1. W r o n g ! Getting What You Want I have a dream—Develop a fixation on what you want. Judges 9:1-2 Judges 8:22-23 Mark 10:35-37 35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. "Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we ask." 36 "What do you want me to do for you?" he asked. 37 They replied, "Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory." NIV 8:22-23 The Israelites said to Gideon, "Rule over us--you, your son and your grandson--because you have saved us out of the hand of Midian." But Gideon told them, "I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The LORD will rule over you."

2. W r o n g ! Getting What You Want Help me make my dream come true— depend on self-promotion. Judges 9: 3-4 'Which is better for you: to have all seventy of Jerub-Baal's sons rule over you, or just one man?' Remember, I am your flesh and blood." 3 When the brothers repeated all this to the citizens of Shechem, they were inclined to follow Abimelech, for they said, "He is our brother." 4 They gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, and Abimelech used it to hire reckless adventurers (unimportant vain men), who became his followers.

3. W r o n g ! Getting What You Want Make the dream a reality—Succeed at any cost. Judges 9:5-6 5 He went to his father's home in Ophrah and on one stone murdered his seventy brothers, the sons of Jerub-Baal. But Jotham, the youngest son of Jerub-Baal, escaped by hiding. 6 Then all the citizens of Shechem and Beth Millo gathered beside the great tree at the pillar in Shechem to crown Abimelech king.

4. Josh 24:25-27 25 On that day Joshua made a covenant for the people, and there at Shechem he drew up for them decrees and laws. 26 And Joshua recorded these things in the Book of the Law of God. Then he took a large stone and set it up there under the oak near the holy place of the LORD. 27 "See!" he said to all the people. "This stone will be a witness against us. It has heard all the words the LORD has said to us. It will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God."

5. W r o n g ! Getting What You Want Lesson of the Trees—Ignore the consequences. Judges 9:7-21

6. W r o n g ! Getting What You Want When the tables are turned—Fight to stay in control. Judges 9:22-49

7. W r o n g ! Getting What You Want Facing defeat—Refuse to repent. Judges 9:50-57

8. Hmm, do I... Develop fixations on what I want? Depend on self- promotion? Seek to succeed at any cost? Ignore consequences? Fight to remain in control? Refuse to repent?