Luke 22: 31-34, 47-62

John 18: 10 confirms that it was Peter who chopped the guys ear off. 

Here is the 22^nd chapter of the book of Luke I believe we can learn a very valuable lesson.  The reason we can learn a valuable lesson from our text is because Peter is one we can all identify with.  We all know about Peter.  He was the most vocal of the 12 disciples.  This helps us relate to him because we often get to hear exactly how he processed information. 

In Peter’s spoken words we see both the best and worst of humanity.  Peter is both weak and strong.  He at times was vengeful, while at other times he was merciful.  Sometimes he was full of pride, while at other times he was humble.  If we look closely enough at Peter we will find that there is some of him in all of us. 

Peter knew what it was like to fail God miserably.  Let’s get real today:  How many of you sitting here today would say that there have been times in your life that you failed God miserably?  How many of you can say that you have failed God since you got saved?  Every hand in the building should have gone up between the two questions.  We have all failed God.  Not only have we failed God, but some of us today may have failed ourselves or our families.

Every person on the planet has this in common:

Romans 3: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. 

Do you realize that although there are winners at the Olympic Games every four years, 90% of the best athletes in the world do not win a medal?  Like them, many of us try, but it seems that we are never able to win.

What are some examples?

The sense of failure is never far from the surface.  How many of you know what I am talking about today? 

For some of you, maybe you have messed up terribly.  You made a huge mistake.  You committed a sin that you totally regret.  The result of your mistake has allowed Satan the opportunity to beat you down over that thing.

The thing we must understand and never forget is the fact that we can love God with all of our heart and have the best intentions in all of the world and we can sometimes still make a mess out of things.  Let’s get real.  Nobody is perfect.

Verse 31 And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon!  Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat.

First of all anytime Jesus said something back to back it means you need to pay attention.  Often times he would say truly, truly or verily, verily.  In other words, listen to what I am about to say.  He was actually saying “pay attention Peter” because what I am about to tell you is going to help you later on.  Satan has not asked a couple of times, but repeatedly he has come before Me wanting to destroy you.

Satan is persistent because he understands the magnitude and potential of every person. 

1 Peter 5: 8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

We have three distinct enemies: the Devil, the world, and the flesh.  The devil’s ultimate agenda is to destroy us.   

He desires to sift you like wheat.  This actually means that Satan tries to show God that you are not the real deal.  The chaff is the worthless part of the grain.  One meaning of the word sift is to trick.  We all know that Satan is a liar and most of what he tries to do to us involves trickery and deception. 

He has deceived many into believing they have done too many terrible things to be used by God.  They feel worthless.

Verse 32: But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.”

I believe that some folks need to understand that things may look real bad in your life.  Your marriage may be a mess.  Your finances may be a mess.  Your body may be a mess.  Your children may be a mess.  You might have even done something that you totally regret, but I got some good news for all of you.

Jesus has prayed specifically for you.  Jesus knows exactly what you are facing and he is interested in your situation. 

Notice that Jesus did not say that I have prayed that you fail not, but He said something that most of you have probably read over a thousand times.  He said I have prayed that your faith fail not.  Many people are losing hope and have lost hope because they do not understand this verse. 

What is this text saying?  Jesus Himself knew you were going to fail.  This is what Easter is all about.  The reason Jesus came is because He knew we could not live this out on our own.  He knew you would make a mess of things.  He told Peter I pray that your faith fail not. 

There is a big difference between you failing and your faith failing.  If we do not understand this when we do fail we will allow our faith also to fail because we will feel like we have blown it.  I refuse to sit back and allow the devil to steal my faith.  I will get back up no matter how bad it is. 

When – when is a big word.  I believe there is going to be a when for some people today.  I am going to take your failure Peter after you have turned again and I am going to use it to strengthen and establish your brothers.  We know now that Jesus did not pray that Peter fail not, but we see from this verse that Jesus actually predicted that Peter would fail Him. 

That is why He said when because God has a way of taking our mistakes and using them to propel us into our destiny.  The very thing today that might have you holding your head in the sand may be the very thing that God wants to use to bring you into another level.

