In a season of spiritual change, God asks that we take off the old and sinful, but something needs to be put on in its place. Some bold steps are coming up.

In a season of spiritual change, God asks that we take off the old and sinful, but something needs to be put on in its place. Some bold steps are coming up.

God is not the God of the takeaway. He's the God of the takeaway and the give back. When God takes something out of your life, he expects you to replace it with something else.

God is not the God of the takeaway. He's the God of the takeaway and the give back. When God takes something out of your life, he expects you to replace it with something else.

Welcome to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe, president of Moody Bible Institute and senior pastor of New Life Community Church in Chicago. Today, part two of The message How to Prepare for a Season of Change. We'll be looking at both the motivation for change, as well as the need to have a plan for change. Our scripture is Nehemiah chapter nine. Bold steps is where to go. If you'd like to hear part one of this message, as well as any past broadcasts in this the series because all audio is archived there and ready to stream. That's bold steps. Org but right now here is Mark Jobe with today's bold steps.

Welcome to Bold Steps with Mark Jobe, president of Moody Bible Institute and senior pastor of New Life Community Church in Chicago. Today, part two of The message How to Prepare for a Season of Change. We'll be looking at both the motivation for change, as well as the need to have a plan for change. Our scripture is Nehemiah chapter nine. Bold steps is where to go. If you'd like to hear part one of this message, as well as any past broadcasts in this the series because all audio is archived there and ready to stream. That's bold steps. Org but right now here is Mark Jobe with today's bold steps.

