WINNING IN BATTLES OF LIFE

WINNING IN BATTLES OF LIFE

Study Text:    1 John 4: 4

Introduction

-          Your case is not closed until you decide to close it. No matter where you may be right now, or what your situation looks like, be assured that: You are born to win.

-          Life is a battle fight, and everyone who must succeed, must put up a fight to get it. How violent you are able to fight, determines the degree of victory you derive from your battles.

-          Understand that: There can never be a winner without a fight. It is only at the end of a battle that you can boldly declare a winner.

-           It is sad to see many believers live and walk without a sense of war. We fight daily, and these battles are mostly spiritual. If the devil is fighting against your progress, then it is Scriptural to fight back. (2 Corinthians 2:14).

-          The bad news is, you were born for a battle. But there’s good news. You were born to win the battle. The Bible says, “The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world”. Satan isn’t afraid of you. He is afraid of who is in you — God.

-          You are ordained to triumph continuously in Christ. That situation you may be going through is a won battle if only you can trust God for your victory.

-          You were not redeemed by God to be defeated by the devil, you are born an overcomer. Therefore, no situation is permitted to defeat you.

-          So, you need not to be afraid of anything that may be confronting you. Rather, be assured of your everlasting victory in Christ.

-          There is clearly no battle that is beyond you. If it was beyond you, God would not have allowed it to come your way. God knows your capacity as a winner, but you must believe in that winning Spirit that is in you.

-          The challenge may look stern, the sea may be raging violently, the storm may be tempestuous, but in all these things, you are more than a conqueror through Christ who gives you victory.

-          The only way you can win is to be on God's team, to be on God's side, to be a part of God's army because we are fighting, not for victory, we're fighting from victory. Victory is not a destination. Victory is the beginning point for the child of God.

-          We shall discuss the topic under three subheadings:

1.         Scriptural Examples of Winners

2.         Steps Expected from Winners

3.         Stumbling blocks Exposed to Winners

1.         Scriptural Examples of Winners

-          Take examples from Scriptures of those that have fought valiantly and won victorious, their battles.

-           This should spur you that the team you are on is a winning team, so you are not permitted to lose.

i.          Job was confronted with the fiercest battle of his life. Job 1: 14 - 22

-           He lost everything he had and has ever worked for in one day. His children, property and everything were gone. However, he chose to trust God in his darkest hour.

-           At the end of the battle, to proof his victory, God restore to him twice of what he lost.
That battle you are facing in your life is not as tough as Job’s, and even though you feel like your whole world is crumbling before you, it’s the right time to fight the hardest.

-          Understand that the devil wants to use that challenge to separate you from God’s love, like he intended with Job. However, because you have made the right decision, like Job, not to be deterred, you will overcome like he did.

ii.         David confronted Goliath, and he won. 1 Samuel 17: 45 – 51

-          He was convinced beyond any reasonable doubt that God will give him victory, and he confessed it.

-          He faced opposition from his own brother, but did not give in to the discouragement.

-          He was told words of discouragement from the king and the people, but he overcame by sharing his testimonies of the faithfulness of God in the past.

-          He was threatened by Goliath’s appearance and boastful words, but he considered the greatness of his God rather than the greatness of the challenge.

-          He witnessed the victory he believed and confessed, beyond the expectations of the people, and his God was glorified.

-          Your Goliath may be a champion of many years, but your God has never lost a battle before. Believe and confess your victory in Him and through Him, and your Goliath will fall.

iii.        Jabez overcame the battle of spiritual resistance and stagnancy. 1 Chron. 4: 9 – 10.

-          He was faced with spiritual forces that prevented progress and breakthroughs in his life.

-          His confidence in the power of God for all round victory made him to call upon God in a fervent prayer with faith.

-          God granted all his request and his victory was evident before all. He became more honourable than anyone else in his family.

-          No matter what force of darkness is fighting against your success and breakthroughs in life, your prayer of faith will bring victory that will be evident to all.

iv.        Philip overcame the rule of the magician with the power of the Gospel. Acts 8: 5 – 13.

-          With confidence in the protective power of God, Philip entered Samaria, a city that was previously conquered by a magician.

-          He preached the gospel with the power of the Holy Spirit and God confirmed his words with signs and wonders.

-          Not only did he won several people from believing lies to Christ, even the magician believed in Christ also.

-          We can prevail over the power of Satan to record victories in every area of our lives and ministries.

v.         Paul overcame all attacks, challenges and oppositions to his calling. Rom 8: 35 – 39.