Verse 33 But he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you, both to prison and to death.

Jesus has in so many words explained to Peter that he would mess up, and Peter did not like the fact that Jesus was saying he would mess up.  So Peter in his self-

reliance says if it means prison I’m ready, if it means death I’m ready.  No matter what I am ready to go with you.

Self-reliance = self-righteousness

Many people have this problem.  The bible says to the person who thinks he stands: take heed lest you fall.  Pride comes before the destruction. 

Verse 34 Then He said, “I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me.

Peter did not get the message so Jesus just prophecies exactly how Peter would fail.  He said you will not fail me once, or twice Peter, but you will fail me 3 times.

Some of you think that your mistakes are a surprise to God.  You think God is shocked by some of the things that you have done.  God may be disappointed, but He is not surprised.  God knows you better than you know yourself. 

Some people go around bragging about how they know God or how they found God, but we need to brag because He knows us.  The bible says that we have not chosen God, but He has chosen us.  We are still trying to know God, but He already knows us. 

God is committed to us in spite of all our mess.  Some people say God loves you just the way you are.  This isn’t true.  If this was true He would not have sent Jesus so that our lives could be changed.  The truth is not that God loves us just the way we are because some of us are messed up.  The truth is that God loves us in spite of the way we are.

After Jesus had this conversation with Peter he then gives the disciples some instructions and then he enters the Garden of Gethsemene where his sweat became great drops of blood.  This brings us up to verse 48 where Judas has brought a crowd to carry Jesus away to be crucified. 

Before we go any further we have to be careful not to be too hard on Simon Peter.  The story here of the arrest of Jesus shows that he was a man of great courage.

Verse 50 And one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. 

When the authorities came to arrest Jesus it was Peter alone who grabbed a sword to defend Jesus.  Not only did he display courage, but he also managed to cut off the right ear of the High Priest’s servant.  You cannot tell me that Peter was not ready to die for Jesus at that very moment.  At this point in Peter’s life he would have done anything for Christ.  He would have given up anything for Christ at this point in his life. 

So the story continues; Jesus heals the right ear of the servant and then He is arrested.

Verse 54 Having arrested Him, they led Him and brought Him into the high priest’s house.  But Peter followed at a distance. 

He followed at a distance.  Taking the sword and defending Jesus took courage, but this also took courage.  A lot of the other disciples probably fled and went to where they could not be found and arrested because of their affiliation with Jesus, but Peter followed at a distance.  He may have been at a distance, but he was still there.

Verse 55 Now when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. 

He also manages to worm his way into the courtyard area of the place where Jesus is being held (the courtyard of the high priest).  This was the most dangerous place Peter could have been at this point in time because there were soldiers all around and he could have been easily identified.

Verse 56-60 And a  servant girl, seeing him as he sat by the fire, looked intently at him and said, “this man was also with Him.”  But he denied Him, saying, “Woman, I do not know Him.”  And after a little while another saw him and said, “you also are of them.”  But Peter said, “Man, I am not!”  then after about an hour had passed, another confidently affirmed, saying, “surely this fellow also was with Him, for he is a Galilean.”  But Peter said, “man, I do not know what you are saying!”  Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.

The 3^rd and final denial of Peter was in response to a man who could tell that Peter was a Galilean just like Jesus.

Matthew 26: 73 And a little later those who stood by came up and said to Peter, “Surely you also are one of them, for your speech betrays you.” 

The bible says that it was his accent that gave him away.

We have talked about Peter’s story and we should be encouraged by it because if we have read past the 4 gospels we know that he learns from his failure and that is what I want to focus on for the next few minutes. 

The reason I want to change our focus is because the question is not will we fail or not, but the question is what do we do with failure.

I Chronicles 4: 9-10 Now Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bore him in pain.  And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, “Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that you would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain.  So God granted him what he rquested.

In this prayer that Jabez prayed he requested 5 things.  1.  He requested for God to bless him.  2.  He requested that God would enlarge his territory.  3.  He requested that God’s hand would be upon him.  4.  He requested that God would keep him from evil.  5.  He also requested that God would keep him from grief. 