When I was a young believer, when I first came to Christ, I was afraid of hell. I mean, fires of flames of hell. I may miss it. Oh help me Lord, I don't want to go there. Sounds like a real nasty place to hang out for a long time. I don't really want to go there. Oh! Help me! Jesus. You know, that was a motivating factor. Once I became born again. Once I gave my life to Christ, once I started walking in God, that ceased to be the motivating factor in my life. It was no longer fear of punishment. A slave has pure fear of punishment. A son no longer is driven by fear. A son is driven by grace. Let me explain the difference. I could I could tell my son Josiah. Hey, if you don't do this, I'm going to really crack down on you. In fact, have you ever heard of being grounded for life? Well, that's what you're going to be if you don't do this, because you do not do that. And I could try to motivate him by fear, and he could think, if I do that, oh, I'll be really punished. And so I better not do that because I may get punished. But if I can do it with getting away with a punishment, then I would do it. Or I could sit down with my son and I could say, son, you know, it would really grieve my heart if you did this, because that's not your nature. You're my son. You're a job. Jobs don't do that. And it would really disappoint me if you did that. It would really cause me grief if you do that. Listen, son, even if you did it, you would still be my son. Because you cannot cease to be my son even when you don't behave like my son. But it would cause me sadness and grief of heart. That motivation. When my son goes to do something, he thinks this grieves the heart of God. This grieves the heart of my father. I don't want to grieve my father's heart because he's been good to me. He's my dad. He loves me. I want to please my father. So I don't want to do it because I don't want to hurt his heart, as opposed to the fear of punishment that says, hey, I don't want to do it because I'll get punished. You see, there's different motivations. The more mature we become in God, I believe that we become more grace driven and less hell driven. Are you tracking with me? The more you mature, you become in God. It's not fear of of hell. And by the way, I know there's a lot of discussion about this, and some of you come from religious traditions and backgrounds where you where you believe you can lose your salvation and so forth. That's a long discussion. I'm not going to get into that discussion, but I do believe that if you're truly a son, you cannot be you cannot become a son, that if you're born, you can't become unborn if you're truly a son. Now, there's some that claim to be a son that aren't really a son in the first place and don't show the fruit of it. And if you're really a son, I think you'll show the fruit of it. But here's the point I run into people that are fear driven, and if you're fear driven, you're going to fail often. And I'll say to someone, they'll come to the altar and I'll say, is this the first time you're giving your life to Jesus? No. Is this a second time? Uh, no. Third time? Well, it's more like the 12th or 13 times. I can't remember anymore. So what's your story? Well, I got saved and I got unsaved, got saved, got unsaved, got saved, got unsaved, got saved, got unsaved, got saved, got unsaved, got saved, got unsaved, can't keep track of it anymore. Last month I was saved. This last month I was unsaved. This month I'm trying to get saved. I just really don't know where I'm at. I've gotten saved and unsaved so many times I can't keep track. That is not the way it works You don't need to get saved again. You just need to repent and get on track again. Hebrews chapter six says, you know, once you've tasted of his grace and held of it, you can't like, crucify Jesus again. You need to repent and get your life on track with God, not try to get saved again. And what drives you is not the fear of hell. What drives you is the grace of God. Lord, I don't want to hurt your heart. You've been so good, so patient, so loving. How could I hurt the heart of the one who loves me so much? And by the way, there are consequences to sin. Just because God forgives you doesn't mean you don't have to live with the consequences. Hey, you go out, rob a bank. You say? Well, I asked God to forgive me. He forgave me. Now I'm richer. No, it doesn't work that way. Sorry. You know. No, no. You repent. You you you know, you have to give the money back. You deal with the money. All right? give it anonymously, I don't care. Give it back anonymously. Drop it off at the bank. But guess what? If you're caught, you go to jail. You'll go forgiven to jail, but you'll still go to jail. You say, well, Jesus forgave me. Yeah, but now you're. Now you have a jail ministry. You're forgiven. But hey, you're going to jail still. Because God liberates you from the spiritual damnation, but not from the physical consequences of your sin. So forgiveness is important and vital, but sin always has consequences in our life. So if you're going to go into a new season, it requires cleansing in your life. Cleansing happens when you're willing to really confess and repent. Take an inventory of your life. What is my life like? Where am I missing the target with God? How can I confess it and say, God? I take responsibility for my sin You see, I think one of the big problems in our life is that oftentimes we don't take responsibility for our spiritual condition. We blame our spouse. If he were more on fire. Oh, I would be a better Christian. I would love Jesus more. Be involved in ministry. Listen. Take responsibility for your own life. Well, if there were a home group that met closer to my house, then I would really grow. You see, I worked the second shift, so I can't be in fellowship if there were no. Take responsibility. You see, pastor, I'm not a really good reader. And I have this old King James Bible. You know, if I really know, know, take responsibility. My job really pulls me down because people are so negative, so critical. And if I had another job, I would take responsibility for your life. You see, I have a lot of little kids right now. One, they're grown and they've gone to college. And I'll really be a prayer warrior and be involved in ministry. But right now, with this baby here, that baby there, you know, how can God expect that I have a right relationship with him? I can barely survive. Hey, take responsibility for your spiritual condition. Listen in the prayer that follows. In the prayer that follows. Because after they repented, it tells us in verse, uh, in in verse five they stood up to praise the Lord your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. And now you find the longest prayer in the Bible, takes you about six minutes to read, or six minutes to say out loud. It's a long prayer and basically it's a prayer. Let me summarize it for you. I'm not going to read the whole prayer. Let me summarize it for you. Basically, they say it starts all the way in creation. Oh God, you created the heavens and the earth and Adam and and then Abraham, you called our father Abraham and led him through the promise. And he had Isaac. And and then you created a nation. And then we came into captivity, and then you set us free from a captivity. And then the Egyptians were drowned in the sea. And then we followed you, and then we turned our backs from you. Then we followed you, and you turned our backs from you, and then you took us into captivity because we neglected and turned our backs on you and God. Now we are in a bad place because of our fault, and we're not happy with where we're at. So, God, please have mercy on us. You know, the big thing about this prayer is they don't blame God. They say, God, you've been faithful. We've been unfaithful, and we are at where we're at because of our bad choices. We take responsibility for our present condition. And now we call unto you God and ask that you would change it and have mercy on it. That's huge. That's huge. You see, I think we all need to say I am responsible for my spiritual condition. Can you say that? Okay. Let's say a little louder. One. Two. Three. I am responsible for my spiritual condition. I can't blame you, pastor, anymore. No, no, you can't blame me anymore. Sorry. Pastor, we only had a 230 service because I'm just, like, waking up in the morning, you know, by 230. And I'm, like, wide awake, you know? Sorry. You are responsible for your spiritual condition now. Take responsibility. Do something about it.

