Lesson 1 DENIAL
Principle 1: Realize I'm not God. I admit that I am powerless to control my tendency to do the wrong thing and that my life is unmanageable.
"Happy are those who know they are spiritually poor." (Matthew 5:3)
Step 1:We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable.
Step 1:We admitted we were powerless over our addictions and compulsive behaviors, that our lives had become unmanageable.
"I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out." (Romans 7:18)
What are you holding on to? Are we racked with guilt or shame? Do we not realize that these are the feelings that will keep us trapped by our past. We will remain unable to forgive ourselves and remain where we are instead of making positive steps forward. What is the answer? The Bible tells us what we should do when there are things that slow us down or keep us stagnant:
"Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up, and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us." (Hebrews 12:1)
What are you holding on to? Are we racked with guilt or shame? Do we not realize that these are the feelings that will keep us trapped by our past. We will remain unable to forgive ourselves and remain where we are instead of making positive steps forward. What is the answer? The Bible tells us what we should do when there are things that slow us down or keep us stagnant:
"Since we have such a huge crowd of men of faith watching us from the grandstands, let us strip off anything that slows us down or holds us back, and especially those sins that wrap themselves so tightly around our feet and trip us up, and let us run with patience the particular race that God has set before us." (Hebrews 12:1)
2 Points about the verse:
1.) God has a particular race, a unique plan, for each of us. A plan for good, not a life full of dependencies, addictions, and obsessions.
2.) We need to be willing to get rid of all the unnecessary baggage, the past failures, in our lives that keep us stuck
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past" (Isaiah 43:18)
1.) God has a particular race, a unique plan, for each of us. A plan for good, not a life full of dependencies, addictions, and obsessions.
2.) We need to be willing to get rid of all the unnecessary baggage, the past failures, in our lives that keep us stuck
Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past" (Isaiah 43:18)
"The Lord is my Helper and I am not afraid of anything that mere men can do to me." (Hebrews 13:6)
"Where God's love is, there is no fear, because God's perfect love drives out fear" (1 John 4:18)
"Where God's love is, there is no fear, because God's perfect love drives out fear" (1 John 4:18)
ARE YOU WEARING A MASK OF DENIAL?Before you can make progress in your recovery, you need to face your denial. As soon as you remove your mask, your recovery begins -- or begins again!
WHAT IS DENIAL?Denial is defines as a "false system of beliefs that are not based on reality" and a "self-protecting behavior that keeps us from honestly facing the truth."
EFFECTS OF DENIAL
Disables our feelings
Energy lost
Negates growth
Isolates us from God
Alienates us from relationships
Lengthens the pain
Disables our feelings When we repress we freeze our emotions. Understanding and feeling our feelings is freedom True test of freedom is not what am I free to do, but what am I free not to do???
Disables our feelings When we repress we freeze our emotions. Understanding and feeling our feelings is freedom True test of freedom is not what am I free to do, but what am I free not to do???
2 Peter 2:19: “They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity--for a man is a slave to whatever has mastered him.“
Energy lost A side effect of our denial is anxiety, which causes us to waste energy running from our past and worrying about and dreading the future. Change can only occur today
Psalms 146:7-8 “He frees the prisoners, He lifts the burdens from those bent down beneath their loads.”
Negates growth We are as sick as our secrets and we cannot grow in recovery until we are ready to step out of denial into the truth
Psalms 107:13-14 “They cried to the Lord in their troubles, and he rescued them! He led them from their darkness and shadow of death and snapped their chains.”
Isolates us from God God’s light shines on the truth, denial keeps us in the dark
1 John 1:5-7: “God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.”
Alienates us from relationships Denial tells us we are getting away with it. We think no one knows, but do they?????? What is the answer?
Ephesians 4:25: “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are all members of one body and when we lie to each other we are hurting ourselves.”
Lengthens the pain We have the false belief that denial protects us from the pain. In reality, denial allows our pain to fester and grow and turn into guilt and shame.
Jeremiah 30:17: “But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,' declares the Lord, 'because you are called an outcast, Zion
"Know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:32)
STEP OUT OF YOUR DENIAL SO YOU CAN STEP INTO JESUS' UNCONDITIONAL LOVE AND GRACE. THAT IS HOW YOU CAN BEGIN YOUR HEALING JOURNEY OF RECOVERY.
1.) Am I going to let my past failures prevent me from taking this journey?
2.) Am I afraid to change? Or, what are my fears of the future?
I love the Corrie ten Boom quote ..
ReplyDelete"Let God’s promises shine on your problems.”
How do I know when I have "stepped out of denial'?
ReplyDelete