This was in reality a prayer of enlargement.  How many believe in the prayer of enlargement.  He was asking God to make him a leader.  He wanted all limitations and boundaries to be removed.

Jabez’s name means sorrowful!  All of his life he was labeled as someone who was sorrowful.  He was labeled as someone who was limited.  He was labeled as someone who caused pain or who had experienced pain.  But right here in I Chronicles chapter # 4 for no specific reason we find this prayer of enlargement from Jabez because he did not want to live his life limited.  You have to want to be enlarged!

God wants to place within each of us the capacity to do more than what we are doing.  I believe that the church is called to reproduce leaders.  We need to understand that leaders are born, but they are also trained and developed.  Part of the churches job is to train and develop kingdom minded leaders.  

Enlargement demands leadership.  Whenever you increase you must learn to lead.  You have to lead in your house, on your job, in your business, as an usher, as a worship leader, as a greeter, as an interest group leader, etc……Enlargement demands leadership.

The mentality of the church is usually to sit outside of leadership and complain about the world.  God has not called us to sit outside of leadership and complain, but he has called us to be kingdom leaders so that we can change the culture around us.  We cannot allow the culture to define who we are.  The church is not simply a sub-culture, but we are a counter-culture.  We cannot relegate leadership to republicans and democrats.  We are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.  We are the city that is set on a hill that cannot be hid.

Enlargement demands leadership!  If we want to grow beyond where we are there must be an emerging of leaders within the church.  I believe when people prepare themselves to lead the favor of God comes on their life.  This is where we are.  We are preparing ourselves to lead on a higher level. 

What does it mean to be a leader in the kingdom of God?  How many of you realize that Jesus has set you free?  Freedom presents you with opportunities.  Christ has set you free!  You must be ready for these opportunities.  Serving God gives you opportunities.  Religion says if you serve God you are limited.  If you serve the devil you have options.  The devil is a liar.  

The bible says that in my father’s house there are many mansions (rooms, dwelling places).  The bible says that God has given us keys to the kingdom of heaven.  Keys unlock doors.  Keys speak of authority.  In the kingdom of God you determine how much territory you possess.  In kingdom, you determine how much you will be enlarged.  In kingdom you determine what room you live in.  In other words, when you serve God you are given options.  God, increase our capacity! 

People in poverty have fewer options than those who are living in prosperity.

People that are sick have fewer options than those who are healthy.

People that are in bondage have fewer options than those who are free.

When the Spirit of the Lord sets you free he hands you a life of options.  Abraham, look to the north, south, east, and west because this is what I am going to give to you.  Joshua, I will give you every place that the soles of your feet touch.  In other words, you determine how much I give you.  

How would you like to come to a place in God where it did not matter what direction you took?  God just simply said it is all yours anyway.  It is up to you.  Every place that the soles of your feet touch is yours. 

Before a person commits suicide they have to come to a place in their life where they believe that they have no options.  Change begins when you have options.  You lose hope when you allow the devil to convince you that all decisions have already been made.

This prayer that Jabez prayed was a prayer of enlargement.  Jabez was simply getting prepared for what God was going to do in his life.  This prayer of enlargement is not a self-centered prayer.  This prayer is for mature people who have a vision that is bigger than they are.

In the natural realm we see franchises that have a vision that is bigger than where they are.  KFC and McDonald’s both are all over the world.  They understood that if people like our chicken and our Big Mac’s here then they will like them everywhere.  They did not sit on success.  Both of these restaurants got their system down.  Someone had a global vision.  They understood that if it works at home then export it.  Home is the training ground.  In other words, lead where you are.  Do it well where you are then take it to other places! 

Leadership and Enlargement demand focus.  You cannot do anything significant yourself.  When your life is small you can do it all.  When your life is enlarged you cannot do everything.  You must become focused.  You must become specialized.  Anything that you lead whether it is a home, job, or business will feed off of your faith.  Your faith keeps whatever you are leading alive.  You cannot give your faith and energy to everything.

