BREAKING FREE Week 9

Message by:
Pastor Terry Crawford
Covenant Church
Shepherdstown, WV

Breaking Free of Procrastination

There are serious negative costs to procrastination.

7 Ideas to help O.R.G.A.N.I.Z. if untrained in time management.

• Organize your to-do list by importance.
• Remove distractions.
• Give yourself time limits.
• Award yourself when big task is completed.
• Never do exciting tasks first. Save for last.
• Itemize big tasks to break down into bite size.
• Zoom in on a single Task instead of multi task.

Fear, rebellion and selfishness / laziness are the core heart issues found in procrastination.

1 John 4:18 NIV
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Psalm 56:3-4 NIV
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise— in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me?

Proverbs 17:11 NIV
Evildoers foster rebellion against God; the messenger of death will be sent against them.

Romans 13:1-2 NIV
Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves.

Proverbs 21:25 NIV
The craving of a sluggard will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work.

Colossians 3:23 NIV
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,

Identify your problem.

Psalm 139:23-24 NIV
Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Decide to care for others first.

Philippians 2:1-4 NIV
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Elicit accountability

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NIV
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor:  If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.

Aspire to live in today.

Matthew 5:23-25 NIV
“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift. “Settle matters quickly with your adversary who is taking you to court. Do it while you are still together on the way, or your adversary may hand you over to the judge, and the judge may hand you over to the officer, and you may be thrown into prison.

Ephesians 4:26-27 NIV
“In your anger do not sin” : Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

2 Corinthians 5:20-21, 6:2 NIV
 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.  God made him who had no sin to be sin us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God... For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.

Next Steps:

Today I commit to…

• Get alone with God and ask Him to search my heart for any procrastination issue.
• Settle matters quickly.
• Ask Christ to be the Lord over my life.