Shane Idleman addresses the critical issue of self-control in a world rife with addiction, emphasizing that true freedom comes from surrendering to God and being filled with the Spirit. He highlights the struggle many face with various addictions, from substance abuse to unhealthy habits, and stresses that these issues can hinder our relationship with God and our ability to worship. Shane encourages listeners to take responsibility for their actions, listen to the right voices, and use overwhelming force against temptations, while also reminding them that self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. He concludes with a call to repentance and a reminder that true hope and fulfillment can only be found in Christ.

The message this morning is one that we probably hear from most people on in regarding the subject I'm going to talk about, where God is dealing with hearts and breaking addictions, breaking bondages. And the title is this, self-control in an addicted world. Self-control in an addicted world. I did cover a little bit of this on a Wednesday night a few weeks ago, but I thought it was very relevant and important, especially going into New Year's. Because you know what the number one New Year's resolution is, right? Other than weight loss, it's, I need to stop you filling the bank. I need to stop this. I need to remove this from my life. And I believe that this topic is so important because of this reason. It will definitely affect our worship, our relationship with the Lord. Because when the flesh is dominating, it's very hard to be filled with the Spirit. It'll affect your worship. The reason a lot of people don't like to worship, and if you were actually bored during worship, especially that worship, there's a good chance the flesh has been dominating. Because anytime the flesh is dominating in your life, you want to feed more of the flesh. You want to go to, maybe a better understanding of this word is, the things of the world. Loving the things of the world. Can you love the things of the world and love God at the same time? Shane, do you have any scriptural support for that? He who loves the world does not love the love of the Father. It's not in him. You cannot serve two masters. So that's my really encouragement to you this morning, is not to beat you up with a lot of scriptures, but to convict you that we can't not be filled with the Spirit and the flesh at the same time. They will oppose each other. And that's why I believe many people, when they give into the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, the pride of life, they don't have God working powerfully in their lives. They've quenched and the Spirit of God. Let me just read some statistics. And before I do that, you might want to know what the definition of addiction is. I think Webster defines it as giving yourself over to a habit and then becoming dependent upon that habit. In biblical terms, it's actually a lot stronger. It can become, addiction can become idolatry. It can become a form of idolatry, putting something before God. Have you ever said, I have to have this? I have to have this. Don't talk to me until I have this. No matter what time I go by a Starbucks, that line is around the corner. Especially in the morning. Beep, beep, beep. I have to have it. I have to have it. Or of course, worse things, right? I have to have this drink or I have to have this pill. I have to have it. So in biblical terms, it's actually a stronghold. It's not just a habit. It's a stronghold. It's something that has a strong hold on your life and it doesn't want to let go. That's why it's so hard. The flesh says, I'm holding on to this, whatever it is, and I don't want to let go. But God wants us to be free of that so we can be filled with the Spirit of God. Did you know that the fruit of the Spirit, the last indication of the fruit of the Spirit is what? Self-control. And sometimes people think that there are different fruits. Well, I'm good. I have goodness and love and peace. But I don't have these other ones. It's actually not a bunch of fruit that you can choose from. The fruit of the Spirit is complete love, joy, peace, contentment, long-suffering, gentleness, pain, gentleness. There we go. You know what it is. First Corinthians, gentleness, kindness, self-control. And they all go together, don't they? Because when self is controlling me, I'm not very loving. I'm not very patient. I'm not long-suffering. I'm not gentle. I'm mean. I'm angry. Most people are mean and angry because self is controlling them. So somebody being filled with the Spirit of God, a byproduct is self-control. It doesn't say perfect self-control or we would all fall off in this area. But when you fall off, you get back on. You say, Lord, help me. And you submit that area to Christ. So it's a byproduct of being a Spirit-filled believer is to tell the flesh no, to control the flesh. I know this is hard to believe, but as believers, we are called to discipline the flesh. You can tell the flesh no. You ever hear that from people? I just couldn't say no. I just can't stop. But as a believer, I believe as a believer, we can do that. Yes, it's difficult. Yes, it's challenging. But greater is he that's in you than he that's in the world. Now, the context of that scripture I just quoted is, and John is talking about false prophets and being able to discern what Spirit is of God, what Spirit is of a false prophet. I'll be talking about that in March, I'm sorry, mid- January and hope maybe into March. It's just a quick four-week study. But let me just read some statistics that you have in front of you. There are an estimated 15 million alcoholics and 10 million drug addicts in this country. 40 percent, listen to this, 40 percent of all family problems brought to domestic court are alcohol related. 40 percent in the courthouse that are domestic related. Over 150,000 teens use cocaine. 500,000 use marijuana once or more per week. And half a million junior and senior high students are weekly binge drinkers. And an estimated 10 to 15 million teens need treatment for abuse each year. Well, Shane, that doesn't really relate to me. Well, don't worry, I'm still going on this list. I'm getting there. Five to 10 million people are addicted to prescription drugs. Now, personally, I don't know where they get these numbers because most people aren't honest about their addiction. So I would conservatively add quite a bit to these numbers. 