain, the shame of your past, or the problems of your past…
2. YOU HAVE TO FORGIVE YOURSELF.
Misplaced Guilt happens to most of us at some time in our lives. It is a reaction in which one accepts blame for an event that was beyond one’s control.
Carrying feelings of misplaced guilt can cause depression and anxiety.
Some people BURY their guilt. – t creates a festering heart and a festering spirit.
Some people MINIMIZE their guilt. You can’t minimize guilt, nor can you minimize wrongdoing.
Some people RATIONALIZE their guilt- Our model is Christ Jesus crucified.
Some people will MEDICATE their guilt – Anything that is a substitute for God, anything that is a substitute for Jesus or the Holy Spirit in your life will ultimately cause you to have a false sense of relief.
FORGIVENESS FROM GOD IS GRACE.
FORGIVENESS FOR OTHERS AND FROM OTHERS IS CHARITY.
FORGIVENESS FROM SELF IS WISDOM.
We must choose to live in the present rather than the past.
Let go of bad experiences, forgive others, and forgive yourself.=
3. YOU HAVE TO FORGIVE OTHER PEOPLE.
I have observed that many allow anger to take root in their hearts. Down the road, 12 months, 36 months, even 5-7 years later, they are still talking about it.
Ephesians 4:30; Prov. 24:17-18
POWER POINT: I will accept you as you are, but I will believe God that by His Grace you will change, and I will push you to change as the Holy Spirit directs.
You cannot walk in the anointing when you grieve the very spirit that anoints you.
Grieving the Holy Spirit hinders and limits one’s ability to be encouraged by the Holy Spirit because you won’t forgive someone.
You will imprison your soul and limit your life, your relationships, and your ministry by harboring unforgiveness.
To a greater extent, our nation has embraced unforgiveness as a way of life; to a lesser extent, the church has embraced unforgiveness as a cultural part of how we do relationships.
You will not get people out of your mind unless you forgive them from your heart.
RULE #1- TRUST GOD, TREAT PEOPLE LIKE YOU WANT TO BE TREATED.
If we forgive people, we are oblivious to what they did; they are not on my mind. This means we are not discussing them.
4. YOU HAVE TO FINISH THE CLASS. Romans 5:5
Once bitterness roots in your heart, it will destroy ANY HOPE LEFT INSIDE OF YOU.
RULE #2- FORGIVE AND DON’T TALK ABOUT IT. If you never deal with bad memories, if you never deal with forgiving others, if you never deal with forgiving yourself, you will never finish the class, and you will grieve the HOLY SPIRIT.
Philippians 2:5; Hebrews 5:36