Introduction

Friends, as we gather today, I sense a hush of holy expectation. The kind that settles the soul and steadies the heart. The year has been full of peaks and potholes, headlines and heartaches, but here we are—still held, still hearing the whisper of a faithful God. Some of us carry victories we didn’t expect, others carry wounds we didn’t see coming. Yet in the kind hands of our Shepherd, nothing is wasted. He is not tired. He is not late. He is not wringing His hands over the state of your life. He speaks, He saves, He strengthens—and He will see you through.

When the Bible speaks of the “day of the Lord,” it is not a day to fear for those who belong to Him; it is a day of setting things right, a day of promise kept, a day where God’s verdict is announced in the open. He is a Father who defends His family, a King who keeps His covenant, a Judge who never misreads a case. Do you need that today? Do you need to know that there is a righteous Ruler who notices the tears you cried when no one else did? That there is a Counselor and Defender who will not let the accuser have the last word?

We are heading into a message meant to put courage back into your chest—courage to stand under the banner of God’s justice, courage to stare down the schemes of the adversary, and courage to finish this year not in a slow fade, but in decisive triumph. Not swagger, but sturdy faith. Not bluster, but blessed assurance. We will talk about how to move with heaven’s verdict, how to silence the lies that have harassed your mind, and how to align your days with God’s promises so that you cross this year’s finish line with praise on your lips.

And because God delights to partner with praying people, we remember these simple words that have stirred saints for centuries: “God does nothing but in answer to prayer.” — John Wesley. Prayer is how we welcome heaven’s will into earthly places. Prayer is how we take the keys Jesus placed in our hands and open doors that looked sealed shut. Prayer is how tired hearts trade weakness for strength and worry for worship. If you feel faint, pray. If you feel strong, pray. If you feel unsure, pray. Your Father hears you, loves you, and answers you.

Today, let’s listen for the thundering tenderness of Scripture. Let’s let God’s Word lift our chins, clear our eyes, and fill our mouths with faith. If your faith feels small, that’s all right. A mustard seed still moves mountains. If your days feel crowded, that’s all right. The Lord who multiplies bread can multiply grace. If your heart feels heavy, that’s all right. He binds up the brokenhearted and gives beauty for ashes. Could it be that this very moment marks a turning? Could it be that the Judge is standing at the door, ready to rule in your favor, ready to renew your strength, ready to restore what was stolen?

Scripture Reading Isaiah 34:8 (KJV): For it is the day of the LORD'S vengeance, and the year of recompences for the controversy of Zion. Luke 21:22 (KJV): For these be the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled.

In these verses we hear both the gravity and the gladness of God’s heart. He brings recompense and He brings fulfillment. He does not abandon His people. He keeps His Word. He rights wrongs. He remembers Zion. And through Jesus Christ—our Advocate, our Atonement, our Almighty King—He welcomes us under that same banner of justice and mercy. This is not the hour to shrink back. This is the hour to take God at His Word, to stand in what He has already spoken, and to walk into what He has prepared.

Where are we headed together? - We will seek to enforce the verdict of divine justice—standing on what God has declared and praying it into our lived reality. - We will confront and dismantle the adversary’s schemes—naming lies, resisting temptation, and clinging to the truth that sets us free. - We will finish this year in decisive triumph—no limp of resignation, but a lift of expectation, praising the God who completes what He begins.

Opening Prayer Father, we come to You with open hands and hopeful hearts. Thank You that Your Word is sure, Your timing is perfect, and Your kindness never quits. Speak to us by Your Spirit. Settle our fears, straighten our steps, and strengthen our faith. Where there has been confusion, grant clarity. Where there has been weariness, pour in fresh wind. Where the enemy has harassed, raise up Your standard. We agree with Your verdict over our lives—mercy through Jesus, victory through the cross, authority in His name. Teach our hearts to pray with boldness and to stand with steadiness. Fulfill all that You have written, and help us finish this year with joy, courage, and Christ-exalting praise. In the strong name of Jesus we pray, Amen.

Enforce the Verdict of Divine Justice

Isaiah says there is a day and a year. A day when the Lord answers wrong with right. A year when He settles accounts in favor of Zion. Luke says there are days when what is written comes to pass. No loose ends. No stray word that falls to the ground. God brings His Word to the surface and makes it visible. That is the frame. That is the court. That is the verdict. Our part is to live like the decision has already been made.