40 to 80 million, 40 to 80 million Americans. I don't even know, what is our population now, 350 million? Are we talking 25, 30 percent of our population suffer from compulsive overeating? And 5 to 15 percent will die from its consequences in any given year. There are an estimated 2.5 million pathological gamblers and another 3 million compulsive gamblers in the United States. It's a 500 billion dollar a year industry and the suicide rate for this population is 20 times higher, 20 times higher than any other people group that struggle with something. To me, these are serious issues. Why is that so high? Because, fortunately, I've never, you know, dealt with this. I'm not going to give somebody money and just hope it works out. But gambling is huge and you begin to lose things. You begin to go thinking, I'll bet on that and lose that. And if I could just borrow some money and then now that's gone and maybe take a note out on my house and maybe the devil let you win a few hands. Bullet roulette ball, landed on black, I knew it. Try it again. It's going to be red every single time until he gets what he wants. And you begin to lose everything, your marriage, your family, your job, your house. You say, I just can't quit. So what happens? Suicide is the only way out for many people that don't have a relationship with the Lord. There are currently 300 million, catch this, 300 million pornographic websites. Websites. I've got to check this. I'm thinking 3 million. I mean, what is going on here? 300 million. Because people scream, give me more. What do they give you? More, more, more. This is alarming too. 30%, 30% of minors, think about all the kids in our church, all the kids you know, 30% of them have admitted or have agreed to meet someone they know only through the internet. And I didn't want to get too convicting on these last points for those of us who have kids, but the newest addiction now that they are concerned about is what? Little five-year-olds, give me that phone. Like there's a demon in them, in their eyes. Give me that phone. And they walk around like zombies. Give me that phone. Give me that iPad. Give me YouTube. I have to watch something. They are addicted at a very young age. And they're saying that addiction only increases as they get older. What you're instilling in them now at 15 will have huge ramifications because little five-year-olds who couldn't put that down at five is not going to give it up at 15 when pornography begins to grab them and gambling online begins to grab them and bowling, all these things begin to grab them. It is an addiction that is weaving its way through our families. Now, I know it's hard. I came in sometimes, take the phone and be quiet. Oh, I need some sleep. I need some peace. I need to get things done. But you can't regulate it. Your Wi-Fi has an off button. It's off. Mom, the internet's not working. I think it's a power outage this week. Let's, God forbid, let's go outside and play. I mean, I would go outside and climb trees and make stick forts and stuff. And then Antari came along. I'm dating myself, I know. So here's the hope, though, folks. There's hope. There's always hope. And I was reading this week, and it gave me some encouragement I wanted to give to you, that when David defeated Goliath, we have to remember that Goliath still had relatives. Some say he had brothers. Some say he had sons. But those relatives of Goliath eventually came and went out David again and almost got him when he was wore down. Another man had to come and kill this giant. And there are things in your life that the enemy will throw at you. You might conquer it. You might overcome it. But it's coming. It might come back. And you'll say, I dealt with this years ago. I thought I did. What happened? What's wrong with me? Welcome to the battle. Welcome to the warfare. If it's a struggle in your life, the enemy's often going to come back and look for that again. The same point of entrance that he had on you, he's going to come back and try it again. I remember when the enemy tempted Jesus, the Bible says that he waited. He withdrew his temptation, and he was going to wait for an opportune time. Waiting. So be encouraged in that, knowing, yes, you've defeated Goliath before, but he might come again. And it might have to fight the battle again. And the reason I'm telling you that is because we become discouraged. And we say, what is wrong with me? As a Christian, I thought I've overcame this. I'm not giving you permission to run back to something, right? But I'm telling you, I thought I overcame this. What's happening here? I must be losing my faith. I must be losing my mind. God must not love me. What's going on? No, it's the attack of the enemy. He's using the same thing. And what he uses against you, he might not use against me, correct? What he uses against me, he might not use against you. We all have areas where he knows the opportune times. And he will use those. And you have to know yourself. We need self-control in an addicted world. Now, here's the challenge. It's a balancing act, because I don't want anybody leaving here thinking, oh, if I could just white-knuckle it. I'll just say no and grin and bear it. I'll just apply willpower my whole life. I'll just, you know, you have this kind of this, oh, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. No Chuck E. Cheese. No Cold Stone. No Panda Express. I'm starting my fast. I'm starting my diet. And you just, I'm just going to white-knuckle it. I'm just going to, willpower, that's not the teaching of the Bible. But here's another dangerous side. All right, God, just take it away. I've got to make some serious changes as I'm sitting in the Carl's Jr. drive-through. Or the gambler who said, God, please, please, I'm ruining my family. Take this away. But he's on the 15 freeway heading to Vegas. Lord, I've got to lose weight. Well, Krispy Kreme is not your friend in television set. See, the Bible calls us to make decisions. It says, do this and I will do this. Say no and I will fill you with my spirit. Turn from that wickedness and be filled with the spirit of God. Seek me and you will find me. Turn from that and turn to me. So it's this balancing act that is challenging. But we don't want to put one emphasis over the other. Now, I truly believe God can change a person. And I've prayed, Lord, change people in the prayer room many times and change this area. And by the grace of God, he sometimes just takes it away. Praise God. But there are other times where there's a battle. It's hell trying to get rid of this stronghold. Something has a stronghold in our lives. And usually, it's something that's been repeated and repeated and repeated. And if you could get, you know, into cognitive thinking patterns in the brain and brain chemistry and this, you start to form a habit and it's a stronghold and your body begins to go back to that bondage, back to that stronghold. And I believe that willpower can be overpowered if we always try to fight it and we never flee to God. And remember this, you can't