Problem-Solving Devices

#1 – Rebound

The Ten Problem-Solving Devices encompass every aspect of the Christian Way of Life, the victorious life that God has planned for every believer. The Problem-Solving Devices are to be used as a system of problem solving for every Christian, regardless of their stage of growth in the Christian life. In other words, no one ever outgrows the need to use all ten. Depending on the problem to be solved, the believer may use one or several of the devices simultaneously as the solution to any of life’s challenges. When learned, believed, and applied, this system will stabilize, sustain, empower, and liberate a believer. Consistent utilization of the system will advance a believer far beyond what they can imagine, to a lifestyle of a relaxed mental attitude toward circumstances, toward self, toward others and most importantly, toward God, by realizing that He is a God of love and grace – not vindictive.

The Basis for Rebound

The scriptural basis for Rebound is found in I John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Jesus Christ was judged for all sins in human history and therefore these sins cannot be judged again. God was completely satisfied with Christ’s substitutionary payment for our sins. This is the Doctrine of Propitiation. The blood of Christ, pictured in the Old Testament as animal sacrifices, is a technical, theological term for the spiritual death of Christ on the Cross. Christ’s spiritual death is the foundation for all forgiveness, both at salvation and afterwards, when a believer confesses his sin to God. The Word of God is very clear that the result of Adam’s original sin, which is passed to every human being, is death. This refers not to physical death, but spiritual death (separation from God for all eternity). Christ paid the penalty for all sin by dying spiritually on the Cross; He then died physically by dismissing His own human spirit. Both deaths and the resurrection of Christ are part of our salvation. (II Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 10:10-14; I John 1:6-10; 2:2)

The Mechanics of Rebound

The Greek word for confess is “homologeo” and it means to name, admit, acknowledge, or cite (as in a courtroom). Rebound is a word used to describe confession because it means to bounce back. We rebound after sinning by naming, admitting, or citing a particular sin directly to God. All believers in this age are priests and represent themselves before God. We are not to confess our sins to another human being. Another human being, regardless of religious title, has no authority to forgive sin. Only God can forgive sin. The Greek word for “confess” literally means “same name.” In other words, call it what God calls it. If it’s resentment, call it resentment, if it’s being judgmental, call it being judgmental, etc.

The second part of the Rebound Technique is to isolate your sin, put it behind you and forget it. This should eliminate any feeling of guilt for past failures. Remember that God casts our sins as far as the east is from the west and remembers them no more. (Psalm 103:12; Hebrews 8:12) We need to learn to do the same. The final part of Rebound is to resume your spiritual life – move on under the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit. Rebound means to be restored to fellowship with God, which results in being filled with the Holy Spirit. Confess it, isolate it, forget it, and move on! (I John 1:6-9; Hebrews 10:17; 12:1-2; Philippians 3:13-14)

Divine Discipline Related to Rebound

The Rebound Technique can halt divine discipline and turn potential cursing into blessing. We are told continually throughout Scripture to evaluate ourselves. We are to be constantly checking our spiritual health. Often God has to send suffering our way in order to call attention to our spiritual health. Failure to properly evaluate ourselves and correct the problem results in divine discipline. God is a good father, but He is also a patient father and will give us every opportunity to correct our own sinful practices. When God has to discipline us, it normally begins as a gentle reminder, but failure to heed the warning signs can result in more severe punishment.

(I Corinthians 11:31-32; Hebrews 12:5-7)

The Purpose of Rebound

The three primary reasons God gave us this wonderful system of recovery are:

To restore fellowship with God. (I John 1:5-7) God desires to have fellowship with His children. Sin separates us from fellowship with God temporarily, until we confess our sins. The Christian life includes the study of God’s Word, and God the Holy Spirit is ultimately the teacher of the doctrine found in the Bible. Therefore, we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit when we study His Word and Rebound accomplishes this.
To avoid being disciplined/judged along with the world system. (I Corinthians 11:32) God wants us to be happy and He knows that sin puts us under the control of the sin nature, like unbelievers, and will only make us miserable. Therefore, God desires that we live as spiritual royalty, separated from the negative effects of this world system, which begins with Rebound.
For the production of divine good. (Galatians 5:16) Through the filling ministry of God the Holy Spirit, which is restored when we use the Rebound Technique, we can execute the Christian Way of Life, which results in a life of divine production. This can be either overt or invisible production.

The Sin Nature

The reason we need the Rebound Technique is that we are born with a sin nature. From our sin nature comes the temptation to sin. Temptation is not sin but succumbing to it is sin. It is important that we understand the sin nature if we are going to be successful in controlling it. The sin nature has both an area of weakness and an area of strength. The area of weakness tempts us to commit personal sins, such as mental attitude sins, sins of the tongue and overt sins. The area of strength produces deeds of human good, which we have studied as wood, hay, and straw. These are good things performed by a believer who is being controlled by their sin nature.

The sin nature has two trends. One trend is toward legalism and the other is toward antinomianism. Legalism is the futile attempt to earn salvation, spirituality or the approval of God through morality or human works. This person is often self-righteous and arrogant. Antinomianism is lascivious lawlessness or unrestrained immorality. This person is most often seeking self-gratification in his rebellion against God, which is also arrogance. This is not to say that we don’t all have trends toward both, but most of us tend to go toward one or the other when we are out of fellowship.

The sin nature also has a lust pattern. Lust is an illicit desire of either trend of the sin nature. Lust causes a person to become a slave to their desires and to become divorced from reality. Lust includes power lust, sexual lust, monetary lust, revenge lust, approval lust and many more. Controlling the sin nature stifles these lust patterns and allows the believer to live a victorious Christian life. The Rebound Technique, of course, is the beginning of the solution to these problem areas.

The Rebound Technique does not give believers a “license to sin,” as some legalistic Christians would suggest. Though some may be guilty of thinking that, God, as a good father will discipline accordingly. God gave us a system of recovery so that we could execute His plan by living our spiritual lives under the control and power of the Holy Spirit and spend a maximum amount of time in fellowship with Him. Rebound has to be the first of the Problem-Solving Devices, because none of the others can be used unless a believer is in fellowship with God, which results in the filling of the Holy Spirit.