Life.Church with Craig Groeschel - When You’re Sick of Being Stuck | The Power to Change: Part 1

Episode Date: January 29, 2023

Few things in life are more frustrating than knowing you need to change, trying to change, but not actually changing. If you’re sick of feeling stuck, it’s possible to find The Power to Change so you can start living the life you want. Let’s learn how together in our new series. ABOUT THIS MESSAGEFew things in life are more frustrating than knowing you need to change, trying to change, but not actually changing. It’s possible to find The Power to Change so you can start living the life you want. NEXT STEPSHave you made a decision to follow Jesus? You may be wondering what’s next on your journey. We want to help! Let us guide you to your next steps in your walk with Christ: https://www.life.church/nextABOUT LIFE.CHURCHWherever you are in life, you have a purpose. Life.Church wants to help you find your next step. Our hope is that your journey will include joining us at a Life.Church location throughout the United States or globally online at https://www.live.life.church. Find locations, videos, and more info about us at https://www.life.church or download the Life.Church app at https://www.life.church/app. FIND US ON SOCIAL MEDIAFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/life.churchInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/life.churchTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lifechurchCONNECT WITH PASTOR CRAIGYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/craiggroeschelFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/craiggroeschelInstagram: http://www.instagram.com/craiggroeschelTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@craiggroeschel#lifechurch #craiggroeschel #thepowertochange Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

I wonder how many of you started in 2023 with something that you wanted to change in your life? Raise your hands if that's you. Online, if that's you, just type in the comment section. I started with something I wanted to change. I'm going to ask you, how's it going? Good? If it's going good for you, congratulations. You would be the exception.

because according to a study of 40 million people, it's not going that well. Inc. Magazine wrote about this study and found that the vast majority of us quit our resolutions by the second Friday in January. The vast majority of us started with really good intentions, but we didn't follow through. And the sad news is that so many of us, we have our goals. But by the end of this year, we'll still weigh more than we wanted to wait. Or we'll still spend more money than we actually make. Or we'll still want to read the Bible daily, but we won't.

And so what I want to do is I want to talk to those of you who want to change, those of you that hoped to change, those of you that tried to change. but you're not even sure that change is possible. I'm calling this message when you're sick of being stuck. You can look at the person next to if you want to and say, I'm sick of being stuck. You can look at the other person telling them I'm sick of being stuck. You can type it in the chat if you want to. I'm sick of being stuck.

If you feel like so many of us, you feel frustrated, you're exhausted, you're embarrassed, or you're even ashamed that you can't change, the good news is that you're not actually alone. In fact, the guy in the New Testament that wrote over half the New Testament, who would that be? The Apostle Paul, he understands what it's like to try to do the right thing, but not do the right thing.

In fact, his words in Scripture give me comfort. When he said in Romans 70, he said, I don't really understand myself, for I want to do what's right, but what do you say? but I didn't do it. He says, I don't want to do what's wrong, but I do it anyway. And then watch what he says. He says, oh, what a miserable person I am.

I wonder if any of you can relate with him and relate with me when you feel like that. You can type in the comment section, I can relate. You may ask, what the world's wrong with me? I mean, I tried to change it this year, and I tried to change it last year, and I tried to change it the year before. I mean, I did everything they say to do. I set the goals. I made the vows.

I bought my workout clothes. I got the daily planner. I made a vision board. I did everything. You had the right intentions like so many else, but unfortunately, I would suggest that many of us, though we have the right intentions, we actually have the wrong strategy.

