Sermon for 10/21/2001
The Formula for Victory
Romans 8:37
Adapted from an outline on Pastor’s Pastor
Introduction:
A. After September 11th, the President declared a war against terrorism.
B. In the speech on that Thursday, President Bush described the Al-Quida network and delivered demands to the Taliban government. Deliver the terrorists to the US or suffer the same fate as the terrorists.
C. We have started bombing runs and the newspaper is telling us that soon the Taliban regime will be out of power and we are assured victory.
D. The terrorists might be another story but the governments that support or allow most of them to operate will be taken care of and the battle will be won against these regimes.
E. People are scared, not necessarily about Afghanistan, but about these battles getting out of control where the Muslim world gets involved with the terrorists. A war between the haves and the have nots.
F. People are also scared that even though we might gain a victory over Afghanistan, does this gain a victory over these international terrorists. Keep running until find a safe place to hide! Keep operating even without a strong head. Death to the infidels.
G. However, the President and others keep assuring us that we will have the victory because we are on the side of right and because we are fighting for the civilized world!
H. I agree with him. It might take great cost but we must win!
WBTU:
A. Christians, the Bible says, are involved in a life or death struggle. It has been going on ever since the devil was kicked out of heaven. There is a war that is always going on between the forces of good and God and the forces of evil and the devil. There are no civilians but there are many casualties. We are all involved one way or another in this war.
B. Christians are on the side of good and of God. (Eph 6:12 NIV) For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
C. Those who are not Christians are on the side of evil unaware. The side of evil and the devil are nothing but terrorists. Terrorists against the souls of men. (1 Pet 5:8 NIV) Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.
D. Satan is real, very real! He is ready and willing to use all at his disposal to destroy us, for we are the Body of Christ, what has he to lose? The flesh is weak, very weak! And sin is deadly, very deadly!
E. The amazing thing about this battle is that we are guaranteed victory. Read the book of Revelation. I’ve read the back of the book and we win.
F. After D-Day, the Normandy invasion, most people believed that the fall of Germany was inevitable. Many people believed that if the Allies could get a stronghold in Western Europe that the downfall of Germany would soon follow. After D-Day about a year passed with bloody fighting. The Allies were so sure of victory that Winston Churchill, FDR, and Joseph Stalin met on several occasions before the war was over to discuss the state of Europe after the victory over Germany.
G. As Christians we must understand that our D-Day has already been fought. The battles fought now are just simply the devil fighting out of desperation. Much like Hitler and the Nazis kept fighting after D-Day but the inevitable was assured.
H. However, is it only at death that we gain the victory? In this life do we live defeated only at the end to gain the victory? Oh, no.
I. How do we gain the victory in this life?
J. One way is by putting on the armor of God. Ephesians 6. Read in devotional time.
K. But beyond that what do we do?
Thesis: Let me suggest four actions for every believer.
For instances:
I. First, we must recognize Christ has already won.
A. (Psa 98:1 NIV) Sing to the LORD a new song, for he has done marvelous things; his right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.
B. Christ has fought D-Day for us and when he rose up from that tomb, he won the victory.
C. Jesus was tried and whipped and spit upon and in the end they nailed him to a cross and the devil thought that he had won. Jesus is dead and gone and I have destroyed Him. However, in the grave Jesus did battle with Satan and Scripture says, he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel and that is exactly what happened. When God the Father raised His Son Jesus from the dead, Jesus delivered the knockout blow to Satan and won the greatest battle ever known.
D. (1 John 3:8 NIV) The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil’s work.
E. Alexander, Caesar, and Hannibal conquered the world but had no friends… Jesus founded his empire upon love, and at this hour millions would die for him… He has won the hearts of men, a task a conqueror cannot do. Jesus is the champion. Jesus is the victor.
F. This recognition gives us the edge; it gives us power to do good and to fight "the good fight" as Paul says; it encourages us and makes us more willing to persevere.
G. No matter how badly we are being beaten, we know that we will have the victory. Gives us courage to keep trying.
H. Even die, it is not going for a lost cause.
I. (1 John 4:4 NIV) You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
II. Second, we must realize the Father’s power is available!
A. We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us.
B. (2 Tim 1:7 NIV) For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
C. The power that raised Jesus from the dead is alive and well and this power to overcome and gain the victory is available for all that trust in the death, burial and resurrection.
