PRIVILEGES #2: The Privilege of Generosity

With privileges come pressure.

There’s always a price to pay, isn’t there?
Text: I Kings 18

3 yrs of no rain = economic collapse

1. Generosity chooses Calling over Comfort

"There’s no growth in the comfort zone and no comfort in the growth zone.”

God reserves the right to disrupt your comfort zone at the time and place he chooses.

Your next level of generosity in your life has no respect for your comfort zone.
Comfort is the #1 barrier between you and the next level of growth. We’d rather have cheat sheets than study guides, lose 30 lbs in 30 days…the short cuts don’t work with spiritual growth!

Generous people take ownership, not renter-ship.

2. Generosity chooses Who over What

“Our privilege is found in trusting God, not understanding God.” 

If God is the one who said it, the rest doesn’t matter.

3 is the number of Godliness/divinity. 4 is the number of mankind. 12 is the number of completeness.

3. Generosity chooses Giving over Receiving

“Don’t pray for what you won’t pay for!” 

Where did the water come from? There’s been a drought! Water was the most valuable resource in the world at that time.
In God’s economy, the way to receive in my life, is to give. The area of your life where you need the most, is the place you need to give the most.
Stop praying for things in your life that you’re unwilling to pay for.

4. Generosity chooses Hearing over Seeing

“We always hear the call, before we the results.”  

PRIVILEGES #1: The Thief

 If we ACTUALLY believed, what we SAY we believe in the Word...how would our lives change?

It often surprises Christians when they discover just how much the Bible talks about money. In fact there are more than 2300 verses on money, wealth and possessions. Jesus spoke about money roughly 15% of his preaching and 11 out of 39 parables.

During offering-time every week, we say “now is the time we worship God with our giving, we really believe giving is an act of worship.  That we GET to give, we don’t HAVE to give…” right? We consider it a privilege to give to God...He includes us in His plans, and allows us to participate! Isn’t that a privilege?

Some of you might shake your heads at that statement...but the reality is that probably most of you, don’t actually believe it. 

A 2007 Barna Research Group study revealed that only 5% of adults in America tithed. 

Among those that do, evangelicals were among the most generous, but still only 25% of them (us!) tithed. 

Pushpay (the app that we use to process online giving) reported in 2019 that tithers only make up 10-25% of any congregation.

At FV, our church partners--those of us who have committed ourselves to giving here, serving here, attending here, and growing here...only 66% of us tithe.  That number should certainly be 100%, but even that number would only be about 31% of our weekly congregation.

So do we honestly see it as a privilege? Do we even know what that means?

The book of Malachi

“If you say God is your God, but you don’t tithe, is He really?”

Withholding from God puts barriers between you and Him.

• He’s not putting them there…your mistrust is.

We withhold from God out of fear, and fear and faith don't mix.

You take care of the house of the Lord, and He will take care of you.

TEMPER TEMPER #4: The Fruit Inspector

Sermon Title: TEMPER TEMPER #4: The Fruit Inspector

Matthew 21:18-22

Mark 11:1-25

Remember, the beauty of the Bible is in the details. And here’s another hint: The Bible explains the Bible...

Throughout the Old Testament, Israel is described as God’s vineyard, tree, or planting (6 passages: Judges 9:8–15; Isaiah 3:14; 5:1–7; Jeremiah 12:10; Ezekiel 17:2–10; 19:10–14)

The fig tree is a foundational metaphor for Israel!

• And her spiritual health all throughout the OT.

• The prophet Isaiah says the time had come for God’s people to yield fruit that would bless the world (Isaiah 27:6).

• Several times the prophets (Micah, Jeremiah, Hosea) describe God as inspecting Israel for “early figs,” as a sign of spiritual fruitfulness (Micah 7:1; Jeremiah 8:13; Hosea 9:10–17)—but he finds “no first-ripe fig that my soul desires.”

• So in two exiles (Assyrian and Babylonian), God pours out the curse of barrenness (Hosea 9:16), and Israel becomes a rotten fig (Jeremiah 29:17).

• But all is not lost. God promises to one day replant Israel and produce healthy figs from her again (Joel 2:22; Amos 9:14; Micah 4:4; Zechariah 8:12; Ezekiel 36:8).

