Lost & Found - Week Two

We began last week addressing the question, “Why would we, as Christians, ever leave home, go prodigal?”Phases on going prodigal:The Delirious Phase (Luke 15:13)The Destructive Phase ( Luke 15:14-17)The Decision Phase (Luke 15:18)After going prodigal, how do we return home?If you want to return home, you have to come clean with the Father. (Luke 15:17-20)No matter how much you screw up, the Father never runs out of grace, forgiveness and love for you!After returning home, how do we stay home?If you want to stay home, you have to come clean with yourself.Is there an area in your life where you’re giving Satan an opening?There are openings in our lives where we allow Satan to roam free and lure us down from the cross:Secrets -(John 12:4-6, Malachi 3:8)If you have a secret, the best thing you can do is shed light on it and get it out into the open.When you shed light on your secret, you close that opening in your life for Satan to work. (James 5:16)Sin – (Luke 15:13)If you have sin in your life that you are not tolerating, it’s an openingDo you have sin in your life that you’re tolerating? Shame (Hebrews 12:2)You have a choice to make:Ignore your secrets, sin and shame or go before God and say:1 – God, I’m coming clean with You about what I did wrong and I claim Your forgiveness and by your grace, mercy it won’t happen again.2 – I’m coming clean with myself. I’m closing the openings that have allowed the enemy to roam freely in my life. Claim the promise of Romans 8:1.The only alternative is a defeated, prodigal life.