There are other people that can do the other things so that you can do the thing that God has called you to do.  In other words, don’t try to make all of your weaknesses strengths, but simply develop what you are good at.  God puts the mantle on you, not on the thing that you do.  No one can do what you do.  You don’t have to worry about somebody taking your spot.  They can take your recipe, but they cannot bake your cake.  The mantle is on you.  Folks can assist you, but you must wear the mantle and do what God has called you to do.  

When churches back out of leadership someone else steps in.  When churches back out the culture steps in.  In other words, we need to be focused and specialized, but we also need to be diversified.   Other people can help you do what God has put in you.

10 Characteristics of a Kingdom Leader

1.       Visionary.  Kingdom leaders are visionaries.  They are propelled by their dreams.  They see God’s desire and design.  Where there is no vision the people perish.  If all you want to do is work all week so that you can go to the buffet on Sunday then you have already arrived at your destiny.  Energy is wasted on you.  Intelligence is wasted on you.  You don’t need anything to do that.  People of vision see opportunities while others see reasons to fail.  If you are looking for reason to fail you will find it quickly.  You have to learn to see challenges as opportunities and not obstacles.  Some people do not want to see you blessed.  If God says you are going up, then up is where you are going and it does not matter what those around you say.  You have to decide that you will not quit at the estimation of someone else.  I will encourage myself in the Lord.  I will have a vision.

2.       Innovative.  Kingdom Leaders are always looking for a new way, a new design, and new productivity.  Kingdom Leaders are not emotionally attached to old ways of doing things.  They have to look for a new way.  They are looking for something that is not attached to yesterday.  You have to be willing to look for another way.  At least investigate and see if you are doing it the best way.  Ask the right questions.  When you ask the wrong questions it is impossible to get the right answers.  Entire civilizations change when the right questions are asked.  Back in the old days they used to ask how we get to the water.  We have followed the water and are near water.  Later on the question changed to from how we get to the water to how we get the water to us.  They began to build irrigation systems.  All because one question changed.  Quit asking why me and how come and start asking if they can do it then why can’t I?  Why can’t it happen here?  What do they know that I don’t know?

3.       Integrity.  Kingdom Leaders are people of integrity.  Doing what is right even when no one is looking.  The price tag of commitment will always be challenged.  Your yes has to be yes and your no has to be no.  You cannot prosper and be a kingdom leader with a lack of integrity.  We need to do what we say we will do even if it hurts.  If you said it you need to do it.  Kingdom Leaders live their lives by principle not emotion. 

4.       Optimistic.  See the bright side!  Believe.  Start looking at the reasons why things are possible.  Even if you don’t know how it is possible don’t say that it isn’t because you don’t know.  Do not say that there is no way, but say there is a way, but I’m not sure how God is going to do it.  You don’t know, but there is a way.  For every lock there is a key.  For every giant there is a David.  Start changing your mind.  Refuse to die where you are and see beyond.

5.       Sacrifice.  Kingdom Leaders understand that in order to be successful there will be sacrifice.  It is easy to set and look at someone who is already successful and criticize them.  We criticize others who are successful because it makes us feel better about our own failures.  College Degree.  You weren’t there.  How dare you?  Business Owner.  You weren’t there.  How dare you?  You don’t know what it took to get there.  Kingdom minded people realize that I must give up in order too go up.

6.       Never Give Up.  If you don’t quit you cannot lose.  If you are not winning right now it is not over.  God always plays to until He wins.  If you are not winning it is only half-time.  Man’s life is defined by what he does with discouragement.  You cannot let every little thing cause you to quit.  What separates leaders and achievers from those you are barely holding on is what you do with discouragement.  Sometimes you share your dream with others and they are not as happy as you would like them to be.  Just tell them to come back in a few years when the dream is a reality.  The bible says that a righteous man falls seven times, but gets back up again.

7.       Develop Ability.  Kingdom leaders understand that they must be able to do something.  In other words, you must bring some skills.  Ability is interesting.  Ability is different than giftedness.  A lot of people are gifted, but not able.  Difference between leadership and success is the difference between ability and success. 

