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The Art of a Quick Recovery

A Skill that honours the word of God

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The Art Of A Quick Recovery

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The Art Of A Quick Recovery

• An art is a skill – • All skills, wether by natural instinct

or not, are honed through 3 polishers

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SKILL means

• A skill or knack; • a method of doing a thing,

especially if it is difficult to do

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TO HONE means

• To sharpen on: • to hone a razor

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3 “Honing Skills”

• 1. Practice• 2. Repetition• 3. Rehearsal• As they say “practice makes

perfect”

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A quick recovery honours God

• You will see that making a quick recovery honours God

• This is the pattern of the word• This is the mark of the new

covenant• This is the heritage of the new

nature

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We will investigate this phenomenon

• We need to perfect this in our battle against the forces of evil

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Recovery Effectiveness

• Is in YOUR hands • Once you have repentance with

faith!

• that they may recover themselves

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2 Timothy 2:25-26

• 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

• 26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

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“If” - perhaps

• God may grant them Repentance

• How “awesome” is that!• I wouldn’t take this for granted

if I were you!

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Peradventure

• Peradventure is an adverb - perhaps.

• It is the goodness of God to give the opportunity for “repentance”

• You must acknowledge the truth to RECOVER

Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance

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Romans 2:4

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This Art / Skill is based

• on 3 Foundations• You need to develop these SKILLS

• 1. True Repentance• 2. True Forgiveness• 3. True Holiness

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1st True Repentance

• True repentance is based a particular type of “SORROW”

• There are 2 main types of sorrow • A few verses to show that a

“godly” type of sorrow is different from a “worldly” type of sorrow

For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

For godly sorrow worketh repentance

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2 Corinthians 7:10

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Godly Sorrow

• You want “Godly Sorrow” NOT “worldly sorrow”

• 2CO 7:10 For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

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Godly Sorrow is in a class of its own

• Godly Sorrow is often rare in established Christians

• They tend to blame – excuse & deny

• COME ON – call a spade a spade – be a child of God

• sorrowed after a godly sort

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2 Corinthians 7:11

• 11 For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.

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If you Lack Godly Sorrow

• You are lukewarm • Do you want to be “Indifferent”?• I don’t• If the Lord didn’t forgive I would be

lost

• sorrowed after a godly sort

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Don’t fall for the old lie

• Luke 12:10 And whosoever shall speak a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but unto him that blasphemeth against the Holy Ghost it shall not be forgiven.

• Find out what this means BEFORE you condemn yourself with it!

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The Goodness of God

• Uses Conviction to lead us to REPENTANCE & FAITH

• ROM 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

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There is NO condemnation

• BUT there is Conviction!• ROM 8:1 There is therefore now no

condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

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True Conviction

• Is the result of the fellowship of our conscience & the Word & Spirit

• That fellowship tells us that• We are the children of God• When we need to repent

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2nd True Forgiveness

• True forgiveness only comes from the “heart”

• Matthew 18:35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

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3rd True Holiness

• True holiness is Real – that is living with a completely clear conscience before the Lord – is based on “truth”

• Ephesians 4:24 And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

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Who convicts me of my sin?

• Just who convicts me of my sin?

• This is the question we must ask when we need to recover.

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Conviction OR Condemnation?

• Jesus does NOT bring condemnation that produces a despair!

• When Jesus brings conviction there is always a way of escape!

John 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

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Not - to condemn the world

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Conviction OR Condemnation?

• Where does the feeling of judgement (condemnation) come from?

• Jesus brings Conviction using our own conscience

JOH 8:9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

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convicted by their own conscience

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To Make This Simple

• For the point of this exercise we make a difference between CONVICTION & CONDEMNATION

• This is done for clarity – in the King James Bible these two words can be interchangeable on occasion.

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conscience-stricken

• John 8:9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.

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No Condemnation

• Romans 8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

• now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus , who walk not after the flesh

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Conviction OR Condemnation?

• You have to be able to tell the difference

• There is a marked difference in the way you respond to different types of Conviction OR Condemnation?

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Conviction comes from Jesus

• Condemnation, in this case, comes from the “flesh, the world, the devil” – what the devil does leaves you defeated without overcoming faith.

• Conviction, in this case, comes from Jesus always has a way of escape through repentance and faith

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Once you understand this difference

• Jesus brings Conviction using our own conscience

• Repentance / Forgiveness / Holiness can’t be enjoyed or experienced without the operation of our conscience

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The result is a

• CLEAR & CLEAN CONSCIENCE • John 16:8 And when he is come,

he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

• Jesus CONVICTS – so the fact that you are guilty & feel guilty is genuine

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Jesus effects our Conscience

• 1 Timothy 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

• Jesus by His word & His Spirit convicts us in our conscience

• This is a legitimate situation & is the proof that we are under sentence & need to respond with true repentance & faith

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We need a “healthy conscience”

• A healthy clear conscience is the normal state for a true Christian. It is God’s great gift to us.

• Hebrews 9:14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

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A Clean Conscience

• As you can see having a “clean conscience” is only possible because of the blood that Jesus poured out for you.

• You cant serve God effectively unless you have a clean & clear conscience

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Lets look at a scripture puzzle

• This next couple of verses are often misunderstood but really they open to the door to confidence & so to power in living

For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things. 21 Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.

