Weak

August 17, 2025

Matt Nickoson

Pastor Matt launched our new 9-week series by asking why we keep doing the things we know we shouldn’t. Using the picture of a tree, he showed how fear often fuels the unhealthy patterns and sinful behaviors in our lives. Just like a tree produces fruit from its roots, lasting change only comes when we surrender to Jesus and allow the Holy Spirit to transform us from within. As Ezekiel 11 reminds us, God promises to replace our hearts of stone with hearts of flesh.

Sermon Notes

“Why did I do what I did when I did what I knew I shouldn’t do?”

"No. Thank you" is what I should've said,

I should be in bed

But temptations of trouble on my tongue,

Troubles yet to come:

One sip, bad for me

One hit, bad for me

One kiss, bad for me

But I give in so easily

And "no thank you" is how it should've gone

I should stay strong

But I'm weak…"

Romans 7:15 NIV
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.

Your life is like a tree.

Every tree produces a fruit.

Luke 6:44a NIV

“Each tree is recognized by its own fruit.”

What fruit is growing on the tree of your life?

What comes out of us is from what is inside of us.

Luke 6:43-44 NIV

“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers.”

What is inside me that drives me to do what I am doing?

Fear:

… I’m missing out

… I am not enough

… my life won’t make a difference

… no one will love me

… to share my thoughts and feelings

… someone will hurt my kids

… my kids won’t succeed

… to share my struggles with others

… to express my needs

… of social situations

… of being seen and known

…of being lonely

… of being hurt again

… I can’t be happy without it

… of being rejected

… of being hurt

… of failing

…hurting others

…what others think of me / being judged

… of the future

Ask God to reveal your “therefore”

“I’m afraid I’m missing out; therefore, I will stay up late when I should be resting.”

“I’m afraid I am not enough; therefore, I will work harder to prove to everyone else they are wrong about me.”

“I’m afraid no one will love me; therefore, I give myself to everyone in hopes that one will last.”

“I’m afraid If I shared how I really feel, others won’t be able to help me, or won’t have time to, or won’t care to, or won’t know how to, or will judge me… and I’ll be left to care for myself. Therefore, I often struggle in silence."

Joshua 1:9 NIV

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

How do I stop being afraid?!

We need a new root system to produce a new fruit.

Ezekiel 11:19 NIV

“I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh.”

To produce a new fruit, God must do a work in you that you cannot do yourself.

2 Timothy 1:7 NLT

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

Galatians 5:22-23a NIV

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

To produce a new fruit, you must surrender to the Spirit’s prompting in you to follow His lead.

Galatians 5:25 NIV

Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.

Psalm 1:1 NIV

Blessed is the one

who does not walk in step with the wicked

or stand in the way that sinners take

or sit in the company of mockers,

Psalm 1:2 NIV

but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,

and who meditates on his law day and night.

Psalm 1:3a NIV

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

which yields its fruit in season.

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