Jesus was…

1. displaying his power and authority over all creation.

2. demonstrating the consequences of fruitlessness.

3. setting the parameters for his church.

TEMPER TEMPER #3: The Cult Of Comfort

Job 1-3

Job does two things right: 1. He weeps. 2. He worships.

The friends did a few things right too: 1. They showed up. 2. They sat with him in grief. 3. They listened.

Job 32-33

1. You ASSUME God isn’t answering you. Job 34:33-37

2. You ASSUME God is going against his own sense of justice Job 35:1-13

3. You ASSUME you are without sin. Job 35:14-16

4. You ASSUME that because He hasn’t answered so far, he isn’t going to. Job 36:13-21

5. You ASSUME suffering is a punishment. Job 36:26-29

6. You ASSUME you should understand everything about God. Job 38:1-11

Job 40:1-4

I misjudged my own importance.

Not evil, but not safe.

God is sovereign, not simple.

TEMPER TEMPER #2: The Wrong Conclusions

Genesis 27:4
Genesis 37:18-20

WRONG CONCLUSION #1: Life Should Be Easy

• When did we begin to equate safety with the will of God?

• HOW could God let this happen?! 

WRONG CONCLUSION #2: God is Cruel.

Genesis 39:2

There are levels to this:

• Level one is the world’s way of thinking.

• Level two is the church’s way of thinking.

• Level three is the Kingdom’s way of thinking.

  • Jesus acknowledges this discrepancy: “You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.”

  • Matthew 5:43-45 NLT

Genesis 39:6-23

WRONG CONCLUSION #3: I’m my own provider.

Genesis 40:1-23
Ephesians 4:26-27

WRONG CONCLUSION #4: Forgiveness = trust

Genesis 45:3-15
Genesis 50:19-20

TEMPER TEMPER #1: What gives you the right?

Jonah 1-4

1. The opposite direction

   1. We feel very justified in our anger.

   2. Our TEMPERS aren’t always overt and out of control, but that doesn’t mean it’s not hurting you.

      1. “ I just need to CONTROL my emotions well enough that it doesn’t affect my relationships.”

   3. The root of the emotion is what I’m digging at in this series, not the emotion itself.

   4. I have this concern about current Christianity that we focus way too much on our BEHAVIOR, and not nearly enough on the state of our soul. We teach our kids that they should be good, and not tell lies, and don’t steal...instead of teaching them where they can find fulfillment, and how they can understand who they are in Christ Jesus.

   5. Anger is another one of those topical things that covers AND ENABLES a multitude of other sins.  Unforgiveness. Bitterness. Insecurity. Jealousy. Pride. Lust. Greed. 

      But anger is what presents. 

      So many people try to fix their anger issue, but it’s really something deeper.

   6. 5 word sermon in Hebrew: “40 more days and Ninevah will be overturned.”

   7. Certainly, if anyone has a right to be angry in this entire story, it’s God!! But instead, he asks Jonah a patient and kind question.

2. Is it right for you to be angry about this?

   1. When God asks a question, does He need to know the answer?

   2. Emotions aren’t inherently BAD.  Anger isn’t inherently BAD. We should be using our emotions as gauges. “you need to pay attention to this”

   3. God’s anger is always justified and it’s always righteous. Ours rarely is either of those things.

   4. What gives you the right?

      1. But seeing things through KINGDOM EYES is a different story. The Gospel changes everything.

         Jonah could have been a pattern of the Gospel.  A precursor to the Messiah.

   5. Last week we talked about how comfort is dangerous in the Kingdom though, right?

3. This book was written for you.

   1. We don’t get to see what happens to Jonah, or the city.  We don’t know if Jonah repents, or God takes him out, or what…but the book wasn’t written for Jonah. The book was written for YOU.