The church is one of the few places in the world where people don’t have to be able in order to be in leadership.  That is the way it has been.  It is not true.  The world knows what kind of image it wants to portray.  These car shows normally have beautiful women standing by those cars.  They want you to look in that direction.  They understand what kind of image to portray.  Colgate commercials don’t use someone who only has 2 teeth left, but they use someone who has beautiful teeth.  They don’t use big people when advertising work out equipment.  They use people that look like they don’t need the equipment.  If they used big people you would say it isn’t working for them. 

The church is only place where you don’t have to have certain abilities.  This has been true in the past.  You have to be able.  Your ability can be developed.  You may be gifted, but you must also be able.  There are people who are awesome, but not able.  There are people who are awesome, but broke.  There are people who are awesome, but living under a bridge.  They are gifted, but they are not able.

The local legend that plays everyday on some playground.  Everybody knows that he is awesome and could have been another Michael Jordan, but after the game he gets a 12 pack of beer and gets wasted.  Everybody talks about how awesome he is, but you can’t tell him anything.  He’s in and out of jail.  He’s gifted, but not able. 

Major League Baseball = If you make it as a pitcher in the big leagues you represent less than 1% of those trying to make the big leagues.  It means that you struck everybody out since you were seven years old.  Once you make it to the majors you sign a multi-million dollar contract and the first person you are introduced to is a pitching coach.  They immediately take you to the film room to dissect your game.  They show you everything that you are doing wrong and the things that you need to improve on.  Some people cannot take instruction.  They are gifted, but they are not able. 

Some people are gifted, but have a difficult time functioning in a church structure.  They cannot submit their gift in order to have their ability developed.

8.       Relationships with other People.  Kingdom Leaders must learn to prioritize relationships.  Good things flow through relationships.  You cannot be a leader if everybody dis-likes you.  You cannot get through life without making enemies so stop trying.  You cannot get through life without making friends so start trying.  This does not happen by itself.  You must prioritize relationships.  All relationships are not equal.  Quit acting like everybody is on the same level relationally.  Quit asking people questions just because you bumped into them.  Wait until you find someone who can really answer your question.

9.       God Factor.  Kingdom Leaders prioritize God.  They put God first.  If God be for me then who can be against me.  With God all things are possible.  If God is on my side then it does not matter what people say.  There comes a time in your walk with God that you must believe him for the impossible.  We have to rely on the God Factor with where we are going.  What we are doing is going to take the God Factor. 

10.     Attitude.  Kingdom Leaders understand that attitude is everything.  It is a disposition, opinion, and a mentality.  You will never be happy if your attitude does not find expression.  The reason there are people who serve God, but they are unhappy is because they never change their disposition, their opinion, and their mentality.  It is possible to change your attitude which is your disposition, your opinion, and your mentality.  You can change.  You don’t have to be critical and judgmental all the days of your life. 

It is hard to be happy when you refuse to change.  Some people develop their attitude by the age of 18 and they never change.  If you are a leader you don’t have the luxury of being small minded and only having influence over 4 people (all related to you).  You have got to see world beyond your zip code. Your attitude tells me where you are going.  They want to see people blessed and going up and doing what God has called them to do. 

1. Fear

This is probably the most obvious reason.  We are intimidated when it comes to sharing the gospel.  We are afraid of rejection.  We are afraid that we don’t know the right answers.  Someone may ask a question that I cannot answer.  We are afraid that we may lose a friend.  Fear plays a part in evangelism.  We have all been afraid at times when it comes to sharing Christ. 

Some of us are shy by nature and we allow this to keep us from sharing the gospel.  How may shy folks do I have here today?  You are not alone.  Some of this is natural. 

Paul wrote to a young man by the name of Timothy who was dealing with fear.  He dealt with fear to the point of having stomach ulcers. 

2 Timothy 1:7-8, God did not give us a spirit that makes us afraid but a spirit of power and love and self-control. So do not be ashamed to tell people about our Lord Jesus. (NCV)

God does not give us fear.  Timothy, I know you are afraid, but here is what I want you to understand.  God gave you the power or he ability to do.  God has given us power to be able to share our story.

