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Ten Things We Are Not to Do – Guided by God’s Word

Introduction

The Word of God gives us “Do Not” commands not to limit our joy but to protect our souls. Just as a loving parent tells a child “Don’t touch the stove” for their safety, God warns us about things that can harm our faith, steal our peace, and damage our witness.

Today, we will explore ten “Do Not” instructions from Scripture—each one a guardrail to keep us on God’s path.

1. FRET NOT – Psalm 37:7–8

"Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him: fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way… Fret not thyself in any wise to do evil."

• Meaning: Don’t let worry, jealousy, or comparison steal your peace.
• Illustration: A man spends so much time looking over his fence at his neighbor’s garden that his own goes to weeds.
• Bible Example: Joseph didn’t fret when wrongfully imprisoned; he trusted God’s timing.
• Takeaway: Fretfulness drains joy and distracts us from God’s blessings.

2. FORSAKE NOT MY LAW – Proverbs 4:2

"For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law."

• Meaning: Never abandon God’s Word as your guide for life.
• Illustration: A sailor who tosses away his compass on calm waters will be lost when storms come.
• Bible Example: Josiah rediscovered the Law and brought revival (2 Kings 22).
• Takeaway: God’s Word is not optional; it’s survival.

3. FORGET NOT TO DO GOOD – Hebrews 13:16

"But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased."

• Meaning: Doing good should be a constant habit, not an occasional gesture.
• Illustration: The Good Samaritan stopped to help a wounded man while others walked by.
• Takeaway: Every missed opportunity to do good is a missed opportunity to shine for Christ.

4. FAINT NOT – Galatians 6:9

"Let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not."

• Meaning: Don’t give up before your harvest arrives.
• Illustration: A miner quits digging just three feet from a gold vein.
• Bible Example: Hannah prayed for years before Samuel was born.
• Takeaway: Keep sowing—your “due season” is coming.

5. FEAR NOT – Isaiah 43:1

"Fear not: for I have redeemed thee… thou art mine."

• Meaning: Fear shrinks faith. God’s ownership of us is our courage.
• Illustration: A child clings to their father’s hand in a crowd without fear of getting lost.
• Bible Example: David faced Goliath without fear because he trusted God.
• Takeaway: When you know who you belong to, fear loses its grip.

6. FORBID HIM NOT – Luke 9:50

"Forbid him not: for he that is not against us is for us."

• Meaning: Don’t block others who are working for God, even if they do it differently.
• Illustration: Two farmers drawing water from the same river shouldn’t cut each other off.
• Bible Example: Moses told Joshua not to stop Eldad and Medad from prophesying.
• Takeaway: God’s Kingdom is bigger than our personal preferences.

7. FOLLOW NOT A MULTITUDE TO DO EVIL – Exodus 23:2

"Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil."

• Meaning: Don’t be influenced by the crowd when they’re wrong.
• Illustration: Peer pressure led Aaron to make the golden calf when the people demanded it.

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Sermon Title:

“Trusting God with What You Have Left”

Scripture: 2 Kings 4:1–7 (KJV)

Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen...

Introduction:

Sometimes life puts you in a corner—when the bills are due, the grief is real, the debt is heavy, and the future is uncertain. This is where trust becomes more than a word. It becomes a lifeline.

In our passage today, a “certain woman” teaches us what it means to trust God when there’s nothing left but faith and a pot of oil.

7 Power-Packed Points with Deeper Insight, Illustrations, and Application

1. Cry Out to the Right Source

“Now there cried a certain woman…” (v.1)

• She didn’t cry to her neighbors, the king, or Facebook. She cried to the prophet—the man of God.
• Trust begins where human resources end and divine intervention begins.
• She took her problem to someone who could get a prayer through.

Illustration:
There’s a story of a woman whose husband died unexpectedly. She didn’t have insurance, was about to lose her home, and sat crying at her kitchen table. But she remembered her grandmother’s words: “When you’re in trouble, take it to Jesus.”She got on her knees and prayed. That same day, a stranger knocked, offering a job that paid double what she needed.

🛑 Application: When you're in crisis, stop dialing people who can’t fix it. God’s hotline is open 24/7.

2. Acknowledge the Reality, but Don’t Deny the Possibility

“My husband is dead... and the creditor is coming...”

• She didn’t sugarcoat the facts: grief, debt, and fear were real.
• But she still came with hope—because faith doesn’t ignore reality, it invites God into it.

Deeper Insight:
You can be spiritual and still be overwhelmed. You can fear God and still face creditors. But you must never lose your hope in God’s power.

3. God Often Begins with a Question

“What shall I do for thee? What do you have in the house?” (v.2)

• God will always ask you, “What do YOU have?” before He releases what HE has.
• She underestimated her pot of oil—but God didn't.

🛑 Application:
Your “little” is enough in the right hands. You may think it’s not much, but God specializes in small things—a staff in Moses' hand, a sling in David’s, a pot of oil in a widow’s.

Illustration:
A little boy had one lunch, but it became the miracle meal for thousands (John 6). All because he gave what he had.

4. Trust Obeys Even When It Doesn’t Understand

“Go, borrow vessels… shut the door… pour out…” (vv.3–4)

• The instructions sounded odd: “Borrow empty vessels and start pouring.”
• But faith is obedience in motion, even when it doesn’t make sense.
• She didn’t argue or hesitate—she trusted and obeyed.

Deeper Insight:
Your miracle is often locked behind an instruction. Don’t delay your oil by debating God’s method.

🛑 Application:
Sometimes trusting God means doing things that don’t make logical sense—but make spiritual sense.

5. Trust Requires You to Make Room

“Borrow not a few…” (v.3)

• Elish

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