We're trying to change, but we're trying to change in the wrong. way. And that's why I want to talk to you about a new series and a book that I'm very excited is coming out very soon. You're able to pre-order it now. It's called The Power to Change, mastering the habits that matter most. Perhaps one of the most core messages that I've ever written about. And what we're going to do in the book, The Power to Change, is talk about how God's Word teaches us to change. And this week we're going to build a foundation. Next week we're going to build a foundation. Then we're going to take a break for something called

30 second theology. Then we're going to come back and we're going to look at how scripture talks about habits and how science confirms it because God is kind of the one who created science anyway. So we might as well see how it all works together. The core of the message in the book, the power to change, I want to give it to you today. And that is this. If you're taking notes, you can write this down. What do we know about real change? Real change. This is so important. change is not behavior modification. Real change is spiritual transformation. It's not just changing what we do on the outside. It's allowing God to change who we are on the inside. It's not just outward behavior modification, but real change is spiritual transformation. And that's why the

Apostle Paul, who in Roman 7 just said, I'm trying to do it right, but I can't. I don't want to do it wrong, but I do. Then he said this. He asked a question, who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? And what did he say? He said, thank God. The answer, it's not in my effort, it's not an outward behavior. The answer is in Jesus Christ, our Lord. It's not behavior modification. It is spiritual transformation. And so what I want to do in the next few weeks, I want to show you how we as Christians often will try to change the wrong. way. And I'm going to give you an illustration from this idea originated with Jerry Bridges. I'm going to abbreviate it, make it my own, but I want to give him credit for the three big ideas

that we're going to cover. And he shows that essentially there are three mindsets that Christians will adapt when it comes to change. Two are wrong, and one is correct. The first is a wrong mindset. And many people believe when it comes to change that it's going to be God, then me. it's God then it's up to me in other words God initiates by drawing us to himself his holy spirit woos us his grace changes us we're saved by grace we're heaven bound God does a work to bring us into his family

and then God says good luck it's all up to you and many of us we inadvertently believe in a God then me mindset where we think like if it's going to be, it's up to me. And it even comes down in our language. Here's what Christians will say. Well, I'm trying to stop losing my temper of my kids. I'm trying. Or I'm trying to stop cussing. Darn it. But you didn't say, darn it. Right? Or I'm trying, I'm trying to get close to God. Or I'm trying to stop spending four hours a day scrolling on TikTok and the gram.

God save me, but we believe if it's going to be, it's up to me. There's a wrong mindset about how we change. The first one is God, then me. The second one is what? It's God not me. While the first one is all about our effort, the second one almost absolves us from any effort or responsibility. And there are some Christians who have this mindset, it's God not me. It shifts all responsibility to God. He has to do everything, and I don't do anything. It shifts it all to God. For example, if it's God, not me, and I don't like my job, I might say, well, I'm going to quit my job for the glory of God, and then God has to bring me a new one. Maybe not your best strategy,

and many of you have found that out the hard way. Or you might think, you know, I want to get closer to God, but you haven't read his words since 1998 and haven't been back to church since COVID hit and you're wondering, why am I not close to God? Or one of my favorite ones is you spend more than you make over and over and over again,

and then what do you do? you buy a lottery ticket and dedicate it to God. Maybe God's going to get me out of debt with a lottery ticket. And I'm joking, kind of. Because that's how a lot of people live, right? There's three mindsets. The first two are kind of wrong and dangerous. There's God, say it with me.

There's God, then me. There's God, not me. The correct one is actually God through me. Everybody say God, through me. Type it in the comment section, if you will. How do we really change? It's not behavior modification. It's spiritual transformation.

It is God through me. And I want to show you how the Apostle Paul recognized this amazing principle. He's the guy who said, I'm trying to change, but I can't. I don't want to do this wrong, but I do. Who in the world can save me? Only Jesus can. And I want to show you how he processes this. in his writing. This is what Paul said. And I love this. I love the humility and the dependence on God.

He says, for I am the least of the apostles. Like, this is Paul. Like, write the New Testament, started a bazillion church as Paul. And he says, based on my qualifications and all my sin, I rank low. I'm not very good. I'm the least of the apostles. I don't even deserve to be called apostle because I persecuted the church of God. He's thinking I killed people and such. And he's very, very humble. He says, but, watch this. Not by my talent, not my education, not by my good works and not by my effort, but by what? He said, but by the grace of God.

What I want to show you is the same grace that saves you is the same grace that changes you. He says, but by the grace of God, I am. what I am. And watch this. And his grace was not without effect. In other words, I'm not very good. I don't deserve this. But his grace impacted me. And I am what I am because of his grace. And it did a work on me. And he said, then watch this. He says, no, I worked harder than all of them. And when he said this, he did. He got up earlier. He stayed up later. He started more churches. He raised up more leaders. He preached the gospel more ferocious. and fearlessly, he was beaten and beaten and beaten again.

