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The Lies We Love: I Need to Get Something Off My Chest

Discipleship Pastor Ryan Akers
Sunday, June 22, 2025

I need to get something off my chest.

I need to get something off my chest, (but really, I want to complain.)

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

—Proverbs 12:18

The tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. —James 3:5-6

But you rebelled against the command of the LORD your God and refused to go in. You complained in your tents and said, “The LORD must hate us. That’s why he has brought us here from Egypt—to hand us over to the Amorites to be slaughtered. Where can we go? Our brothers have demoralized us with their report. They tell us, ‘The people of the land are taller and more powerful than we are, and their towns are large, with walls rising high into the sky! We even saw giants there—the descendants of Anak!”’ But I said to you, “Don’t be shocked or afraid of them! The LORD your God is going ahead of you. He will fight for you, just as you saw him do in Egypt. And you saw how the LORD your God cared for you all along the way as you traveled through the wilderness, just as a father cares for his child. Now he has brought you to this place.”

But even after all he did, you refused to trust the LORD your God, who goes before you looking for the best places to camp, guiding you with a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day. When the LORD heard your complaining, he became very angry. So he solemnly swore, “Not one of you from this wicked generation will live to see the good land I swore to give your ancestors, except Caleb son of Jephunneh. He will see this land because he has followed the LORD completely. I will give to him and his descendants some of the very land he explored during his scouting mission.”

And the LORD was also angry with me because of you. He said to me, “Moses, not even you will enter the Promised Land! Instead, your assistant, Joshua son of Nun, will lead the people into the land. Encourage him, for he will lead Israel as they take possession of it. I will give the land to your little ones—your innocent children. You were afraid they would be captured, but they will be the ones who occupy it. As for you, turn around now and go on back through the wilderness toward the Red Sea.” —Deuteronomy 1:26-40

1. Root Causes of Complaining

a. Disobedient attitude


1. Root Causes of Complaining

a. Disobedient attitude

b. Reaction to circumstances

The LORD must hate us. That’s why he has brought us here from Egypt—to hand us over to the Amorites to be slaughtered. Where can we go? Our brothers have demoralized us with their report. They tell us, “The people of the land are taller and more powerful than we are, and their towns are large, with walls rising high into the sky! We even saw giants there—the descendants of Anak!” —Deuteronomy 1:27-28

There, too, the whole community of Israel complained about Moses and Aaron. “If only the LORD had killed us back in Egypt,” they moaned. “There we sat around pots filled with meat and ate all the bread we wanted. But now you have brought us into this wilderness to starve us all to death.” —Exodus 16:2-3

But tormented by thirst, they continued to argue with Moses. “Why did you bring us out of Egypt? Are you trying to kill us, our children, and our livestock with thirst?” —Exodus 17:3

Their voices rose in a great chorus of protest against Moses and Aaron. “If only we had died in Egypt, or even here in the wilderness!” they complained. “Why is the LORD taking us to this country only to have us die in battle? Our wives and our little ones will be carried off as plunder! Wouldn’t it be better for us to return to Egypt?” Then they plotted among themselves, “Let’s choose a new leader and go back to Egypt!” —Numbers 14:2-4


1. Root Causes of Complaining

a. Disobedient attitude

b. Reaction to circumstances

c. Lack of faith

Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles of any kind come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing. —James 1:2-4

If God is for us who can be against us? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. —Romans 8: 31, 35, 37

2. Results of Complaining

a. Complaining is contagious.

b. Complaining is contentious.

c. Complaining is costly.

3. Remedies for Complaining

a. Be honest.

b. Confess to God.

c. Ask for conviction from the Holy Spirit.

d. Think before you speak.

e. Avoid those who grumble.

f. Be a blessing.

g. Memorize Gods promises.

❤️ If you have decided to follow Jesus today, we’d like to celebrate with you and help you with some next steps. Please text LIFE to 855-725-2939 or click here.