   2. What if we’re not Jonah, what if we’re Ninevah?

   3. We ARE Ninevah, but we don’t have Jonah, we have JESUS.

Other verses about anger:

• James 1:19-20

• Ephesians 4:26-31

• Psalm 29:11

• Proverbs 19:11

• Ecclesiastes 7:9

• Proverbs 15:1

• Proverbs 15:18

• Colossians 3:8

• Proverbs 22:24

• Matthew 5:22

• Psalm 37:8-9

• Psalm 7:11

• 2 Kings 17:18

Join the conversation! Comment below and online using #FVChurch and #TemperTemper hashtags with quotes, pictures, and notes from the message this weekend! And don’t forget to tag Freedom Valley Church!

SOULS TO SAVE: Truth & Love

Ephesians 4:11-25

What keeps us in a state of prolonged infancy?

1. FEAR

2. DENIAL

TRUTH:

1. keeps us righteous

2. prunes us

3. keeps pride at bay

4. keeps us constantly changing

SOULS TO SAVE: The Display Church

Mark 3:25, “a house divided against itself cannot stand.”

Ephesians 3:6-19

“Your roots will grow down deep”

Unity in the church = Holy Spirit in the church

Holy Spirit in the church = unity in the church

I have limited resources.  HE has unlimited resources.

Matthew 25:14-30

Time. Patience. Hard Work. FAITH.

Responses:

1. I need to ask the Holy Spirit to baptize me with this power and fire to reach the lost.

2. I need to get to work so I’m ready when the next wave of Holy Spirit power comes.

Resources that spoke to Candace this week:

EPIC WEEKEND: with Tim Bennett

Each sermon this weekend will be different, so check back often for Pastor Candace’s notes!

6:15pm

If the devil can’t make you sick, he’ll make you busy!

Exodus 17:8-16

TURNING VALLEYS INTO VICTORIES

It’s amazing how one cup of bitter water can make us forget that God moved an entire sea!
Amalek was all about instant gratification. Literally means valley-dweller.
Valley dwellers want you to stay in the valley with them. When we begin to grumble like the Israelites, it invites the spirit of valley dwellers to come upon us! God has called you to turn your valleys into victories!

How do we do that?

1. Gain a new perspective. When the enemy comes low, you fix yours eyes on high. Stop allowing distractions. Lift God above your enemy (the posture of prayer!). Prayer isn’t intended to change God, prayer is intended to change YOU. Stop fixing your eyes on the problem, and fix your eyes on the answer: JESUS. Too many times we’re hanging around with losers.

2. Gain partners. You’re not called to live alone. Valley-dwellers are loners. They identify with the pain instead of identifying with the cure. Classic tactic of the enemy: ISOLATION. We get addicted to being alone. Admitting you need help, FEELS weak, but it’s the moment of strength. When we come together as the family. There would be a lot of prayers that wouldn’t need prayed, if we would just PRAISE THE LORD. Gods presence will always go before you, if His praise is always in your mouth. not everyone is a Moses or Aaron, we also need Joshua’s in the valleys. The battle is not yours, but the preparation is yours.
   3. Gain promise. We turn valleys into victories by praising the Lord. There’s nothing you could do that would chase down the goodness and mercy—God’s goodness & mercy is supposed to chase YOU down.

9:15am

Lamentations 3:19-27

DARE TO HOPE

Hope is confident patience in the enduring love of God.
If people have to come to us to get to God, that’s just religion!

If God gave you everything you are praying for right now, you wouldn’t know what to do with it.

Maybe God isn’t answering your prayers right now because you aren’t praying for something big enough!

1. Dare to Hope.

2. Declare Hope. Moments where we’re gonna have to encourage OURSELVES. We will either speak hope or we’ll strangle it. Speak the goodness of God.

3. Depend on Hope. The Lord is good to those who depend on HIM. Not depend on yourself. RENEW your strength. You gotta learn to crawl before you can walk, then run, then fly.
   

11:15am

Ephesians 2:1-10

POETRY IN MOTION

Grace is more than just being saved.
1. Saved from death / forgiveness from the past. Death is a promotion to the Christian. “I’ve never had to teach my kids to misbehave.” It comes natural to us. If you haven’t run into the enemy, maybe it’s because you’re going the same direction he is. This is a spiritual battle.

