Last week we talked about confession. This week we are going to talk about commitment. It is a spiritual truth that we cannot serve two masters; it is also a spiritual truth that the one we serve is, our master. If we listen to and obey sin, then sin will be our master. If we listen to and obey God, then God will be our master.

NOTE: POSTS IN THIS SERIES HAVE BEEN ADAPTED LARGELY FROM A STUDY CALLED “CHRISTIAN RECOVERY” FROM PROVIDENCE CHURCH.

As born-again believers, we will never be presented with a temptation that we are not able to resist, in reliance on God’s power, provided we choose to do so. When we sin, we nourish our sinful natures, making them stronger and more demanding. We cannot suppress these instincts any more than we can suppress our instincts for food and water. Instead, we must let God retrain these instincts so that they find their fullest fulfillment in God and his gifts.

DISCOVERING THE PRINCIPLE IN SCRIPTURE

Let’s look at a passage that will help us understand more about the importance of commitment in our lives. The passage we are going to read will help us to wrestle with what it looks like to commit to serving sin as our master or God as our master. Read Galatians 5:16-26

  1. Look at verse 16: How do we resist serving the desires of our flesh as our master?
  2. Look at verse 17: Why is there a war between the Spirit and the desires of your flesh?
  3. Look at verse 18: The law is good because it shows us how to live rightly and it tells us when we are guilty of sin. The penalty for breaking God’s law is death. That’s a heavy weight to live under. What is the key to being released from this weight? What does God’s Spirit lead us to do in regards to the law of God?
  4. Look at verses 19-21: Make a list of the works of the flesh from this passage. These works reveal what it looks like when we commit to serving our flesh. What is the penalty for committing to serve your flesh as your master?
  5. Look at verses 22-24: Make a list of the fruit of the Spirit from this passage. This fruit reveals what it looks like when we commit to serving God. What does God promise us if we commit to serving him as our master?
  6. Look at verse 25-26: If we are committed to serving God as our master then we will be committed to walking daily with the Spirit of God as we serve him in obedience.

APPLYING THE PRINCIPLE

The diagnostic questions below are designed to help you in the process of practically serving God as your master with wholehearted commitment. They will help you discover the desires underneath your behaviors. Remember to be as specific as you can about your real life.

  1. Commit to stop showing up at your old job.
    1. What works of the flesh do you struggle with the most?
    2. When do you struggle with this the most?
    3. How will you resist serving your sin as your master?

 

  1. Commit to start showing up at your new job.
    1. What part of the fruit of the Spirit do you need to pursue the most?
    2. When do you need to pursue this part of the fruit of the Spirit the most?
    3. How will you commit to serving God as your master?

 

  1. Commit to stop doing work on the side.
    1. What private sin patterns have you been committed to serving that need to be confessed?
    2. When are you the most tempted to give into your hidden sin?
    3. How can you commit to bringing your hidden sin into the light?

 

HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT FOR GOING DEEPER

Read Romans 6:6-9; Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 4:17-32 every day this week and commit portions of these passages to memory.

Use the bullet points below as an outline for prayer every day this week.

  1. Ask God to help you to commit to stop showing up at your old job. Confess specific sins you are struggling with and ask him to forgive you and give you strength to resist them.
  2. Ask God to help you to commit to start showing up for your new job. Ask him to help you grow in specific areas the fruit of the Spirit.
  3. Ask God to help you to stop doing work on the side. Confess any hidden or private sin that you struggle with serving. Ask the Lord to give you strength and perseverance to withstand temptation.

Commit to using this outline of commitment in conversation with your mentor, GC leader and other friends to help solidify this process into your daily life.