Have You Heard About The Cheat Code? // Triggered (Part 4)

This summary and strategic rewrite draws upon excerpts from a sermon by Michael Todd of Transformation Church, focusing on the concept of Jesus Christ as the ultimate “cheat code” for achieving spiritual transformation, maturity, and eternal destiny in a world prone to distraction and moral “crash outs.” The message urges believers to move beyond superficial faith and actively share the Gospel.

Stop Crashing Out: Why You Need a Spiritual Cheat Code

The sermon addresses the problem of believers who crash out—acting out of character that does not look like Christ—due to the littlest inconvenience. These “crash outs” demonstrate that while faith may be in the heart, actions really show what you believe. Many Christians live undecided lives, behaving just like people who have no knowledge, reverence, or experience with God.

If Christ were silently judging daily actions (not Bible reading, prayer plans, or “God bless you texts”), many would not know that the individual belongs to Christ. The goal is to put Christ in the center of everything, moving beyond cultural Christianity or merely attending church, which alone cannot prevent someone from crashing out or acting contrary to Christ’s character.

The Bible as the Cheat Code Book

The term “cheat code” is introduced using the analogy of classic video games (like Nintendo 64 and NFL Blitz), where specific sequences of moves (e.g., “A, B, B, up, down, down”) granted immediate success.

The Bible is presented not as a boring book to endure, but as a book full of cheat codes for life. It offers codes for relationships, keeping family together, and achieving a fulfilled life. Instead of struggling with the “game of life,” God provides the Book of Jesus to help believers receive the desired outcome every time they employ the codes.

1. Christ is the Cheat Code: Securing Your Eternity First

The foundational cheat code is Jesus Christ, who is the cheat code to eternity.

The Core Provision

Before fixing every personal issue (marriage struggles, financial problems, negative habits), believers must get Jesus right. Jesus provides grace, mercy, and love without judgment, regardless of one’s lifestyle, background, or current struggles (e.g., smoking, drinking, sexually alternate lifestyles).

• Provision vs. Preference: Many people struggle with preference problems rather than provision problems. God provides, but because it is not always what we prefer (e.g., a turkey and cheese sandwich when one wants something fancier), we mistakenly call it a lack of provision. Maturity means recognizing that Christ has provided abundantly (grace, mercy, and chances).
• Cheating Death and Religion: Jesus is the cheat code because He cheated death, being the only human to rise up and defeat death, hell, and the grave. He also cheated religion by making the path to God simple—belief in Him—rather than demanding complex sacrifices, traditions, or extensive knowledge of scripture. His message is simple: “I am the way, the truth, and the life”.

The Danger of Lukewarm Faith

A strong warning is issued to those who are merely playing with Christ or living a lukewarm life, where status, money, or social media likes become their god. Being a great influencer or religious does not affect eternity. If a person’s faith is built on a device (like a phone app) and the device dies, their faith may also die.

2. Putting Away Childish Things: Embracing Maturity and Consecration

To utilize the cheat code effectively, believers must grow up and put away childish things (1 Corinthians 14:20).

Packing Up “Trigger Toys”

Childish things do not disappear on their own; they must be actively packed up and put away. This requires the individual to choose maturity and reject spiritual “daycare”.

Examples of Childish Behavior to “Pack Up”:

• Petty Behavior: Rolling eyes when disagreeing with someone.
• Anger: Flipping people off while driving.
• Unforgiveness: Keeping a record of wrong against a spouse—often symbolized by having a “binder” of past offenses, which violates the biblical instruction that love keeps no record of wrong.
• Comparison: Comparing oneself to others to feel better about oneself (the Phariseic Christian mindset).

The Death of the Old Self

When a person joins Christ in life, something else dies. Baptism symbolizes joining Christ in His death and burial, which empowers the believer to live new lives. A person is not alive in Christ if nothing died; they cannot still do everything the same. Grace is the empowerment to live an entirely brand new life, not just an empowerment to add Christ to one’s old life.