cast out the flesh. So many people say, oh, that demon of gluttony, get out of me. That demon of gluttony, would you get out of me? That demon of alcohol, would you get out? That demon of overeating, that demon of Hershey's chocolate, that demon of the big Thanksgiving dinner, the demon, you get out, get out, get out. No, the flesh can't be cast out. The flesh has to be what? Crucified, subdued, disciplined, restrained. So let me just share a few scriptures with you. Proverbs 23.2. I love how Proverbs just goes right to it. They don't even try to be seeker sensitive. They would never be able to publish books these days. Put a knife to your throat if you're given to gluttony. Another translation says, don't stuff yourself, bridle your appetite. And I share with the first service, this is not an area where I've never struggled. Obviously, I like to eat too much. You know, Thanksgiving dinner, all these little portions, give me a second plate or a third plate, right? One stick of gum, I want the whole pack. One little donut, give me six. You know, it's the flesh wanting more. And a few commentaries that might be helpful are these. Ellicott said, use the strongest methods to keep your appetite in check. The strongest methods. Barnes, and these guys were commentaries, wrote commentaries hundreds of years ago. He said, restrain thy appetite. Eat as if the knife were at thy throat. And the Septuagint. The Septuagint is interesting. It was the Hebrew Old Testament. The Old Testament you have was written in Hebrew, 70. It also has, I think, LXX. It's often called LXX, 70, because they had 70 translators translating it into Greek for the Greek-speaking world. Hundreds and thousands of, I don't know exactly. I'll come back on that one. A long time ago, I believe it was even before Jesus' time, around there, they said this, the reader is encouraged not to attend parties of the wealthy where every temptation imaginable is there. So all of the commentators see this as well. Restrain your appetite. Restrain that appetite, because your flesh says this, always remember this. We think the flesh is our friend, don't we? The flesh says, feed me so I can destroy you. Feed me, feed me, feed me so I can destroy you. This gets me in trouble sometimes, but I've committed to speak the truth in love. It's this. The problem with our healthcare system is not more money. It's what we're doing to our bodies. It's what we're putting in our mouth, and what we're eating, what we're consuming, what we're not doing. That's just the truth, the honest to God truth. For everyone, of course not. I'm not naive. But they want to throw more money at it. That's not the problem. And one of my big, I don't even know what to do with it, but I see when people genuinely need help, assistant living, and also food, food stamps, why can't we get them the best food instead of the garbage? And I tell people, I'll tell you now, they drop off food for our food pantry, please bring healthy things. I don't want to see Captain Crunch in a box, you know, for their kids that are already starving of malnutrition, food coloring, poison, all this stuff, and we're not giving them life. So we're hurting the system by not helping more in this area. And I'm going to talk about this on Saturday. Let me just do a rabbit trail for a minute. When you consume food, you're either taking life-giving food that gives life to the body, or you're consuming dead food from a factory that gives death. There's nothing in a box that's in process, chemicalized, and that can last 10 years, Twinkie lasts 10 years, I have a problem with that. And you're going to consume that, so you're supposed to eat that carrot, that apple that has enzymes, fiber, all the enzymes of digestion, all these things that are wonderful for the body, you eat that, that gives life to the body, that rejuvenates your cell at the microchondria level, the basic element of the cell, it begins to grow and thrive in a healthy environment. You give it junk, and you are going to create some type of disease, some type of inflammation, some type of diabetes, some type of health-related illness. So how is throwing money at a system going to fix it? It has to be fixed from within. Not a lot of amens, I know it hurts a little bit. But that is the truth, that's exactly what's happening. Do you know one of the biggest, there's a lot of rabbit trails on the second service here, the one of the biggest increases right now is type 2 diabetes, you're well aware of that. Do you know why it's called type 2, not type 1? Type 1 is nothing you can do about it, you don't have insulin. Type 2 is it's diet-related. Diet-related, meaning you can get rid of it by changing your diet. Instead of doing that, give me more insulin. Insulin is not a friend to fat loss, insulin is a hormone that does what? Signals the body to take the glucose that was broken down from your food, the sugar, and store that as fat. More insulin, more fat. Glucagon would be the opposite hormone that would help in fat loss. And so these are health, diet-related diseases. Somebody goes to the doctor and they say, oh, high cholesterol, this, okay, let me get you on a statin drug. 30, 40 billion dollar a year industry, the statin drug, that drug tells your liver to stop producing cholesterol. Cholesterol is not the problem, God gave us cholesterol because it has many good functions. The LDL, the high-density lipoids, and the low-DL, low-density lipoids, the balance there is God-given. It's what we're consuming. It's what we're putting in our bodies. That's the problem. So how do you stop this? Self-control in an addicted world. Is it just me or I drive and I'm like, there's a Panda Express, there's an In-N-Out Burger, there's El Pollo Loco, there's a Carl's Jr., where is the organic garden vegetable salad on the corner? You guys, you all need to be here Saturday, because you know it's true. And I know you feel better when you take care of yourself. The reason we don't serve in ministry is because we don't feel good. The reason we can't make it all the time is because we don't feel good. The reason we can't function well in life is because we don't feel good. So instead of running and doing the things that will help us feel better, we run back to the addiction. Isn't it funny how that works? You run back to the bottle, I feel better for two hours, but now I've got two days of hell. So I just took two hours of feeling good for two days of hell. And addiction tricks us. Proverbs 23, do not join with those who drink too much or gorge themselves on meat for drunkards and gluttons become poor. Gluttony basically means to gulp down. Their God is their belly. So he's telling us to stop in this area. 1 Corinthians 9.27, Paul said, I discipline my