In Sermon Illustrations: "Spiritual Gifts"

Remember The Duck! (Stop Living In Bondage To Satan)

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 27, 2022

A little boy visiting his grandparents was given his first slingshot made by his grandfather. He practiced trying to hit a tin can, but he could never hit it. As he walked across the yard, he saw Grandma’s pet duck. On an impulse he took aim and let fly. The stone hit, and the duck fell dead. The ...read more

Tags: Spiritual Warfare, Confession, Covering Sin, Delieverance, Forgiveness  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Don't Let The Devil Hang A Nail On Your Door!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 8, 2022

A Haitian pastor illustrated to his congregation the need for total commitment to Christ by sharing this parable: A certain man wanted to sell his house for $2,000. Another man wanted very badly to buy it, but because he was poor, he couldn't afford the full price. After much bargaining, ...read more

Tags: Spiritual Warfare, Prayer, Commitment To Christ, Strongholds, Satah  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Faith Is Resting My Whole Weight On God!

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Feb 23, 2023

When missionary John Paton was translating the Scripture for the South Sea islanders, he was unable to find a word in their vocabulary for the concept of believing, trusting, or having faith. He had no idea how he would convey that to them. One day while he was in his hut translating, a native came ...read more

Scripture: Galatians 5:22-23

Tags: Faith, Revival, Faithfulness, Spiritual Fruit, Fruit Of The Spirit  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Angel Of Music

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jun 14, 2023

In Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical The Phantom of the Opera, a young chorus girl named Christine Daae receives voice training from a mysterious musician she calls the “Angel of Music.” Christine believes this is the angel her dying father had promised to send to complete her musical training. As ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:8, 1 John 4:4

Tags: Evil, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation, Armor Of God  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Achilles' Heel

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Jan 15, 2024

The ancient Greeks told a story of a warrior named Achilles. His mother had been warned that he would die of a wound, so she dipped him as an infant in the river Styx. That was supposed to make him invincible. THERE WAS ONE PROBLEM -- she held him by one heel which the protective waters did not ...read more

Scripture: James 1:9-15

Tags: Evil, Satan, Spiritual Warfare, Temptation, Trials, Lust  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Emily's 9-5 Struggle

Contributed by Jung Lee on Jan 19, 2024

Emily, a young woman from the MZ generation, recently started her career with a standard 9-5 job. She quickly finds herself feeling trapped and miserable in this routine. Every morning, the thought of going to work at 9 AM and staying until 5 PM feels unbearable to her. She often voices her ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:17-22

Tags: Letting Go, Spiritual Growth, Comfort, Purpose, Danger  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Baptist

Prayer As Our Heavy Artillery

Contributed by Richard Tow on Jul 9, 2024

In Ephesians 6:18, Paul has completed the metaphor of Roman armor. But he is not finished teaching about spiritual warfare. In fact, he has come to the most important weapon in our spiritual arsenal. Prayer is the heavy artillery. Through prayer we call down the bombardment of God against our ...read more

Scripture: Ephesians 6:18

Tags: Spiritual Warfare, Prayer, Intercession, Victory, Armor, Battles  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Charismatic

From East To West

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Aug 12, 2024

How far is the east from the west? Where does the east end and the west begin? A certain state once had this slogan: "Where the west begins and the tall corn grows." The last part of the slogan is true; the first is not. No one knows where the west begins or where it ends. It's all a ...read more

Scripture: Psalm 103:12, Matthew 6:9-15

Tags: Forgiveness, Satan, Devil, Spiritual Warfare, Guilt, Condemnation  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

The Discipline Of Prayer

Contributed by John Bright on Sep 24, 2025

We refer to many of the practices that aid in our ongoing sanctification as Spiritual Disciplines. These include prayer, Bible reading/study, tithing/generosity, fasting, silence, and worship. This is not a complete list. All Spiritual Disciplines have the same goal – increasing your intimacy ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 4:7, John 15:4, Ephesians 6:18, Colossians 4:2

Tags: Richard Foster, Prayer Forms, Prayer, Spiritual Disciplines

Denomination: Methodist

Abilene Christian University Researchers, Dr. ...  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 5, 2006

Abilene Christian University researchers, Dr. David Lewis and Dr. Carley Dodd have recently concluded a cross-generational study (six different tests) to measure fathers’ positive and negative influences upon teens’ spirituality. The found that "every time" dad’s role "as teacher came out be the ...read more

