A Victorious Life Series

If you click through enough sermons you will find this same 3 point outline used -- I stole it, cause it preaches. Everything else is orginal and mine. I have the powerpoint that I am willing to send for free via email - just email me with the sermon title in the title line and I will send it to you.

James 4:1-10

“A Victorious Life”

“Submitting to God is the key to living a victorious life.”

Sunday Morning Sermon

09.30.07

Intro:

Youtube.com – “Chariots of fire Liddell’s final race 400m” – 4:35 – This video is a little long, but very good, it would be good to read up on the story of the movie or watch the movie too to give information as an intro

(Start with title and text)

Did you catch the line – “Jennie…I believe God made me for a purpose, and he also made me fast, and when I run, I feel his pleasure.”

He won the last race – Based on real life events the main character in the movie refused to run in another race he qualified for because it was on a Sunday, and that would conflict with his Christian values. Instead he prepares for the 400 meter race – the third race that day, which he shouldn’t have won – but he did. He saw his running as a way to glorify God.

He saw running and winning as a way to honor God and live out his purpose in life.

People like me – we like stories like that. I was never good at any sports. I would trip over the lines on the basketball court. Always picked last – always in left field on the baseball team – which isn’t bad, but I was like 3rd string left fielder. I love the rocky movies – because he’s not supposed to win – and he does. Give me any sports movie where the bad news bears pull themselves together – they have more heart than talent and they win – and I’ll cry every time.

Discussion:

I think God is the same way. Only God almighty could see something beautiful in us. Only God almighty could see something worthy in us. The Bible says that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. If God can’t be near sin – and we were the ones diving into it – he died for us, while we didn’t care, and didn’t want to be cleansed. He paid the highest gift and the highest sacrifice for someone he couldn’t embrace.

Listen – he doesn’t call us to be losers. He didn’t give his one and only son, so that we would be losers in this life, so that we could go through life without purpose without hope or without direction. He wants more than anything for you and me to know his good, pleasing and perfect will. A victorious life is something God wants for you! He wants that for me! He didn’t create you to be a 3rd stringer in life. He wants us to have victory over our sin, victory over our doubts, our struggles, our pain, even sickness.

James is going to speak on this victorious life that we have in Christ Jesus. He’s going to give us 3 ways to grab this victorious life and make it ours. The key to living and having this victorious Christian life is submitting to God – that’s the root that’s the base – you can’t do anything of the three things without first submitting your life to Christ.

If you have your Bibles with you turn with me to (Advance)

James 4:1-10 (Read)

(Advance)

I. Pray according to God’s will (1-3)

What’s the rule we have in the south – “you can say anything bad about someone as long as you say” – “bless their heart” Afterwards. We do that with our prayer life too – we look for loop holes.

“Lord, I really want the bright yellow hummer…but you know, let your will be done.”

We read verses (out of context by the way) like the mustard seed faith – we can move mountains as long as we have a small amount of faith. Nothing will be impossible for you. Let me read it…(Advance)

Matthew 17:20 (NIV) – He replied, "Because you have so little faith. I tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ’Move from here to there’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

a. We apply that to our lives

i. Small Faith = Nothing impossible

So we don’t work at our faith – we don’t build on our faith – we don’t add to our faith – but we expect the impossible. We expect our small, do nothing faith to be honored by God – and when it’s not