When I was a young believer, when I first came to Christ, I was afraid of hell. I mean, fires of flames of hell. I may miss it. Oh help me Lord, I don't want to go there. Sounds like a real nasty place to hang out for a long time. I don't really want to go there. Oh! Help me! Jesus. You know, that was a motivating factor. Once I became born again. Once I gave my life to Christ, once I started walking in God, that ceased to be the motivating factor in my life. It was no longer fear of punishment. A slave has pure fear of punishment. A son no longer is driven by fear. A son is driven by grace. Let me explain the difference. I could I could tell my son Josiah. Hey, if you don't do this, I'm going to really crack down on you. In fact, have you ever heard of being grounded for life? Well, that's what you're going to be if you don't do this, because you do not do that. And I could try to motivate him by fear, and he could think, if I do that, oh, I'll be really punished. And so I better not do that because I may get punished. But if I can do it with getting away with a punishment, then I would do it. Or I could sit down with my son and I could say, son, you know, it would really grieve my heart if you did this, because that's not your nature. You're my son. You're a job. Jobs don't do that. And it would really disappoint me if you did that. It would really cause me grief if you do that. Listen, son, even if you did it, you would still be my son. Because you cannot cease to be my son even when you don't behave like my son. But it would cause me sadness and grief of heart. That motivation. When my son goes to do something, he thinks this grieves the heart of God. This grieves the heart of my father. I don't want to grieve my father's heart because he's been good to me. He's my dad. He loves me. I want to please my father. So I don't want to do it because I don't want to hurt his heart, as opposed to the fear of punishment that says, hey, I don't want to do it because I'll get punished. You see, there's different motivations. The more mature we become in God, I believe that we become more grace driven and less hell driven. Are you tracking with me? The more you mature, you become in God. It's not fear of of hell. And by the way, I know there's a lot of discussion about this, and some of you come from religious traditions and backgrounds where you where you believe you can lose your salvation and so forth. That's a long discussion. I'm not going to get into that discussion, but I do believe that if you're truly a son, you cannot be you cannot become a son, that if you're born, you can't become unborn if you're truly a son. Now, there's some that claim to be a son that aren't really a son in the first place and don't show the fruit of it. And if you're really a son, I think you'll show the fruit of it. But here's the point I run into people that are fear driven, and if you're fear driven, you're going to fail often. And I'll say to someone, they'll come to the altar and I'll say, is this the first time you're giving your life to Jesus? No. Is this a second time? Uh, no. Third time? Well, it's more like the 12th or 13 times. I can't remember anymore. So what's your story? Well, I got saved and I got unsaved, got saved, got unsaved, got saved, got unsaved, got saved, got unsaved, got saved, got unsaved, got saved, got unsaved, can't keep track of it anymore. Last month I was saved. This last month I was unsaved. This month I'm trying to get saved. I just really don't know where I'm at. I've gotten saved and unsaved so many times I can't keep track. That is not the way it works You don't need to get saved again. You just need to repent and get on track again. Hebrews chapter six says, you know, once you've tasted of his grace and held of it, you can't like, crucify Jesus again. You need to repent and get your life on track with God, not try to get saved again. And what drives you is not the fear of hell. What drives you is the grace of God. Lord, I don't want to hurt your heart. You've been so good, so patient, so loving. How could I hurt the heart of the one who loves me so much? And by the way, there are consequences to sin. Just because God forgives you doesn't mean you don't have to live with the consequences. Hey, you go out, rob a bank. You say? Well, I asked God to forgive me. He forgave me. Now I'm richer. No, it doesn't work that way. Sorry. You know. No, no. You repent. You you you know, you have to give the money back. You deal with the money. All right? give it anonymously, I don't care. Give it back anonymously. Drop it off at the bank. But guess what? If you're caught, you go to jail. You'll go forgiven to jail, but you'll still go to jail. You say, well, Jesus forgave me. Yeah, but now you're. Now you have a jail ministry. You're forgiven. But hey, you're going to jail still. Because God liberates you from the spiritual damnation, but not from the physical consequences of your sin. So forgiveness is important and vital, but sin always has consequences in our life. So if you're going to go into a new season, it requires cleansing in your life. Cleansing happens when you're willing to really confess and repent. Take an inventory of your life. What is my life like? Where am I missing the target with God? How can I confess it and say, God? I take responsibility for my sin You see, I think one of the big problems in our life is that oftentimes we don't take responsibility for our spiritual condition. We blame our spouse. If he were more on fire. Oh, I would be a better Christian. I would love Jesus more. Be involved in ministry. Listen. Take responsibility for your own life. Well, if there were a home group that met closer to my house, then I would really grow. You see, I worked the second shift, so I can't be in fellowship if there were no. Take responsibility. You see, pastor, I'm not a really good reader. And I have this old King James Bible. You know, if I really know, know, take responsibility. My job really pulls me down because people are so negative, so critical. And if I had another job, I would take responsibility for your life. You see, I have a lot of little kids right now. One, they're grown and they've gone to college. And I'll really be a prayer warrior and be involved in ministry. But right now, with this baby here, that baby there, you know, how can God expect that I have a right relationship with him? I can barely survive. Hey, take responsibility for your spiritual condition. Listen in the prayer that follows. In the prayer that follows. Because after they repented, it tells us in verse, uh, in in verse five they stood up to praise the Lord your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. And now you find the longest prayer in the Bible, takes you about six minutes to read, or six minutes to say out loud. It's a long prayer and basically it's a prayer. Let me summarize it for you. I'm not going to read the whole prayer. Let me summarize it for you. Basically, they say it starts all the way in creation. Oh God, you created the heavens and the earth and Adam and and then Abraham, you called our father Abraham and led him through the promise. And he had Isaac. And and then you created a nation. And then we came into captivity, and then you set us free from a captivity. And then the Egyptians were drowned in the sea. And then we followed you, and then we turned our backs from you. Then we followed you, and you turned our backs from you, and then you took us into captivity because we neglected and turned our backs on you and God. Now we are in a bad place because of our fault, and we're not happy with where we're at. So, God, please have mercy on us. You know, the big thing about this prayer is they don't blame God. They say, God, you've been faithful. We've been unfaithful, and we are at where we're at because of our bad choices. We take responsibility for our present condition. And now we call unto you God and ask that you would change it and have mercy on it. That's huge. That's huge. You see, I think we all need to say I am responsible for my spiritual condition. Can you say that? Okay. Let's say a little louder. One. Two. Three. I am responsible for my spiritual condition. I can't blame you, pastor, anymore. No, no, you can't blame me anymore. Sorry. Pastor, we only had a 230 service because I'm just, like, waking up in the morning, you know, by 230. And I'm, like, wide awake, you know? Sorry. You are responsible for your spiritual condition now. Take responsibility. Do something about it.