He was left for dead. He was whipped. He was snake-bidden. He was shipwrecked. He came back. He was persecuted. They tried to kill him. And he came back.

And watch what he says. I worked harder than all of them. I brought everything in me. And then he said, yet not I. But it was the grace of God that was with me. I'm not any good. I don't deserve to be here. But by the grace of God, he did something in me. His grace was not without effect. The same grace that saved him was the same grace that changed him. And I brought every bit of energy and effort that a physical body could. Yet it wasn't me and me alone.

It was the grace of God through me. Real change is not God than you. Real change is not God, not you. Real spiritual change is God through you. It's not behavior modification. This is so good. It's spiritual transformation. So, preacher guy. What does that look like on Monday?

When I want to eat three bags of chips. Right? when I want to yell at my boss and take them hostage and ask for ransom money. All for the glory of God, because God's going to get the out of this, right? If real change is God through you, what does that look like?

I mean, what does that look like? This is really important. So what I want you to do, you may want to write this down, I want you to pay really close attention because I'm about to give you this secret. And I don't want you to miss this. Okay.

For change to be spiritual transformation. I don't see you guys writing this down. I'm going to step back. I'm going to give you a second because this is the key to the whole thing. So for change to be spiritual transformation, it has to be spiritual. Did you get that?

For it to be spiritual transformation, it has to be empowered by God's spirit and not your willpower. And so here's what's going to happen. The New Year's going to roll around next year, and you're going to say, I want to change this. You're going to have your why, because I'm tired of wearing my fat jeans.

I want to wear my skinny jeans. And you're going to have your plan. It's whatever diet that works for your friends, or your new exercise, something. last year it's CrossFit, this year is pickleball, whatever it is. You're going to have your why and you're going to have your how. And what I want to suggest is you add spiritual to your why and your how. What do you want? You want a spiritual why and you do a spiritual how. What is your spiritual why? Your spiritual why is God's purpose for you. That's your spiritual why. That's your

spiritual why and your spiritual how is God's power through you it's not your effort it's not behavior modification spiritual transformation so how does this play out you get that little notification on your phone that said you spent 92 hours on your phone this week and you're thinking I probably should spend less time on my phone so why are you going to do that because I don't want to spend so much time on my phone now get a spiritual reason who is God what is God God is love. And what's our greatest commandment to love? How loving are you staring at a screen?

So your spiritual why might be to love God, I want to be more engaged with the people I love, not just double-clicking on the latest image they posted, and that's your spiritual why. I want to get better of my money. Why? Because I'm tired of being broke. Not a bad reason.

But what if there was a spiritual reason added to that? Which is everything that I have comes from God. And one of the best ways I could worship and honor him is by stewarding wisely, managing his resources to a point where I'm just trying to pay my bills, but I can be a blessing to people around me. If you add a spiritual why to what you want to do, it changes your heart. I want to be in better shape. Why?

So I can look good at my bikini, hashtag, look at me. Okay, right? It's coming in a few months. You've got to be ready for it. High school reunion. And look at me. So what if instead, I told you, we might as well have fun, right? Yeah, you criticize all you want.

Just go be a dud somewhere else if you don't like to have fun. So what if instead, it's, um, My body is a temple of the Holy Spirit. And I want to honor God with the temple of the body that he gave me. It's spiritual. What's your spiritual why? For spiritual transformation to take place, there's got to be spiritual. Spiritual.

What's your spiritual why? Then you're going to want a spiritual how. You want a spiritual how. And I love Zechariah 4-6 when the Old Testament prophet says, it's not by might, it's not by willpower, but it's by what? It's by my spirit, says the Lord Almighty. When God's spirit is working through you, Paul said, it's not me, but it's his grace through me. Then you're not on your own, but you have a stronger power.