body. What? Like an athlete. How many of you, I'm wondering, look at the Christian life as you should look at athletics? The Bible always uses examples of athletics, farming, or a soldier. Those are how we're viewed, how the illustrations throughout the Bible. An athlete, a farmer, or a soldier. There's warfare, there's farming, there's planting, there's reaping, there's sowing, but there's also an athlete. Trained. You've got to be in your best condition because it affects how you live spiritually. If you don't believe me, next Sunday, I'm just throwing it out there, I'm not going to do this. I want to have a six-pack before I come up. Let's see if it affects. Let's just try this out. No? Two Xanax? Let's see if I can get through this. I'm tired. What's going on here? Oxy? Vicodin? See, it affects. It affects. I'll even take this further. Six donuts and a venti coffee, I would be your worst nightmare. It's like Christian crack. I just, no, no, no, no, no. Hurry up, hurry up, hurry up, hurry up. Get through this. See, because the flesh, it affects you in a very... Who you are all week is who you are when God calls you to do spiritual things as well. Being an athlete, being prepared. Another translation says, I discipline my body and bring it into subjection. I control my body. and a loose translation says no sloppy living for me I'm staying alert and in top condition when was the last time we looked at the Christian faith as being in top condition here's why we here's a mistake I make and I even hear from pastors and boy it it really makes me mad the reason most pastors don't talk about all this stuff I'm talking about food and them because they themselves are addicted to food and things and it's hard to talk about what you've never been set free from and they said brother we just need to be concentrating on spiritual things I just I can't exercise I have to pray I've got some oceanfront property in Arizona to sell you right George Strait here that's not no that's not true you actually pray better when your body isn't disciplined because disciplining the flesh leads to a disciplined prayer life leads to a disciplined devotional life leads to discipline worship life some of the best times I've ever had in prayer and putting sermons together is when I spent an hour and a half two hours in the desert with nothing but God and the road ahead of me I'll stop I'll start writing down stuff for you the sermon notes you think I just sit down and put this together this is over the whole week of God just do and it's often when I'm out moving praying seeking God and you're training your body for what you're prepared how am I gonna get if I'm dying cardiology a cardiologist will tell you this but a cardio cardiovascular activity you know bike riding swimming all these things that's how we were designed we were designed to sit at home watch a TV and stand a computer all day we are designed to walk and to move and most time especially preaching I see it I can't stand up here for an hour service I used to preach twice sometimes on Saturday night and I come fill in for pastors twice on Sunday morning and and and having to and not and being able to endure that that a length of time you it's like an athlete that's how I view it when I go to the hospital homes and minister do you know how many times I would stop and eat something big and say I'm not going there I need to go home take a nap come on let's just tell the truth let's just tell the truth the flesh affects more than we think we want to do more for God but it's got us in a holding pattern for example if I said listen guys after this service we're just gonna let the worship team loose this might be a good idea I'm praying about this we're just we're just gonna let the worship team loose for the an hour after the service we're just gonna we're just gonna worship half of you be going oh my lord I'm getting hungry see so instead of getting a breakthrough from God you would be heading out the door to fill King's stomach to feed King's stomach you see it stops more it influences more than we think some don't I can't go to church I've got to go watch a pigskin go a hundred yards for three and a half hours and watch my and drink this and eat this and you just missed a move of God's Spirit see it begins to control what restaurants we go to because they serve certain drinks what friends I hang out with because they'll smoke with me they'll drink with me they'll put out the crystal myth a nice big line right here and I could do it with them and then go to church and act as if I'm good and that addiction begins to control us and pull us away from the things of God come on guys I'm just telling the truth this morning you know it's a truth if we abuse the temple it will affect everything from prayer and worship to a relationship with God oh this is gonna be hard I just just just for fun I looked up the effects of added sugar high blood pressure inflammation weight gain diabetes and Chris Reese of heart attack stroke cancer and the reason they're saying is we've went from six teaspoons I think it don't give me I didn't quote don't quote me on this teaspoons or tablespoons one of the other say six teaspoons in the 1850s of sugar now up to 57 a day 140 pounds a year and don't take my word for it Google this how did the similarities of sugar and cocaine on the brain oh that's impossible no it's not the way they affect the neurotransmitters is the same the dopamine the pleasure hormone these things it affects it the same way so you coming off sugar is not a lot different than a person coming off of cocaine now the withdrawals are gonna be a little bit more severe but if you ever tried try it just try it later just say I'm not having any more sugar later today and tomorrow watch out because you'll become the devil you're but you'll twist and couture like what is going on feed me sugar feed me but see that controlling aspect and that's killing the body what about energy drinks mixing caffeine and sugar and more caffeine and more sugar and I actually did a memorial service for a friend of mine and some are contributing it he's 40 years old to energy drinks and and I knew he had an issue 20 years ago I didn't know still you know 15 years ago and see we're giving the the body says feed me so I can destroy you and of course we know alcohol Proverbs 23 who has woe in other words who has problems who has sorrow who has strife who has complaining who has wounds without cause who has redness of eyes those who tarry long over wine so if this is an issue for you and you're and you're saying why do I always have problems why do I always have sorrow why is there always strife in my life what is wrong could it be could it be that we need self-control in an addicted world