Have you said that I am responsible for my spiritual condition? It's the first step in preparing for a season of change. This is bold steps, and that's the title of pastor Mark job's message today. We're working our way through the book of Nehemiah, and we're parked in chapter nine right now. We'll continue in a moment. Just a quick break to let you know that if you miss any of these daily radio broadcasts, no problem. You can always listen at your convenience at our website, boldsystems.org. All of our past programs are available anytime, anywhere, on demand. That's bold steps.org. We'll change requires you to remove certain things from your life. The big question is what are you replacing those things with your again as pastor Mark Jobe with more bold steps.

Have you said that I am responsible for my spiritual condition? It's the first step in preparing for a season of change. This is bold steps, and that's the title of pastor Mark job's message today. We're working our way through the book of Nehemiah, and we're parked in chapter nine right now. We'll continue in a moment. Just a quick break to let you know that if you miss any of these daily radio broadcasts, no problem. You can always listen at your convenience at our website, boldsystems.org. All of our past programs are available anytime, anywhere, on demand. That's bold steps.org. We'll change requires you to remove certain things from your life. The big question is what are you replacing those things with your again as pastor Mark Jobe with more bold steps.

The Bible says that that they decided to get serious about it. You know, most of the times when we get serious about something, we we write it down. When you decide to buy a house, typically you don't say, hey, I'm going to buy a house. What's your price? Here's the price. Okay, let's negotiate it and shake hands. No, there's a contract involved. It's a written agreement because people change their mind. It's very clear when you decide to get married. There's a marriage license. And that marriage license. Two people signed that marriage license because it's a written, formal agreement. When you're accepted in a college, there's an application form, there's a written agreement. Any kind of contractual covenant important decision is typically a written, signed covenant agreement. Because what you're saying is, I don't want to leave this up to my fading memory. I don't want it to be foggy or fuzzy. I want this to be so clear that it's written down and there's no misunderstanding on your side and my side. Oftentimes we make New Year's resolutions or set goals. We don't write them down. We're not clear about them. We don't really get specific about things. You make resolutions like, I want to be a better person. Well, that's a lousy resolution. Are you going to measure it? What does that mean? I'm going to get more in shape. Okay. Is there a health club plan, a jogging plan, a diet plan? Because that really is not a good commitment resolution. Have you written it down? They did a study years ago where they traced college graduates. I believe it was from Oxford University and college graduates. And they discovered that those that wrote down their goals were 80 to 5% more likely to achieve their goals than those that didn't write them down. That just kind of decided, well, this is what I want to be. Those that wrote their goals down were more likely to achieve them because they had the foresight to write them down. So you see in Nehemiah that suddenly listen to what they do after this, they make three major commitments. They've confessed their sin, and now they make three major commitments that are found in this passage. I want you to track them with me. Look what it says in verse 38. It says, in view of all this, we are making a binding agreement. We are putting it in writing. And our leaders, our Levites and our priests, are affixing their seals to it. And so it says, those who sealed it were and it lists about 82 to 83 names. They wrote out their commitment. There was a commitment they made about family, a commitment they made about worship, and a commitment they made about finances. Because here's the way it works. I want you to hear me. Well, listen up. If you don't get anything, here's a spiritual principle God is not the God of the takeaway. He's the God of the takeaway and the give back. Okay. When God takes something out of your life, he expects you to replace it with something else. Some of us have not learned that principle yet. We take something out, but we don't know that we're supposed to replace it with something else. Some of you got saved and you had a sailor's mouth. A trucker's mouth. Blink. Blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink. I'm going to the blankety blank house of God today. And you know you just. That was your mouth. When you got saved and gave your life to Christ. You lost half of your language. People would say, how are you doing? Good. How's your wife doing? Fine You just lost half of your vocabulary because it was all blankety blank bliss. And now you're so scared. But listen. So what happens? You just become mute. No. You learn to replace it with other expressions. You learn to replace expletives with exclamations that are more suitable for the listeners. You don't stop speaking. You don't just take something away. You take something away and you add something else in its place. That's