Victory In Our Circumstances

Text(s): Romans 8:28; Jn 7:37-38; Eph 5:18; 6:10-17; Gal 5:22-25

For this exciting illustration you will need a candle and two

good quality round balloons. Fill one balloon with water; leave the

other deflated until you give the message.

TRUTH ILLUSTRATED:

Problems come to everyone. Those without God in their lives

will be at the mercy of their circumstances. Those with God in their lives will triumph over their circumstances.

MESSAGE:

Key: You must be already filled when the fire comes. (Eph 5:18)

[Begin by lighting the candle, and then blow up the deflated

balloon. Keep the water balloon hidden until you need it.] There

are things that come into a person's life that are very painful.

There are circumstances and situations that, like this flame, can

hurt and even destroy us. Take for instance this balloon. Let's say

it represents a person's life. If we bring this balloon into the

fire it is destroyed. [Touch the balloon to the flame, and it will

pop. This will get everyone's attention, and children love it!]

Many people, when their lives come into contact with fiery trials and hardships, can often be destroyed "under the circumstances." [You may give examples of circumstances that plague people today, and elaborate in this way if you wish.]

[Take out the water balloon.] When I put the balloon into the

fire, it popped. What if I put a water balloon into the fire? [This

will really get attention, and kids will be "all eyes" and so will

the adults.] There is a scientific principle that will allow me to

put the water balloon into the flame without it bursting. The water

dissipates the heat so that the balloon will not pop. [Hang the

water balloon over the candle flame, while holding the stem of the

balloon, for about ten seconds. Experiment with this before doing it in public. You will want to make sure your balloons perform as you expect.]

How about that? It didn't break.

Jesus said, in John 7:37-38,

37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, ‘If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.’
38 ‘He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.’

So, if we come to Him, He will give us living water.

Romans 8:28

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

tells us that when Christ is our Lord and Savior, that all things

work to the good. The water inside the balloon is protecting it.

We too, if we have the living water of Jesus in our lives, will be

victorious over the circumstances of life that seek to destroy us.