will.

16 Whenever they have a dispute, it is brought to me, and I decide between the
 I Quit Living A Lie Series parties and inform them of God's decrees and laws." 17 Moses' father-in-law replied,
"What you are doing is not good. 18 You and these people who come to you will only
wear yourselves out. The work is too heavy for you; you cannot handle it alone. (NIV)
Contributed by Herbert Cooper on Sep 20, 2011
B. Jethro told Moses that trying to meet everybody’s needs isn’t good! Having the
Scripture: Exodus 18:13
superman or superwoman complex isn’t good! You can meet some needs but you can’t
meet every need. You ought to help some people but you can’t help all people! You’re
Tags: Truth, Priorities, Honesty, Lies
not God! 1. It’s not good because you're wearing yourself out: 2. It’s not good because
you’re living a stressed out life trying to meet everybody’s needs. 3. You’re frustrating
Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational
people because you’re over promising and under delivering. You’re over committing
yourself. 4. You’re robbing other people from being used by God
Summary: As adults we live lies that create stress in
C. Questions to ask yourself to break free from this lie: 1. How is/will this affecting my
our lives. I want to talk to you about the lies we live. relationship with God? 2. How is/will this affecting you personally: mentally,
physically, emotionally? 3. How is this affecting my spouse and kids? 4. How is this
This first lie is:
affecting my job?
1. I have to meet everybody’s needs
2. Everybody has to like me
A. Many people struggle with trying to meet everybody’s needs. It’s this superman or
A. Everyone of us wants to be liked by people. The problem occurs when we start
superwoman complex that says I have to be there for everybody. I have to help all my
believing the lie that everyone HAS to like me. When you believe this lie, you start
relatives: 1st, 2nd, 3rd & 4th cousins. I know my son is 45 years old but I have to keep living to please people instead living to please God! The bible says:
paying is rent. My baby needs me. I have to help everybody at work. They need me!
Those people at work won’t make without me. I have to help everybody in my
Matt 22:36-38 "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" 37 Jesus
neighborhood. All 100 of my friends need me! They can’t survive without me.
replied: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all
your mind.' 38 This is the first and greatest commandment. (NIV) (We’re called to love
People who live this lie, live under constant stress and pressure. I know, because in the
God more than anybody else. We’re called to please God more than anybody else.
early days of People’s Church, I lived this lie. As a pastor, I felt like I had to meet
When we love God we obey God because we want to please God. The bible says it like
everybody’s needs. A lot of pastors struggle with this. There’s this pressure of I have to
this:)
counsel everybody, help everybody, visit everybody in the hospital, marry everybody,
meet everybody’s needs. I learned that living this lie is unrealistic and unhealthy.
John 14:15 "If you love me, you will obey what I command. (NIV)
Let me show you a man in the bible who lived the lie of I have to meet everybody’s
B. When we love God we obey God because we want to please God. The key to a
needs.
successful life is to find out what Jesus wants you to do and then do it! But you can’t do
what Jesus wants you to do and believe the lie that everybody has to like you.
Ex 18:13-18 The next day Moses took his seat to serve as judge for the people, and they
stood around him from morning till evening. 14 When his father-in-law saw all that
Here’s what happens: You start disobeying Jesus so people will like you. You’re
Moses was doing for the people, he said, "What is this you are doing for the people?
sleeping with your boyfriend. You’re partying so your friends will like you. You’re
Why do you alone sit as judge, while all these people stand around you from morning
spending money on expensive clothes and cars to look good but don’t tithe! You’re
till evening?" 15 Moses answered him, "Because the people come to me to seek God's
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cutting ethical corners at work so the boss will like. You’re talking bad about somebody
to make somebody else like you. You can’t love Jesus with all your heart and obey
Jesus and be focused on wanting everybody liking you. What people think about us is
not as important as what God thinks about us. Pleasing people is not as important as
pleasing Jesus!
3. I have to be like everybody else
A. This is a difficult scripture for many of us! We don’t live in a confess your faults to
one another society. We live in a society where we put on masks! We put up fronts! We
pretend like everything is ok even when everything is falling a part! Illustration: How
are you? Great! Blessed! Highly favored! No you’re not! You’re sick, depressed and
stressed out! How are your kids? Great! How is your marriage and spouse? Great!
How’s you’re life? Great! No, you’re addicted, secret sin!

A. I struggled with this big time when I first started preaching. First of all, I’ve always
wanted to be a singing preacher. I envy singing preachers! But I can’t sing! No matter
how hard I try I can’t sing. But I use to try to preach like other preachers that I really
respected. One pastor I respected always talked about the Greek and had a unique
preaching style and I tried to imitate him. One time I was in New York preaching and I
tried to preach like this pastor and I bombed big time. I don’t think any of those people
were blessed my sermon and the church didn’t invite me back. I wanted to whoop like
another pastor that I really liked. I had to come to grips with the fact that I was different
from those preachers and that was a good thing. God made me different.

1 Cor 12:17-18 If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If
the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? (American Idol) 18
But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted
them to be. (NIV)

B. God made us just like he wanted us. He gave us the gifts and talents that he wanted
us to have. We are all different and unique and that’s a good thing. Nobody can beat
you being you. You’re special! You’re not junk! You’re not a nobody! You’re valuable
and unique! So quit trying to be like somebody else and be who God has called you to
be!

Ps 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are
wonderful, I know that full well. (NIV) (Be you because you’re fearfully and
wonderfully made! You need to improve you but be you! When I say improve you, I
mean you need to grow! Be you but learn from others. Be you but read books, blogs
and go to conferences so that you can grow. Be you but hone and develop your skills.
Quit living the lie that you have be like somebody else! You’re valuable!

4. I have to pretend like everything is ok

James 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be
healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. (KJV)
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