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Topic: Self Reliance Text: Ii Thessalonians 3: 6-15. AIM: That Christians Be Encouraged To Take Responsibility of Providing For Themselves, Their

The document discusses the importance of self-reliance from a Christian perspective. It defines self-reliance as the ability to meet one's own basic needs through work and faith in God, rather than depending on others for support. The document outlines 12 biblical principles for becoming self-reliant, including exercising faith, working diligently, managing time and money wisely, being teachable, developing good character, and persevering through challenges. It encourages Christians to take responsibility for their lives and livelihoods instead of being overly dependent on others.

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3K views4 pages

Topic: Self Reliance Text: Ii Thessalonians 3: 6-15. AIM: That Christians Be Encouraged To Take Responsibility of Providing For Themselves, Their

The document discusses the importance of self-reliance from a Christian perspective. It defines self-reliance as the ability to meet one's own basic needs through work and faith in God, rather than depending on others for support. The document outlines 12 biblical principles for becoming self-reliant, including exercising faith, working diligently, managing time and money wisely, being teachable, developing good character, and persevering through challenges. It encourages Christians to take responsibility for their lives and livelihoods instead of being overly dependent on others.

Uploaded by

Anonymous jlLBRMAr3O
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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TOPIC: SELF RELIANCE

TEXT: II THESSALONIANS 3: 6-15.

AIM: That Christians be encouraged to take responsibility of providing for themselves, their
families and assist others who are in need.

INTRODUCTION

Jesus came into the world to give us life in all its fullness (John 10:10). The live that we
derived from Christ also includes the ability to trust God and taking responsibility to provide
for ours our basic need through work and faith in Him. This can only be achieved through the
discipline of self-reliance. The Cambridge dictionary defines self-reliance as the “quality of
not needing help or support from other people”. This could also mean “relying on one’s own
abilities and efforts, a sort of independence from others”. Man, God’s creation was created
with the complete characteristics to survive by itself. Though these traits are genetically
inherited but stills require to be developed from the stage of infancy to maturity. From the
Christian viewpoint, the idea of self-reliance does not mean that we don’t need each other to
survive but rather, depending on each other to reach a stage of maturity spiritually,
physically, socially, economically and etc. that we can stand on our own and return help
others reach their potential.

in our world today, there is huge deviation from the culture of taking responsibility to provide
for ourselves as many delight in seeking for help from others and never willing to take
practical steps to be self-sufficient. This practice has gradually found its way into the Church.
Some members aim of coming to fellowship is to look for people that will always carry their
burdens for them and forgetting the rule of casting down all their cares and burden unto the
Lord for He cares for us (I Peter 5:12). In the mist of this practice, they hold tightly the
believe and lay claim to biblical scriptures which says “share each other burdens, in so doing
we fulfill the law of Christ.” (Gal 6:2). To correct this wrong impression, there is a need to
clearly understand and interpret scripture correctly so that we can strike a balance and don’t
abuse them by been over dependent on others. The church needs to be resolute on critical
issues like this in order for it to remain focus on its calling on missions, evangelism and
discipleship.

DEFINITIONS

UNHCR states that “Self-reliance is the social and economic ability of an individual, a
household or a community(Church) to meet essential needs (including protection, food,
water, shelter, personal safety, health and education) in a sustainable manner and with
dignity. Self-reliance, as a programme approach, refers to developing and strengthening
livelihoods of persons of concern, and reducing their vulnerability and long-term reliance
on humanitarian/external assistance”.
My definition of self-reliance is the ability of one to meet his/her basic needs and be able
contribute our own quota or share in the development of others.

FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO MUCH DEPENDENCE


1. Entitlement mentality. A very peculiar issue in Niger delta.
2. Lack of switching from the feeding mentality to takeover mind set. Common
phenomenon is mission developed areas of Africa.
3. Stewardship teachings have focused on helping people to be faithful without helping
them know how to make wealth. The plight of the mission developed Churches.
4. Poor financial management systems. Debts, spending on wants rather than needs.
5. Begging mentality.
6. Injustice and corruption in the nation.
7. The eroding discipline of hard work.

