My Comeback Season

Seasons change…

Someone needs to get ready to step back into your arena of victory…

I’m talking to a generation that just may feel lost, confused, drifting....

It’s time for your come back…

(NLT) — 1 But now, O Jacob, listen to the Lord who created you. O Israel, the one who formed you says, “Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine.

We start off this thought tonight here in … At this point in time the Israelites were captured and owned by another nation…

KEY- The enemy didn’t just beat the Israelites in battle, they beat them destroyed their town, and relocated them.

They lost their freedom.

They lost their culture.

They lost their purpose.

I wonder tonight if anyone in the room would feel like they have lost things in their life that can’t be replaced…

God tells them, I have ransomed you… This means that they have been saved at an expense…

There will be times when what God says is not what you see…

We see God almighty, The holy one, our savior step in and reclaim those that rebelled…

You will never understand the rest of this chapter until you get verse 1.

You will never understand the rest of this chapter until you get verse 1.

KEY- We see the relationship between the redeemer and the redeemed.

Can I just declare to someone here tonight that when God formed you he loved you, when he saved you he loved you, when he called you he loved and when he took a hold of you he loved you… He has given his best so that you can be with him, he isn’t going to drop you off now…

POINT- Your greatest moments are in front of you. Your come back season starts now.

2 When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. 3 For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place. 4 Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you. 5 “Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will gather you and your children from east and west. 6 I will say to the north and south, ‘Bring my sons and daughters back to Israel from the distant corners of the earth. 7 Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.’ ”

Tell your neighbor this is my come back season…

This is my come back season…

I’ve got to come back…

Theres a generation counting on me…

God’s called me…

I can’t be done…

How do I walk into my come back season?

MAIN POINT- You are able to walk into your comeback season at any time, you are not limited to a certain time.

(NLT) — 2 For God says, “At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.

Stop waiting for tomorrow to enjoy the freedom that is available to you right now…

POINT- There are steps that anyone can take at any time to expereince their comeback season.

1. Continue Moving

(NLT) — 2 When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

I love how God switches up how he is talking at verse 2…

There was a time when God would speak to his people and remind them of all the things he did for them…

Remember when I lead you to cross the red sea??

Remember when you and all the Israelites walked across the Jordan river when it was flooding??

Remember when your brothers stood

POINT- In verse 2 God starts telling them what is about to happen.

God acknowledges that there will be problems, you will face strongholds…

VERY FEW PEOPLE WILL EVER WALK INTO THEIR COMEBACK SEASON BECAUSE THEY ARE WAITING FOR PROBLEMS TO STOP INSTEAD OF USING STRENGTH TO CARRY ON.

KEY- Some people use their problems as proof to their being no God, but in my come back season my problems declare the greatness of my God.

KEY- Some people use their problems as proof to their being no God, but in my come back season my problems declare the greatness of my God.

POINT- It is not a comeback if you endure when your “problems” leave… Thats not a comeback, your enemy just left, you didn’t overcome… That means when your problem returns you will be down and out again.

POINT- God would rather see you overcome then escape.

This is why…

Joseph was sold as a slave — So God could put him in charge.

This is why God pins in his people at the red sea — So Pharo and his army would never be seen again.

This is why in the book of Judges God doesn’t keep the Midianites away but instead he raises up a weak man named Gideon who was the weakest man from the weakest tribe in Isriel.

This is why the Samson finds himself between the colums of a Philistine building…

This is why God doesn’t just keep a giant named Goliath away from a boy named David…

This is why Elijah was not spared from fleeing from Ahab so that he could call fire down.

This is why Jehoshaphat king of Israel had to march in a dry place to expereince the power of worship.

This is why Naaman had leprosy, so he could expereince the healing power in destroying ones pride.

I AM THANKFUL FOR GOD’S PROTECTION, BUT I PRAY FOR A GENERATION THAT IS ALSO THANKFUL FOR GOD’S EXPOSURE… IF GOD NEVER EXPOSED ME TO MY STRUGGLES I NEVER WOULD HAVE KNOWN THAT GOD COULD DELIVER ME FROM THEM ALL!

POINT- Make it so that your problems declare the glory of God.

I step into my comeback season not when the problems stop and I can breathe again, but when I keep going despite of my struggle.

2. Collect Your Gift

(NLT) — 3 For I am the Lord, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior. I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place. 4 Others were given in exchange for you. I traded their lives for yours because you are precious to me. You are honored, and I love you.

KEY- Gifts are never free, there is always a cost and a motive on the giver.

DEFINE- The Hebrew word for ransom in the text is this word koper which means, “What is given in exchange for the release of someone held captive.

We were once held captive to destruction. Destruction had claim to us, but God freed us from destruction by giving over Egypt…

We were once held captive to destruction, to sin,

KEY- Egypt represents an all powerful empire. Before the Roman empire there had never been an empire like Egypt. Its military strength was on another level.

KEY POINT- Your freedom came at a cost, but the price has been paid.

POINT- God’s motivation for giving is you are precious to him, you are honored, and he loves you.

3. Check Your Feelings

(NLT) — 5 “Do not be afraid, for I am with you. I will gather you and your children from east and west.

There are some who will never expereince their comeback season because their fear, their worry, their depression, their hopelessness binds them in defeat.

POINT- This command “Do not be afraid, for I am with you.” indicates that our feelings can be in opposition to real logic.

KEY- Sometimes you will feel something that does not make sense.

4. Cling to His Promise

(NLT) — 6 I will say to the north and south, ‘Bring my sons and daughters back to Israel from the distant corners of the earth. 7 Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.’ ”

CONCLUSION...

God is giving you the opportunity to step into your comeback season.