Slothfulness: Bane of Success
God's children are called to be hardworking and industrious, as God is, to prosper and achieve success.
E.A. Adeboye emphasizes the importance of hard work and diligence in the Christian life, highlighting how slothfulness can hinder God's prosperity in our lives. He points out that God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit are all hardworking beings, setting an example for us to follow. Adeboye warns against laziness, stating that it can lead to slavery, unmet desires, and ultimately death, urging believers to repent and change their ways.
Text
MEMORISE: 'Not slothful in business, fervent in spirit: serving the Lord...' (Rom 12:11)
READ: Proverbs 24: 30-34
God intends for his children to prosper and have good success. 3 John 2 says: 'Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.' This is God's express will. For some Christians, however, what robs them of God's prosperity is not the devil but themselves. The avenue of such loss is slothfulness. God is a very hardworking God. When he was introduced to the world in Genesis 1, we saw him working for six days and latter resting on the seventh. God is still working. Jesus says: 'My Father worketh and I work. I must do the will of him who sent me while it is day: for the night cometh when no man can work.' So we see Jesus also is very hardworking.
Hebrews 7:25 says: 'Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.; This means that since Jesus ascended into heaven, he has continued to intercede for you and me daily. The Holy Spirit himself is also very industrious. All the miracles and signs of the past, present and future are by power. He is the power behind the church. He does not rest.
They say, 'Like father like son.' So why are Christians lazy? Many prefer to work for a day and sleep the remaining six. Don't you know you are reversing the order God has established? Even well-enlightened unbelievers know this. Our aged parents know that when their children fall into luxury that will make them stop working, they are inviting death.
The lazy man will be under tribute (Pro 12:24). That is, he will remain a slave. He has nothing to do that God can bless, so he will remain a beggar. He will keep on procrastinating (Prov.22:13) and shifting what should be done today to tomorrow that never comes. He has no sense of time. His slothfulness does not remove his heart's desires, so according to Proverbs 21:25, his unmet desires will lead to his death. Are you becoming slothful at school, work, ministry or spiritual life? Repent now and turn over a new leaf.
ACTION POINT
Search the Scriptures and list ten consequence of laziness.
Pray against the spirit of slothfulness in your life.
Sermon Outline
- Introduction
- God's example of hard work
- Consequences of slothfulness
- Call to repentance
- Repentance and change
- Prayer against slothfulness
Key Quotes
“God is a very hardworking God.” — E.A. Adeboye
“Like father like son.” — E.A. Adeboye
“Don't you know you are reversing the order God has established?” — E.A. Adeboye
Application Points
- Repent and turn over a new leaf if you are becoming slothful in any area of your life.
- Pray against the spirit of slothfulness in your life.
- Search the Scriptures to list the consequences of laziness.