BIBLICAL PRINCIPLES OF SELF RELIANCE (II Thessalonians 3:6-15)


How to become self-reliant. They include the following but not limited to:

1. Exercise Faith in Jesus Christ,


 It is He who gives the ability to make wealth Deut. 8:17-18
 He owns all the riches of the earth Psalm 24:1
 He has given us the responsibility to be fruitful, multiply, take care and
dress(beautify) His created world by working and depending on Him. Gen
2:15
 It was He who prospered His servants, Adam, Noah (Gen 8:20-22,9:1-3),
Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph (Gen 39: 2-5,6) as they diligently obey
Him. Psalm 113: 1, 2.
2. Work: Take Responsibility
 Discover your talent
 The hand of the diligent makes rich Prov. 10:4, Prov, 28:19. Matthew 25:14-
30.
 laziness leads to poverty Prov, 28:19
 hard work leads to self-reliance, that’s why Paul teaches that being self-reliant
should be a model lifestyle, one that all believers should aim for (3:9).
 In order to be self-reliant, people have to believe in working hard and working
hard sometimes may call one to work nights and days (3:8).
 If people are not willing to work hard so that they can supply their own needs,
they should not then enjoy a life they have not worked for. If they are not
willing to work, they should not eat (3:10).
 Believers should not be a burden to others. Being a burden to others happens
when people look to others or expect others to supply their needs. Paul is not
saying we should not receive help from others because he himself gave
examples of how he took gifts from one church to the church in Jerusalem,
but rather he is saying we should not live in a manner that makes others
responsible to supply our needs (3:7).
 Self-reliance should be a teaching but personally practiced it. Paul as an
example refused to receive support from church members so that he would
not be a burden. “Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we
worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we
preached the gospel of God to you” (1 Thess. 2:9).
So strong were his convictions on this that he wrote to the Corinthians, And
when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone,
for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have
kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so.
(2 Cor.11:9)
 Responsibility strengthens your talent
 People who handle their responsibility well get the opportunity to handle
additional responsibilities. Those who don’t, don’t.
 We need to take responsibility, not just what we are assigned, but for
contribution we make.
 If you want others to trust you, to give you greater opportunities and
resources to develop and strengthen your talent, and to partner with you, then
embrace responsibility and practice it faithfully in your life.
How to be responsible
 Start where you are
 Choose your friends wisely
 Stop blaming others
 Make decision and stand by them
 Live beyond yourself

3. Use Time Wisely


 A good understanding of time guides us on what, where to sow and reap.
 Joseph: understood by revelation that there will abundance and famine for
seven years. Genesis 47:30-36

4. Be Obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit


 Isaac sow during famine and reaped in hundred folds. Gen 26:12

5. Manage Money
 Adopt the principle of Budgeting no matter how little you earn.
 Pay your tithes and offerings.
 Avoid debt where necessary.
 If it becomes necessary to borrow, do it for a specific project that is viable,
pay back on time what you have borrowed.

6. Solve Problems
 Identify the root cause of your failures
 Take responsibility for your past failures and don’t try to shift blames.
 Look at other alternative solutions
 Implement and wait for results.

7. Belief lifts your talent


 (Belief determines expectation, expectation determines your action and action
determines result).
 If you trust in yourself, it unleashes power in you and resources around to
reach your potential. Illustration of a professor.

8. Preparation positions your talent.


 Success is earned and not given. Prov. 18:16, your gift will make room but
only your preparedness will keep you there. Example a musician.

9. Practice sharpens your talent


 It enables development
 Leads to discovery
It shows and build commitment
Creates room for improvement
Sharpening process is better in the right environment
You must be ready to start small Zech. 4:10
Very small difference if consistently practice will produce result
There is a price to pay for the next level.
 Practice demands discipline

10. Perseverance sustain your talent


What perseverance should mean to you
 Succeeding because you are determined to, not destined to.
 Recognize that life is not a long race but many short ones in succession
 It basic requirement for obtaining most of life’s reward
 Stopping not because you are tired because the task is done.

11. Teachability expands your talent


 It is desired to listen, learn and apply. It is the hunger to discover and grow. It
is the willingness to learn, unlearn, and relearn.
 One of the greatest enemy of teachability is pride
It closes our minds to new things
It denies us the opportunity for a feedback
It prevents us from admitting our mistakes
It keeps us from making the needed changes in our lives.

12. Character protects your talent


 Self-discipline: The ability to do the right thing even when we don’t feel like
doing it.
 Core values: The principles that we live by every day. That is our inner life. A
man that has no inner life is a slave to his surroundings.
 Sense of Identity: Who am I? I am Child of God.
 Integrity: An alignment of thought, values, feeling and actions.

13. Relationship influence your talent


 Surround yourself with people who add value to you, encourage you and
talent will go the right direction.
 Proverbs gives us some advice 18:24,17:17,27:9,27:6, 16:18, 18:24.

14. Team work multiplies your talent

APPLICATION

i. Re-evaluate your orientation about work


ii. Identify your talent and develop it
iii. Embrace the lifestyle of taking responsibility
iv. Be good stewards of the resources that God has deposited in you
v. Exercise your gift and will, God use them to bless you
vi. You will be free to serve God without fear and external pressure.

CONCLUSION

When we are blessed to meet our daily needs then we would have peace of mind and be
able to serve God better.

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