Ever had the wind knocked out of you?
It’s a Scary experience to say the least.
For me; being curled up, grabbing my stomach unable to even move one bit of air, seemed like I was going to certainly die.
My experience was mostly on the wrestling mat or football field in high school, but the experience was always the same.
It hurt, I was afraid to move, and sometimes I was even hesitant afterwards to continue with my activities; to get back into the game.
Now that I am a bit older, I can’t say that I have had the wind knocked out of me from rough play lately.
But, I can however confess I have had my share of the wind being knocked out of my sails so to say, both emotionally and spiritually.
Getting the wind knocked out of you doesn’t necessarily have to be the physical experience of being hit in the diaphragm.
As we go through life, the unexpected and sometimes difficult challenges we face can certainly knock the wind out of our sails.
• Difficult childhood
o Abuse, neglect, divorce, personality
• Death of a loved one
o Loss of close family member
• Troubles in school
o Grammar school through college (grades to finances)
• Rocky relationships
o Not settled
• Slow developing careers
o Purpose in life questioned
• Addictions, Bad habits
o This list can be quit large
I have met a few people that have told me that they have had a wonderful life and they don’t understand how people can be so messed up.
My thought is “What does this person have hidden in their closet?”
Those that are upfront about the issues that they are facing in their lives are already on the path to properly and constructively handling their struggles.
We as Christians; followers and believers in Jesus Christ need to understand that the basic step is to first understand that we cannot do it alone.
So many times when we face difficult points in our life we allow the situation to dictate how we respond.
I can confess that many times when I have been faced with a problem, my mind has begun to run at full throttle trying to figure out, “How am I going to get through this?”
But as I grow in the richness of God’s Word, I have learned that I am not alone in my battles.
Not only has Jesus suffered through it all and redeemed me from my life of sin, God in His great love and mercy not only sent His one and only son to take my place at the Cross, but has through His Word left me so many testimonies of those long before me who have gone through, in some cases much more than I could ever imagine.
Hebrews 12:1
Discipline in a Long-Distance Race
1-3Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!
The Message
Paul speaks through his letters of the life we live as being the big race.
Don’t you realize that in a race everyone runs, but only one person gets the prize? So run to win!
1 Corinthians 9:24 NLT
So in other words:
• Never say never
• Never say I can’t
• Never say I’m not good enough
• Never give up
Of course right here is when some would say,
“Preacher, that’s easy for you to say, you don’t have a clue what I’ve been through”
Sure, I have had a wonderful life full of God’s blessings.
Not many can say they have experienced as much as I have; being a Paramedic, Police Officer, Firefighter, Educator and a variety of other things.
I have had wonderful experiences throughout my life, but I have also had my sorrows and heartbreaks.
• I have lived through alcoholism in my family
• I have endured the pain of my parents divorce
• I have loved, and lost
• I have struggled financially
• I have made bad decisions
• I have lost jobs
I have had a few close friends in my life that have known me for nearly half my life, and they often make the same comment:
“I don’t understand how you can keep going after what you have been through.”
All I can really say is this, even in the spiritual low points of my life, I always looked to the Lord for my strength.
I might not know your individual issues or share in your struggles or pain, but I do know of people just like you and me who have gone trough much of the same if not greater problems and have come out of it in Victory.
• Let’s look at our “great cloud of witnesses” that God has shown us:
Are you in fear?
Let me introduce to Elijah who ran away from it all in fear that a woman was going to kill him. In the end - his Victory was a Fiery Chariot ride into heaven.
1 Kings 19:1-10 2 Kings 2:11
Are you heartbroken?
Let me introduce you to Job who suddenly lost his family, wealth, reputation and even became severely ill and depressed. His Victory was that God restored and gave him double what he originally had and blessed his older years more than his youth.
Job 1-3 42:10,12
Have you lost a loved one?
Let me introduce you to David, who lost his son at a very young age. And how he relates the knowledge that his son would not return to him, but by his faith, he would later be with his son again. God blessed David and allowed him great power and the very seat of the New Covenant to rest through his bloodline.
2 Samuel 7:12-13 2 Samuel 12
Are you weak from your sinful nature?
Let me introduce you to Rahab, a Canaanite prostitute no doubt destitute in her trade, yet by her faith in the God of Israel, protected the spies in Jericho. Her Victory came through not only her personal salvation, but the salvation of her entire family.
Joshua 2, 6:25 Hebrews 11:31
Are you a victim of crime or circumstance?
Let me introduce you to Joseph who was innocent yet was kicked out of his home by his own brothers and sold off into slavery. He later was falsely accused of attempted rape and sent to prison. What a Victorious ending as he not only was exonerated and released from prison, but he became the Prince of Egypt and his whole family was saved.
Genesis 37-50
These are just a few areas off the top of the heartache issues of mankind. But I can assure you, whatever your personal issues are in your life, God has an answer.
Jesus knows your pain, heartache, hardship and struggle.
He alone can get you through what you can’t do by yourself.
• So when it hurts…… Come to Jesus
• When you can’t……. Come to Jesus
• When you’re out of strength…… Come to Jesus
When circumstances in your life are:
• TOO big to handle
• TOO much to bear
• TOO hard to face
• TOO strong to overcome
Stop thinking about all the TOO’s in your life and start getting on with the ONE !
• Who alone is worthy to be praised
• Has taken away our sin
• By His blood redeemed us into God’s house
And last but not least
• Can make the impossible in your life POSSIBLE!
Video Clip - “Facing Your Giants”
What do we learn from Brock?
His comments
• Westview is alot stronger than we are
• I can’t
• It burns
• I’m running out of strength
How often do you feel:
• The devil is stronger than you?
• Temptation is greater than you can bear?
• You’re not strong enough?
Our only limitations are that which we put on ourselves.
God wants us to be victorious.
When your eyes are open to the world, you may be limited. But when your eyes are closed to the world you will be limitless.
• The key to Victory is remembering God’s Word and chiseling it deep within your heart.
God’s Spirit spoke through:
David
“I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.”
Psalm 119:11 NLT
Paul
“So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus.”
Romans 8:1 NLT
“No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God will never let you down; he’ll never let you be pushed past your limit; he’ll always be there to help you come through it.”
1 Corinthians 10:13 Message
Peter
“So be truly glad, there is wonderful joy ahead, even though you have to endure many trials for a little while. These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire tests and purifies gold—though your faith is far more precious than mere gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.”
1 Peter 1:6-7 NLT
James
“Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.”
James 1:2-4 NLT
And most certainly God spoke to us directly;
Jesus said
“I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 NLT
“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
John 14:27 NIV
• So what does God what from you?
Your absolute best
To keep going
Don’t quit
Keep driving
As Coach said in the video:
“It’s all heart from here.”
I suggest the same for all of us today.
Your Absolute Best is what your heart has to give.
