Becoming Overcomers

Storms… are powerful things.

I’m not talking about rain showers or mist or even a thunderstorm. I am talking about the bring in the lawn furniture, park the cars under cover, and chain down the trash cans kind of storms.

We see them here in Kansas… In fact we had a bit of one on Thursday night.

These storms come with damaging wind, heavy rain, destructive hail, powerful lightning, and the occasional tornado.

And the thing about these kind of storms is… there is noting we can do to stop them… BUT… we can prepare for them.

Storms are inevitable… we know this living in Kansas! We can see them coming from a long way away… but we can’t stop them or the impact they might have.

But we can prepare… and we can have a plan when they hit.

Let’s talk about another obstacle we might face from time to time… mountains.

Physical mountains do not exist in our state, but we all know what mountains are. Mountains are big, difficult to overcome, and seem… unmovable.

If we were standing at the base of a mountain right now with the task of moving it or removing it… what would we need to get the job done?

I would need a moment to get over the thought of how difficult this was going to be!

Then I would want truck loads of dynamite, the biggest dozers and excavators on the planet, and a team of people… thousands of people… with shovels, strong wills, and strong backs.

But when facing “mountains” in life, often times we face them… alone.

We don’t have the explosive power needed to blast the thing out of existence.

We don’t have the equipment needed to take it apart piece by piece.

We don’t have the strength needed to dig deep enough.

And like storms, mountains will come. Sometimes we can see them approaching on the horizon… other times it seems they appear from thin air. But rest assured, if you haven’t already experienced one… you will.

In fact, Jesus promised that we will face storms and mountains. He did not promise this with hope to discourage us or to break our spirits… no… He told us this so we could… PREPARE.

John 16:33 NIV

33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Jesus had just disclosed a wide variety of issues the disciples were going to face. And in His words, He did this so they would have peace?

No… their peace wouldn’t just come by way of any means… their peace in the trying times WOULD ONLY COME THROUGH JESUS CHRIST - THE ONE WHO HAS OVERCOME THIS WORLD.

Storms are inevitable - but we can prepare and make ready for such seasons.

Mountains are inevitable - but we can prepare and make ready for such trials.

How do we do this? BY KEEPING OUR EYES ON JESUS!

When it comes to storms, Jesus has the ability to speak stillness to ANY storm. In fact, while the storm was surging and the sea was raging, Jesus walked above the troubled waters as if they weren’t even there! Talk about peace… talk about overcoming a storm!

What about mountains? Well, you can guess where I am going with this one! Jesus said if we have mustard seed faith, we have mountain moving ability! And maybe that faith doesn’t move the mountain… maybe that faith gets us over the mountain.

Look at how Mark records this truth.

Mark 11:22–23 NIV

22 “Have faith in God,” Jesus answered. 23 “Truly I tell you, if anyone says to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and does not doubt in their heart but believes that what they say will happen, it will be done for them.

The truth is… that no matter how difficult things on this earth become… no matter what kind of trials we might find ourselves in… no matter how battered, beat up, and tired we might end up feeling… our God IS INVINCIBLE.... Jesus HAS OVERCOME.

Pastor… we get it… you don’t have to tell us that storms or mountains are inevitable… we know they are… we experience them frequently.

So what steps are you taking in your life… to prepare for such seasons? I understand we cannot know the details of any particular storm or mountain until it arrives… but we can still prepare ourselves for what might lie ahead.

It is fitting that the Bible uses storms and mountains as imagery referring to something that appears to be impossible to overcome. Because the appearance and size of these things… can be staggering.

But never forget something important… never in Jesus’ instruction do I see Him talk about being diverted by a storm. Never do I see Him talk about being overcome by the mountain. Never do I see Him tell His disciples that they are going to get stuck in the surge or stranded on the slopes.

Jesus always spoke of overcoming. AND… He gave us the key in how to do so.

Now this message might seem similar to this morning’s message but I believe God is trying to drive home a point today. The key in overcoming is Faith. The key in moving that mountain or making it through the storm is faith.

Faith Regarding Mountains.

Remember what I said regarding moving a mountain… through conventional means?

I gave a brief list of things I would want to have in my arsenal to get things done… even though I know those things would barely make a dent in the mountain.

Has anyone heard of the Crazy Horse Monument in South Dakota?

It’s an enormous mountain carving project that began in 1939. It is still far from being finished as memorial to the Native American hero continues to take shape.

This endeavor is almost 100 years in the making… and it’s far from complete. Why is it taking so long?

One… a mountain is a hard thing to carve! Two, funding has been an issue throughout the years… and three… they are trying to make the mountain look as they want it to look.

And I think this is how we approach mountains in life at times.

Instead of overcoming the mountain, we try to make it what we want it to be. We rely on our limited and insufficient resources while trying to control the outcome.

This is often what we think when we try to do things on our own.

In fact, while looking at the history of the Crazy Horse Monument, I came across a very interesting photo.

SHOW PHOTO

This guy is the sculptor and look at the sign behind him… “Man at Work.” He began the task… alone.

He didn’t see this job completed in his lifetime and yes… his family continues the dream. But… now many times do we attempt to face our mountains… alone?

The idea of moving or even reshaping a physical mountain is a daunting task… that is why the Bible used it as an illustration regarding the trials we sometimes face.

But the Bible presents a different way of dealing with said mountains than what the world might expect.

Faith in God is the instrument which enable us to overcome mountains. Your ability to move mountains comes down to ONE… say that word with me… ONE RESOURCE: and that resource is faith.

Well then, it must take really big faith! No… it really doesn’t.

Big mountains require big machines to deal with. But when it comes to life issues or spiritual obstacles, all it takes is mustard seed faith - mustard seed faith in the biggest mover of mountains there is - Jesus Christ!