always been the way of God. The way of God is not to strip us away from things and leave us neutral. The way of God is to strip things away and add other things to it. So in Ephesians it says don't lie anymore, but it says, now tell the truth. It also says don't steal anymore. It says, go out and start working so that you can be generous and give. So stop stealing work and be generous. Uh, you see, don't be critical anymore. Now use your tongue to build people up to edify people. You see, God never just strips something away. He replaces the old with the new. Some of us know what's wrong, but we don't know what's right. So we've stripped away the old, but we haven't replaced it in new. And here's what happens. Listen, when you cast the demons out of a of a life and you don't replace it with anything else, the Bible says the demons will run around and they'll come back to the house and realize that the house is still empty. So they'll come back to the house. They'll invade the house again, and they'll invite all their other demon friends to invade you again. And you'll be worse in the end than you were in the beginning, because you have not understood that you don't just take things out, you fill things up with something. You don't just cast the evil spirit out. You get filled with the Holy Spirit who gives you power and strength to live for God. Are you tracking with me? Yes. So what's happened with some of our lives? If we stop certain things. But we haven't started our new way of living. And so the guy, the 24 year old guy, says, I'm done. I'm going to live for Jesus now, man. I'm tired of playing around. I've been playing around too much. I'm going to live for God no matter what the cost. So you know what? I've been a party club animal and I've been out there every weekend. I've been snorting lines and I've been doing some ecstasy. And I've been hanging out at the clubs and sleeping with a different girl every time. And I've been getting high and bar hopping and getting drunk every other weekend. I'm done with that. So they say it's enough done out of my life. And the first weekend comes. The first Friday night comes and they're at home making another cup of coffee. Sitting down watching reruns of The Honeymooners. 11:00 comes. Okay, let me go to bed. Can't go to bed. Wake up in the middle of the night. All right. Next weekend. Let me try to endure it. My friends are all having fun. You're pacing around in the house. They're out there doing stuff. I'm stuck in my house again. I mean, I've watched The Honeymooners for the fifth time. I'm done. I I'm my mouthing it. Now. I know what's coming next. And you'll last that way till about the third weekend. Then the third weekend, you'll say, well, I'm going to go with them. I'm just not going to party with them. I'm going to hang out. And when everybody else is, you know, doing the Jack Daniels, I'll do the 7Up. And so, you know, that'll last about two weekends. And by the third weekend you'll say, forget about this and you'll be back to what you were doing before. But listen, you'll be worse. You know what just happened? You let go of something but you didn't replace it with anything. You let go of the party life. A cheap thrill, and you just were left in neutral. But you didn't replace it with friendship and other activities and knowing, hey, there's other wholesome ways of having fun and laughing and a good time and community and other people and having some. You didn't. You didn't understand that you could replace it with other things that bring a lot of joy in life, and that you don't have to be at home Friday and Saturday by yourself in front of the television that you didn't understand that you need to replace it with something else that's godly, good, fun, healthy, wholesome in your life. And so you got rid of something but didn't replace it with something. And ultimately you will go back to that with a vengeance. Now you're hungry for it more. Now you have no restraints, and you'll be worse off than when you started. How many of you know what I'm talking about? Okay, here's the thing. When we cleanse our life, you always need to ask yourself, now that I'm taking this off, what am I putting on? I always ask that question. Now that I'm leaving this behind, what am I replacing it with? What is the godly antithesis to this? You see, we all have legitimate desires that we try to fulfill in illegitimate ways. It says I'm lonely, I'm lonely, I'm lonely. So that's why I go from boyfriend to boyfriend. And that's why I sleep with this guy. Because I'm lonely. I just feel I feel loved, I feel needed for this moment. And I wake up, I feel terrible, I feel guilty, but for the moment, I like it because I feel lonely. Hey, is that a bad thing? No. That's a legitimate need that you have. You feel lonely, and it's a legitimate need that you have, but you're fulfilling it in an illegitimate way. So when you get rid of it how is God's legitimate way of fulfilling it. Well, hey, you need friends, not sleeping partners. Friendship talk. Community, hanging out. People that aren't using you, but people that you're sharing with and feeling a close connection. You ever heard of that? Some of you have been used for so long you don't even know how to have a friendship. New season, new season, new season, new season. Take off the old. Put on the new take off the old. Put on the new. This is God is leading us to.

