WHY AM I SAVED BUT STRUGGLING WITH HURTS, HABITS & HANGUPS?

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. (ESV)

1 Thessalonians 5:23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NIV)

Romans 7:14–24 14 We know that the law is spiritual; but I am unspiritual, sold as a slave to sin. 15 I do not understand what I do. FOR WHAT I WANT TO DO I DO NOT DO, BUT WHAT I HATE I DO. 16 And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. 17 As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, BUT IT IS SIN LIVING IN ME. 18 For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, BUT I CANNOT CARRY IT OUT. 19 For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—THIS I KEEP ON DOING. 20 Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. 21 So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, EVIL IS RIGHT THERE WITH ME. 22 For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23 but I see another law at work in me, WAGING WAR AGAINST THE LAW OF MY MIND and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. 24 What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this BODY that is subject to death? (NIV)

Colossians 3:5 5 So put to death the sinful, earthly things LURKING within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. (NLT)

1. THERE’S A WAR IN YOUR MIND

1A. YOUR OLD THINKING PATTERNS REMAIN

A. YOUR THINKING IS SHAPED BY THE ENVIRONMENT YOU GREW UP IN

B. YOUR THINKING IS SHAPED BY YOUR EXPERIENCES IN LIFE

C. YOUR THINKING IS SHAPED BY CULTURE

D. YOUR THINKING IS SHAPED BY THE WORDS SPOKEN OVER YOU

Ephesians 4:23 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; (NIV)

Romans 12:2 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. (NIV)

1B. YOU’RE SAVED BUT MENTAL STRONGHOLDS STILL EXIST

2 Corinthians 10:4–5 4 The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish STRONGHOLDS. 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. (NIV)

2. THERE’S A WAR IN YOUR EMOTIONS

2A. YOU’RE SAVED BUT YOU STILL CARRY OLD EMOTIONAL PATTERNS

2B. YOU’RE SAVED BUT STILL STRUGGLE CONTROLLING YOUR EMOTIONS

2C. YOU’RE SAVED BUT STILL STRUGGLE WITH EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENTS

2D. YOU’RE SAVED BUT STILL STRUGGLE WITH EMOTIONAL STRONGHOLDS

2E. YOU’RE SAVED BUT STILL STRUGGLE WITH EMOTIONAL TRAUMA AND WOUNDS

2F. YOU’RE SAVED BUT STILL STRUGGLE WITH EMOTIONAL TRIGGERS

3. THERE’S A WAR IN YOUR WILL AND YOUR FLESH

3A. YOUR FLESH AND WILL HAVE BEEN TRAINED FOR YEARS

3B. YOU’RE SAVED BUT YOUR FLESH CRAVES IMMEDIATE GRATIFICATION

3C. YOU’RE SAVED BUT YOUR FLESH STRUGGLES WITH GENERATIONAL PATTERNS

Exodus 34:7 7 I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin. But I do not excuse the guilty. I lay the sins of the parents upon their children and grandchildren; the entire family is affected— even children in the third and fourth generations.” (NLT)

3D. YOU’RE SAVED BUT YOUR FLESH RESISTS SURRENDERING TO GOD

Galatians 5:17 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. (NIV)

Romans 7:25 25 Thanks be to God, who DELIVERS ME through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin. (NIV)