VIDEO: TURN THE LIGHTS BACK ON
VIDEO: WALK OUT
MAIN SLIDE: FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT
SCRIPTURE SLIDES:
1 Timothy 6:12 Fight the good fight of faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
2 Timothy 4:7-8 7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the LORD, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day-and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.
A new definition of what it means to win:
NOT A ME WIN, BUT A GOD WIN
What does a win look like bible verse
2 Thess. 1:12 Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Round 1 – People and their Problems
Round 2 - SELF
Round 3 –opponent #3 come to the ring
DARTH VADER SLIDE AND SONG
MAIN SLIDE – MUSIC STOPS
That’s right, opponent #3 is Satan, the dark destroyer. He’s evil. And he always fights dirty.
Low blows, after the bell hits, head butts, hits you before you’re ready…dirty rotten scoundrel. God’s enemy (he can’t beat God) so he works on us.
SATAN AND HIS BAG OF TRICKS
* HITS AFTER THE BELL – LIES
John 8:43-44 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.
44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.
SATAN AND HIS BAG OF TRICKS
* HEAD BUTTS – DECEPTION
2 Corinthians 11:3 But I fear that somehow your pure and undivided devotion to Christ will be corrupted, just as Eve was deceived by the cunning ways of the serpent.
SATAN AND HIS BAG OF TRICKS
* LOW BLOWS – ACCUSATIONS
Revelation 12:10 10 Then I heard a loud voice shouting across the heavens, “It has come at last— salvation and power and the Kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Christ. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters has been thrown down to earth— the one who accuses them before our God day and night.
SATAN AND HIS BAG OF TRICKS
* BEFORE YOUR READY HITS – DISCOURAGEMENT
1 Peter 5:8 8 Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.
SATAN AND HIS BAG OF TRICKS
MAIN SLIDE
All of this is meant to paralyze you with fear but Jesus says FEAR NOT FOR I AM WITH YOU.
PICTURE OF EVANDER HOLIFIELD
Evander Holyfield rose from poverty to becoming histories only four-time world heavyweight champion, fighting the best that boxing had to offer including Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis. In his prime, he was able to command fees of up to $30 million a fight. In 2011 he resigned as the undisputed champion in both the heavyweight and cruiserweight division.
In 1992 Holyfield became a devoted born-again Christian, he started to profess his faith publicly especially before and after his boxing fights.
“Nothing is impossible with God. In Jesus Name Amen!” – Evander Holyfield
ANOTHER BOXER who is a wonderful Christian is Nigel Benn
Picture of Nigel Benn
Nigel Benn is ranked as one of the greatest British boxers of all time, known for his fearsome punching power and aggressive fighting style, which gave him the nickname “The Dark Destroyer”.
He competed in boxing from 1987 to 1996. Ben won the WBO middleweight title in 1990, The WBC super-middleweight title in 1992, and in 1998 he won the Commonwealth middleweight title.
Benn became a victim of his fame; he drank, took drugs, suffered from depression and attempted suicide in his car. The turning point came when Benn became a born-again Christian; immediately confessing his sins of adultery to his wife. Soon after, he spent one full year in solitude, studying the Bible day and night renewing his mind in Christ and now is an entirely new person.
He and his family moved to Australia at the suggestion of his wife Carolyne, where they now attend Hillsong Church.
“I was one of the biggest sinners. Now any lie is something I could not live with.” – Nigel Benn
NOW THE DARK DESTORYER is walking in the light and is fighting THE OTHER DARK DESTROYER
Video of Nigel Benn
Three boxing positions against evil
FLEE
2 Timothy 2:22 22 Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
STAND
Ephesians 6:11 11Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes.
RESIST
James 4:7 7Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
1 Peter 5:9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.
Resist with:
Prayer and fasting
Praise
John 10 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.
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2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.
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3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.
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4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.
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5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.”
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6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.
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7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.
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8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.
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9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.
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10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.
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11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.
Jude 1:24 ESV
"Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,"
Prayer of Faith
“Heavenly Father, I know that I’m a sinner in need of a Savior. I believe that Jesus’ death on the cross is payment for my sins. Lord Jesus I humbly ask for your forgiveness. Come into my life and make me into the person you want me to be. I choose to follow you.”
