Resensitizing Ourselves The Retraining Of Our Conscience When

Resensitizing Ourselves- The Retraining Of Our Conscience • When we have lost our tender conscience it is imperative that we be proactive in getting ourselves back to a point where the gospel will matter to us again. How do we do this? • A hardened conscience is the greatest danger to every man and woman today. It is what prohibits a person from ever obeying the gospel and is also what keeps sinful Christians from repenting of sins. How do we become sensitive to the powerful gospel again and let it change our lives? • 8 times in Ex. 8 and 9 Pharaoh hardened his heart and it resulted in disobedience to God’s command. • Heb. 3: 13 - tells us we can be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin and we can help keep this from happening by exhorting one another daily.

Characteristics of Being Desensitized • Have you ever heard the truth and knew you were in disobedience, but refused to make the proper changes? • Have you ever needed to come forward and allowed yourself to delay it? • Have you ever been burdened down with sin and knew the answer was to humble yourself, but refused to do so? Does pride stand in the way of you and the salvation of your soul? • Have you ever listened to a sermon and come away from it with no reaction whatsoever? • Heb. 10: 26 -29

Steps To Resensitizing • No more excuses for sin and unfaithfulness. Stop excusing lack of obedience. Stop blaming others. • Luke 14: 16 -24 - all with one accord began to make excuse. • When we excuse our lack of obedience we actually can convince ourselves that we are alright and need no change. The gospel will not penetrate our heart as long as this is the case. • Common excuses- that’s just the way I am, I will do it one day not now, I can’t, I am too old to change, let the young ones take it now, I will leave that to others, I am busy, I don’t know enough.

The Psalms and Resensitizing • • Psalm 85 -6 Is. 57: 15 Revive Us again! Have a broken and contrite heart Ps. 34: 17, 18 Ps. 51: 17 Restore the joy of service to us. Ps. 51: 12

David and Paul • David was a man after God’s heart yet he sinned heinously. The thing that set him apart from others who sinned, was he never lost his awareness of himself as a sinner (Ps. 32: 3 ff). • He desired to have a clean heart again and a right spirit (Ps. 51: 10). He was able to repent. • Paul also kept a conscience that could be touched (Acts 23: 1).

Psalm 51 • What can happen if we are resensitized? • Have mercy, blot our my sin, wash me from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin, blot out my iniquities • Make me joyful again-renew a right spirit within me-hold me close don’t cast me away-uphold me O God-deliver me from my guilt • Result- I will teach sinners of your way and will praise You. • I can be useful again and feel humbly good about myself. • Sin poisons our spirit and keeps guilt alive- resulting in us concluding we are too far gone to come to the Lord. • I have spoke to many prisoners who have undergone this process. • They surround themselves with good people, refuse to act like they used to and read the Word and pray. They are determined not to let Satan have them. • Job made a covenant with his eyes not to desire a maiden (Job 31: 1).

No Sin Is So Big The Lord Cannot Forgive • • • Fornication- 1 Cor. 5. Bigotry- Peter in Acts 15 Murder- Paul-David False Teaching (Apollos-unintentional) Blasphemy (Simon the Sorcerer) Lust (David) Crucifying Christ- Saved on Pentecost Denying Christ- Peter Substance abuse, pornography, sins of the flesh that lead up to fornication. • Pride- Peter,

Giving Up On Ourselves • God is not willing any should perish but wants all to come to repentance. A proud person will not repent. A defeated person will not repent because they refuse to place their lives in God’s hands. • What is there you cannot forgive yourself of doing? Paul said he forgot what was past- he pressed on (Phil 3: 13) • God will not give up on you. If you are willing to let the Word of God have its way with you then you can be one with God. • Imagine having peace (Phil. 4) no guilt, pure thoughts (Phil. 4) • The only one who can separate you from the love of God is YOU (Rom. 8: 35 -38).

Solution • • Make the decision to submit to God. Do not kick against the pricks (Acts 26: 14) Let your stubborn guard down Humble yourself and He will exalt you – 1 Peter 5: 6. (Ps. 9: 12 -he forgets not the cry of the humble). Thank God for his grace, mercy and pardon in your life and that He has been longsuffering to you not willing for you to perish but to come to life eternal. Realize life is short Repent and Obey and be urgent about getting it done. Study , Pray and surround yourself with godliness