"4th and 40 With 4 Seconds To Go"

September 10, 2006.  Pastor Matt

When we feel defeated,

-         we feel like giving up

-         we want to quit and run away

-         Some of us work harder at it and try to pound a square peg in a round hole

-         We feel like fighting with our teammates

-         We feel like firing the coach

People usually beat the browns because they believe they are going to win, no matter how bad things look, they believe they are going to come out on top as the winner.  (The only way the Browns are going to have a winning season is to have someone who genuinely believes he is going to win and he can spread that throughout the rest of the team.)

As a person, I often feel defeated.

As the pastor of this church, I have often felt defeated.

At times I have let my feelings of defeat spread throughout the church like a poison and today I repent of that.

Some of you live a life in defeat

HOWEVER… Today we are going to talk about the victory we have in Jesus!

Yes, life can be tough,  Yes, you may have to go through some tough things along the way,

Yes, the church will continue to make some changes and head in the directions God has planned for us, and it won’t be easy.

But we have not lost!  We have not defeated. 

Change, even when it looks bad does not equal defeat.  (Lifting weights tears down the muscles so you can build them back up.  Remodeling a home looks bad when walls are ripped out, but in the end it is a beautiful thing.)

Today I am going to do my best to lift you out of the pit of despair.  I want to encourage you that life is not over, that the battle has not been lost!

PLAY PSALM 40 BY U2 WHILE POWERPOINT IS SCROLLING PSALM 40

How can we have victory in the midst of seeming defeat?

What do we do when we feel like giving up and calling it quits?

1. Understand who the enemy is

SATAN ( adversary ) — the great opposer of God and man.

“the tempter” ( 1 Thess. 3:5 );

“the wicked one” ( Matt. 13:19 , 38 );

“the ruler of this world” ( John 12:31 );

“the god of this age” ( 2 Cor. 4:4 );

“the accuser of our brethren” ( Rev. 12:10 ).

 “the wicked one” ( Matt. 13:19 , 38 )

an expert at falsifying truth ( 2 Cor. 11:13–15 ).

1 Peter 5:8.  Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Rev. 12:17.  Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

We are not at war with each other.

Ephesians 6:12.  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.

The struggles we face in life are often a result of spiritual battles that are happening behind the scenes, in the spiritual realm.

Most of the struggles a struggling church has are a result of spiritual battles…

 2. Understand what your enemy is trying to accomplish

-         In any war the best weapon you can have is a knowledge of what your enemy is going to do next

Satan’s next step is always to silence the gospel. He wants to stop the spread of God’s Word

Matt. 13:18-19.  "Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path.

-         Satan’s goal is to do whatever is necessary to stop God’s Word from “sticking” in people’s hearts

As Christians, We have been given a great commission

Matthew 28:19.  Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in^[a] the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

As a church, we have been given a local commission

Act 13:47.   For this is what the Lord has commanded us: " 'I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ”

3. Understand why you will always win

John 14:17.  the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you.

when we put our faith in Jesus, He comes to live in us

Matthew 28:20.  I am with you always, to the very end of the age

Romans 16:19-20.  Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I am full of joy over you; but I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent about what is evil.  The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet.

Hebrews 2:14-15. Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

1 John 1:4.  …the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

Satan is already defeated.

We have victory within us because we have Jesus in us.

You already have everything you need within you to accomplish what God wants you to accomplish!

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Closing

Some of you may see a hopeless situation but today I want to encourage you to see and endless Hope.

Which do you choose today? (Circle One)

A hopeless situation      Or     Endless Hope.

What is going on in your life that God wants you to overcome?

What have you given up on that God wants you to continue forward with?