Freedom from Circumstances
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Introduction
Introduction
A circumstance is a condition, a detail, or an attribute, all of which have a respect to time and the manner. It determines or modifies a fact or event.
Do you find your circumstances in a way that they bog you down or feel like an anchor around you? Perhaps you have said or know people that have said:
If I could only get a better job...
If I could only win the lottery...
If I could only get him to think this way....
If I could only change this...
If I could only make this better...
If I could only change my circumstances....
Perhaps you remember the saying from Dandy Don Meredith on Monday Night Football back in the 70’s: “If if’s and but’s were candies and nuts, we would all have a Merry Christmas!”
The Bible is full of examples of those that overcame their circumstances and were able to break free from that which held them back. David was such an example. Listen to some of David’s circumstances:
He lived in shadow of his brothers and was never good enough or big enough.
He was constantly on the run from angry King Saul.
He was almost always engaged in warfare.
He had a rebellious son that brought bloodshed and grief.
He had disastrous consequences because of poor relationships.
His life was a roller coaster of emotional highs and lows.
Yet, at the end of his life, we see that he chooses to glorify God. Listen closely to part of his final words:
He said:
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
from violent men you save me.
I call to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and I am saved from my enemies.
If David could proclaim these things throughout his life and in all the circumstances he faced, what does this tell you about our God?
David could have allowed his circumstances make him bitter but he chose better. You might say, “Well, I don’t know. I was born into the situation I am in and it has not gotten better.” We can’t change the family we were born into but listen to what God can do.
I recently read a story about Kata Rogosso. He was brought up in a cannibal home on a South Sea Island. His family ate human flesh. He apparently was in a situation that left him thinking he was beyond all hope of spiritual redemption. Yet, he is now the President of a large missions program in New Guinea. God lifted him out of a very dark pagan situation in which he was born into and could not change. However, God transformed him into an evangelist! His life was changed! Whatever had bound him by birth and through circumstances, God totally canceled by the miracle of conversion. Your God is capable of doing that and has done so for millions throughout history. He did so for David and He can do so for you and me.
So how does a Christian get freed from the chains of circumstances?
You have to know a chain-breaker.
You have to know a pain-taker.
You have to know a prison-shaking Savior!
Do you know Him?
God has given us life through His Son. And in doing so, He has freed us from any circumstance that otherwise would chain us down.
How can God do that?
There are three theological terms that can help us understand how God is capable of doing so.
First, God is Omnipotent.
God Is Omnipotent
God Is Omnipotent
This means God is all powerful and able to do anything consistent with His own nature. In scripture, ALMIGHTY is used only to describe God.
God revealed Himself to Abraham as ALMIGHTY.
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless.
To Moses, He said:
Exodus
I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob as God Almighty, but by my name the Lord I did not make myself known to them.
To the believers in Corinth, He said:
2 Corinthians
“I will be a Father to you,
and you will be my sons and daughters,
says the Lord Almighty.”
To John in the Book of Revelation, He said:
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”
Revelation
Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
“Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
John also states in that the multitude had this to say:
Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
“Hallelujah!
For our Lord God Almighty reigns.
An ALMIGHTY, ALL POWERFUL, OMNIPOTENT God has characteristics you can trust and depend on:
He cannot lie according to :
Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ for the faith of God’s elect and the knowledge of the truth that leads to godliness— a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,
a faith and knowledge resting on the hope of eternal life, which God, who does not lie, promised before the beginning of time,
He cannot be tempted to sin according to :
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;
He cannot disown Himself according to :
if we are faithless,
he will remain faithful,
for he cannot disown himself.
We see the OMNIPOTENCE of God in creation.
For he spoke, and it came to be;
he commanded, and it stood firm.
Psalm 33:
When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.
We can see the OMNIPOTENCE of God in the book of Exodus as the Israelites were delivered out of Egypt.
Many times over and over in the Bible we see the OMNIPOTENCE of an ALMIGHTY and ALL-POWERFUL God.
WE
But the greatest demonstration of His great power was the resurrection of Christ.
1 Corinthians
By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.
By the power of God and His raising Jesus from the dead, we are free from our circumstances. That is why David says that God is His Rock, His fortress, and His Deliverer. Do you know Him?
When they heard this, they raised their voices together in prayer to God. “Sovereign Lord,” they said, “you made the heaven and the earth and the sea, and everything in them.
But God is not only OMNIPOTENT, He is OMNIPRESENT.
God is Omnipresent
God is Omnipresent
This means that God is everywhere, present with His whole being at all times!
Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
David says, “Where can I go to flee from your Presence?”
God is unlimited by space.
If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.
Psalm 139:
God is undeterred by speed.
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
Psalm 139:9-1
If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,
even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
Psalm 139:9
God is unaffected by darkness.
Psalm 139:11
If I say, “Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,”
even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.
He is not a little bit here and a little bit there; He is EVERYWHERE.
That’s why David in said, “God is my Rock, in whom I take refuge, my Shield.”
Because our God is OMNIPRESENT, we can experience any circumstance life gives us with great comfort. We have the BLESSED ASSURANCE THAT JESUS IS MINE! God told Joshua:
No one will be able to stand up against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.
God is not developing your circumstance. He is right there with you in your circumstance! What encouragement we can have knowing that God is with us! What freedom we can experience realizing that no matter what, God is with us!
God is OMNIPOTENT. God is OMNIPRESENT. And, God is OMNISCIENT.
God is Omniscient
God is Omniscient
This means that God knows everything. He knows all things about all things!
God knows all of His works from the beginning.
that the remnant of men may seek the Lord,
and all the Gentiles who bear my name,
says the Lord, who does these things’
that have been known for ages.
that have been known for ages.
Isaiah
Declare what is to be, present it—
let them take counsel together.
Who foretold this long ago,
who declared it from the distant past?
Was it not I, the Lord?
And there is no God apart from me,
a righteous God and a Savior;
there is none but me.
God has numbered and named the stars.
He determines the number of the stars
and calls them each by name.
Psalm 14
God knows about us before we are born.
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
Absolutely nothing in your circumstances or in mine will surprise our God.
A. W. Tozer wrote:
“No talebearer can inform on us; no enemy can make an accusation stick; no forgotten skeleton can come tumbling out of some hidden closet to abash us and expose our past; no unsuspected weakness in our characters can come to light to turn God away from us; since He knew us utterly before we knew Him and called Himself in the full knowledge of everything that was against us.”
God is all-knowing and He warns us about life without Him.
That is why we have the scriptures and why we should study them, understand them and live by them.
I have hidden your word in my heart
that I might not sin against you.
God does not warn us about what He thinks might happen, He gives us warning and instruction because He knows what is going to happen. He knows what might have happened and He knows what could have happened.
We must understand that because He knows all things, we must be ready to give Him an account:
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
He knows what is ultimately good for all of us including our circumstances.
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
God provides for us great comfort.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,
2 Corinthians 1:3
How can God be the God of all comfort unless He is aware and knows what makes us uncomfortable? David says, “He is my stronghold, my refuge and my Savior.”
A stronghold is a fortification. It is a center of interest. A refuge is a place of protection, a sanctuary. Our God who is OMNISCIENT knows we need a stronghold and a refuge. He knows we need a Savior.
I don’t know about you, but that makes me want to “Call to the Lord Who is worthy of praise.” It gives me great assurance to know that He has saved me from my enemies which include my circumstances. It is done. It is complete.
Because my God is OMNIPOTENT, OMNIPRESENT, and OMNISCIENT, I can be assured. I can be comforted. I can be free. Guess what, you can too!