July 20, 2003

Breaking Through to Authentic Manhood in the Face of Temptation
The Soul of a Man series part 10
Speaker: Larry Acosta

Vulnerability due to a "father wound" issue
A father wound is an ongoing psychological, social or spiritual deficit that would ordinarily be met in a healthy relationship with dad, but wasn't, so now it must be overcome by other means.

James 1:2-21
Trials and Temptations

²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. ⁶But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. ⁷That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
⁹The brother in humble circumstances ought to take pride in his high position. ¹⁰But the one who is rich should take pride in his low position, because he will pass away like a wild flower. ¹¹For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich man will fade away even while he goes about his business.
¹²Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.
¹³When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; ¹⁴but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed. ¹⁵Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
¹⁶Don't be deceived, my dear brothers. ¹⁷Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. ¹⁸He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created.

Listening and Doing

¹⁹My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, ²⁰for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. ²¹Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

TEMPTATION #1
THE TEMPTATION TO SUBSTITUTE THE STUFF I BUY FOR MY FAMILY IN PLACE OF MY PERSONAL PRESENCE WITH MY FAMILY

TEMPTATION #2
THE TEMPTATION TO GIVE "MY BEST" AT WORK AND TO GIVE GOD, MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS THE LEFTOVERS

TEMPTATION #3
THE TEMPTATION TO BE PERFECT AND TO DEMAND THE SAME FROM THOSE AROUND ME

Am I a perfectionist?
· Do you expect the absolute best of yourself at all times?
· Do you sometimes procrastinate because you can't do something perfectly?
· Do you get upset when things don't go exactly the way you think they should?
· Do you get frustrated with others because they don't share the same value
you do for getting things "done right"?
· Are you hard on yourself when you make a mistake?
· Is the idea of being "average" distasteful to you?
· Upon completing a project do you often think, "I really could have done this
better?"

TEMPTATION #4
THE TEMPTATION TO BE CONTROLLED BY MY SEX DRIVE VS. MY BEING SELF-CONTROLLED

OVERCOME TEMPTATION BY FEEDING YOUR FORGOTTEN SOUL...

S ubmit to the Spirit
S ay the words you long to hear
     "I LOVE YOU", "I'M PROUD OF YOU",
     "THANK YOU", "I'M SORRY"
O rder your life around ACCOUNTABLE RELATIONSHIPS
U nderstand YOUR OWN "father wound"
L et HIM be ENOUGH

2003 Message Archives