even Proverbs 25 if you find honey eat just enough too much of it and you will vomit so let me give you this picture word word picture self-discipline is like a dam and your flesh is the water behind it you ever see those big dams full of Hoover down the the self-control is that dam that regulates that water it'll let out now and then it'll let out you know so it doesn't overflow it lets it out a little bit but the self-control is like the dam so here's what I've been building up to five points I was pretty long introduction how do we do hmm I'm gonna have to get my introductions down but hopefully you'll make it Saturday I'll talk a lot more about this area and again just as a word of encouragement I haven't mastered this area for something this is me and my wife just laugh all the time Oh Shane's here hide the snicker like or I'll run into people at this grocery store that hi how you doing they'll push their cart all the way I I'm not here I I've had a donut recently fast food you know it's not it's not about perfection and it's not about God I mean I've known people to eat much healthier than I do and they've died of cancer so there's not a you know one-size-fits-all approach but we do know that we are called to be good stewards of what God has given us look at the Christian walk as warfare and you're an athlete not a couch potato we but we think that spiritual it's spiritually you're too earthly minded Shane no I'm trying to be spiritually good I'm trying when I'm when I'm when I'm focused on training the body disciplining the body then the spiritual benefits are huge so number one take control and take full responsibility did you catch that take control and take full responsibility here's some verses I want to share with you I've read them before but I want you to see them on the screen first Peter 1 through 4 look at these and you tell me if we're not supposed to discipline our body as obedient children not conforming yourselves to the former lusts as in your ignorance 1st John all who have this hope in him purify themselves just as he is pure Romans 619 tells us to present our bodies as slaves to righteousness 2nd Peter what sort of people ought you to be in gluttonous activities and overcoming by your addictions what's he say in holiness and godliness Matthew Henry said the more we follow that which is good the faster and the further we shall flee from that which is evil so take control and take responsibility what that means no excuses let's get let's just get rid of the excuses there's times before I've helped people in this area many even in the fitness industry but recently different people let's just say for example they're struggling with a lot of anxiety I pray with somebody at the first service for this anxiety and you find out that they've heard they're having a lot of caffeine say okay well let's start with that oh no that doesn't affect me I go right to sleep with it you go right to sleep because you're gonna you're passing out your adrenal glands have been fatigued you're you're on there you're on you're about ready to have a nervous wreck of course you go right to sleep but you're not getting the good REM rapid eye movement deep sleep where the body heals itself where disease is fought where your cells are rejuvenated and where your body you wake up feeling a good again that's addiction and that's hurting your sleep sleep is so important for the body to actually sleep and that's when it rebuilds and repairs itself that's when it does it doesn't do it throughout the day actually it's breaking down right now even when you go to the gym and you lift weight you think I'm building muscle no you're not you're tearing it down it rebuilds when you sleep the muscle tissue has been has been broken down has been strained when you sleep when you eat that protein in the the protein and carbohydrates and fats and different things but it begins to rebuild the muscle through sleep same thing with your mind just look at how many they're linking Alzheimer's they're linking brain brain diseases often to what sleep deprivation what we're putting in our in our in our body aluminum aspartame all these chemicals see there's something called a blood-brain barrier and some of these things get through that and your fat will hold on to some of the toxic waste your body doesn't know to do with all these toxins monosodium glutamate MSG number one ingredient in Doritos not to mention the food coloring artificial food coloring not to mention corn from GMO genetically modified organisms that are roundup ready sprayed in and the genes are spliced with roundup type genes where they can spray roundup on the corn and it won't die and we're consuming this here kids here's some Doritos and and while we're at it here's here's Gatorade that has more food coloring has a petroleum solvent in there that they use an antifreeze my god we've got to wake up people here pin drop here a pin drop that that's just the truth and again not angry but I see so many people little Johnny ADD that was not around when I was little we had a big pal for that now of course I'm not mocking I'm not any fun because some of these are real diagnosis the doctors make and these are genuine there's nothing I got it but watch all these studies where they change the diet of these children you can find them they were like we can't control them we'll get rid of the nuggets the chicken nuggets get rid of the food coloring get rid of the aspartame get rid of the partially hydrogenated oils get rid of the chemicals get rid of the BH T's get rid of the MSG monosodium glutamate get rid of all get rid of and get them on a healthy natural diet and they're like changed people this is gonna hurt but this needs to be said it's because of sheer laziness that we do not do these things if not for us why not for our children a three-year-old should not be walking around with a Mountain Dew I'm not smiling now serious one I'm like you're killing me what are you doing oh it's no big deal caffeine do you know a caffeine a certain percentage will kill you the FDA wants to outlaw the white with the white caffeine that's sold online because kids are starting to die from five grams I think of it this is stuff take control take full responsibility many people make well Shane I need it for work how many people I know people have stayed on prescription drugs have ruined marriages of I need it for work I need to do I need to be there 12 hours a day I can do something for 12 hours a day and I don't need a drug see it's an excuse we have to get rid of the excuse mentality it has to go take control take responsibility for the love of God own it there are there are I'll be careful case he ever listens to this but I've got friends who will not give