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1 John 3:20-21

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This scripture is often misquoted

• this is what this really means• 1 John 3:20 For if our heart

condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.

• Be in no doubt, if your heart condemns you then you are condemned!

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Don’t fall for the idea

• that God is greater than your heart & loves you so therefore you are not really condemned –

• if you do this then the next verse loses its power “if you heart does not condemn you THEN you have confidence before God”

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The meaning is simply

• don’t have a condemned heart• If your heart condemns you -

means that God condemns you.• This is when the condemnation is

true and you are convicted by the spirit and the word of God

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So you had better make certain

• that your heart knows the difference between Condemnation that comes from fellowship with God & condemnation that comes from the world – your natural thinking & the devil the emeny of you soul

• Be certain it is your heart & not just what you feel condemning you

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The 2 types of Condemnation

• The Condemnation that comes from God (we call conviction) is founded in living faith & this has a way of escape

• & condemnation that comes from the forces of darkness (we call condemnation) has no faith & has no escape.

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1 John 1:6-7

• 6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

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Here is power

• 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

• How long does this cleansing take?

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

How long does this cleansing take?

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How Complete Is This

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How long does this cleansing take?

• This is where the “skill of a quick recovery” comes in!

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If we walk in the light

• We must walk in the light – the light of a clear conscience so that we can serve God with joy & power

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Penance Self-punishment

• Penance is self-imposed punishment

• Self-inflicted punishment

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Penance is not of faith

• This does not glorify God. • The punishment (of yourself) does

not fit the crime. • The punishment has been laid on

another.

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Penance IS NOT Bible Repentance

• Penance IS NOT Repentance – Bible Repentance

• True Repentance is not penance!

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Penance Is Wallowing In Self-Pity

• Feeling this “false” condemnation is really pathetic.

• This does not honour God. • This paralyses your spiritual walk. • It is not justified

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Penance OR Return to holiness at top speed

• Penance & feel condemned OR Repentance with faith & Return to holiness at top speed

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If you sin

• Call it sin – be convicted by having your conscience scream at you agreeing with the word & spirit

• Let sin make you physically sick to the stomach BUT repent with faith.

• Rise up – become justified - it is as if you have never sinned

1 John 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:

IF is not the same as WHEN

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Sin Not

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You are not a Victim

• You have sinned

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Repent with faith & confidence

• This repentance & faith is all you need to show God you are sorry

• Get rejoicing & walking in righteousness

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So you want to show you are sincere!

• We do not prove our sincerity by a prolonged spirit of “repentance (penance) of dead works”.

• You wont prove how sorry you are by “hanging down your head”

• You prove how sorry you are by believing in his forgiveness & knowing that you have it

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We prove our sincerity

• When we have faith to be forgiven & empowered to walk in righteousness

• Get back into RIGHTEOUS living ASAP

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Just as if I had never sinned!

• 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

• So get on with it – don’t bother yourself about it again

• When your sin is forgiven it is forgotten

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Get On With IT

• You should want to be “as holy as Jesus can make you”

• Get rejoicing

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Understand FAITH

• Forgiveness comes only from faith righteousness comes only from faith.

• There is no other way that you can walk “pleasing God”

• There is only way the “just” can be just by faith

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What do you use faith for?

• Hebrews 10:38 KJV 38 Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.

• The main use of faith is not to add “things” to you BUT to enable you to walk “pleasing the Lord”

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BE QUICK to regain

• This blessed “unbroken fellowship”

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Do YOU understand

• What is going on when you substitute penance for faith?

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Habakkuk 2:4

• 4 Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

• “His soul which is lifted up is not upright in him” – what does this mean?

• The proud never win – you cant beat the pride out of yourself

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Without Faith you go for “penance”

• So the only way you can be justified is to have faith

• If you don’t have faith you will try to do “penance” to bring a peace & sense of satisfaction that can only come from faith

• This is the classic “no win” situation.

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Pride is killed off by humility

• Humility is to take God at His word & call all else that stands against His word liars & lies.

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one gave condemnation One gave life

• Romans 5:16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.

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Condemnation WAS then – Justified IS now!

• Romans 5:18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.

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The Word “Condemnation” means

• an adverse sentence (the verdict)• Condemn – to try (to) pass

sentence or punish

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What do you learn from this?

• It is foolish & insulting to set out to or to try or condemn or punish yourself if God has the power to forgive you!

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What do you learn from this?

• Making a quick recovering accepts the grace, mercy & forgiveness of God & gets on with the walk of living in righteousness • Get going & honour God & His

Word REJOICE

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Learn to Recover Quickly

• Honour the word• The worst punishment is

“separation form God”• The Holy Spirit draws you – come

to Him – don’t delay - be sorry in a Godly way – turn again to the right way. Believe in His forgiveness.

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Don’t Grieve the Holy Sprit

• Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Penance is a form of prolonged & demonstrated grief.

Faith returns us to a clear conscience with the power to be just as if we had never sinned & the power to live a happy godly life

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Penance

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Its OK to be weak

• Its OK to be weak BUT it is not OK to be proud or bitter

• If you don’t recover quickly you need “Recovery Road”

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When you substitute Penance for Faith

• When you substitute Penance for faith you (DIS) disrespect & bring the blood of God into no avail

• The natural mind thinks this is the way BUT the spirit cries out “This is not the way”

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Learn the Art of a Quick Recovery

• & you will honour the Lord & be needing it less & less!