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“RELAPSE” — falling back into a self-defeating pattern.
How it happens- Complacency, Confusion, Compromise, Catastrophe
I. WHAT CAN CAUSE OUR LAPSE?
1. REVERTING TO SELF MANAGEMENT
“You began your life in Christ by the Spirit. Now are you trying to make it complete by your own power? That is foolish.” Galatians 3:3 NCV
2. IGNORING GOD’S WORD
“And the seed that fell on the good ground is like those who hear God’s teaching with good, honest hearts and obey it and patiently produce good fruit.” Luke 8:15 NCV
3. TRYING TO RECOVER ALONE
An enemy might defeat one person, but two people together can defend themselves; Eccl 4:12a NCV
“You should not stay away from the church meetings, as some are doing, but you should meet together and encourage each other. Do this even more as you see the day coming.” Hebrews 10:25 NCV
4. BECOMING ARROGANT
“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” 1 Corinthians 10:12 NIV
II. HOW TO PREVENT OUR LAPSE
Reserve a time with God for self-examination, Bible reading, and prayer in order to know God and His will for my life and gain power to do it.
“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. For the spirit is willing but the body is weak.” Mark 14:38 NIV
1. EVALUATION
Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you – unless of course, you fail the test? 2 Corinthians 13:5 NIV
• What to Evaluate: Physical:Emotional:Relational:Spiritual
“Each one should test his own actions. Then he can take pride in himself, without comparing himself to somebody else.”
Galatians 6:4 NIV
2. MEDITATION – “FOCUS long enough to hear God.”
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7 NIV
3. PRAYER
“This, then, is how you should pray : ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.’ Matthew 6:9-13 NIV
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