The Wise

Last week:  Inner-Voice of Shame, Low Self-Esteem & Condemnation

Changing it from Interpreting situations out of our baggage

To saying what God says about me

Problem:  our images (likeness, concept, imagination) are damaged by sin

1 Cor 15:49.  As we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.

God wants to restore you to His image – Regenerated, Transformed

Not just Regeneration – Renewal

Col 3:10.  Put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him.

•  Continued renewal – daily (2 Cor 4:16)

          Transformation happens by the knowledge of Him renewal of the mind

2 Cor 10:5.  Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,

Our imaginations come out of our image of ourselves

We spend time & energy & money on our Outer Image

New clothes, nails, new hair

Spend equal time improving our Inner Image

God is concerned about your Inner Man – our Attitude 

1 Sam 16:7.  For the Lord does not see as man sees;

For man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.

As saved people, we must deal with our Heart Issues – our Attitude

We should NOT have consistent Bad Attitudes of Being Mean & Negative

First, these attitudes reveal more about how you really feel about yourself

Being Negative is rooted in low self-esteem

Because you don’t feel good about yourself or the things you do

Your responses are always negative

The only way you feel superior is to put others down – by being negative

A Mean Person does things just to hurt you

It seems like they don’t care, but they care too deeply – just not about you

Meanness is a form of self-protection

Mean People feel like you’re going to hurt them, so they hurt you first

As far as they’re concerned, the score is even

Different types & levels of Mean People:

•  Hurters – naturally edgy, lash out, insult, humiliate – never generous
•  Haters – jealous: spend more time trying to put you down, than put themselves up
•  Bullies – aggressive, use power to persecute, to intimidate and to dominate
•  Bombs – If things are peaceful or progressive, they stir up drama or drop bombs
•  Petty – have something to say about every little thing, bite because they have teeth

Worst, Church-mean – often about status & power & jealousy

New people come in & put their shoulders to the wheel

          They take an active position, or you’re jealous of the attention they get

So control them by being mean or negative

Mean people try to make you feel bad about doing good

Being Mean & Negative can actually be a form of witchcraft

Manipulating & Controlling a person’s behavior

1 Peter 3:8. Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another.

Love each other as brothers and sisters. Be tenderhearted, be courteous;

Nobody wants to be around a mean person

Scripture – Mama 6:8. “God don’t like ugly.”

You ever notice, they can say things to you, but you can’t say anything to them?

They want to tell the truth, but they can’t take truth…

The Bible calls that person a “A Fool”

• A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back. Prov 29:11

Fools are people who you can’t tell anything:

“People who know everything never improve because you can't teach them anything else”

You talk to them trying to address issues, solve problems to make things better

Attempts to talk only create conflict because they respond like they’re being attacked

•  It’s foolish to correct a fool – Prov 16:22
•  Because they’re right in their own eyes – Prov 12:15
•  And they despise wisdom & instruction – Prov 1:7

The foolish person never takes responsibility – never apologize

So, nothing ever happens – they never change

Taylor Swift: “Someday I'll be living in a big old city, and all you're ever gonna be is mean”

Prov 13:18. Poverty and shame will come to him who disdains correction.

Mean people & people of low self-esteem need healing & deliverance

Too often, they don’t even know they are mean & negative

They’re just repeating patterns

Mean people & people w/low self-esteem don’t know who they are in Christ

Being mean & negative does not reflect the image of God

2 Cor 3:18.  We all, with unveiled face,

beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord,

are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory,

just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

•  We are supposed to reflect the glory of God

Transformation is a Journey that must be Understood

God’s process is to connect you with someone of wisdom & understanding

ex. Saul – “What do you want me to do?”

          “Get up, go into the city, and you will be told what to do!”

ex. David – when he was wrong, God sent Nathan to correct him

Prov 9:8-9 NIV

Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you;

rebuke a wise man and he will love you.

9 Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still;

teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning.

Prov 1:5.  A wise man will hear and increase learning,

And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel. 

Brings us full circle to Transformation by the Renewal of our Minds

Truth makes you free

Prayer

Ps 139:23-24

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.