OceanSide church of Christ
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NEEDED: MORE BATTLES WON
Victor M.
Eskew
INTRODUCTION
A.
The Christian life is a
victorious life (I Cor. 15:57).
But thanks be to
God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ.
B.
Daily, however, we are on
the battlefront.
1.
Sometimes we are victorious
in our daily skirmishes with the enemy.
2.
At other times, we are not
as successful.
C.
If possible, each one of us
needs to learn how to win more of the daily battles of life. Why?
1.
A
win today helps to prepare us for the bigger battle of
tomorrow.
2.
Failure provides the enemy
with the opportunity to overcome us.
D.
Let’s talk about some of the
battles we fight wherein we need to do more winning.
I. SIN
AND TEMPTATION
A.
We group these two things
together, not because they are both exactly the same, but because they are
closely connected.
1.
To be tempted is not
sin. Even our Lord was tempted in
the wilderness (Matt. 4:1).
Then was Jesus
led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the
devil.
2.
Temptation, however, can
lead to sin which is an evil (James 1:14-15).
But every man is
tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it
bringeth forth sin: and sin, when
it is finished, bringeth forth death.
B.
Temptation and sin come in
all shapes and sizes and colors.
That which appeals to one does not appeal to
another.
1.
One child lies and another
is disobedient.
2.
One person struggles with
sexual sin while another battles prejudice.
3.
One is a talebearer and
gossip while someone else murmurs and complains.
4.
One does not grow in grace
and knowledge and another forsakes the Lord completely.
5.
One cusses his fellowman and
another fails to give thanks to the Father in heaven for his
blessings.
C.
There are three major steps
we cam implement in order to overcome the daily struggles with temptation and
sin.
1.
Fully understand your lusts
and desires, and do not make provision for them (Rom.
13:14).
But put ye on
the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the
lusts thereof.
2.
Study the Word of
God.
a.
Psalm 119:11.
Thy word have I
hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
b.
This was the means Jesus used to overcome temptation in the
wilderness. Three times He
responded to Satan using the words:
“It is written” (Matt. 4:4, 7, 10).
3.
Develop a deep conviction
that enables you to refuse sin (Ex., The Rechabites, Jer.
35).
a.
God commanded Jeremiah to
bring the Rechabites into the house of God and set wine before them (Jer.
35:1-2).
b.
Jeremiah obeyed the words of
God (Jer. 35:3-5).
c.
The Rechabites refused the
wine because of a previous command of one of their forefathers (Jer.
35:6).
But they said,
We will drink no wine: for Jonadab
the son of Rechab our father commanded us, saying, Ye shall drink no wine,
neither ye, nor your sons forever.
II.
INDIFFERENCE
A.
Definition: Marked by a lack
of interest or concern:
APATHY.
1.
Indifference about Bible class.
2.
Indifference about worship services.
3.
Indifference about the works of the church.
4.
Indifference about one’s brothers and sisters in
Christ.
5.
Indifference about the lost.
6.
Indifference about Christian growth.
7.
Indifference about besetting sins.
B. The
passionless Christian is like the dynamite box in Calvin Miller’s book, The
Table of Inwardness.
1.
On the top of the box was written:
DANGER DYNAMITE!
2.
Within was paraphernalia that could be found in any
workroom.
C. Our
indifference and lack of passion ought to concern us. Our Lord wants more. He wants hearts filled with passion
(Rom. 12:11).
Not slothful in
business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.
D. Maybe
a few who are listening are struggling with indifference. Maybe you acknowledge this as a
spiritual problem. Maybe you are
really listening right now. Perhaps
you are asking the question: “How
do I renew my spiritual passion?”
1.
Refocus your desires.
a.
Blessings are promised for those wh0 long for righteousness (Matt.
5:6).
Blessed are they
which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be
filled.
b.
Those who are indifferent are not longing after the water of life or the
meat of the Word. Jesus noted that
their desires are elsewhere (Luke 8:14).
And that which
fell among thorns are they, which when they have heard, go forth, and are choked
with the cares and the riches and the pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit
to perfection.
2.
You must renew your love for the Master.
a.
Love can be directed toward worldly things.
b.
Love can wane, even when one is going through the right
motions.
c.
This
was the state of the church at
Nevertheless I
have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art
fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee
quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou
repent.
d.
God wants “all” the love of
our hearts (Mark 12:30).
And thou shalt
love the Lord thy God will all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all
thy mind, and with all thy strength:
this is the first commandment.
3.
Your must renew your mind with the Word of God.
a.
The indifference do not resemble the Lord Jesus Christ very much. Instead, they look more like the mold of
the world.
b.
This must be counteracted with a diligent study of God’s Word
(
And be not
conformed to this world: but be ye
transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good,
and acceptable, and perfect will of God.
4.
Your must re-attach to the
body of Christ.
a.
The indifferent often severe
themselves from the body of Christ, if not totally, then in
part.
b.
This action causes them to
be both apart from Christ and apart from the support of their
brethren.
c.
Their carnal, earthly,
worldly friends corrupt their morals (I Cor. 15:33).
d.
They need Christ and their
brethren to assist them and support them in living the Christian life (Eph.
4:16).
From whom the
whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint
supplieth, according the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh
increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.
CONCLUSION
A.
If more brethren could win
over temptation, sin, and indifference, their spiritual lives would be radically
altered.
B.
Our Lord came so we can
win. Defeat was not in His
agenda.
C.
Let’s live the victorious
life that Jesus came to give us.