Self-correction – making the necessary corrections on the inside based on the Word of God.
The greatest task the believer will ever have to do is to correct ourselves.
Self correction makes us better witnesses for the Jesus Christ; enrich our lives in our home, church, fellowship with saints, and God himself.
Until we learn and conquer the art of self-correction, we cannot live a fulfilled or fruitful life.
We will look at the life of David in this lesson. This is the same David that God used to slew Goliath; great King; compared to the life of Jesus; David was a man of great stature. He had an intimate relationship with God; but David had a weakness.
II Samuel 11:1-11
What was the weakness of David? He had an unnatural lust for women.
Lust:
1. Shows up first in the thoughts of our mind.
II Samuel 11:2 - And it came to pass in an evening tide, that David arose from off his bed, and walked upon the roof of the king’s house: and from the roof he saw a women washing herself; and the woman was very beautiful to look upon.
2. Shows up in the words of our mouth.
II Samuel 11:3
And David sent and inquired after the woman. And one said, Is not this Bath-sheba, the daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite?
The thoughts of your mind and your words will turn into reality.
3. Shows up in our actions.
II Samuel 11:4
And David sent messengers and took her; and she came in unto him, and he lay with her; for she was purified from her uncleanness: and she returned unto her house.
David knew he was wrong. Doing wrong does not make you look on the inside.
II Samuel 12:1-7a
God brought David face to face with himself.
David took responsibility for his actions; he knew who the sinned against.
John 8:31-32
If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
Paraphrased: If you are faithful to what I have said, you are really disciples of mine; and you will have knowledge of what is true, and that very truth will make you free.
No one can correct me, but me. God cannot correct me.
Psalm 51 is David’s confession of his sin with Bath-sheba.
Psalm 51:6
Behold, thou desireth truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
Most people stop at forgiveness and never what caused us to do it. God wants truth in the inward parts.
What’s on the inside that would cause me to commit sin (adultery, fornication, etc.)? Something is wrong in the thoughts of your mind.
If we don’t go from forgiveness to cleansing, we will do the sin again.
I 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.
Paraphrased: If we freely admit that we have sinned, He is to be depended on, since He is just, to forgive us our sins.
Before I can correct myself, I must see myself. I must look on the INSIDE.
How Did You Miss God?
Hosea 4:6-9
Root cause of missing God is rejecting knowledge.
Israel – type of local church; believer
Blood touching blood – church killing each other
No priest – no benefits of the covenant rights
Your children will suffer because of our unrighteousness.
For The Believer To Miss God:
1. Internal problem caused by external influence.
James 1:12-20
I cannot influence you to think ungodly unless there is something on the inside that you are lusting after. If you lust is stronger than your desire for righteousness, then you will give in to the lust.
Internal problem: what caused me to receive and act on incorrect information. This comes from a poor self-image.
When you become cleansed, you do not care what others think.
2. External influences
Society we live in where we confuse custom with scripture. I called it “historical mentality.” This mentality says, if I disagree with you, then you are my enemy. And I fight with you until you are destroyed.
The problem is that we begin to fight against those who God has called us to minister to.
You cannot fight against our enemy and make progress at the same time. We are called to minister to people so they can change.
Example: Abortionists; homosexuals; sinner, etc.
Ephesians 2:11-13
How Do I Correct Myself From External Influences?
II Corinthians 10:3-6
1. Take every thought and bring it into line with Word of God.
Thoughts in our mind is not an idol thought.
Thought – a device designed to manipulate your intellect. Tightening something in your mind or loosing something. They are creating an image. They affect us either negatively or positively.
2. Cast down imagination.
If thoughts don’t line up with Word, we take that thought and punish it. Thoughts accumulate in our minds and become imaginations.
Imagination – mental reasoning without Word of God; human plans ready for action based on lusts.
Improper images are built by thoughts which leads to strongholds.
3. Pull down strongholds.
We build strongholds to protect ourselves. We don’t let anyone in even God.
Stronghold – a fortress; high walls and gates around it. They call military bases FORTs.
1. Keep what’s on inside safe.
2. Keep what’s on outside out.
We must take down the walls that built itself above the knowledge of God. We need to stop and pray to pull down these strongholds.