2. Seated with distinction / freedom in the present. We become so familiar with the cross, we don’t want to get out of the tomb. We get so familiar with our pain and our sickness we forget to walk away from it. It’s time to get out of the tomb! We die on the cross, but we come alive when we step out of the tomb! You’re not labeled by what you went through.

3. Set into destiny / fire to reach the promise. Just because you can’t tell who won yet, doesn’t mean the victory hasn’t already been won! God has destined you for greatness! Nothing you can do to earn it or deserve it!

6:00pm

Gifts that help you think like God. Discernment. Gifts of knowledge. (Gifts of revelation)

Gifts that help your speak like God. Prophecy. Gifts of tongues & interpretation of tongues.

Gifts that help us act like God. Healing. Faith.

Without the fruit of the Holy Spirit, the gifts of the Holy Spirit are no good.

5 ministry gifts to equip you. Apostle. Prophet. Evangelist. Pastor. Teacher.

An apostle works with all 5 gifts, taking new ground.
A prophet is very specific.
An evangelist. Can be abrasive.
The pastor. Married to the church.
The teacher. Bringing up disciples.

Baptism of the Holy Spirit
Why does it have to be speaking in tongues? The hardest part of the body to tame. Wherever the tongue goes, the body follows.

SOULS TO SAVE: We Are His House

Christianity is full of what seem like contradictions.

I was born into sin, through no fault of my own, but I am also a sinner, and therefore guilty.
I am a sinner, daughter of sinners, but I am also a child of God, heir to a spiritual kingdom I cannot yet see.
I am imperfect, but a perfect God chooses to work through me for His purposes.
I am a new creation, the old has gone, even though sometimes the old threatens to take over again.

And yet, they are true.

YOU are incredibly important to God.
YOU are desperately loved by God.
YOU are put on this planet for a reason.

Ephesians 2:1-22

1. I used to be an outsider.

   1. The Gospel story is nothing without this part.

   2. As an outsider, I have:

      • No purpose

      • Deception

      • Selfishness

      • Sin

      • No promises from God

2. Now I am united.

   1. Unity is not the same thing as uniformity.

   2. Stop acting like an outsider! You’re IN now...you don’t have the be the same as everyone else, but you have to be united.

      • Secrecy.  

      • Stubbornness.

      • Selfishness.

3. WE ARE HIS HOUSE.

   1. Ephesians 5:19-21

   2. We’ve got souls to save!!!

REWIND WEEKEND: The Best Gift

Ministry is uncomfortable

• The Cost of Following Jesus: Luke 9:57-62

It’s emotionally AND physically draining.

• Luke 5:15-16

It’s difficult! 

• Matthew 17:17

It’s expensive.

Luke 21:1-4

Jesus watches us.

How much matters

John 1:36, ““Look! There is the Lamb of God!” 37 When John’s two disciples heard this, they followed Jesus.

WRITTEN IN THE STARS: He Is Qualified (For Our Best)

Matthew 1:8-25

8 This is how Jesus the Messiah was born. His mother, Mary, was engaged to be married to Joseph. But before the marriage took place, while she was still a virgin, she became pregnant through the power of the Holy Spirit. 19 Joseph, to whom she was engaged, was a righteous man and did not want to disgrace her publicly, so he decided to break the engagement quietly.

20 As he considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit. 21 And she will have a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

22 All of this occurred to fulfill the Lord’s message through his prophet:

23 “Look! The virgin will conceive a child!

    She will give birth to a son,

and they will call him Immanuel,

    which means ‘God is with us.’”

24 When Joseph woke up, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded and took Mary as his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until her son was born. And Joseph named him Jesus.

GOD IS WITH US.

JESUS: HE IS WELL QUALIFIED.

WRITTEN IN THE STARS: Our Best Faith

Isaiah 40:3

Malachi 4:4-6

Luke 1:11-25

How to Have Our Best Faith:

1. Back to the Basics.

• If God SAYS IT, it happens.  

  • Nothing you do or don’t do can stop it.  

  • Nothing you do or don’t do can hinder it.  

Nothing you do or don’t do can get in the way.