alcohol up because they say it's a disease it's a disease it's my spouse's fault it's a disease Shane don't you know that the the American Association of Medical whatever said it's a disease well the reason they did that a hundred years ago but it was because they didn't want addicts to feel bad so they declassified it from an addiction and sin to disease I like what Greg Laurie said in a sermon I mentioned his name so you'll get mad at him not me if it's a disease it's the only disease without germs or virus if it's a disease it's the only disease that is self-inflicted if it's a disease it's the only disease is contradict contracted by the act of the will if it's a disease it's the only disease that is bottled and sold over the counter for profit if it's a disease it's the only disease that will cause a father to go home and beat their children violently if it's a disease it's the only disease that will cause cause a mother to desert her children if it's a disease it's the only disease it will take the clothes off of their back and choose from their feet and bread from their table if it's a disease then it's the only disease that will keep one out of heaven and send that soul to hell that sir is not a disease it's an addiction called sin and people Shane if I drink am I going to hell no that's a struggle not a lifestyle but the Bible does say not drunkards not thieves not adulterers not homosexuals not thieves nor covetous no the whole list see it's not the isolated sin it's that the person said I love my sin and my sin has become my lifestyle it's who I am I'm going to drink I don't care what you say I don't care what God's Word says it's who I am it's my lifestyle that person is on the broad road to destruction like the old AC DC song I'm on a highway to hell I used to listen to that and drink and oh my lord God's grace I would sing that I'm on a highway and I would be drinking my friends would pull out a bong and then we put down a line of cocaine how in the world am I here singing that song mocking God blasphemy you're not behind hope beyond hope no matter what situation God says I love you I love you enough to die for you and I will wait I will wait for that prodigal son to come home but do not confuse God's patience with his approval because there is a time when the hammer of God falls the judgment of God falls that was not planned Jesus said deny me I'm sorry deny them pick up your cross and follow me deny yourself pick up your cross and follow me number two you have to listen to the right voice if I could plead with you would be on this point listen to the right voice one of the biggest things we see happening with young people nowadays is they're listening to the wrong voice stop calling them a friend if they're taking you back to bondage stop calling them a friend if you go back to sin stop calling them a friend if they take you away from God that's not a friend that's an enemy that's an enemy of the cross that breaks my you guys say you gotta end that relationship but they're friends so who cares that's not a friend you've got to make some hard decisions the world says the heart is good the Bible says the heart is deceitful the world says you just need to unlock your inner strength scripture says no willpower is not enough Christ must be your foundation the world says and I love this when I hear it I hear it too I get emails about this don't lay a guilt trip on me don't lay a guilt trip on me but the Bible says conviction is good conviction is good guilt's not good don't feel guilty and condemned that's the work of Satan but the Holy Spirit says conviction conviction alert wake up listen the world says it's not really your fault it was your abusive father when you were three he set this course for you it's not your fault the Bible says confess your sins and repent the world says therapy is the answer the Bible says Christ is the answer amen amen but it's interesting those who are clapping will still run to hear the some of them not all of you but some still run to hear the world's tell me tell me that again the world the world's advice the world what does the world say what does God's Word say now if you add prayer to this in worship into the Word of God that reinforces listening to the right voice so listen to the here's a very easy test will this build me up spiritually and increase my relationship with the Lord or will it pull me away will it pull me away from God number three use overwhelming force pastor skip Isaac talked about this I've mentioned that before on a Wednesday night you have to use overwhelming force this enemy is sent to kill to steal and destroy stop playing games with him use overwhelming force if you've got to set up accountability software if you have to have accountability partner if you need to throw your phone in the trash and get old-school flip phone do it get rid of the friends that are pulling you down get the TV out of the house do whatever it takes out of sight out of mind people say that's too extreme and I say no that's biblical Christianity to remove an eye if it's causing me to sin seems a little extreme Jesus we too extreme no we wasn't because the opposite of extreme is lazy I'm not gonna worry about it and we leave the door open you leave Satan a foothold we've talked about that before you're putting you ever put your foot in front of the door my little five-year-old throws a tenter tamper runs I'm gonna nope my foot's right there you're not slamming this door you give the enemy a foothold and I just open up whatever it takes get out of your house get rid of your friends that are pulling you down get accountable I'm gonna use overwhelming force devil I might even fast oh I'm gonna turn off the media and get into God's words the overwhelming force you have to starve the fuel source and isn't that true everybody loves now Red Bull sponsoring extreme snowboarding extreme mountain biking extreme kayaking extreme whatever extreme makeovers then why can't we have an extreme and intense passion for God why not why do they mock Christians say he's too extreme he's too radical he's too hardcore no that's biblical Christianity I read about people by John the Baptist said I'm so extreme I'm gonna eat wild locusts and honey I'm gonna preach repentance I'm gonna preach the gospel of Jesus Christ I'm gonna call out sinners and I'm gonna call out saints who think they are but they're modern-day Pharisees I'm gonna be extreme wearing the clothing of the day that was rugged the prophets of the old they were rugged they were extreme they listened to no man but God that's it you have to be extreme that should be a sermon title you have to be extreme wake up I've told you this before but it seems to fit the reason most people don't come