Be A Survivor

Text: “So He destroyed all living things which were on the face of the ground: both man and cattle, creeping thing and bird of the air. They were destroyed from the earth. Only Noah and those who were with him in the ark remained alive” (Genesis 7:23).

We often hear the word “survivor” used.

What is a survivor?

How is the word “survivor” defined?

A survivor is one who lives through some misfortune, condition, or affliction. For example, “All the survivors from the train wreck were taken to the hospital for treatment.”

In other words, the people in the train wreck who did not die were taken to the hospital for treatment. These people are called survivors.

What are different kinds of survivors?

1. cancer survivor

2. abuse survivor

3. holocaust survivor

4. domestic violence survivor

5. accident survivor

A cancer survivor is one who had cancer somewhere in their body, but through surgery, treatment, and prayer has been given a clean bill of health and continues to live a normal live for many years.

An abuse survivor could fall into several categories.

1. drug abuse

2. alcohol abuse

3. child abuse

4. sexual abuse

A drug abuse survivor is one who had developed an addiction to some non-prescription or prescription drug and due to a near-death experience, prayer, a parent, or a friend was encouraged to go through a drug rehabilitation program. By going through such a program, the person’s desire for drugs no long existed; consequently, the person did not die, but instead became a survivor and an asset to society.

An alcohol abuse survivor is one who at one time was addicted to alcohol, but much like the drug abuse survivor took advantage of the rehabilitation program and shed their dependency on alcohol. Instead of dying prematurely, due to alcohol dependency, the person became a survivor and lived a normal life for many years.

A child abuse survivor is one who through the protection of Almighty God or local authorities was rescued from those who caused the abuse. The abuse might have gone on for a short time or for years, but at some point in time abuse was no longer an issue due to liberation by an outside party. Counseling and therapy given at the right time by the right people enabled the person to continue living a normal life.

A sexual abuse survivor is one who had been sexually taken advantage of by some adult. We have read of a father who sexually abused his own children. Neighbors and friends have sexually abused innocent children. Children have been kidnapped and sexually abused. A child who has been rescued and who has undergone counseling and therapy is a sexual abuse survivor.

As I mentioned at the beginning there are people who survived the concentration camps of World War II and are thus known as Holocaust survivors.

Sometimes family members fight amongst themselves and when police intervene, neither side wants to press charges. This can go on for long periods of time without anyone getting hurt, so in essence all are survivor.

On the other hand, when things really turn violent and people are shot, stabbed, or beaten and left for dead, but help comes before death, these people are domestic violence survivors.

I have given you several different scenarios concerning survivors. What I am really saying is survivors are the ones who do not die when a situation, mishap, or disease occurs.

This morning we read the story of Noah and the flood. As you recall, the only lives saved were the lives on the ark. Noah and his family did not die due to the flood, so therefore Noah and his family and all the animals were survivors.

If Noah had not listened to God, we would not be here today. We are survivors because Noah was a survivor. Scripture tells us “The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence” (Genesis 6:11).

Is the world any better today than it was in the days of Noah? Is there less corruption in the world today? Are there fewer incidences of violence in the world today?

I would answer “No!” to all of these questions. The world should be better today because of all the blessing we have received from God, but in many cases these blessings have been taken for granted by man and they have been abused.

Scripture tells us that “Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God” (Genesis 6:9). Noah was a sinner just like the rest of us, but he loved God, obeyed God, and walked in faith with God.

Noah lived in a wicked and violent world, but he did not let this influence his relationship with God. He did not do as others did, but instead Noah listened to God and followed God’s instructions.