God has spoken a verdict. The text in Isaiah calls it “vengeance” and “recompences.” That can sound harsh to modern ears. It is careful justice. Measured justice. Not rage. It means God takes the case of His people as His own case. “The controversy of Zion” means there has been a dispute over God’s people. Many voices claimed the final say. Isaiah shows that God now answers the dispute. He answers with a ruling in His time. He answers in favor of His purpose.

Luke adds this line: “that all things which are written may be fulfilled.” This is the key. What God writes, God accomplishes. The standard is not emotion. The standard is Scripture. When we hold the Word in prayer and practice, we are standing in the court of heaven with the statute book open. We say what God has said until it shapes our steps. We give His written word a place in our mouths, our calendars, and our choices.

This is how it looks in daily life. We pick a clear word from God and we agree with it out loud. We bring it into the room when fear rises. We bring it into the room when bills pile up. We bring it into the room when we face conflict. We do not use the Word as a charm. We use it as law. We let it rule our reactions. We let it correct our tone. We let it decide the next action we take. The verdict is written. We live like it stands.

God has given the decisive ruling through the cross and resurrection. The Scriptures above show that God fulfills what He wrote. The cross is where He fulfilled the deepest lines. Justice fell on Jesus for sin. Mercy flows to all who trust Him. That is not a feeling. That is law in the Spirit. When shame tries to sit on your shoulder, the ruling says you are forgiven. When old guilt drags you to a dark memory, the ruling says the debt was paid. When fear argues that you are outside love, the ruling says you are received in Christ.

Isaiah’s “year of recompences” means God pays back according to righteousness. At the cross, the debt of sin was charged to Jesus. In Him, we are cleared and called clean. That changes how we handle failure. We confess quickly. We do not hide. We ask for cleansing. We move forward with a clear heart. We also make things right where we can. We return what is not ours. We ask forgiveness when we wound a friend. We do this because the court we stand in loves truth.

Luke’s phrase “fulfilled” keeps us steady when life feels uneven. Your feelings may say the case is still open. God says the main case is settled in Christ. So you answer the voice of accusation with the finished work of Jesus. You answer it with the blood that speaks better things. You answer it with communion at the table and with praise in your home. You answer it by walking in the light, because the light is your new home.

God invites us to petition for recompense in real places. Isaiah uses strong words. “Vengeance.” “Recompences.” These words include the idea that God restores order where harm has spread. They include the idea that God repays loss according to His wisdom. This touches bodies, families, churches, and cities. So we bring specific petitions. We ask Him to heal where disease has eaten away. We ask Him to mend where trust has torn. We ask Him to supply where lack has bitten deep. We ask Him to shield where harm stalks the weak.

We also ask Him to act against spiritual pressure. When confusion fogs the mind, we ask for the Lord’s light. When recurring patterns choke joy, we ask for His mighty hand to break them. When demonic pushback shows up, we speak the name of Jesus and stand firm. We do not guess. We base our requests on Scripture. We say, “Fulfill what You have written, Lord.” We call on His character. We keep our hearts clean as we ask.

There is a sober side to this. We do not play judge over people. We bless those who wrong us and hand the case to God. We renounce bitterness. We release revenge. We trust the Judge who sees every angle. And while we wait, we work for good. We choose acts of mercy. We hold to truth with a soft heart. We welcome the Spirit to search us so that we are not asking for justice while living in a way that blocks it.

God trains our hands to practice justice on the ground. Isaiah’s “controversy of Zion” tells us that God’s people are central to His plan. He cares how we treat each other. He cares how we handle money, power, and words. So we order our lives under His standard. We keep short accounts. We speak truth without spite. We keep promises. We show care to the poor. We defend the one who has no platform. We do not use people to reach a goal. We honor image-bearers because our King does.

Luke’s “days of vengeance” remind us that history is not random. Choices matter. Systems matter. So we carry the gospel into work, school, and the public square. We practice fairness in hiring and pay. We tell the truth in contracts. We refuse bribes and shady shortcuts. We model clean leadership in our teams. We do simple good with steady hands. This is part of enforcement. We are not only asking for God’s verdict. We are walking it out.

This also touches spiritual habits. We guard our minds. We shut down lying thoughts with Scripture and wise counsel. We bless our homes with prayer in the morning and night. We fast when led by the Spirit. We gather with believers and submit to shepherds who watch our souls. We take the Lord’s Table with reverence. We forgive quickly and often. These are not busy tasks. These are ways we put the ruling of God on display in ordinary life.

Confront and Dismantle the Adversary's Schemes

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