The Bible says that that they decided to get serious about it. You know, most of the times when we get serious about something, we we write it down. When you decide to buy a house, typically you don't say, hey, I'm going to buy a house. What's your price? Here's the price. Okay, let's negotiate it and shake hands. No, there's a contract involved. It's a written agreement because people change their mind. It's very clear when you decide to get married. There's a marriage license. And that marriage license. Two people signed that marriage license because it's a written, formal agreement. When you're accepted in a college, there's an application form, there's a written agreement. Any kind of contractual covenant important decision is typically a written, signed covenant agreement. Because what you're saying is, I don't want to leave this up to my fading memory. I don't want it to be foggy or fuzzy. I want this to be so clear that it's written down and there's no misunderstanding on your side and my side. Oftentimes we make New Year's resolutions or set goals. We don't write them down. We're not clear about them. We don't really get specific about things. You make resolutions like, I want to be a better person. Well, that's a lousy resolution. Are you going to measure it? What does that mean? I'm going to get more in shape. Okay. Is there a health club plan, a jogging plan, a diet plan? Because that really is not a good commitment resolution. Have you written it down? They did a study years ago where they traced college graduates. I believe it was from Oxford University and college graduates. And they discovered that those that wrote down their goals were 80 to 5% more likely to achieve their goals than those that didn't write them down. That just kind of decided, well, this is what I want to be. Those that wrote their goals down were more likely to achieve them because they had the foresight to write them down. So you see in Nehemiah that suddenly listen to what they do after this, they make three major commitments. They've confessed their sin, and now they make three major commitments that are found in this passage. I want you to track them with me. Look what it says in verse 38. It says, in view of all this, we are making a binding agreement. We are putting it in writing. And our leaders, our Levites and our priests, are affixing their seals to it. And so it says, those who sealed it were and it lists about 82 to 83 names. They wrote out their commitment. There was a commitment they made about family, a commitment they made about worship, and a commitment they made about finances. Because here's the way it works. I want you to hear me. Well, listen up. If you don't get anything, here's a spiritual principle God is not the God of the takeaway. He's the God of the takeaway and the give back. Okay. When God takes something out of your life, he expects you to replace it with something else. Some of us have not learned that principle yet. We take something out, but we don't know that we're supposed to replace it with something else. Some of you got saved and you had a sailor's mouth. A trucker's mouth. Blink. Blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink blink. I'm going to the blankety blank house of God today. And you know you just. That was your mouth. When you got saved and gave your life to Christ. You lost half of your language. People would say, how are you doing? Good. How's your wife doing? Fine You just lost half of your vocabulary because it was all blankety blank bliss. And now you're so scared. But listen. So what happens? You just become mute. No. You learn to replace it with other expressions. You learn to replace expletives with exclamations that are more suitable for the listeners. You don't stop speaking. You don't just take something away. You take something away and you add something else in its place. That's always been the way of God. The way of God is not to strip us away from things and leave us neutral. The way of God is to strip things away and add other things to it. So in Ephesians it says don't lie anymore, but it says, now tell the truth. It also says don't steal anymore. It says, go out and start working so that you can be generous and give. So stop stealing work and be generous. Uh, you see, don't be critical anymore. Now use your tongue to build people up to edify people. You see, God never just strips something away. He replaces the old with the new. Some of us know what's wrong, but we don't know what's right. So we've stripped away the old, but we haven't replaced it in new. And here's what happens. Listen, when you cast the demons out of a of a