Ecclesiastes 12:13
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
No self-correction will last if we don’t fear God. Because if we don’t fear God, as soon as the pressure is on. We will go back to the old areas – no matter how saved you are.
GOD WILL NOT CORRECT YOU. CORRECTION IS A SELF-THING!
God will show me the evil, chastise us and allow us to receive the full blunt of judgement, but not correct you.
Six Steps To Self Correction:
II Samuel 12:7-12
1. Recognition of the error.
II Samuel 12:13a
And David said unto Nathan, I have sinned against the lord.
David recognize his error others can point out our error, but only you can recognize it. I am able to see the error. God forgave David, blessed the marriage, but Bath-sheba remain Uriah the Hittite wife.
2. Must acknowledge the error.
Psalm 51 – God dealing with David and this is David’s confession.
Psalm 51:1-3
v. 3 – For I acknowledge my transgressions and my sin is ever before me.
Transgression – ignorant act against God, rebellion. You know exactly what you’ve done.
Sin (iniquity) – knowing what you do when you do it and do it anyway. My sinful nature that cause me to do it is still there. David knew he didn’t have a Bath-sheba problem but a lust problem. Sin – pleasure for a season.
Acknowledge – void out all contributing factors and take responsibility for it yourself.
3. Must repent – Psalm 51:1
Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
Saying not sorry or forgave me is not repenting.
I 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.
Forgiveness – takes care of the act.
Cleansing – take care of the cause.
Repent – turn around and go in a different direction (change directions).
The jails are full because no one repents.
4. Self-Examination
Looking on the inside and find out what caused me to do the act.
We came out of the womb in sin.
Psalm 51:4-10
Wisdom- taking what I know and understand and getting the maximum benefit from it.
Behold – take a look
You have to be naked before God.
David had hyssop to be washed; but we have the blood.
5. Don’t flee from the chastisement of God.
When you fall (if you sin) do not run from the Church (Word) that’s where the cleansing is. Don’t leave the place of correction. Devil will tell you that you are embarrassed and cannot go back.
We need to know the ways of God (David).
Chastisement of God – (Purge me with hyssop – Psalm 51:7); correction by the Word; very uncomfortable; cleanses
Judgement of God – the penalty for sin; it punishes; built in punishment sin carries an automatic judgement (the wages of sin is death). The minute you sin judgement is upon you. All judgment is not the same. You can flee the chastisement of God, but not judgement. Judgement is automatic. Penalty is there before you sin.
Psalm 51:4
Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
(Paraphrased: It is against you and you alone I sinned, and did this terrible thing: Yes, thou art just in thy charge, justified in thy sentence).
Saints do not understand chastisement. God chastises us before judgement.
Chastisement is temporary discomfort and then it sets you free.
Judgement has a lasting affect. Before David sinned, he did great things; after that sin, things fell down (trouble came down).
The cleansing power of chastisement helps us to live through the judgement.
II Samuel 12:9-10
6. Maximize the error
II Samuel 12:24
And David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in unto her, and lay with her: and she bare a son, and he called his name Solomon: and the Lord loved him.
The first child died; but the record child was a king.
Solomon – means peaceable or “shalom”.
Get the most out of the error.
a. I must avoid pitching a pity party.
II Samuel 12:17-18
I must accept the responsibility to avoid a pity party.
b. Know everything that needs to be learned from the error (i.e. multiple marriages).
7. Change our attitude.
Mistakes not learned from, must be repeated. Until we learn, we will make them over again.
a. I now hate sin; if I still like it, I am not cleansed. Get rid of everything that contributes to my downfall – people, cigarettes, mistress, drugs, email address, phone numbers, etc.
b. I develop a deeper relationship with God. Restore the joy of my salvation and but me back in right relationship with you.
When my will becomes God’s will, then God’s power become my power.
Psalm 139:1
Oh Lord, thou hast searched me, and known me.
The more sensitive we are, the more God will give us the answers before the thought comes.
One who truly wants to be corrected will open his heart to God.
Psalm 139:23
Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
David knew that God knows we are not able to know all that is on the inside of us.
When we look into God’s Word, we look for: (It’s a mirror)
1. To do what we want to do
2. Or get correction
Jeremiah 10:23-24
O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. O Lord, correct me, but with judgment; no in thine anger, lest thou bring me to nothing.
