August 20, 2017, Sunday Morning

DANGER OF BACKSLIDING

JEREMIAH 8:4-9

God’s people can backslide

·       It's a long term process...i'ts not a fall, it's a slide.

Biblical Examples…backsliding

LOT

I don’t think when Lot started out, he ever thought he’d be in Sodom

Process of time…

SAMSON

Started out a strong judge

Ends up grinding at a grist mill

Didn’t happen overnight

·       Long slide

·       Long drift

·       Long process

Marks of a backslider you can find early on…

1…DENIAL OF REALITY

Verse 5

Come to the place where you’re not real about where you stand with God

You’re still involved in…

·       Worship

·       Life groups

·       Reading Bible

BUT THE

·       Passion

·       Zeal

·       Joy of Jesus…all are gone

2…PRETENSE OF COMMITMENT

Verse 6

Say all the right word

Pretend

3…SELF COMPLACENCY

Verse 6

No man repented

• Do not grieve the Holy Spirit
• Do not quench the Holy Spirit

4…Operating in the Flesh Instead of the Spirit

Verse 6

There is an enthusiasm that is a fleshly enthusiasm

Galatians 5

Flesh is still embedded in this body

We have this new nature the Lord has put in us

We've still got this old nature

Anything that distracts you from receiving the Word is not Spirit induced

5…BREAKDOWN OF DISCERNMENT

Verse 7

When you begin to backslide, You lose your sense of discernment

Become easy pickings for the devil

6…MISPLACED CONFIDENCE

Verse 8

You begin to put more confidence in human direction

Than divine revelation thru the Word of God

POSITIVE THINGS TO MAKE SURE YOU DON’T BACKSLIDE

1…REPENT 

2...LOVE GOD

3...Worship God

4...Serve God

5...Make sure of your salvation

Judas was not fueled by the flesh

He was fueled by the Devil

Take ownership of your spiritual growth

Quit making excuses