Scripture: Proverbs 22:6

Tags: Call, Children, Gift, Father, Fatherhood, Fathers Day, Youth, Parenting  (view more)  (view less)

3 Types Of People In The Wilderness

Contributed by Dr. Larry Petton on Mar 17, 2023

THREE TYPES OF PEOPLE IN THE WILDERNESS (Joshua 1, I Corinth. 2:13-3:3) * THOSE LIVING IN EGYPT (NATURAL MAN) - unbelievers in bondage to sin. Christ is on the outside of their life. Those in Egypt were freed from slavery by the blood of a sacrificial Lamb, a picture of Christ on the Cross, ...read more

Tags: Promised Land, Wilderness, Carnal, Canaan, Natural Man, Spiritual Man, Backsliding, Spiritual Victory, Spirit Filled Life  (view more)  (view less)

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Praying For The Sick – Well, We’ve ...  PRO

Contributed by Russell Brownworth on Aug 16, 2001

Praying for the sick – well, we’ve got that one down. I recently saw a cartoon where an elderly woman is standing at the church door talking to the pastor. Her remark, as she hands a thick manila folder to him, “My doctor copied my chart, ...read more

Tags: Prayer General, Prayer How To, Gifts Healing

Denomination: United Methodist

A Few Years Ago There Was A Series Of Commercials ...  PRO

Contributed by Brian La Croix on Oct 3, 2001

A few years ago there was a series of commercials featuring a man wearing a flannel shirt and jeans who would be telling people how much he cared for them, often getting teary-eyed as he said with all the emotion he could muster, “I love you, man!” And the person he was speaking to in that ...read more

Scripture: Luke 22:31-34

Tags: Christian Love, Christian Disciplines, Gift, Worship

Denomination: Wesleyan

Prayer Works  PRO

Contributed by David Yarbrough on Oct 15, 2001

PRAYER WORKS The researchers at Columbia University conducted a study with 199 women at an in vitro fertilization clinic in Korea. Unknown to the patients and their doctors, groups of strangers from the US, Canada, and Australia were asked to pray for their success in getting pregnant. Pictures ...read more

Scripture: 1 Corinthians 6:12

Tags: Gifts Healing, Prayer Answered, Prayer Adoration

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

There Is Nothing The Body Suffers The Soul May ...

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2002

There is nothing the body suffers the soul may not profit by. ...read more

Tags: Gifts Healing, Hardship Of Life, God's Provision

God Heals  PRO

Contributed by Sermon Central on Jan 20, 2002

God heals, and the doctor takes the fees. ...read more

Tags: God The Father, Hardship Of Life, Gifts Healing

A Healing Fool  PRO

Contributed by A. Todd Coget on Feb 14, 2002

A HEALING FOOL The Gospels depict Jesus as having spent a surprising amount of time healing people… It is significant also that the Greek verb "sozo" was used in Jesus’ day to mean both to save and to heal, and "soter" could signify either savior or physician. Ever since the time of Jesus, ...read more

Scripture: Mark 1:29-39

Tags: Miracles Of Jesus, Prayer Answered, Gifts Healing

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

On April 25, 1985 (12 Years Ago) Over 5,000 ...  PRO

Contributed by Jerry Falwell on Mar 7, 2002

On April 25, 1985 (12 years ago) over 5,000 students on Liberty Mountain fasted for one day and prayed for the healing of Vernon Brewer, the Dean of Students. He was loved by the students so they fasted and prayed. Vernon had cancer and was given 6 ...read more

Tags: Prayer Answered, Gifts Healing, Disciplines Fasting

Denomination: Baptist

Fulfilling My Task  PRO

Contributed by Bruce Emmert on Jul 11, 2002

FULFILLING MY TASK “[Most people] act as if they were simply dropped down in creation and have to entertain [them] selves until [they] die. But we [Christians] were sent into the world by God, just as Jesus was. Each of us has a mission in life. Jesus prays to his Father for his followers, ...read more

Tags: Love Of The Disciples, Christian Disciplines, Gifts General

Denomination: United Methodist

If He Was Rich…  PRO

Contributed by Jeff Strite on Nov 10, 2002

William Boice once wrote: "-- Dear Lord, I have been re-reading the record of the rich young ruler and his obviously wrong choice. But it has set me thinking. No matter how much wealth he had, he could not - ride in a car, have any surgery, turn on a light, buy penicillin, hear a pipe ...read more

Tags: Money, Parable Rich Fool, Gifts Giving

Denomination: Christian/Church Of Christ