For example, Amy and I, it's been probably, how many years did we go into our favorite place in Colorado? Probably 22 years. We go every year. We go to the same place. We love it here. We do the same thing over and over again. We go to the same restaurants. We hike the same trails.

We rent the same bicycles, except for this year, Amy didn't. We went to the bicycle place. I got my normal bicycle. She picked a different one. It was more expensive. I didn't know why. I didn't really care. She's my wife.

She can get whatever bicycle she wants. Until we started riding 9,000 foot mountain. and she would pass me easily and wait for me at the end. What's wrong with you, old man? Mr. like, body-shaped guy, cardio on the gym thing. And she'd fly past me, fly past me. And then wait, fly past me.

What's wrong there, a little man? Can't she keep up? At the end of it, I was like, I was like dead. I go like, I'm done. She goes, let's go 10 more miles. And I had no idea why. Her bike was more expensive until we turned it in and I realized hers was electric. Now, if you've never been on an electric bike, I got one the next day.

And there is no way to tell you how close you are to God on an electric bike. When you start pedaling with less effort, there's four times the energy. You just kind of like having a little good time and whom! You're about to jump off the top of a mountain. And this in many ways is what happens when you don't bring your power but a stronger power. When it's not by my might, but it's by the Spirit of the Lord, connected to old spiritual why with a spiritual how that you don't have outward modification, you have spiritual transformation. And I'll tell you the story of how God helped me change my health, my diet, and my mindset around food. In the old days, and Stephen can tell you, I used to eat anything and everything I wanted. And it worked great for much longer than it does for most people.

35, 36, 37, and then 40 in fat. Like 40 in fat. I wasn't necessarily fat, but my kids called me full-face Craig. My more angry kids called me dad bod. I preferred father figure. But nevertheless, I used to eat everything. I mean, I would eat everything, and they would tell you they had chance. They would say, Mommy buys good food, but daddy buys great food.

That's what they would say, because I'd go to a grocery store, and I'd go straight down, and I would make little Debbie stock go up. I would buy cinnamon rolls, and I'd buy donuts and pizza and cheeseburgers and chili cheese burgers and chili fries and malts and cookies and cake and ice cream and cinnamon rolls for the glory of God. I can visualize and taste a cinnamon roll right now, and I would eat and I'd have Mountain Dew and Dr. Pepper with a squirt of cherry and all for the glory of God. And I would do all of this forever, and then I became Fuller Face Craig.

Did any of you round long enough to remember Fuller Face Craig? Don't raise your hand. That's like, just like, you suppose, I don't remember that. Oh, yeah, I remember. Well, when did I change? Let me tell you when I didn't change. I didn't change when Amy said, you should eat healthy. I didn't do that.

Why? Because I'm a man. And I didn't change when the doctor said you have high cholesterol. Why? Because I'm a man. And I didn't change the second time the doctor raised his concern and said, you have high cholesterol. I changed when not just a doctor, but a different doctor who was a friend. And a Christian said, hey, if you want to be effective serving Jesus for years to come,

you want to serve him by taking care of the temple of the Holy Spirit. And that's when I changed when it became spiritual. So it wasn't like I wanted to bench press a lot. I promise you that. What I wanted to do was I wanted to be healthy. And with a spiritual motivation, I started researching. I'd never done that before. I thought you could eat what you want and then just go to the gym.

And I learned that what you eat matters so much. And I learned how much water you drink. And all the other stuff, I don't drink any of the other stuff. And I learned about supplements. And I learned about vitamins. And I learned about rest. I learned about a bunch of other nerdy stuff that would bore you that took me about seven years to learn. and to dial in.

What's your workout, Greg? Working out doesn't matter. The most important thing is what you put in your body. And I learned since this is a temple, I'm not putting no trash in God's temple. I'm not putting trash in the temple. And so by changing the spiritual why, it started to impact who I'd become.

What do you want to change? You had your goal and then the second Friday's gone. And maybe you want to overcome an addiction. We all do at some point, right? Maybe you want to get more organized. Maybe you want to pray regularly with your spouse. What do you do? Add your spiritual why.