2. Remember Who is in Charge.

3. An Attitude of Expectancy.

4. Cut Out Negative Voices.

5. Thank God for the Little Things.

• The name John means “God is gracious” or “God has given”

6. Allow Partnership in your Calling.

John the Baptist was:

1. Willing to be different.

2. Willing to proclaim unpopular truth.

3. Willing to take attention, and point it to Jesus.

WRITTEN IN THE STARS: Our Best Service

Jesus is King

• John 1: “In the beginning, the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He existed in the beginning with God. God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.”

• When he became a baby he gave up being a King to become a slave.  He became a Slave King

The Slave King

• “The burnt offering emphasizes complete, whole consecration to God, which includes utter destruction of sin and uncleanness – the animal sacrifice is completely consumed.”

• “The sin offering emphasizes punishment or retribution for sin borne by the animal instead of the worshiper.”

Simeon Served in Success

• Who was Simeon?

  • Righteous

  • Devout

  • Simeon served him by Seeking him 

  • Simeon served him by Seeing him 

  • Simeon served him by Sharing him

Anna Served through Shame

• Anna means “favor” and “grace”

• She could not leave!

• Anna served him by Seeking him 

• Anna served him by Seeing him 

• Anna served him by Sharing him

WRITTEN IN THE STARS: Our Best Worship

Luke 2:1-20

THE BEST GIFT OFFERING isn’t about some big need, or goal to hit, it’s about stirring up a generous spirit within the church, and passionate worship.

I taught the kids about worship a lot:

1. Worship isn’t about the music--it’s about your focus.

2. Worship isn’t about you--it’s about Him.

When worship is TRUE & GENUINE, (in spirit AND in truth) it has some amazing byproducts:

• Contagious

• Attractive

• Inspiring

But the flip side is also true..when you have disingenuous and religious worship, it’s also:

• repulsive

• repelling

• depressing

Gen 49:10, “The scepter will not depart from Judah,

•     nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants,

• until the coming of the one to whom it belongs,

•     the one whom all nations will honor.”

Daniel 2:44 says, ““During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever.”

FAITH AND FEAR are constantly at war. Worship is a discipline.

Worship is about seeing the bigger picture. The magnitude who God is.

When we understand that the plan of salvation has always been written in the stars...that’s when we can bring him our best worship.

WRITTEN IN THE STARS: The Best Gifts

“If you believe that something is written in the stars, you believe that it will be made to happen by a force that controls the future.”

Matthew 2:1-12

We DO know about the Wise Men:

• They were probably rulers of some sort,

• They were devout followers of God, even if they weren’t Jews.

  • Zoroastrianism

• They were called wise men because of how they studied the stars.

  • Gen 1:14-17

• HERE’S THE ONE THAT STRUCK ME THE MOST: They came to bless the Messiah. Not to be blessed by Him.

The BEST Gifts

• GOLD

  • Born a King on Bethlehem plain,

  •     Gold I bring to crown Him again,

  •          King for ever,

  •          Ceasing never

  •     Over us all to reign.

  •                         O Star, &c.

• FRANKINCENSE

  • Frankincense to offer have I,

  •     Incense owns a Deity nigh:

  •             Prayer and praising

  •             All men raising,

  •     Worship Him God on High.

  •                         O Star, &c.

• MYRRH

  • Myrrh is mine; its bitter perfume

  •     Breathes a life of gathering gloom;—

  •                Sorrowing, sighing,

  •                Bleeding, dying,

  •     Sealed in the stone-cold tomb.

  •                         O Star, &c.

The Wise Men’s gifts were:

• Useful & Generous.

• Precious & Valuable.

• Respectful & Worshipful.

VICTORIOUS: Finishing the Race

Pastor Candace has been saying all these weeks that God’s victories are WHOLE and complete, I’ve been fighting the good fight, why don’t I have all those things NOW?!

If you’re in that place--first, let me say to you a few things:

1. Your story is still being written. (patience)

2. Let the past be the past. (forgiveness)

3. Stop wondering IF God has a plan for you, and start preparing for it. (trust)

   1. For me, Bold & Brave is such PROOF of this.

      1. Denyse Yates: “It has challenged me to not quit when things get hard. To go deeper with God and do things I was normally not comfortable doing. It has challenged me to deal with stuff I haven’t wanted to and say yes to. And you have challenged me to go deeper into the word.”