-           He faced several spiritual and physical oppositions, but overcame all through the power and the strength of the Holy Spirit. Phil. 4: 13.

-           At the end he was glad for a fulfilled life and an accomplished purpose, and was fully rejoicing at the time of death.

-           Nothing can succeed in preventing us from fulfilling purpose and destiny, if we remain with Christ and claim our victory over every situation.

2.         Steps Expected from Winners

-           When we understand the victorious Christian life, we'll understand that the victorious life is the normal Christian life. If you are not living victoriously as a believer today, if you are living in defeat then you are living beneath your privileges as a child of God.

-           With the Holy Spirit in you, you don’t have to be afraid of Satan. You’re on the winning side of this war. Now live like it.

i.          Walk in Righteousness 2 Cor. 5:15

-           The first thing is that we must walk in the newness of life that Christ has given us.

-           A life above the flesh, above the standards and dictates of the world, above all the temptations the devil will bring our ways.

-           Righteousness is our breastplate to protect our heart in all spiritual attacks of the enemy.

ii.         Walk in Love 1 John 4:17 - 21

-          As children of God, we are commanded to walk in love. We are to love God with all our heart, and to love the people around us as ourselves.

-          Our love must not be in words only but with evidence based and God approved actions.

iii.        Walk in Obedience. Deut 11: 26 – 28

-          All clear instructions in the scriptures are meat for us to obey without questions.

-          Our faithfulness in obedience to God and His word will guarantee our victory in all areas of life.

iv.        Walk in Forgiveness Matthew 6: 12 -15

-          It is certain that people will offend us at all times, so we must cultivate a forgiving spirit to forgive them at each time weather they ask for it or not.

-          God is willing to forgive our sins as much as we can forgive other people. Unforgiveness will give the devil an upper hand in our lives and make it difficult for us to have victory.

v.         Walk in Faith Heb 11: 6

-           The Bible says it is never possible to please God without faith, and when the ways of a man pleases the Lord, He will make even his enemies to be at peace with him.

-           Our faith in God demonstrates our trust and confidence in Him and His power, and it assures us victory in every battle we face. 2 Chron 20:12

vi.        Walk in Unity Gen 11: 6

-          Unity or oneness is one of the major quality needed for victory in spiritual battles. The Bible says any house divided against itself cannot stand.

-          The power came upon all on the day of Pentecost because they were all there in one accord.

3.         Stumbling blocks Exposed to Winners

-           If you want to be on the winning team, then you'd better get off the devil's side because you are with the crowd that's going to lose.

-           We must make sure we walk in all the steps discussed above and guide against whatever will prevent us in doing them. In addition, we must guide against the following:

i.          Love not the World. 1John 2: 15-16, 5: 4

-           Friendship with the world will make us enemies of God, and we must guard against it with seriousness

-           Our responsibility is to pray for and witness to the people of the world and not to conform ourselves to their ways. Psalm 1: 1 – 3

ii.         Give no occasion for the Flesh. Rom 8: 8 – 13

-          The flesh is still active even after our new birth. We must reckon it as dead while we yield ourselves to obey the Holy Spirit.

-          We need to develop self-control as part of the fruit of the Spirit to gain victory over the sinful desires of the flesh.

iii.        Never get discouraged in Prayer. James 5: 16 - 18

-          The devil is waiting for your prayerlessness to be able to launch his attacks and arrows of destruction.

-          Even when we don’t feel like praying, those are the time to pray more. We are to pray without discouragement and ceasing.

iv.        Never complain or murmur against God. Num 14: 1 - 5

-          The battle may get tougher and fiercer, we are never to complain but to keep looking unto God for our victory.

v.         Never doubt God, even in fearful situations. Exodus 14: 13 -16.

-           The reason we have the shield of faith as part of our armour in spiritual warfare is to quench the arrow of doubt.

-           The devil will rejoice and gain upper hand when he succeeded in making us to doubt God, His power and His word.

vi.        Never quit or surrender to the enemy. Micah 7: 8

-          It is possible to be wounded in battle, but the one that has the final victory is declared the winner.

-          To win the battle, we must not quit, and when we quit, we can no longer win.

Conclusion:
-           Therefore, shake off the dust, put on the whole armour of God (Ephesians 6:11), and fight with all zest against the wiles of the devil.

-          Fight against every opposition to your glorious destiny, fight against every devices of the devil and fight against every temptation and sin.

-          Your victory is closest to you than before, because you are born to win.
However, there is something too strong for the devil to break in you and that is what determines your victory in all areas of life. It is the God-kind of life in you, which begins with new birth.