What Pulls Us Away Killen 5/19/24

Luke 15: 11-24 nkjv   11 Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. 12 And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. 13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14 But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15 Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything. 17 “But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.” ’ 20 “And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21 And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ 22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23 And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24 for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ And they began to be merry.

❓On a scale of 1-10, where is your relationship with God--   1 not great and 10 the best it could be❓What would have to change to have a better relationship with God❓

⭐  The truth is we all are probably not exactly where we ought to be.💥  A closer look at our verses tell us that it is not necessarily being where we are supposed to be that is our problem.

🚩 The story:

• The younger son. (Prodigal) 
  • He had the right relationship to his father.  V11)  He was a son!
    • He was his son---  In the Family --- Could approach and talk to him.
• He was exactly where he needed to be! v13) He left his home.
  • Home under the authority of His father
• He had all his needs met. v12) Give me what is mine! He didn’t need it up to that point.
• He had all the privileges and blessings of his father’s home. 

💥💥💥

➢  The  prodigal was exactly where he needed to be, but he wasn’t happy,

➢  He had a relationship with his father, but it wasn’t enough.

➢  He had all the privileges and blessings of his father’s home.

➢  All his needs were met, but he wasn’t content!

⭐  Despite having all these things, yet he was being pulled away from his father.

• It’s a warning to us as well ---- to know that despite being where we are supposed to be….
• Having a right relationship with God
• Having our needs met

💥   We too can be pulled away! 

How? 

Though not mentioned by name:  1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

• He had an adversary that was pulling him away.  
• The more he focused on what darkness wanted to give him, the less interested he was in staying with his father.
• The more we allow darkness to pull at our heart.

💥   What is darkness?   ➢   The areas in our life that are absent of God’s light.

• Our flesh - Worldly desires - Where our pride still lives and reigns and gets us into trouble - Where we act unChristlike.
• Attitudes toward others- unforgiveness   
• Habits - behaviors - that we know are unhealthy and not good to have

💥   Three areas that Satan used to pull him away from his father. v13)13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 

1.     He lacked the right heart. (spirit) v13a) 13 And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country,

• His heart was not with his father.

2.     He lacked having the right mind/thinking v13b) and there wasted his possessions 

• Unwise thinking - He foolishly, unwisely wasted the goodness his father gave him.   

Either gave it all away or used his talents and gifts for selfish reasons.

3.     Right desires. Riotous living v13c)  prodigal living.

🚩   My question is……What changed the story?   Verse 17) I.     The God Moment!  THE HOLY SPIRIT! CHANGED HIS HEART.v17a - v18) 17 “But when he came to himself,  THE WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.       

• The difference the Holy Spirit makes in our life!  (Changes our heart)

A.   Though not mentioned by name there can be no doubt as to what happened here.v18) I will arise and go to my father, ,,,,,,

• The Holy Spirit came and touched the heart.
• He needed a heart change and it happened.  
• 
  
  • If it weren’t for God, he would have stayed there and died in his pride.

John 6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

II.     His thinking changed! v18) 18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.Romans 12:2:  Be not confirmed by transformed by the renewing of by the RENEWING OF  YOUR MIND!  

• We love our enemies - and forgive
• We are able to do what our flesh once told us we couldn’t do.

III.     His desires changed. :V19) 19 and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants.”

• From not wanting the father to be over his life to becoming an obedient servant under him.
• From,  “Give me mine!” to make me a hired servant.
• From, “I don’t want to be here!” to please let me come back!

2 Corinthians 5: 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.The desire to be with the father. - Be blessed - Needs metThis is the Holy Spirit Pentecost:   Has power to change the heart -  transform our thinking - make us new creations with new desires.