Freedom From the Pressure to Do It All Yourself
You Don’t Have to Do It Alone — God Has More for You
Pastor Ivan Satyavrata, said… “The greatest threat to undivided devotion to God is idolatry.”
Idols are rarely golden statues — they’re the subtle, sneaky things we build our lives around, get our security from, hold up as most important without even realizing it.
Tim Keller (Every Good Endeavor) -> Idolatry is when we make a good thing into an ultimate thing… The idol of Self-Reliance
Here is the truth hiding under that phrase: going alone looks heroic, but it is a myth; it is the idol of self-reliance dressed up as strength. You can muscle a few wins, you can grind through a few projects, but sooner or later, you hit something you cannot carry, and effort is not enough.
Why? You trust your grip more than His grace, and in the process, it moves your heart farther from God… Live self-reliant, there is a moment that will come when your strength runs out, when control slips, when privacy feels like prison. So here is the real question in front of all of us, What do you do when you cannot do it by yourself?
Luke 5:18-19 Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus.
Luke 5:20 When Jesus saw their faith, he said, “Friend, your sins are forgiven.”
Says I know what you think you need, but let me tell you right now… what you really need is ME. And what you really need is a moment where you're just simply say, “God, I recognize my need for you, something needs to change, and it’s me… If I could change myself under my own power, I would... but I can’t, so I give you my life.”
Luke 5:21 The Pharisees and the teachers of the law began thinking to themselves, “Who is this fellow who speaks blasphemy? Who can forgive sins but God alone?” Notice… There have been and always will be religious people in the proximity of Jesus, who are totally pointed away from him.
Their focus was simple: get him to Jesus, and let Jesus do what only Jesus can do.
Luke 5:22-25 Jesus knew what they were thinking and asked, “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts? 23 Which is easier: to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up and walk’? 24 But I want you to know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home.” Immediately, he stood up in front of them, took what he had been lying on, and went home praising God.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9). But James tells us to Confess our sins to one another so that we may be healed (James 5:16).
Forgiveness comes from God. Healing comes from God’s people. Big Idea: You want to kill the idol of self-reliance. Invest in some “Roof Tearing” Relationships
Ecclesiastes 4:12
A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.