DEFEATING WICKED WAYS 2 Chron 7:14

1. World’s heaviest man - over 1,000 pounds has lost 540. Looking forward to getting out of the house - with a crane!

2. Last week - There are obstacles than can become opportunities - don’t be afraid to try and don’t think failure - WHY?

BECAUSE WITH GOD ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE

3. What about SIN - always giving in to those bad habits, those wicked ways - can you defeat them?

4. Not on your own but with God’s leading, strenght, wisdom and presence YOU CAN WIN THE VICTORY

5. Here is a very old call from God that still works for individuals and for nations

1. Do you want God working with all HIS power in your life?

a. struggling with relationships

b. Have fears you dare not speak about to others

c. Feel you are sinking in financial quicksand?

d. Gripped by depression?

2. Here in 2 Chron is how it is possible for God to do the impossible - perform miracles in your life

a. If my people ------ humble themselves ----- turn from their wicked ways

b. “My People” - first you have to answer the question, Are you one of “My People”?

c. To be one of God’s own children (my people) is to believe Jesus called The Christ is God’s Son and our Savior,

accept Him as LORD of your life and follow His teaching

d. You conclude - God is real, God is Creator, God holds my life in the palm of His hand - Then - you are

one of His family “MY PEOPLE”

E. what you are is a person of faith - you acknowledge God’s Rule over

the universe over creation and over your life

3. the first step according to God’s Word as we find it in 2 Chron 7:14 is to -- HUMBLE

a. to submit to His Sovereignty - that means He is Lord over YOU

b. Accepting that He is real, and rules is not enough - To humble yourself is to say to God “You are my

God, You are my Lord, I submit to your will”

4. Can you do it? Big question

a. 1 Peter - God resists the proud - that is He keeps you at a distance - if you refuse to acknowledge HIM, He doesn’t

respond to you -BEING TOO PROUD FOR YOUR OWN GOOD

b. “Are you ready to submit to Him - To humble yourself? TO WIN VICTORY OVER WICKED WAYS

4. The second part - V. 14- turn from their wicked ways

a. You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink - You can give a small child oatmeal but you

can’t make him eat it

b. Until a person is willing to admit wrong, there is no turning

c. A few years ago there were words and actions banned from magazines, newspapers, movies and television - Today

these are considered sociably acceptable - Did God change His mind? Did the Church (yes/no)

d. there is only one comparison any one of should make - How do we compare to JESUS?

e. Wicked ways - SIN - the words don’t matter, what matters is how do we compare to Jesus

f. Why did Jesus come into the world? He came to give us a flesh and blood living example of God

1. He is God!! we should not forget this -- I am my Father are one - He was in the flesh just as God is

with us as Holy Spirit

2. Compare yourself to Jesus - are you as good, as kind, as merciful, as peaceful, as caring, as forgiving?

1. To have God’s blessing - humble yourself, turn from your wicked ways

2. Until we come to grips with the fact THAT GOD IS REAL, THAT HE IS “THE BOSS” OVER OUR LIVES, WE

WILL CONTINUE TO STRUGGLE WITH LIVING

3. The victory you want is available - ARE YOU willing to win?