D. Paul said, I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection
E. A garage man in Mangum, OK answered the distress call of a woman motorist, whose car had stalled. He examined the car and informed her that it was out of gas. "Will it hurt," she asked, "if I drive it home with the gas tank empty?" It would be cheaper to drive cars without gas, and quite pleasant, but anyone who has every tried it has found out that it just does not work. The same is true in the Christian life. Those who attempt to go on without power divinely provided by God may find that they are able to coast down hill for awhile; even roll up a little grade for a moment. But soon a time will come when the road will not permit further coasting; then life is stalled. Fortunately, God provides the power for us anytime we are willing to have it, if we keep the funnel unclogged with sin and turned toward the supply that comes from His grace.
E. (Phil 4:13 NIV) I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
III. Third, we must release our lives to the Holy Spirit!
A. (Rom 8:14 NIV) because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
B. When we are a son of God, we have the power that our Father gives to us.
C. We become a son of God by surrendering ourselves to the Spirit that lives within us. Cannot have power except it comes from God. That power is given through the Spirit that lives within us. Live by the Spirit, surrender to God.
D. It is ironic that we must surrender, declare that we are defeated so that God can give us the victory.
E. (James 4:6 NIV Scripture says: "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble."(James 4:7 NIV) Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.(James 4:8 NIV) Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
F. Must be humble and give up and let Jesus take over. Let go and let God. Most of the time this goes against our nature. We can do it all by ourselves. We don’t need help. When we realize how helpless we are without God, and then humble ourselves, this is when we have power by God, when we have the victory, when we conquer.
G. (2 Cor 12:10 NIV) That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
H. Praise God that He showed us how weak we are. On September 11 we were powerless to stop anything.
I. If we do this then we can do this verse. (2 Cor 10:5 NIV) We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
J. We all say to be good Christians we must be humble and seek the Lord and His guidance. Easier said than done.
K. Many people say that they want to get in shape. However, a lot of people try to take shortcuts. If you take this pill it will build muscle. If you take this pill it will suppress your appetite. People go out and get memberships in gyms and never go. People buy exercise equipment for their homes but never use them. These things are not answers. The answer is to eat right and to work out for over 20 minutes 3 times a day. Buying pills and equipment may help but it is not the answer.
L. We must surrender through various ways, regular time of prayer, Bible study, church attendance, service, and fellowship.
Transition: Remember, there aren’t any short cuts to a vital, vibrant, and victorious life in Christ! This is a real war. The devil would like us to believe that there is no war, there is no danger, and you can do it on your own. You don’t have to surrender. Keep doing it your way. If you just quit trying, there will be peace for you, no more battle!
A. Let me tell you, there’s real victory to those who serve the Risen Lamb, but not peace, at least not outward peace!
B. Jesus said, (Mat 10:34 NIV) "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword."
C. The faith of Christ puts men on the offense against sin. We are in Christ to transform our culture and to vanquish sin. Naturally this militant approach is antagonistic to a threatened culture. The only way sinful society can retaliate is by oppression and violence. It knows no other method. However, it is worth the price we must pay! The approval of the world means rejection with God. The rejection of the world means approval with God. Mankind does not want to surrender to God so like Satan they keep fighting on.
D. Remember I said there were 4 points to this message?
4. Fourth, we must resist Satan, Give him no place to stand!
A. Resist the devil and he will flee from you- James 4:7
B. If the devil has a place in your life it is because you gave it to him!
C. Terrorists are looking for strongholds to carry out their operations. Satan is doing the same in the lives of people who let Him.
D. Satan will establish a beachhead in our lives from which He can fight His battles against us and against others! On D-Day the Allied side formed a beachhead from which to attack Fortress Europe! The devil can do the same in your life.
E. Alcohol, drugs, sexual perversion, pride, hatred, jealousy, fits of rage, greed, theft, covetousness, deceit, lewdness, filthy language, etc. Resist the devil; go to the Lord to help to get these things out of your life.
F. Take years sometimes, but through God’s power you can drive back the enemy and throw him into the sea of fire!
Conclusion:
A. Summary.
1. Must recognize Christ has already won
2. We must realize the Father’s power is available
3. We must release our lives to the Holy Spirit
4. We must resist Satan, give him no place to stand!
B. One day soon there will be no battle! God will come and throw the devil and all those with Him into the lake of burning sulfur!
C. There is Power in the Blood! Do you know that power in your life? Has God driven sin and the devil out of your life?