Then he said this: God has given you love.  The antidote for fear is love.  When you love someone you will press through your fear.  The bible says that perfect love casts out fear.  The issue is how much do we love?  How much do we care?  Most people will say that church people do not care about us.  This is the perception.  Why?  Every time something is shown in the media it is negative.  They show someone who does not show love.  Then everyone who is not a Christian lumps all Christians into this category. 

Here is what I know: None of us would listen to any advice from a person that we think don’t like us.  People will not listen to people who they feel do not like them.  People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. 

God has given us power and love.  Power and love give us self-control. 

2. Lack of Relationships with Non-Christians

The longer we are a Christian the less Christian friends we have.  You could pull out your cell phone and look at your contact list and you would probably find that most of them are Christians.  This is especially true for pastors. 

I thought we were supposed to be separated from the world.  You would have a problem with Jesus. 

Luke 7:34, Look at Him! He is a friend of sinners! (NCV)

He went to their parties and hung out with sinners.  It is the one who is sick that needs the physician.  It is the sinner who needs a Savior.  What do we do?  Christians are supposed to live a separated life, but there is a difference between separation and isolation.  This is a challenge for all of us. 

Here is a question that must be asked: How do I build meaningful, true authentic relationships with people who do not know Jesus?  Not for the purpose of getting them saved, but being a picture of Jesus in their life.  This is not accomplished by pointing fingers or buying a bull horn.  The people Jesus hung out with liked him.  

The mark of holiness is not how many people you make mad.  Jesus was the holiest person who ever lived and sinners liked him.  Sinners were drawn to him. 

This is the exact opposite of what we think.  Tim Keller said if we are going to reach our culture we have to become extremely like our culture and extremely unlike our culture.  We cannot be so different that sinners cannot identify with our life. 

Successful missionaries have to adapt to the culture they are in in order to relate to them.  Jesus became like us to reach us.  Jesus is our mentor and we are his apprentices.  We need to do evangelism like Jesus did.  How can I be separated without being isolated? 

3. Apathy

This is the worst reason.  I got my ticket to heaven.  I don’t care about anyone else.  This is not what Christianity is.  When we became Christians we joined the mission of God.  What is the mission of God?  His mission is to seek and to save that which is lost. 

If there is one thing that pierces the saviors heart with grief it is not the world’s iniquity, but it is the church’s indifference.

Revelation 3:16, You are lukewarm—neither hot, nor cold. (NCV)

You got a lot of stuff, but you are lukewarm.  It almost sounds like he would rather us be lost.  We are too warm to be under conviction.  I don’t want Bethesda to be a church that doesn’t care. 

One thing Jesus didn’t do: here is the minimum requirements necessary to go to heaven.  Jesus said take up your cross and follow me.  Give up some stuff so you can be a part of a greater mission.  Christianity is not a religion, it is a movement.  We have made it a religion of practicing minimum requirements so that we can go to heaven.

Which one of these fits you the most?  Fear, lack of relationships, or apathy?

Over the next several weeks I want you to come with an open mind so that we can start reaching more people. 

 1.  Regret is a world of poor choices and lost opportunities.

Where does regret come from?  Regret comes from the poor decisions we make and the opportunities that we missed in life.  We look at regret and we usually try to defeat it by looking back at the wrong decisions and looking back at the lost opportunities.  We try to attack regret by looking back.  This is not how we are supposed to handle regret. 

The best way to attack regret is to be proactive.  Make a choice to live in the wisdom of God.  Make right decisions.  Take a hold of your God-given opportunities.  This is the best way to live your life free from regret.  Listen to what Job said.  We all know the challenges that Job faced.  Job was successful.  Job was wealthy.  Job had a wonderful family.  Job lost everything including his health. 

Job 27: 6 (The Message) I'm holding fast to my integrity and not loosening my grip--and, believe me, I'll never regret it.

I am holding fast to my integrity.  This is what young people need to do.  In your relationships make right decisions.  Job was saying regardless of how things are going I am still going to make right decisions.  I am still going to serve God. 

The best way to avoid regret is to start now.  In the face of temptation make the right decisions.  When it comes to finances stop looking for shortcuts.  Don’t allow the love of money to lead us down a road of regret.  Start now by making right decisions that will help you avoid being pierced by bitter sorrow.  Use Godly wisdom.  Wisdom is what builds the house. 