life and you don't replace it with anything else, the Bible says the demons will run around and they'll come back to the house and realize that the house is still empty. So they'll come back to the house. They'll invade the house again, and they'll invite all their other demon friends to invade you again. And you'll be worse in the end than you were in the beginning, because you have not understood that you don't just take things out, you fill things up with something. You don't just cast the evil spirit out. You get filled with the Holy Spirit who gives you power and strength to live for God. Are you tracking with me? Yes. So what's happened with some of our lives? If we stop certain things. But we haven't started our new way of living. And so the guy, the 24 year old guy, says, I'm done. I'm going to live for Jesus now, man. I'm tired of playing around. I've been playing around too much. I'm going to live for God no matter what the cost. So you know what? I've been a party club animal and I've been out there every weekend. I've been snorting lines and I've been doing some ecstasy. And I've been hanging out at the clubs and sleeping with a different girl every time. And I've been getting high and bar hopping and getting drunk every other weekend. I'm done with that. So they say it's enough done out of my life. And the first weekend comes. The first Friday night comes and they're at home making another cup of coffee. Sitting down watching reruns of The Honeymooners. 11:00 comes. Okay, let me go to bed. Can't go to bed. Wake up in the middle of the night. All right. Next weekend. Let me try to endure it. My friends are all having fun. You're pacing around in the house. They're out there doing stuff. I'm stuck in my house again. I mean, I've watched The Honeymooners for the fifth time. I'm done. I I'm my mouthing it. Now. I know what's coming next. And you'll last that way till about the third weekend. Then the third weekend, you'll say, well, I'm going to go with them. I'm just not going to party with them. I'm going to hang out. And when everybody else is, you know, doing the Jack Daniels, I'll do the 7Up. And so, you know, that'll last about two weekends. And by the third weekend you'll say, forget about this and you'll be back to what you were doing before. But listen, you'll be worse. You know what just happened? You let go of something but you didn't replace it with anything. You let go of the party life. A cheap thrill, and you just were left in neutral. But you didn't replace it with friendship and other activities and knowing, hey, there's other wholesome ways of having fun and laughing and a good time and community and other people and having some. You didn't. You didn't understand that you could replace it with other things that bring a lot of joy in life, and that you don't have to be at home Friday and Saturday by yourself in front of the television that you didn't understand that you need to replace it with something else that's godly, good, fun, healthy, wholesome in your life. And so you got rid of something but didn't replace it with something. And ultimately you will go back to that with a vengeance. Now you're hungry for it more. Now you have no restraints, and you'll be worse off than when you started. How many of you know what I'm talking about? Okay, here's the thing. When we cleanse our life, you always need to ask yourself, now that I'm taking this off, what am I putting on? I always ask that question. Now that I'm leaving this behind, what am I replacing it with? What is the godly antithesis to this? You see, we all have legitimate desires that we try to fulfill in illegitimate ways. It says I'm lonely, I'm lonely, I'm lonely. So that's why I go from boyfriend to boyfriend. And that's why I sleep with this guy. Because I'm lonely. I just feel I feel loved, I feel needed for this moment. And I wake up, I feel terrible, I feel guilty, but for the moment, I like it because I feel lonely. Hey, is that a bad thing? No. That's a legitimate need that you have. You feel lonely, and it's a legitimate need that you have, but you're fulfilling it in an illegitimate way. So when you get rid of it how is God's legitimate way of fulfilling it. Well, hey, you need friends, not sleeping partners. Friendship talk. Community, hanging out. People that aren't using you, but people that you're sharing with and feeling a close connection. You ever heard of that? Some of you have been used for so long you don't even know how to have a friendship. New season, new season, new season, new season. Take off the old. Put on the new take off the old. Put on the new. This is God is leading us to.