By the help of Jesus, I will overcome this addiction because I am not a slave to any sin, but by the power of Jesus I'm set free. It's a spiritual why. I want to get more organized. God is a God of order. therefore I'll organize my life so I can order it around the things that matter most. I want to pray with my spouse.

Well, who is Jesus? Jesus is my one and my spouse is my two. So I'll always seek the one with my two. Your first assignment, and we're going to build on this in the weeks to come, is to define your spiritual why. What's your spiritual why? then we're going to get into, and more in the upcoming weeks, your spiritual how. And what it is is, it's God's power through you.

And the statement that I adopted, if you've been here a while, you've heard me say it before, and I will say it again, is so meaningful to me. I say it again and again and again until God renews my mind with truth, and that is this. I am disciplined. Christ in me is stronger than the wrong desires in me. why do I say this? I am disciplined. Christ in me is stronger than the wrong desires in me. The reason I say this is because by nature, I am not disciplined, meaning I like to eat what I like. I like to sleep in. I like to be lazy. By nature, my sinful nature is not discipline.

But I declare, renew my mind, I am disciplined, but it is not me. It's Christ in my mind. me that's stronger than the wrong desires in me. So when I in the early years when I was tempted to eat the wrong thing, it's not just my willpower, but it's actually my spiritual why with God's power. And my diet is very, very strict, very, very clean. And it's very, very easy today because it's Christ in me, all for him. I want to be as strong as I can to do his will. I'm put trash in his temple. This is meant to serve. God. So how does it apply to you? You're tempted to look at something that you shouldn't look at. I made a covenant with my eyes, not to look lustfully. I want to honor God with purity. You've got a

spiritual why. Then his power comes in you, prompts you and reminds you, you can walk away. You can always walk away no matter where you're tempted, God will always give you a way out. You're not on your own. You've got your why, you've got your spiritual how. You're tempted to lose your temper at your kids. And you remember, no, no, no, no, no. I want to lead my children with an example of Jesus. I want a spiritual legacy. You've got a spiritual why.

What's your how? I have available to me the power of the fruits of the spirit. It's not my power. It's the fruits of the spirit. It's his love, his joy, his peace, his kindness, his gentleness, his faithfulness, his self-control through me. What do we know? Real change is not God.

than you. Real change isn't God, not you. Paul said, I'm the least, but his grace was at work, and I did everything I could, and yet it was his grace through me. Real change is always God through you. It's not behavior modification. It's spiritual transformation. It's a change of heart. Don't miss this, please. If you only change your behavior, and this is what so many people do, if you change your behavior, but don't change your heart, the behavior will come back. And that's why we're not trying, we're trusting. It's a spiritual motivation, and it's a spiritual power.

Real and lasting change. It's a reflection of God's power through you. So, if you're sick of being stuck, I got really good news for you. There is a power outside of you that will help you change. Why haven't you? You tried, and you still work too much, still neglecting your family. You're still procrastinating. You still skip church more weekends than you're actually at church.

You still click on sites that you don't want to click on. You're still holding a grudge against someone that hurts you a long time ago. You're still spending money on things that don't last and wasting your life, staring at things that don't change anybody's life. Why do you still do that? There's lots of sub-reasons, and there are a lot of them. We're going to talk about a lot of those. But there is a primary reason.

And the primary problem is a spiritual problem. It's almost always spiritual. Why is it that you haven't changed? It's because, in most cases, you're trying to meet a need or relieve a hurt with something besides God's grace. Why is it that you haven't changed? You're trying to meet a need, a real need in your life,

or relieve a hurt. with something besides God's grace. And that's why the same Apostle Paul who said, I want to do the right thing, but I don't, who can help me? Thank God Jesus can. And yet I'm the least of all these. I'm not good enough, I know that. But God's grace on me was not without effect.

It changed me. And yet I still do everything, but it's not me as his grace through me. He is the one who said this about grace. Essentially, the same grace that saves you is the grace that changes you. He said, God said to him, my grace, eat. Use a good diet. Use all that stuff you want to.