back to this church is what I just very well I just said uh-huh half-hour worship fasting God is a priority where's my life gonna go I've got Cinemark I've got friends I've got to be in Santa Monica I've got a good hit Vegas I've got to do all these things I've got a I've got a week stay down in San Diego on that island what's that called by the Navy Seal training yeah I've got I mean he's ruining my this guy's too extreme because you want to enjoy the pleasures of Christ but not die to self that's not possible Jesus said pick up your cross fulfill the flesh and then follow me no what deny the flesh deny the flesh and on that note fasting strengthens the spirit and quenches the flesh that's why we're going on a fast for those who are interested fasting literally starves the flesh you get to the source the source of all sin is the flesh and when you begin to starve the flesh through fasting all other sins from from things of bondage of nicotine of caffeine of sugar of alcohol all these things are silenced now get ready though for hell it's called withdrawals and most people don't fast because of these withdrawals and I hear excuses on this too I heard it this week fasting is not biblical what what that just means you don't want to fast okay let's just come out and say it just say just repeat after me I don't want to fast don't make a ridiculous idiotic statement that the it's not biblical it's biblical from from Ezra to Nehemiah to Esther to the prophets to a guy named Jesus to Peter to fasting starving the flesh and being filled with the Spirit of God the truth it's hard before the the reward comes there is pain before the blessing and there are withdrawals before there is freedom I'm gonna just sum up these last two real quick you have to avoid compromise avoid compromise Jensen Franklin wrote about this in his book on fasting the power of the made-up mind I've learned over the years that this is crucial the power of the made-up mind here's how this works I'm gonna fast come hell or high water I'm coming to gonna fast and then I start compromising because chocolate chip cookies sound good about eight hours from now well one doesn't 200 calories my glycogen storage are already down in my liver and my muscle because of I've been fasting so I can just this won't really hurt anything compromise compromise most people that go back into addiction whatever that addiction is you name it it's because they thought to themselves ah it's been a year it's been for you it's been five years I can celebrate I can have one now if something ever brought you down before it's going to bring you down again okay just just know it and the next time it might not be as gracious it might bring seven demons and find that house swept out and now the last state of that man is worse than the first state be careful when playing with addiction because whatever brought you down will bring you down again and most people go back into that all the the just this week I've tried to last week I tried to get somebody into a recovery home they're all full they're all full majority of them are back in because why I can have I can have one I could just have one to relax I can go back to that excuses I remember Miley Cyrus I do 2017 came out and said I am never touching marijuana again people were excited oh what a great role model she's gonna be now I read a recent interview and she said well just every now and then I'll smoke so see you can't go back you can't you know compromise the power of the made-up mind there's no compromise Russell Moore wrote the demonic powers not only give us what we crave but they will assist us in covering up for a while that's precisely the irony often you are fueled on from one temptation to the other because you haven't been caught this gives you an illusion of a cocoon protecting you from justice the powers though don't want you caught yet not this early in the march to the slaughter house they don't have a mere 70 or 80 years to live they are ancient and patient quite willing to wait until your downfall will bring with it the most catastrophic consequences for you for your family for the kingdom of God and the image of Christ that you carry so they'll help you cover it up then they'll expose you mercifully merciful mercilessly thank you a lot of s's in there but it's not what the enemy does he'll help you cover it up cover it up until that opportune time and the bottom line is when we plan on sinning we usually do compromise is often the first step back into bondage to compromise that's why I love 2nd Corinthians casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ you know what that word means casting down it means throw down remember that those words 25 years and 30 years ago I remember that we're let's throw down you upset let's throw down outside that's it's just throwing down it you can't you this thought comes in you cast down you throw down every thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of God go back to that addiction no not today today we fight see at some point that I'm gonna name a sermon I think next week this title today we fight there you have to come to a point in your life say no no no today we fight we're fighting for my family we're fighting for my marriage we're fighting for our health today we fight devil devil you should have killed me 25 years ago but now I'm ticked off and now I'm coming at your kingdom now you're going to be on the defense now I'm chasing you now the end the armies of hell are not going to be able to prevail because heaven is behind your back you are proceeding today we fight what about if you got up with that that attitude today we fight not today we cave in that's the mentality that today we cave in today we cave in Oh woe is me today as we kick today the enemies got into and we just walk around defeated you have to eat sometimes you have to okay today we fight today we fight and the devil hates when you make that statement and when you honor that commitment I was gonna say talk about this a little bit but I just need to say this continue to fight regardless of immediate results continue continue to fight regardless of immediate results because sometimes you won't sometimes you won't see the breakthrough so this isn't working my family's getting worse not better and we go right back into it we have to continue the fight regardless of the results that you see right now and always remember to preach the gospel of grace to yourself preach the gospel of grace to yourself what does that mean it means don't leave you're defeated don't go I can never measure up that guy is too extreme this is crazy I don't know what I signed up for Oh Lord this is a bunch of rules this is legalism no it's not it's biblical Christianity and you