Proverbs 2: 10 (NKJV) ¹⁰When wisdom enters your heart, And knowledge is pleasant to your soul, ¹¹Discretion will preserve you; Understanding will keep you,

Discretion will preserve you.  Right choices.  Wise choices.  Good sense.  Discretion will preserve you.  Here is what we must understand.  Godly wisdom helps us make the right choices and take the God-given opportunities that come our way.  God has made us with a free will. 

I am pro-life.  Let me explain.  I believe every fetus is a gift from God that should be celebrated and honored, but I am also pro-choice.  What do I mean by this?  People have to make their own choices.  People then have to live with the choices that they have made, but choices have consequences.  We cannot do anything about the past, but we can make choices that impact our future in a positive way.  I am not going to live my life in regret.  If you want to live a life free of regret keep making right choices. 

 We live in a world filled with regret.  Why did I do that?  People are eaten up with regret.  Why didn’t I take that opportunity when I had the chance.  Regret is a world of poor decisions and lost opportunity.

2. Regret plays with your mind and tortures your soul.

Webster’s dictionary says regret is pain of mind.  It is pain of mind about something that happened in the past that leaves you with a wish that it had been different.  This is what regret does.  It will bring pain.  It will bring torture.  It is a sorrow that pierces your soul.  This is not just an external thing.  This thing gets inside of you and eats you alive.  It gets involved in your emotions.  The devil wants to play with your mind and torture your soul with regret.  There is nothing positive about it.  It becomes a battle in the mind. 

2 Corinthians 10: 4-5 (NKJV) For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, ⁵casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

We have to take certain thoughts captive.  Words that you have spoken.  Decisions that you have made.  We can take thinking captive.  When wrong thinking is not dealt with it has the ability to torment your mind.  This is what regret will do.  Any thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God must be pulled down. 

What is the knowledge of God?  When Christ was crucified we were there.  When He was buried we were there.  When he got up on the third day we were also raised up with Him.  We have been seated in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.  The enemy of our soul is already under our feet.  We are the head and not the tail.  We are the redeemed.  We are heirs with God and joint heirs with Christ.  Everything that God has made available to Christ He has also made available to us.  We are royalty in God’s eyes.  We are sons and daughters.  We are victorious. 

Take the thoughts captive that are trying to bring regret into your life.  Start living for the future.  Stop being ruled and tormented by the past. 

Regret causes you to forget about the good things that you have done.  It causes you to get so focused on the bad things that you have done that you lose sight of the good things that you have done.  Regret causes you to lose perspective on things. 

Let me tell you something about God.  God is gracious.  He is merciful.  It is the goodness of God that leads us to repentance.  He is on our side.  Regret blurs the line between what you can change and what you cannot change.  If there are things that you can fix then go and fix it and move on.  If there are things you have done that you cannot fix then make peace with God and make peace with yourself and move on.  Regret plays with your mind and torments your soul.  This is not God’s will.

Regret paints a picture that is not true.  Regret makes you feel like you cannot move on.  Regret makes us feel like it is too late to move on.  This is a lie from hell.  If you are hearing this message today it is not too late for you to move on.  It is not the will of God for you and I to live in regret.

I will try to blog again next week and give you 3 more keys to regret! 

Pastor Chad

Our revival has been amazing so far!  We started out on Saturday night with a youth service with over 150 students in attendance worshipping God.  The Huntington Band really set an incredible atmosphere for God to move and Evangelist Joel Talley brought a timely and relevant message that impacted the lives of many students.  15 students gave their life to Christ, 3 were baptized in the Holy Ghost and many were set free. 

We have continued to have a great move of god over the last few days with the total number of salvations exceeding 30 people.  God is moving in an incredible way and we believe that over the next 90-120 days that God is going to do a number of miracles for the people of God.  We are trusting God for supernatural financial blessing, healing and deliverance for the people of God.  Join us over the next few months in prayer and allow God to surprise you with a blessing that you don’t have room enough to receive.