But the heart of your power is always God's grace. My grace is everything that you need. And when you don't have the willpower and you don't have the strength and you failed again like we all do, God says, my power works best in weakness. So now, Paul said, I'm all the more glad to boast about my weakness. Why? So that the power of Christ can work through me. It's not God and not me.

It's God not God and then me. It's God through me and through me and through me. So if you find that area where you can't change, stop being ashamed of it and embrace it. Say, this is an area that God can change. When I am weak, his power. is made perfect. And then if you mess up, remember, His grace saves, and His grace changes, and His grace forgives, and His grace strengthens, because this is not behavior modification. This is spiritual transformation, because Jesus didn't come to make us better. He came to rescue

us, and to save us, and to change us, and to free us. That's who He is and who the Son is is set free. Come on, church, you might as well have. who the son is set free is free indeed. So Father, do a work in us. We ask that your Holy Spirit would move today. And we surrender not to our power, but to your grace through us. Wherever you're praying, wherever you're watching from, those of you would say yes. And let me just prime me a little bit. This is going to be all of you. If not, you're Jesus, and we might as well have you come up here and preach. This is all of you. How many of you would say, there's still something in me that needs to change? Let's your hand right now. Those of you online, just type it in the comment

section. There's something in me that needs to change. Your assignment is very, very simple. we're going to start and we're going to build. Next week I promise you, it's going to build. Then we're going to take a break for 30 second theology. Then we're going to come back and we're going to go deep into the spiritual power of habits that honor God. Every week we're going to build. Your first assignment is this. What is your spiritual?

Why? For it to be spiritual transformation, it has to be spiritual. So we're going to attach and we're going to talk about it in our life groups. We're attached a spiritual Y to it. Father, give us a spiritual why behind what we want to change. And then God, help us to find your spiritual power through us to become more like your son, Jesus. As you keep praying today without looking around, there are those of you who say, like,

man, there's a lot needs to change. I can remember being a church kid and trying so hard not to do the wrong things. I tried so hard. And I just wasn't able. I remember just like, God helped me, help me, help me. And what I didn't realize is that I was trying to work my way to God. I wanted to try to be good enough for him. And no matter how hard I tried, I was never, ever good enough.

And it wasn't until years later I recognized that's because I was born with a problem. I'm born with a sin nature, meaning that I just sin. By my own nature, I tend to do the wrong thing. And it's humanly impossible for me to ever be perfect and lived up to God's standards. This is why I told you all, you might as well have fun, because this is amazing news that God still loves you. And he loves you so much that he became one of us. God became flesh in the person of Jesus.

Paul said, who can save me? Jesus. Who is Jesus? He is the sinless son of God. Who gave his life as the perfect sacrifice and God raised him from the dead. So anyone, and this includes you, doesn't matter how bad you feel, how dark your life is, anyone who calls on him, you'd be saved, you'd be forgiven, you'd be changed, not by your works, but by his grace. So no matter where you're watching from. This is the best news ever. And you're not here by accident. You're here because God loves you. And he wants to reveal himself to you. You'll never be saved by works, but only by the grace of Jesus. So surrender to it. Give your life to it. Just call out on him today. Whoever you are, you know you're far from God to say, Jesus, I need you. We're going to step away

from our old life. We're going to step toward His grace. When you call in his name, he will hear your prayer. He will forgive your sin. He won't just make you bad. He will just make you best. We're going to step away. We're better, he will make you new. Wherever you are, you say, I need that. Today, I surrender, Jesus. I give you my life. That's your prayer. Lift your hand now, all over the place and say, yes, that's my prayer. Say, yes, Jesus, praise God for you. Others of you today, that's my prayer. Jesus, I need you. I need you up here in this section. We praise God for you. Others today online, just type it in the comment section. I am surrendering my life to Jesus, and I need all of you to pray, if you will. Pray a loud, pray Heavenly Father.

give all of my sins. Jesus save me. Make me brand new. Fill me with your spirit so I can do your will so I can show your love so I can make you known. Thank you for new life. I give you all of mine. In Jesus' name I pray. I need someone to worship. I need someone to thank God. Welcome those born into the family of God.