Approval Addiction
Finding Freedom
April 23, 2023
APPROVAL ADDICTION
A compulsive, chronic psychological and harmful need to have a favorable opinion of others.
1 A wise son makes a glad father,
but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother. —Proverbs 10:11 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. —Romans 13:1
BIG QUESTIONS:
Who are you going to live your life trying to please?
BIG QUESTIONS:
Who are you going to live your life trying to please?
Whose approval will you crave?
BIG QUESTIONS:
Who are you going to live your life trying to please?
Whose approval will you crave?
Whose opinion is the level of your success, measured by?
GOD’S APPROVAL DOES NOT COME TO YOU BASED ON MERIT BUT BASED ON MERCY.
1.APPROVAL ADDICTION BRINGS BONDAGE.
20 For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are.
But now God has shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses and the prophets long ago.
We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard.
Yet God freely and graciously declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood. —Romans 3:20-25a
2.APPROVAL ADDICTIONS STEMS FROM OUR FALLEN NATURE
1 So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. —Romans 8:1-2
25 Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the Lord means safety. —Proverbs 29:25
26 “There’s trouble ahead when you live only for the approval of others…” —Luke 6:26 (The Message)
3.LIVE FROM YOUR IDENTITY, NOT YOUR IMAGE
26 For he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.
Can we boast, then, that we have done anything to be accepted by God? No, because our acquittal is not based on obeying the law. It is based on faith. —Romans 3:26-2737 Jesus replied, “‘You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” —Matthew 22:37-39“Wholehearted commitment to Christ will not be good for our image.” —Vaughan Roberts
4 For we speak as messengers approved by God to be entrusted with the Good News. Our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts. —1 Thessalonians 2:4
Who are you going to live your life trying to please?
Whose approval will you crave?
Whose opinion is the level of your success, measured by?