      2. Rebecca Strevig: “Bold and Brave has taught me to dive so much deeper into God's Word, ask questions and not quit when it gets difficult. Going deeper into the word has changed my relationship with Jesus in a huge way.”

         1. “Also, the relationships! I love the ladies in Bold and Brave and it's amazing to know I have strong women in my life I can lean on and go to for prayer.”

      3. Susann Simon: “I’ve learned so much about how to study the Bible and not be intimidated by it. I’ve gained confidence and am learning to look beyond my own understanding to find answers, and not get frustrated when I don’t understand. ❤️”

      4. Chaulin Corona: “[I am] understanding a lot more every day about the word of God as a child I went to church but as a child we didn’t pay too much attention in learning, and understanding his word. I learn so much that he can do so many things in your life! I am learning to understand to not fear things and not stress things that everything will be alright God is always with me!

Look for the PATIENCE, TRUST, OR FORGIVENESS in this:

2 Timothy 4:1-22

Paul is NEXT LEVEL VICTORIOUS: 

1. He declares himself VICTORIOUS! 

2. He has an eternal perspective. Not only does he see things through the lense of the Word, but also through the lense of ETERNITY.

3. He not only understands that HIS story is still being written, but that other people’s stories are being written = next level victorious.

4. He lets the past in the past, even when he’s still dealing with the consequences of THEIR actions = next level VICTORIOUS.

5. He’s not only NOT doubting that God HAS a plan...he understands that His plan is GOOD.

6. All of this---it’s not JUST in a sermon.  It’s not JUST in teaching. This language and attitude is mixed in among everyday things like a coat, and the winter, and “bring my books along too please!” The place Paul has gotten to, near the end of his life...sitting in a prison cell, suffering because of the Gospel...VICTORIOUS just comes out of his mouth! 

It’s PATIENCE, because He is still writing the story.  It’s FORGIVENESS, because we can let the past be the past, when we know who’s in charge of the future.  And it’s TRUST because God has a plan, and IT IS GOOD.

God will let you live in whichever state you can settle for. 

1. A space outside the will of God. (culture)

   1. Lowest level of living

   2. Decisions guided and governed by my own will and wishes.

   3. I’m going to consult God when I need Him to bring MY will to pass.

   4. At this level, God is a deliverer, not a leader.

2. The permissive will of God (spiritual knowledge, church)

   1. The average level of living.

   2. A space & place where things are better than they used to be, but aren’t as good as they could be.

   3. He permits, but doesn’t prefer.

   4. It is salvation, but not transformation.

   5. We quote scripture at this level...but may not live it. 

3. The preferred will of God. (spiritual experience, Jesus)

   1. Kingdom living is what life looks like when JESUS leads it. 

   2. Church is not the end, it’s the MEANS to this level.

   3. At this level, we LIVE scripture.

   4. THIS is VICTORIOUS-living. Because it’s TOTAL reliance on God, ABSOLUTE trust with no reservations, and COMPLETE surrender to HIS will.

VICTORIOUS: The Wrestling

Hosea 12:3-4

Genesis 28-32

Jacob = ”Grabber/deceiver”

The enemy might be crafty but he is not creative. He wants us to believe not only that we’ve done something wrong, but that we ARE SOMETHING WRONG.

Incorrect victory breeds fear.

Correct victory [God-given victory] gives life.

Jacob’s enemy was himself.

Candace’s Word for the 11:15:

Genesis 32:24-28

24 This left Jacob all alone in the camp, (because we often FEEL alone, and never are)

and a man came (because God’s help often comes looking a lot like people)

and wrestled with him until the dawn began to break (because there may be pain in the night but joy comes in the morning).

25 When the man saw that he would not win the match (because Jacob wouldn’t give up like so many others),

he touched Jacob’s hip and wrenched it out of its socket. (sometimes we NEED changed physically to REMAIN changed spiritually)

26 Then the man said, “Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!” (because things often look very different in the light that a wrestling match with God can bring!)

