INTRO: In the 1976 Summer Olympics, Shun Fujimoto competed in the team gymnastics competition for Japan. In a quest for the gold medal, Fujimoto suffered a broken right knee in the floor exercise. But his injury did not stop him, for during the next week he competed in his strongest event, the rings. His routine was excellent, but he astounded everyone by squarely dismounting with a triple somersault twist on a broken right knee. When asked concerning his feat, he said, "Yes, the pain shot through me like a knife. It brought tears to my eyes. But now I have a gold medal and the pain is gone."
-This is a picture of what every victorious Christian goes through.
TITLE: Wounded but Victorious
TEXT: Genesis 3:15
I. First announcement of the coming redeemer found in the Bible.
A. To God’s old covenant people, this verse is a beacon of hope.
1. To Satan, it was declaration of war climaxing in his destruction.
-This is prophecy of Calvary and it is also a prophecy of all the seed (children) of the woman.
2. Every person in this world can be victorious over Satan if he/she chooses Christ.
B. Christians need to be aware that victory has a price. Christians suffer wounds.
Thought: You will not be victorious in battle without being wounded in the battle.
-In the text this morning God announces victory, but he also announces that the victor will be wounded in battle.
1. You won’t be crowned unscathed. You see the victory is never won without wounds and without scars.
TS: With this in mind I want to focus on a few things.
II. Satan wounds those who fight him the most. -Satan is after those who fight him the most.
Example. Like Peter who was wounded terribly, but yet Peter was the great preacher of Pentecost. Peter won the victory.
-Peter did not go to the victor’s stand without some wounds upon him.
A. Warning – We need to be careful when we lose a round to Satan, to not quit, give up the fight.
1. There is nothing wrong with losing a round here and there. But be careful you don’t just give up and quit.
Example. Mohammed Ali, one of the greatest fighters of all time, lost rounds and even bouts but he didn’t quit.
2. Maybe you feel you can’t come back because you’ve sinned, you’ve compromised.
-I remember what Sergio Scataglini said, "Don’t give up the ministry for sin, give up the sin for the ministry.
B. List some examples of some Bible characters.
1. Peter was wounded for failing the Lord. But he got back up, went on to victory but he went with a limp, with a wounded and a bruised heel, that was wounded while he was standing at the trial of Jesus, telling others he ever knew him. But Peter got back up.
2. Moses, one of the greatest men of the Bible, was wounded when he disobeyed God and hit the rock rather than speak to it.
-He got tired of all the Jews complaining and bickering. Subtly he put himself on the same level as God. He was wounded but he got back up.
3. The apostle Paul who fought the devil like few of us ever will, lost some battles, losing victory over John Mark abandoning them on a difficult missionary journey which ultimately broke up Paul and Barnabas. But Paul got back up.
Thought: The enemy realizes his time is short, he knows he cannot win. So he wants to cause you as much pain as he can. He does not want you to enjoy your victory.
Truth: Saints get wounded, they have scars. If you call yourself a saint and have not been wounded Tommy Barnett would call you "not much of a soldier."
-You’re not in the battle, you are not on the front lines engaging the enemy. The more you advance the kingdom the more he is going to try to wound you.
4. He wounded doubting Thomas, but after Thomas got back up, he limped over to India and carried the gospel of Jesus Christ to a heathen nation, but ultimately he was beaten to death.
Summary. Satan wounds those who fight against him the most.
III. 2nd point. Satan wounds that part which fights against him the most. A. The enemy will try and destroy what you think is your strength.
1. Abraham is considered to be the father of faith but yet when we read through his life we see example after example of him not walking in faith.
-When he went into Egypt lying that his wife was his sister until God intervened.
-Taking matters into his own hands when they were not getting the child that was promised to them. He spent the night with his maidservant.
a. The enemy tries to bring down your strength and overcome it.
2. Think about Moses. He is the meekest man in all the Bible and yet the enemy attacked his strength. -Moses lost victory and struck the rock rather than speak to it.
3. Job was known for his patience. Yet when you read through the book of Job you see him lose patience.
4. Think about David. His strength was his purity. He was chosen to be the next king of Israel. As time passes he becomes the next king doing things right because he wants to be pure before the Lord.
-Until Bathsheba comes along and he commits adultery and then murder.
5. Think about Elijah, a man of courage who faced down all the false prophets of Baal and Asherah who turned a nation back to God only to run in fear from a wicked queen named Jezebel.
B. Question. I ask you today: What is your strength, is it a brilliant mind? Then watch out, that’s what Satan will attack.
-Is it your loyalty, your faithfulness to God? That’s where the enemy is going to attack. That weapon that you have that wounds him the most, that is unique to you, he’s after that weapon.
Summary. The enemy wounds those who fight against him. Satan wounds that part which fights against him the most.
IV. 3rd point. The wounded must fight harder, simply because they are wounded. A. The fire seems hotter the second time around.
1. My mom going through about a year of experimental treatment of a series of 3 treatments of where they put you in intensive care for a week and run a cocktail of drugs through your body bringing you right to the edge of death and then pulling you back, to literally give you as much as your body can take, then after a week they give you 3 months to recover and then they bring you in for another round.
-I asked Mom what was the toughest – knowing the hardship of the first treatment and then going in again.
2. Some of us know the hardship of fighting the enemy and to go back and fight over and over again. It’s tough to continue, but what other choice do you have?
and then have to suffer the punishment of the unfaithful and wander around in the desert for 40 years watching everyone die, and then go and take the promised land when you’re an old man.
-They never gave up even though they faced hardship after hardship, to face the fire and go back in again and again.
Thought: Today, you have to fight harder if you’re wounded because you know the pain of the fight.
V. 4th point. The limp makes the victory and the battle sweeter.
A. The limp helps us to realize who is there to help us. That is Christ.
1. Remember last week when I said the end product is good but what is more valuable than that is the journey with Christ.
-If some problems drive me closer to Christ then I should rejoice in these problems because they are opportunities to walk with him.
2. The limp I have shows me I’m worthy to be called a Christian. In Conclusion
In the text this morning, God announces final victory but he also announces that the victory is not won without wounds and scars.
This morning maybe you’re afraid to get back in the fight because you’ve been wounded and the Lord wants you to get back in.
