Sermon Tone Analysis

Battles & Blessings

Other people are going to find healing in your wounds.

Your greatest life messages and your most effective ministry will come out of your deepest hurts.

-R. Warren

Have you ever thought about Christian life to be like a series of battles and blessings, battles and blessings?

When we are in a battle it is hard and hard to believe that it will ever get better that it will ever come to an end.

When are in a period of blessing we sometimes expect it will go on forever.

But life is not like that is it?

There are battles and there are blessings.

1. Learn to steer through battles and blessings

This passage in proverbs teaches how to gain wisdom and disciple.

This will aid us in steering through the battles and blessings we will face in our lives.

Wisdom and disciple are two important tools that will steer your course rightly.

Wisdom is choosing to do now what you will be happy with later on - J. Meyer

Wisdom starts with the fear of the Lord.

Fearing the Lord develops a deep level of respect and honor.

The fear of the Lord according to verse 7 starts with God, knowing God.

How do we know God? Relationship with God, through spending time with God, through studying His word putting it into action into our lives.

2. Learn How Jesus Dealt with Battles and Blessings

This is the example of when Jesus was tempted and He was for 40 days and 40 nights.

First Jesus was blessed by the Holy Spirit at His baptism.

After this blessing Jesus went into the wilderness led by the spirit to be tested by the Devil.

This of course was a battle.

v. 3-6 - is where we see how the enemy tempts Jesus by saying “if you are the son of God, throw yourself down...” The devil presumes Jesus’ identity trying to create disbelief in Jesus.

Sometimes the enemy says to us “If you are a Christian...” “If God forgives everything than it doesn’t matter how you live”.

He trys to create disbelief in your own life of where you stand with God.

You are His and He is yours.

Do not allow that unbelief to come into your headspace.

You are of value!

You have favor with Him!

He loves you and you are His no doubting that!

Do not give the enemy that kind of head space no matter how convincing it may seem to you.

Jesus faced other powerful temptations:

a. economic - Jesus prepared by fasting for 40 days and 40 nights.

The enemy tempted him by saying that the stones were bread.

economic - Jesus prepared by fasting for 40 days and 40 nights.

The enemy tempted him by saying that the stones were bread.

Jesus responded in v. 4 saying “Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word from the mouth of God”

b.

Religion - The devil tempted him by quoting out of context

:11-

Misquote by the enemy:

:6-7

Jesus responds in v. 7 “Do not put the Lord your God to the test”.

c.

Political - the devil shows kingdoms and offers them to Jesus, saying “All this I will give you if you will bow down and worship me”

Jesus said “Away from my Satan!

For it is written Worship the Lord your God and serve Him only”.

At the end of these battles Jesus enjoyed the blessings of the angels

This period of blessing did not last long.

Jesus found out that John was in prison on v. 12 and Jesus was not pleased to know this but was not defeated by it instead he continued on with John’s ministry in the face of battles.

Jesus’ mission: build a team

Matt.

This was an exciting time in his ministry filled with great blessing.

3. Learn how others have coped with battles and blessings

Gen. 7

The story of Noah and the Ark which is familiar but it proves that despite annialation God is able to show us blessings of a new start, fresh blessings, and a promise that will last forever!

Christians should be positive people.

Jesus was a positive person.

He revelled in the ways of God and lived in the blessing and favor of God.

Yes there were battles but He lived in the faith and love of God.

In this world

Because He has overcome means that through our connection with Him, through that relationship with Him we too are also overcomers!

Four themes of the Gen. text are:

Creation - we are created in the image of God, every human has immense value to Him.

Therefore we need to live in that respect and dignity and treat others with that respect and dignity.

Fall - Noah faced a major battle, it was 40 days and nights (just like Jesus’ length of temptation battle).

God’s judgment came and it showed us the seriousness of sin.

Every inclination of the human heart is evil from Childhood.

Redemption - despite the flood, Noah enjoyed the blessing of God’s love.

The ark gives the picture of baptism (, safety.

God blessed Noah and His family.

Glorification - The covenant v. 9, the rainbow v. 13 (Promise).

God’s commitment to you which led to the cross - the blood covenant which is an everlasting covenant v. 16

Conclusion:

This evening I want to encourage you that although there are battles and blessings in life we need to look at Jesus’ life because He has given the perfect example of how we need to live victoriously.

Jesus stood His ground against temptation, He knew the God and He knew the Word and quoted it in spite of adversity and misquotation, he was assured of Who He served, valued and belonged to, He was loyal despite adversity and He overcame!

Today I encourage you to live the same.