Here’s the deal: Jesus doesn’t expect us to overcome… without His help. Jesus doesn’t expect us to move the mountain on our own… He just asks that we believe in the One that can move the mountain!

The problem is… we become intimidated by the summit… and forget about His strength. We become intimidated by the obstacle, and lose sight of the One who overcomes.

Jesus has the POWER to help us in one of two ways.

One: He REMOVES the obstacle with His power and grace.

Two: He RENEWS our thinking regarding the mountain before us.

Uh… pastor? What can renewed thinking do regarding a mountainous problem we are facing?

Because church… sometimes we make mountains out of molehills. Sometimes the problem ahead isn’t the obstacle… but our thinking. Sometimes we need a little reprogramming of the mind to see our way through.

Many times we try to do things the world’s way… we conform to the pattern we have always known. But God desires to TRANSFORM you through the renewing of your mind! And through this renewal, according to Romans 12:2 “...you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

So how do we prepare for mountains in life?

Not by investing in big machines or in dirt haulers or earth movers. We simply need to have mustard seed faith in Christ Jesus who is the mover of ALL mountains.

This faith needs to exist BEFORE the obstacle is encountered, while the obstacle is encountered, and after the obstacle is encountered. This faith CANNOT BE SEASONAL… IT MUST BE ALIVE AND PRESENT IN ALL SEASONS!

So mountains are overcome… with mustard seed sized faith. But how do we prepare for storms? How do we make ready for these powerful trials that come?

Faith Regarding Storms.

Faith, once again, is the key here. But the emphasis is not so much on the size as much as it is on the action of faith.

Faith is very much a belief and an action. The two MUST go hand in hand. And we are going to see why by once again looking at one of Jesus’ teachings.

I highlight this often… ON PURPOSE. Because we need to get this. Our readiness for storms has everything to do with what the foundation of our life is built upon.

Matthew 7:24–27 NIV

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Mountains are moved with mustard seed faith that speaks to the mountain. Storms are survived with foundations on the rock resulting from hearing AND doing Jesus’ instructions.

Storms are survived when we hear AND live the Word.

This passage is the conclusion to Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. Throughout that sermon, Jesus gives teaching on a wide variety of topics.

These topics include attitudes, salt and light of the world, the fulfillment of the law, murder, adultery, divorce, oaths, eye for an eye, loving enemies, prayer, not worrying, and so forth. They are LIFE lessons. They are BUILDING BLOCKS for which our lives should be built upon.

And should we stop at the lessons only found in this particular sermon given by Jesus? NO! His ministry was FULL of lessons we need to pay attention to. And what I mean by that is this: We need to hear the lesson and apply it to our lives.

As Jesus makes clear in His illustration, storms are inevitable. WE CANNOT CONTROL THE STORMS.

We cannot control when they hit, how they hit, the intensity, the length, or the path. A storm will do as it will do.

BUT… what we can control is the strength of our foundation. What we can control is our readiness level for the storm.

And church… there is no going half way on this. You either listen and live by His Word or you don’t.

There is no half and half foundation building here. “Well, I’ve got the most important parts of my life on the rock… but these few areas on the sand aren’t hurting anything.”

ANY compromise of ANY part of this foundation will lead to your destruction. Sin corrupts and destroys. When one part falls, your whole self goes with it.

This is why Jesus warned the Laodiceans of the games they were playing in Revelation 3:15-16

Revelation 3:15–16 NIV

15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

The answer Jesus gives them is to buy gold that has been refined by fire. In other words… do what must be done to remove the impurities that are hiding within.

Your foundation is only as strong as its weakest point. Similar to a chain… a chain is only as strong as its weakest link.

So if you have allowed for spiritual compromise in your life… you are NOT ready for the storms. If you are hearing but not living the Word, you are NOT ready for the storms.

The storms may not have anything to do with your actions… but your lack of readiness is on you. You cannot blame God for a weak foundation. I’m going to say that again… YOU CANNOT BLAME GOD FOR A WEAK FOUNDATION.

Here’s the deal… Storms are going to test what your foundation is made of. End of story.

So if you find yourself shaken by the storm, maybe look to your foundation first. Maybe that storm is showing you where you have allowed your faith to be compromised.

Maybe God is showing you where the sand needs to be replaced with the rock. For when your house is built upon the rock that is Christ Jesus… NO STORM WILL HAVE THE POWER TO KNOCK YOU DOWN.

Closing

So what is it that you need God to do in your life tonight? What mountain do you need moved? What storm or trial is trying to bring you down? Are you willing to place your faith in the One who is our Overcomer?

Faith is the key.

Faith in God… and Faith in His Word - hearing and applying His Word.

God does not desire for His children to be overcome by the mountains and storms of this world. Instead, He desires to overwhelm these obstacles with His power and presence.

His GRACE and POWER will get you through… but you have to remain faithful to Him. His love is FOR YOU not against you. His desire is NOT to see anyone perish but for all to experience the abundant life found only in His Son.

This series is going to look at various mountains and storms we might be facing… and the names of these things might surprise you.

We are in the habit of naming storms in our day and age. Not sure how or why, but we give them a name.

We are going to name some common storms that try to tear us down… that try to make us vulnerable to the attacks of the enemy. We are going to identify them… and learn how to overcome them in Jesus.

So tonight we make ready… by praying for an increase of faith.

We are going to pray for the trial… but before we do… we need to pray for faith.

We need faith the size of a mustard seed.

We need faith that hears the instructions of Jesus AND places them into action.

We need faith to know… JESUS HAS OVERCOME. There is no storm or mountain bigger than our God. He is… INVINCIBLE. And He desires to help us get through our most difficult of circumstances!