We heard from Graham this morning with the forth part of his study on Ezra. We learned of four basic principles that can prevent us from having the abundant life God promises.

Ezra part 4 [ 40:54 ] Play in Popup | Download

Ezra 3:10-13

Previously:

We asked, “In What Way did the returners worship?”
I said they worshipped generously and deliberately.

And, “What did the returners feel?”
I said I thought they would have anticipated a restored relationship with God possible through the forgiveness available through the temple sacrifices.

I mentioned Psalm 51 and said David must have had a quality of relationship with God and the “joy of salvation”. I suggested the returners were experiencing the same sort of thing. The wonder of the feeling of forgiveness. I told you about the fast of Gedaliah they would have celebrated in the month of Tishri for the last 70 years, and its relevance to their the celebrations of chapter 3.

I ran out of time on my third and final point, “Why did the returners weep?” This is where I pick it up this week.

Why did the returners weep?
3:12-13 Weeping and rejoicing. Some looked back to loss, others looked to the future. Telling someone to cheer up is rarely helpful. The past is not always easily forgotten. Repentance may cover our mistakes but there is still loss. They were now being restored to their city but they had been invaded and the first Temple had destroyed, they had suffered loss. However, the power of repentance is often underestimated.

How to be loosed from our past.

There may be many reasons why you don’t experience the abundant life of John 10:10 or find release from the things of your past. Some people need professional help. Many will be helped by the dynamics we will look at now. If this is not for you it will be for someone you know. Listen up, I want you to be well equipped to help others.

There may be many reasons. However, I usually see one or more of four main obstacles to progress:

  • sin
  • occult, or debris of past occult practice
  • bondage “The state of being bound; condition of being under restraint; restraint of personal liberty by compulsion; involuntary servitude; slavery; captivity.” [1913 Webster Dictionary]
  • wounds and hurts.

God can fix us!

1) Sin
Romans 3:23 tells us that we fall short of God’s standards and glory.

“for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,”

Isaiah 59:2 tells us that sin separates from God. Therefore if we are separated we cannot experience the abundant life.

But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.

All our sin is forgiven when we become Christians but there are some things that may remain or that you intend to carry on with. Some, you might not even be aware of e.g bitterness, lying, anger, resentment, envy. Some of these may be from your past.

Ask yourself is there a practice, behaviour that is in control of you rather than you in control of it, something that you know does not please God? Someone that you resent, hate, can’t forgive?

For Sin – We Need Forgiveness

1 John 1:7-9

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

1 John 2:1,2

My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defence- Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Psalm 32:1-5
Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered.

Blessed is the man whose sin the LORD does not count against him and in whose spirit is no deceit.

When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, I will confess my transgressions to the LORD- and you forgave the guilt of my sin.

God will forgive us but we must be forgiven and be forgiving:

(a) Be forgiven

  • Repent - turn away from our sin and resolve with God’s help not to do it again.
  • Confess - own up honestly to God for the sin. God won’t be shocked so be completely honest.
  • Ask - to be forgiven and for the blood of Jesus to cleanse you

(b) Be forgiving. We need to forgive.

See ‘Lord’s Prayer’ Matthew 6:6-15.

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

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.’

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

2) Occult
God detests any form of practising or dabbling in the occult – whether for fun or seriously, whether once or many times.

Amos 2:4-5

This is what the LORD says: For three sins of Judah, even for four, I will not turn back my wrath. Because they have rejected the law of the LORD and have not kept his decrees, because they have been led astray by false gods, the gods their ancestors followed, I will send fire upon Judah that will consume the fortresses of Jerusalem.

Exodus 34:15-16

Be careful not to make a treaty with those who live in the land; for when they prostitute themselves to their gods and sacrifice to them, they will invite you and you will eat their sacrifices. And when you choose some of their daughters as wives for your sons and those daughters prostitute themselves to their gods, they will lead your sons to do the same.

These activities open our lives to spiritual forces that can enter to damage us and steal our peace of mind. Some people can be held back by the debris of past occult practice.

I will not give you a list, but rather the following are things some people have claimed they have heard from God about. Horoscopes, Tarot cards, Tea leaves, Ouija board, Levitation, E.S.P, astral projection, consulting Mediums. Traditionally, Christians have seen other religions and beliefs in a similar way e.g Mormonism, Watchtower (Jehovah Witnesses), Free Masonry even Yoga and some “Martial Arts”.

For the Occult – We Need Setting Free

  • Renounce – Tell Satan you want nothing more to do with these practices. Have you anything that you would get rid of? The ancient way is to say “I renounce you Satan and all your works. In particular I renounce and turn my back on [...put yours here...]“
  • Repent - Confess to the Lord and receive forgiveness.
  • Receive the assurance of forgiveness and release- Allow Jesus to set you free according to Matthew 18:18 (“I tell you the truth, whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven”).

3) Bondages
The Prisoners and Oppressed of this verse are those in bondage. What are bondages?

  • Addictive habits that we cannot stop.
  • When we are dominated by another personality.
  • When we have repeated emotions such as fear, anger that we can’t control.

God’s word to us is to live by the Spirit which brings its own rewards. Life and Peace should be ours.

For Bondages – Their Power Needs Breaking

The Lord Jesus can break every bondage and reverse every negative action or attitude into something which is good and positive.

Remember Luke 4:18-19?

The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour.

4) Wounds and Hurts
Psalm 27:10 (Though my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will receive me) gives us a common cause of hurts. Many people, as the years go by may have hurt us and left us wounded in spirit.

Psalm 25:16-20

Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. The troubles of my heart have multiplied; free me from my anguish. Look upon my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. See how my enemies have increased and how fiercely they hate me! Guard my life and rescue me; let me not be put to shame, for I take refuge in you.

Even great men in the bible had to seek refuge in God because of loneliness and hatred. Some classic causes are neglect, rejection and abuse.

Lyrics to ‘Fix You’ by Coldplay:

When you try your best but you don’t succeed
When you get what you want but not what you need
When you feel so tired but you can’t sleep
Stuck in reverse

And the tears come streaming down your face
When you lose something you can’t replace
When you love someone but it goes to waste
could it be worse?

Lights will guide you home
and ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

High up above or down below
when you’re too in love to let it go
but If you never try you’ll never know
Just what your worth

Lights will guide you home
and ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

Tears streaming down your face
When you lose something you cannot replace
Tears streaming down your face and I

Tears streaming down your face
I promise you I will learn from my mistakes
Tears stream down your face and I

Lights will guide you home
And ignite your bones
And I will try to fix you

God is able to fix your Soul, Spirit and Body. It is His desire that you become a new person and leave the old behind. How does He do it?

For Wounds and Hurts – We Need to be Healed

No matter how long ago we were hurt or for how long we have been carrying pain, the Holy Spirit is the comforter. We may never forget an incident but it can be robbed of its power. We can ask for healing so it no longer affects the way we live or respond to others or situations.

You can pray that the Holy Spirit will pour his comfort into your life. Why not allow a Christian friend to pray with you before this day ends, for your healing and release?