In Full View

(NLT) — 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? 36 (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”)

37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

38 And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Tonight I want to speak to those who know what their struggle looks like because you see it right in front of you…

In fact I believe that there is someone here and you see your struggle in front of you even right now…

Tonights message is titled “In Full View”

DEFINE- This word despite in verse 37 means in full view of…

KEY- What is “these things” referring too? Its referring to trouble, calamity, persecution, hunger, destitution, endangered, threatened...

What Paul is saying is IN FULL VIEW of your trouble overwhelming victory is yours…

IN FULL VIEW of your calamity overwhelming victory is yours…

IN FULL VIEW of your loneliness overwhelming victory is yours…

I know I am talking to someone whose trouble is not over the horizon but it is in full view smack in front of you…

I’m talking to someone and you have been trying to hide yourself from your problems…

Someone you have been trying to cover up your trouble so that you can’t see it.

POINT- You can’t cover over your problems and expect them to no longer be there.

Tonight I’m calling a generation to stop running and hiding as if you are defeated, but instead to stand firm in the place God has called you to stand.

MAIN POINT- DON’T ALLOW THE CHALLENGE IN FRONT OF YOU STEAL AWAY YOUR VICTORY.

ILLUSTRATION- Just driving stick shift and panic at a red light. Forgetting everything that I had mastered.

POINT- You have extreme power on your side.

(NLT) — 31 What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us?

(NLT) — 33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

(NLT) — 18 Christ suffered for our sins once for all time. He never sinned, but he died for sinners to bring you safely home to God. He suffered physical death, but he was raised to life in the Spirit.

Inside of you is the power needed to radically change this world, to see friends changed, to see your family made whole — There is a power inside of you to radical transform your own life, to no longer struggle with the same sins, to crucify insecurity with nails of love…

POINT- The enemy can’t do anything about this power that is in you, because this power has been transferred to you through love, and the love of God can never be removed.

(NLT) — 39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

ILLUSTRATION- Playing chess when there was a move that would have ended the game, but I missed it simply because I didn’t see it.

KEY POINT- The enemy can’t take away your power, but he can try to make you forget it.

KEY- The enemy uses our times of struggle to cause us to question the source of all our power.

KEY POINT- You need to understand the overwhelming all powerful all consuming love of God.

KEY- Remember that its THROUGH Christ WHO LOVED US, because Christ separated from his love to us is power, but power that is not for us. His love connects us with his power.

(NLT) — 33 I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”

KEY- Remember that its THROUGH Christ WHO LOVED US, because Christ separated from his love to us is power, but power that is not for us. His love connects us with his power.

You need to understand that your trouble is not conected to your victory.

CHALLENGE- So how are you going to do in full view of your struggle?

In full view of your struggle you need to...

1. Praise (My struggle will watch me glorify the Lord)

(NLT) — 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

KEY POINT- Praise and worship will confirm in your heart what you can not see yet.

DEFINE- The greek word for “overwhelming victory” is hypernikao, which means to utterly defeat beyond the norm. It describes the ideal but unachievable victory that armies would strive.

It means no casualties…

It means no loss taken…

It means complete gain…

KEY- Following any victory even one with much casualties there would be a parade through the town, with the enemy in chains following behind the horses and chariots.

How much more grand should our parade be considering how far and how wide our victory reaches.

Perhaps you are here right now and you think to yourself I just don’t feel like worshiping… Perhaps your trouble has you feeling crushed, confused, lost, broken, hurt… and in the mist of it all you lost your worship.

(NLT) — 8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed.

KEY POINT- When you connect your worship to your situation you weaken your purpose.

CHALLENGE- In full view of your trouble worship… Make your struggle watch you worship.

2. Proceed (My struggle will watch me walk over it.)

(NLT) — 35 Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?

(NLT) — 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

Victory is yours, not was yours not about to be yours it is right now right here yours… You can move onward.

POINT- You have been given permission to proceed.

KEY- The presence of a struggle does not mean you must stop.

Sometimes we mistake problems, and struggles, and trouble as road blocks…

ILLUSTRATION- Road blocks.

POINT- It’s not a road block if you can walk through it.

We are right back at it… It’s his love that makes all the difference… The powerful love of God destroys our actual obstacles and it moves us forward.

(NIV) — 14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died.

3. Persevere (ignore the struggle)

(NLT) — 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

Why is it that so many in your generation can say no to almost everything except for their struggle.

KEY POINT- Perseverance is not about enduring struggles. It’s about staying where God called you to.

And if my struggles want to meet me in a place that God has called me too I’ll persevere longer than my struggle…

KEY- Perseverance continues even after you have endured.

POINT- I will persevere longer than my struggle will, because when my struggle says no stop it has no effect but when I say no stop… peace be still… get up and walk… be healed… my words have weight.

(NLT) — 12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

4. Possess (There is victory with my name on it — not letting anyone or anything take it.)

(NLT) — 37 No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.

ILLUSTRATION- Working for what was already mine.

KEY- Stop working for what already belongs to you.

The cross of Jesus bought your victory and from it flows life giving hell shaking victory…

Conclusion…

KEY POINT- Right now your trouble is in full view, but not for long…

Right now your trouble is in full view, but not for long…

You have been trying to cover it up on your own, but your cover up doesn’t get rid of it…

When God covers your trouble not only do you no longer see it, but it is no longer there…

(NIV) — 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. He did this to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—

This word atonement actually means to cover but when it is next to the word sacrifice we get the greek word hilasterion which means to cover and remove…

In full view of my trouble I get to watch Jesus cover it and remove it with and by his blood.

We get