But Jacob said, “I will not let you go unless you bless me.” (don’t stop wrestling with God UNTIL you get your healing)

27 “What is your name?” the man asked. (God often asks questions He already knows the answers to--for OUR benefit, not our own)

He replied, “Jacob.” (because sometimes we have to label our pain, before we can heal from it. Faith is not the absence of reality, or the denial of it, it’s the belief in something greater.)

28 “Your name will no longer be Jacob,” the man told him (because only God has the power to change names AND identities from the inside out).

“From now on you will be called Israel, because you have fought with God and with men and have won.” (and God gives WHOLE victories. HE RESTORES OUR SOULS, not just our bodies, not just our minds….OUR SOULS)

VICTORIOUS: Stacking Victories

1 Samuel 18:14, “David continued to succeed in everything he did, for the Lord was with him.”

Know the Why:

2 Samuel 8:1-14

• He won constantly! When David lead Israel as King he lead them into a season of unimagined victory and property that would be continued by his son Solomon.

• Why do you want to win?

• Winning feels good, losing stinks. But that’s not why David wanted to win.

Know the Why: To Honor God

Psalm 29:1-2, “Honor the LORD, you heavenly beings; honor the LORD for his glory and strength. Honor the LORD for the glory of his name. Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness.”

God wins when we attribute our victories to Him. “Famous enough” means that I am famous enough, God should get more of the praise.

How to Win:

1 Samuel 17:31-37

How to Win: Baby Steps

1 Samuel 17:36-37

Don’t rush into battle until you’re ready. Stacking victories. David knew what he was capable of when he saw Goliath, because he had tested it.

You came to church! That is a win. Baptized? There is a win! Worshipped God? Heard the Word? All wins! Stand on those, start with what’s right in front of you. For so many of you, that’s PRAYER. If your life doesn’t depend on it right now, IT WILL.

Better to set identity-based goals, than outcome-based goals. Changing who you ARE, not just what you DO.

David knew God was with Him, because he had done it before.

How to Win: Big Steps

1 Corinthians 10:13 NIV

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VICTORIOUS: Let Me Get This Straight

Judges 10-12

• Judges 10:10, FINALLY!

  • How far lost do you have to be that it takes that much destruction for you to cry out to the Lord for help?!

  • But although confession here is a start--finally God is talking back!! that‘s what confession does, because it’s honest--it’s not enough.

    • Acknowledging your faults is ONLY the first step.  It’s not enough to invite the rescue of God.

  • It wasn’t until verse 16, where it says, “Then the Israelites put aside their foreign gods and served the Lord. And he was grieved by their misery

    • When we worship God with honest hearts, He’s moved to compassion for our situations.

• ENTER JEPHTHAH.

  • Tob-Living

    • What you think disqualifies you--might just be the very thing God uses.

  • WHY do you want victory??

    • We have to examine our own motives. Our hearts are endlessly wicked, the Bible says--we can make excuses for all kinds of behavior...but if we have selfish motives, at some point, it’s possible to want something TOO bad..

• Ephesians 6:10, “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.”

  • But HOW did Jephthah get his victory?

    • Because victory on the battlefield doesn’t necessarily mean victory at home. 

God’s victories are WHOLE. When he restored Job, he restored EVERYTHING Job lost, including family.  When he restored Moses as a leader, he restored EVERYTHING. When we restored Joseph, he restored EVERYTHING..and not just everyTHING, but everyONE, in every case.  And God’s math isn’t addition, multiplication. When you look out for the purposes of God, He looks out for you.

We have to examine our own motives, and rely only on the Lord for strength.

This series isn’t about being victorious in politics, or triumphing over our enemies.  It’s about seeing breakthrough in your life--but before we set out to see breakthrough, we must be aware of our own motives, and be VERY clear on WHO wins the victory for us. 

Jephthah’s story is a cautionary tale. It could have been vindication for Jephthah.  It could have been restoration for an individual. But he didn’t examine his own motives..and he didn’t rely solely on the Lord. God still worked it out for the good of HIS PEOPLE...this story is a victory story FOR THEM.  For the repentant. For those who confess and turn from their ways. But it could have been so much more.  

1. I think I have been praying with selfish motives, and I need to examine them.

2. I’ve been relying on my own strength--not His.