preach the gospel of grace to yourself the Lord I need your grace I need to get back up I need to fight I need to I need your help and preach the gospel of grace to yourself that God is good he holds you I mean the last time I checked the Bible it said that God broke the arms of the enemy he he trains my hands for war he has dethroned Satan he has overcome his kingdom he has annihilated the works of darkness it even says that when Jesus was crucified on the cross that he made a spectacle the spectacle of the demonic powers he made fun of who is this guy a spectacle so it's interesting I can't quite get my head around it but as Christians we walk in victory who the Sun sets free is free indeed you shall know the truth and the truth shall set you so I'm walking in victory then why the heck is it difficult what's going on because the enemy will entice I love that song we sing it's a singer but it comes on the morning sometimes I belong to you iron bell right I think it's iron bell I belong to you I belong to you you pulled me out of the darkness the enemy can't touch me the enemy can't do anything to me he can't do you know that the enemy cannot pick you up drive put yourself in the car and drive you to the liquor store he can't go take your hand and put it on the on the wrong website on the he can't do anything he just entices that's why you need self-control in an addicted world self-control through the spirit and they're relying completely on God so I don't want you to be left here oh we got to do this got to do this got to do this no you rely completely upon God but then God says do this and I will do that I wish it was the other way I wish God would say I'll reveal myself to you and then you can seek me no he says seek me then you'll find me I'll take away the temptation don't you worry about no he says no temptation is overtaking you but what is common to man but God who is faithful will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to bear bear I gotta I have to bear something come on Jesus I have to fight the good fight of faith think about that this is not passive Christianity I want to get that deep in your spirits Paul Paul even said the weapons of our warfare right are not carnal put on the whole cotton you know cotton armor and just put on put on these clothes cozy pajamas that's what we want cozy pajamas and a fire and movies on Netflix I shouldn't be watching no he says put on the whole armor of God while that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil the trickery of the devil the deceit of the devil you put on the whole armor of God that is an action where the breast plate of righteousness Christ the right standing with Christ and holiness and godliness the breastplate of holiness that the belt of truth the sword of what the Spirit the Word of God you're piercing the helmet of salvation the feet running quickly to do the will of God bringing the gospel of peace this is warfare and we have to today we fight today we fight hear me through everything I just talked about will not even matter if you're already in darkness and you don't know Christ this is not this is applicable to a believer to fight but if you're already in darkness and you don't know Jesus Christ repent today repent and have the light of truth come into your soul I don't know if you're confused with gender identity I don't know if you're confused with life and suicide depression there is no hope without the Sun there's no hope without the Sun see everything makes sense in light of redemption in light of the cross and light of the Sun coming and bringing light to this world that is the hope the hope of glory so I want to encourage you if you don't know who Jesus is you've never repented and believe I'm not saying if you know about him I'm saying do you know him do you know him if I say if you died today you stand before Christ you'd actually fall on your knees and begin to worship and cry out will he say well done thou good and faithful servant you haven't been perfect you've created a mess sometimes but you love me and I love you and I know you I died for you well done well done get up and enter into the joy of the Lord or do you hear it depart from me I don't know you every time I read that verse I can't imagine because I don't think I don't think it's Jesus is I angry and I don't know you get out of here I can almost picture just this look of of I don't know what the what the right word is but he's saying I don't I don't know you now of course he knows who they are he knows everything but he's saying I don't have a relationship with you you've never embraced me you never repented of your sin and asked me to be Lord of your life and let me save you through the redemptive work on the cross I don't know you listen this isn't a game this is life and death the sermons in the Bible always had a sense of urgency today today is the day of salvation today is the day when you hear my voice harken not your heart harden not your heart today is the day to turn today's the day to embrace the God of salvation because I know it's as God is my witness I know I may never speak to some of you again to this room I know some on Facebook live we have over 2,000 people watching both services you think they're gonna tune in again next week and next week and next week sometimes this might be the only voice say here the only voice calling them back before they find themselves six feet under buried and dead because of their addiction addiction will never answer the fulfilling the fulfillment of your heart only Christ does that and it echoes the voice of truth goes out as a as a as a sharp two-edged sword it pierces it cuts it convicts to hear you need Christ you need a self as Savior you need redemption there is only hope in the blood of Jesus Christ that's the only hope that's the only hope that's why I love some of these guys on the radio and these mega church pastors bless their heart but they're never pointing people to the cross they want to be motivational but not convicting they want to tickle the ear but not challenge the heart they don't want to offend yet they're offending Christ can you imagine Christ saying listen I died for them you better tell them about me you better tell me to tell them about the shed blood you better tell them about redemption you better tell them about the path to Golgotha and dying to self and that they need a Savior you better tell them about the judgment that is coming how dare you silence the voice of truth how dare you pastor or preacher or who does not preach the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ that's why we are here that's why the pulpit is here that's why the voice of truth is here to proclaim the light into the darkness and dying world