7 Words to Change Your Life: No 06 Jun 21

We say NO to GOOD to say YES to GREAT

Behind every wise No is a better Yes

Some of life’s biggest regrets were born in a moment where we said “yes” when we should have said “no”.

Say NO to…

• Sexual misconduct
• Relational overload
• Causes outside your calling

Stay In Your Lane

You CANNOT afford to say NO to Jesus!

Saying YES to Jesus is the wisest thing you can do!

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Psalm 78:70-72 

 He chose David his servant and took him from the sheep pens; from tending the sheep he brought him to be the shepherd of his people Jacob, of Israel his inheritance.And David shepherded them with integrity of heart; with skillful hands he led them.

Psalm 86:11

Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.

1 Corinthians 6:18-20

Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does.  For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you just honor God with your body.

Proverbs 7:21-27 

So she seduced him with her pretty speech and enticed him with her flattery. He followed her at once, like an ox going to the slaughter. He was like a stag caught in a trap, awaiting the arrow that would pierce its heart.  He was like a bird flying into a snare, little knowing it would cost him his life.  So listen to me, my sons, and pay attention to my words. Don’t let your hearts stray away toward her. Don’t wander down her wayward path. For she has been the ruin of many; many men have been her victims. Her house is the road to the grave. Her bedroom is the den of death.

Proverbs 4:23 

Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.

Luke 5:16

But Jesus often withdrew to the wilderness for prayer.

Acts 6:1-4 

But as the believers rapidly multiplied, there were rumblings of discontent.  The Greek-speaking believers complained about the Hebrew-speaking believers, saying that their widows were being discriminated against in the daily distribution of food.  So the Twelve called a meeting of all the believers.  They said, “We apostles should spend our time teaching the word of God, not running a food program.  And so, brothers, select seven men who are well respected and full of the Spirit and wisdom.  We will give them this responsibility.  Then we apostles can spend our time in prayer and teaching the word

Start talking. Find a conversation starter for your group.

• Do you find it difficult to say “No”? Why or why not?

Start thinking. Ask a question to get your group thinking.

• One of our core values at Generations Church is “We say no to good to say yes to great.” Therefore, we have to say “No” to a lot of good ideas.  Why do you think it’s important to say “No” to some really good things in life?
• Pastor Clay said, “Some of life’s biggest regrets were born in a moment when we said ‘Yes’ when we should have said ‘No.’” Can you think of a moment in your life when this happened? Explain.
• Read Psalm 78:70-72 and Psalm 86:11. David speaks of “integrity of heart” in these verses and his desire to have an “undivided heart.” Integrity is not something that is birthed overnight. How does an individual become a person of integrity?
• There are so many areas in life that we should say “No” to. Clay spoke of three of them: 
  • Sexual Misconduct (Read 1 Corinthians 6:18-20, Proverbs 7:21-27, and Proverbs 4:23)
  • Relational Overload (Read Luke 5:16)
  • Causes Outside Your Calling. (Read Acts 6:1-4)
  • Which area would you say is the most difficult for you to say “No to? Why?

Start sharing. Choose a question to create openness.

• Clay said, “God has equipped you to fulfill your calling…not someone else’s.  Don’t worry about what other people think. Learn to say ‘No.’”  Is this difficult for you to accept? Or is this freeing for you? Why or why not?
• While we may want to believe that what others think doesn’t really matter to us, we’re people living in a time when everything we see in stores, on tv, even on the street is designed to make us want to live, dress, eat (or not), believe, style our hair,etc. in particular ways. How do you combat that in order to live a life that is single-mindedly focused on God? What guardrails can you set up to help keep yourself and one another from falling into the trap of being sucked in by the world?

Start doing. Commit to a step and live it out this week.

• Take some time to think about the plans you have made or can make to become closer to becoming a person of integrity. Come up with a plan and begin to develop new, or to revise existing, habits or practices designed to draw you closer to a person with an undivided heart who is drawing closer to God.

Start praying. Be bold and pray with power.

• God, thank you that you love us no matter what our struggles are. Help us to be people of integrity. Help us to develop good habits that will make us not have a divided heart when it comes to life and mostly in our relationship with You. In Jesus Name – Amen. 

Start digging. For further study.

• Read this Got Questions article, “What are boundaries, and are they biblical?”

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