As we wrap up today's message, I urge you to go to that passage, Ephesians four, verses 21 through 23 and read that and think about that, mark, because we're talking about change. This isn't just a one time decision for those in desperate situations taking off the old and putting on the new. That's something we need to do every day.

As we wrap up today's message, I urge you to go to that passage, Ephesians four, verses 21 through 23 and read that and think about that, mark, because we're talking about change. This isn't just a one time decision for those in desperate situations taking off the old and putting on the new. That's something we need to do every day.

That's right. It's a continual process of transformation. And if you are listening to this message, I want to guarantee you this you are not the same person you were a year ago, and hopefully in a good way. You will not be the same person a year from now than you are today, but it requires an intentional, deliberate taking off the old putting on the new. We call that transformation.

That's right. It's a continual process of transformation. And if you are listening to this message, I want to guarantee you this you are not the same person you were a year ago, and hopefully in a good way. You will not be the same person a year from now than you are today, but it requires an intentional, deliberate taking off the old putting on the new. We call that transformation.

Yes, indeed. Well, next time we arrive at Nehemiah chapter ten, the city has been rebuilt and the people realize they needed to be revived within their hearts. There are three very specific areas they focused on, and we'll explore those in detail tomorrow, so don't miss that. Now, as Mark said, taking off the old and putting on the new is a necessary step for every believer. But sometimes that process can be overlooked by all the busyness and activity in our lives. And ironically, sometimes the thing we need the most is the thing we're most afraid of. Solitude. It's amazing how many of us fear the idea of loneliness and spending time in isolation. And yet, according to Pastor Steve DeWitt, sometimes a little loneliness is exactly what we need. In his book titled loneliness, don't hate it or waste it, Redeem it. Pastor Steve teaches us how to embrace loneliness as a catalyst for spiritual transformation. With biblical wisdom and practical insights, this book provides guidance for redeeming solitude by drawing closer to our ultimate source of connection Christ Himself. So don't wait. Request your copy of this countercultural book when you make a donation of any amount to Bold Steps. Again, the book is simply titled loneliness. Go online to Bold Steps. Org or give us a call at (800) 356-6639. That's 800. D.L. Moody and when you do give to bold steps, you can also receive a copy of our brand new Bold Steps with Jesus booklet. This special 30 day devotional will encourage you to live on mission for Jesus and take a new, bold step of faith and obedience each day as you grow in your walk with Christ. You'll find the Bold Steps with Jesus devotional online at the resources tab at Bold Steps. Org and it's yours with a gift of any size to support this ministry. That's all the time we have for today. I'm Wayne Shephard, thanks for joining us. Be sure to come back tomorrow when Mark continues our study of Nehemiah with a message about making God a priority. Learn how to restore the sacred to your life. Tuesday right here on Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. Bold steps is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.

Yes, indeed. Well, next time we arrive at Nehemiah chapter ten, the city has been rebuilt and the people realize they needed to be revived within their hearts. There are three very specific areas they focused on, and we'll explore those in detail tomorrow, so don't miss that. Now, as Mark said, taking off the old and putting on the new is a necessary step for every believer. But sometimes that process can be overlooked by all the busyness and activity in our lives. And ironically, sometimes the thing we need the most is the thing we're most afraid of. Solitude. It's amazing how many of us fear the idea of loneliness and spending time in isolation. And yet, according to Pastor Steve DeWitt, sometimes a little loneliness is exactly what we need. In his book titled loneliness, don't hate it or waste it, Redeem it. Pastor Steve teaches us how to embrace loneliness as a catalyst for spiritual transformation. With biblical wisdom and practical insights, this book provides guidance for redeeming solitude by drawing closer to our ultimate source of connection Christ Himself. So don't wait. Request your copy of this countercultural book when you make a donation of any amount to Bold Steps. Again, the book is simply titled loneliness. Go online to Bold Steps. Org or give us a call at (800) 356-6639. That's 800. D.L. Moody and when you do give to bold steps, you can also receive a copy of our brand new Bold Steps with Jesus booklet. This special 30 day devotional will encourage you to live on mission for Jesus and take a new, bold step of faith and obedience each day as you grow in your walk with Christ. You'll find the Bold Steps with Jesus devotional online at the resources tab at Bold Steps. Org and it's yours with a gift of any size to support this ministry. That's all the time we have for today. I'm Wayne Shephard, thanks for joining us. Be sure to come back tomorrow when Mark continues our study of Nehemiah with a message about making God a priority. Learn how to restore the sacred to your life. Tuesday right here on Bold Steps with Mark Jobe. Bold steps is a production of Moody Radio, a ministry of Moody Bible Institute.