Introduction: Reversing the curse of Adam and Eve

Genesis 5:3-4-When Adam had lived 130 years, he fathered a son in his own likeness, after his image, and named him Seth.
-Because from the fall, Seth was fathered in Adam’s sinful state, taking more after the sin and nature of his father and mother, than God.-This is you and I without Christ and living for God’s glory…
So success is defined as a glory that I have built, and for me to receive credit for=the image and glory of mankind, not God
So what is success to you?: This is different amongst different cultures, socioeconomic classes, ages, and even genders, defined by who and where I came from…
Ex: what is the definition of being a successful student, child, parent, spouse, or co-worker…
Who defines this term “success” in your life?-the image of Christ and His will? Or the image of what you grew up with, or what you now define as successful apart from God’s will?

*We naturally want a glory that is un submitted to God.
Genesis 3:5-6-For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” -God has ultimate glory and praise from all His creation, this is what tempted Eve at the core.
1 Corinthians 15:22-For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.
-So how are we made alive from this dying glory of Adam?- being born again, made alive unto Christ-Living for His glory in submission to the Word and His ways-reverses the curse of Adam and Eve…
John 6:63-64-It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.
-Christ gives us life, away from the dying and fading image of Adam
-The Word challenges us to conform to a life in Christ and to fight what we grew up with that defines success.
-A relationship should provoke you to bring glory and honor to the Lord…Ex: a truly healthy relationship should not withhold honor towards one another- the person should not be living for their own glory and honor

Building towards our own success
Genesis 11:1-4-Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. 2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. 3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. 4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”

*(vs3)-Let’s look at the practical points of building towards success that these people exercised…
-they have a vision and unity-but all visions and unity are not good, listen to Jesus referring to Satan’s Kingdom..
Matthew 12:25-27-… “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste, and no city or house divided against itself will stand. 26 And if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand?
-Satan’s kingdom is standing and successful in it’s vision to torment because his demons are not divided, but unified
-So all success is not good success either-success must be defined

*(vs4)-What is the motivation behind these people’s vision and unity?-glory apart from God=”make a name for ourselves”
-This is how you can tell if their motivation is selfish/vain glory?-Is this idea and pursuit authorized by God and for God?
-Needing authorization or permission says that your life is subject to someone else
1 Corinthians 6:19-20-Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Ex: Marriage or children asking permission to go anywhere
-their goal was selfish, to make a name for themselves apart from God-they did not change from Adam’s image.
-This is why you can have your own definition of a successful marriage, successful business, or successful life-because I am not subject to a glory beyond my own! But would God call it successful?
These people were building for themselves and their name-they never sought God at all!

*Insecurity comes from us having to sustain an image and glory on our own…
Luke 9:24-25-For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.
-Our insecurity comes from trying to sustain a life and image that God declares we will lose….
Ex: picture you deciding to go your own way, and it is stamped in your soul you will lose your life=breeds insecurity
-Instead of upholding our own name and image to define success, we live to exalt Christ name in our unity…
In keeping with our vision at As One, the goal is to bridge all differences that come with all people, and bringing us to serve unified as one body, the Head and Lord Jesus Christ.

When unity and success rival God
Genesis 11:5-6-And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built. 6 And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.

*(vs6)-Our associations and living for God’s glory…
-For success, we must surround ourselves with people who promote our mentality=unity
-there cannot be success with people who don’t agree with what we are doing…-”they are one people”
-So if you really want change in your life, what are your associations, and what are they promoting that maybe effecting your faith?
Ex: It is good to stay consistent in being at church and aggressively applying the word=You maybe in conflict with your definition of success, but because you are here you are willing to be challenged!
-God knows there is success in our way, but not ultimate success as to why we were created…-to enjoy God in His glory by being a vessel for His Spirit and ways!

*Who or What is influencing your definition of success?
-Many times we don’t see our ways as wrong, because it resonates comfortably with what we grew up with-or what we have allowed society to shape our minds to.
Ephesians 4:21-24-…assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
-now consider how God maybe challenging your “old ways” through His Word?
Ex: in order to fight against the exaltation of your image, you must declare everything that rivals God as corrupt…
-We have a tendency to make excuses and justifications for what we are used to-but it hinders going after a greater glory
As noble as it may seem to be unified, successful, and glorified for what you do, if your image is rivaling God’s glory, He will discourage it for His purpose!

Settling into a greater glory…
Genesis 11:7-9-Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.” 8 So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. 9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.

*God has something else in mind that is greater than our own personal success and glory
-notice how it kept them isolated to people like them-unified and settled in their own definition of success
Ex: God’s glory goes against American societies call for us “to go out and make a name for ourselves”
-(vs 8)-God shows that He never intended for them to initiate a vision and purpose without Him-So He causes their plan to fail
-Does it feel like God is causing your visions and plans to fail?-Have you sought God for what His plan is for your life?

2 Corinthians 4:7-11-But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. 8 We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to despair; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies.
-It is to show us that glory of our visions and plans belongs to God, not to what we are building for our glory and name!
-This is why we lay down our prideful image for His glory, and define success by what He wants for us!
-Just like for us, God had a greater plan for the human race than building a tower to heaven-”the dispersion” was for the beauty of diversity to be done on earth as it is in heaven!

Revelation 5:9-10
9 And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
10 and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.”

-Living for our own glory sells ourselves short for the grand glory of God to be seen through our lives. But we must renew our minds to what God wants from us through His Word, and let Him define success for us.