The Believers Certain Victory
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Good Morning church, I pray you are doing well this morning. We are in a series of sermons on traps that hinder you from becoming everything God has created you to be. We have learned that believers must throw off these traps and snares by the power of the Holy Spirit and understanding the truth among the lies that the devil will fire into iour heart and minds to make us doubt and to stall us out in our walk with Christ.
We spoke first about the trap of tradition and how it robs us from a vibrant living walk of faith by placing our trust in methods and man made traditions instead of forcing us to trust in the risen Lord Jesus.
Then we learned about the trap of unforgiveness and how harboring bitterness in our hearts against someone is keeping us held within a prison ourselves.
Last week we learned about the trap of fear and how Satan desires for you and I to be held captive by fear but how God is calling us to trust in Him knowing He is with us and is holding our hand.
This week I would like to speak with you on the trap of feeling insignificant, unworthy, and unloved.
So many people deal with depression, or the feeling that their lives are insignificant.
“The suicide rate has increased 33% from 1999-2017 and has experienced and even sharper increase over the last 2 years.” AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION
Why?
There are many factors to why depression and gloom is so prevalent, but one major issue that our culture is facing is the fact that people by in large feel unfulfilled, unimportant, and insignificant, but most of all unloved.
(social media)
People deal with the wishy washy way of the world and are dealt with harshly by family friends and coworkers.
The reason people treat people wrongly, the reason people face abuse is because they do not understand Biblical love.
There are so many things that are uncertain in our world today, there are so many things we simply do not have an answer for, things can be one way one day and totally different the next. People can treat you one way today and another way tomorrow, As we look at the ebb and flow of society there are not many things you can count on.
We even have a saying the only thing that is constant is change, life is filled with ups and downs, unknowns, highs and lows; and we do not know what tomorrow will bring. We cant count on having our job tomorrow, we cant count on our kids becoming the people we want them to become, we cant count on our health it can be gone in an instant but there is one thing, that we can count on Paul tells us.
As Children of God we can count on God’s love never failing.
In this chapter Paul is going to be talking about your confidence in God’s love and I think He is trying to raise the bar on how well you trust in the love of God.
HOW CONFIDENT ARE YOU WHEN IT COMES TO KNOWING GOD LOVES YOU?
We go through things in life we see people we love go through things in life and we are tempted as human beings to ask the question, if God loves us then why…
Romans 8:31-
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
(Let’s Pray)
In there are a ton of questions that Paul asks, Paul starts in verse 31 with the question “WHAT THEN SHALL WE SAY ASBOUT THESE THINGS?
WHAT THINGS?
In order to understand that we have to understand what these things are.
1. There is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
2. We have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry ABBA FATHER
For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”
3. We are heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ
and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
4. the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing to the glory that is to be revealed in us.
For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.
5. the Spirit helps our weakness and intercedes for us.
The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children,
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.
Romans 8:
6. He does it with longings too deep for words when we dont know how to pray for what we ought
7. those whom God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son
For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.
I mean how can you get any better than that!
Gods work is complete there is no worries when it comes to your salvation if you have repented of your sins and have followed Him and only him with all your heart your salvation is so sure it is as if from Gods point of view you are already seated in the heavenly realms in Christ right now.
GOD IS FOR YOU, NOT AGAINST YOU!
GOD IS FOR YOU, NOT AGAINST YOU!
What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
I mean here Paul sounds pumped up, he is like if you cant get excited about this truth then I would doubt you are a Christian at all. That is the sense in which He is writing HE SAYS MAN WHEN I THINK OF HOW SURE MY SALVATION IS, WHEN I THINK ABOUT HOW GLORIOUS THE TREASURES CHRIST HAS SECURED FOR ME AND TO KNOW KNOW I AM HIS CHILD WHOA BABY LETS GO!
But Paul isn’t saying that we are carefree and shouldn’t be ready for attacks...
Even though God is for you there is still someone who is against you
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
then you’ll remember Paul also said to the Ephesians
and give no opportunity to the devil.
Ephesians
There are warnings in God’s word for our need to be diligent and watchful bc there is an enemy who is attempting to not just give us a bad day, he is trying to take us out of the game. SATAN SEEKS TO STEAL YOUR JOY, DESTROY YOUR RELATIONSHIPS/LIFE, KILL YOU PHYSICALLY EMOTIONALLY AND SPIRITUALLY.
When I was in Highschool I played football for a couple seasons I was more of a baseball player but I was decent at football, but I will never forget we were playing a school that was not very good, we were more physical and more athletic and we were wiping the floor with them.
I will never forget standing close to the sideline hearing one of the coaches telling his players to take me out of the game, I had a couple of sacks and was playing probably the best game I played in football against them, and I remember the kid saying he is stronger than I am, to which the coach replied if you make it hard for him to walk he wont be.
Listen you and I face a defeated enemy we are more than conquerors in Christ but that doesnt mean he doesnt want us out of the game.
We have an enemy who cannot utterly defeat us but he can injure us severely.
But He cannot ultimately keep you from what God ultimately has for you.
God is the greatest power there is who is going to overrule Him?
If Gods power is at work on your behalf who is gonna stop that?
Who is gonna strong arm God into taking away what He has in store for you?
ANSWER NOBODY
Paul explains it this way
GOD STANDS READY TO BLESS YOU!
GOD STANDS READY TO BLESS YOU!
He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?
You know what this means?
You have already been given the greatest gift and if youve already been given the greatest gift you think he is going to be stingy with lesser gifts?
If He has given you the highest thing He could give you if He has paid the highest price for you and me in the person of His son, do we think He is going to fiddle around with other things we may need?
Thats what Paul is saying
GOD IS NOT HOLDING PAST SINS AGAINST YOU!
GOD IS NOT HOLDING PAST SINS AGAINST YOU!
Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.
WHO IS GONNA CONDEMN?
god is the supreme court He is as supreme as you can get
As the ultimate supreme court He passes down decisions and He has passed down a decision concerning you and me, YOU HAVE BEEN AQUITTED OF YOUR SIN
Now if the supreme court has handed down a decision aquitting you of all wrong doing who is going to bring a charge and have it stick?
NOBODY
It is finished it is paid in full on calvary you have already been acquitted
Thats what Paul is saying here I don’t know about you but this does me good, Satan our enemy is called the accuser of the brethren. See Satan will come to you and me and He will begin to point our failures and flaws out to us.
But God the righteous judge says what sin?
it has already been dealt with they have been acquitted of all charges
Is Jesus gonna bring a charge?
HECK NO
HE IS THE ONE WHO DIED FOR YOU HE PAID THE PRICE!
HE DIED AND WAS RAISED TO LIFE TO PROVE THAT YOU WERE ACQUITTED OF YOUR SIN!
ACCEPTED PAYMENT (DEBIT CARD)
Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.
In this chapter alone through the inspiritation of the Holy Spirit not only does the HS pray for you and I in groanings too deep for words, but Jesus Christ also prays before the Father at all times for you and I.
This has all been really awesome but the apostle Paul has been painting a pretty beautiful picture for you and I as it relates o our lives in christ, He started out with some really good news there is no condemnation fo us who are in Christ and this whole chapter has been just one good news after another
it might lead you to believe wow us Christians lead pretty charmed life actually but lest you misunderstand what He is saying here he is not saying here that when you and I become Christian we have our best life.
#LIVING MY BEST LIFE
ON the contrary when you become a Christian your life really heats up right?
(The life that you and I live everyday is filled with sadness, its filled with pain, it filled with heartache and difficulty and thats the fact of the matter so if anyone thinks up to this poiint that Paul is saying that those in Christ dont deal with those issues he then goes on
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
This is a verse that people have hung on to and clung to many times through the difficulties of thier life who can seperate us from the love of Christ?
But what does He mean?
What does He mean when He says that?
Nothing can seperate you from the love of Christ?
Is that the same thing as me saying to my wife I will always love you?
Doesn’t matter honey if your teeth and your hair fall out
Is this what Paul is saying here, is it all the warm and fuzzies
I wanna say that I think what Paul is trying to communicate when he says nothing says nothing can seperate us from the love of Christ it is so much more than you and I saying that each other
It is basically Paul saying in this life of trouble, and heartache and pain and distress, that no matter how bad it gets, no matter how many things go wrong.
NOTHING CAN FRUSTRATE OR HINDER THE PURPOSE OF GOD BEING PLAYED OUT IN YOUR LIFE
This is a promise that no mattter what those things will not up end Gods purpose in your life god will bring to completion that which He started and no matter what you face in life those things will not thwart Gods plan.
This is way more than a hallmark card
This is God saying I am with you even when it feels like I am not
I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU THE PURPOSE FOR WHICH YOU WERE CREATED WILL COME TO PASS NO MATTER WHAT YOU GO TRHOUGH.
THERES A PROBLEM THOUGH WHEN IT COMES TO US
Nothing can seperate us from the love of Christ Jesus
there are some Christians who cannot convince themselves that God loves them, they just cant.
They feel so guilt ridden over thier failures and they have had Earthly fathers who never showed them love and so it is hard to believe that someone especialy God would love and care for them especially how messed up they are.
Some of those people actually come to the point of rejecting the idea of Gods love for them, is bc they know beyond a shadow of a doubt they dont deserve Gods love
Its true none of us do
but do you know god loves you are you convinced god loves you?
9-10 the person who struggles with this will stutter
ok why are you having trouble being convinced that God loves you, next 2 words out of their mouth
cuz I
Then they will go on to tell me about some horrible thing htey have done in the past or present or whatever.
I find as a teacher of the Word that I have to reprogram peoples minds because they are so connected to themselves that when we say things like God loves you, we immediately go God loves me!?
We always look through the lense of me
WE ARE INTENSELY SELF CENTERED PEOPLE
ALL OF US
Sorry its true
We think of ourselves first when information comes to us we translate it through this little computer called me. We determine whether or not is true through the lense of whether or not I think it is true
I KNOW WHAT ME IS
AND I THINK GOD COULDNT STILL COULD HE?
Thats the way humans think
We have to start all over again with people and say Gods love for you is not based upon your worthiness but upon His Sons faithfulness
THE ONLY THING I CONTRIBUTE TO MY SALVATION IS THE SIN THAT MADE IT NECCESARRY
THE ONLY THING I DO TO GAIN GODS LOVE IS RECIEVE IT
YOU ARE NOT THE CENTER OF THE PICTURE GOD IS THE CENTER OF THE PICTURE
you CANNOT SIN YOUR WAY OUT OF GODS LOVE
YOU CANNOT SIN YOURSELF OUT OF GODS HEART AND AWAY FROM HIS LOVE
BUT I JUST DONT FEEL WORTHY AND YOU NEVER WILL BE I AM NOT EITHER
NONE OF US DESERVE GODS LOVE AND NEITHER DO I
BUT I JUST CANT FORGIVE MYSELF
THE HIGEST COURT IN THE UNIVERSE THREW DOWN THE GAVEL AND AQCUITTED YOU
IF YOU ARE TRYING TO FORGIVE YOURSELF THEN IN YOUR MIND YOU ARE THE GOD YOU OFFENDED
Jesus bore the penalty of your sin on the cross are you gonna throw that back in his face?
God loves you with an everlasting love!
God loves you with an everlasting love!
Romans 8:
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
the things the Early church went through
As it is written,
“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
There are people out there who have convinced themselves that God doesnt love them and then every time something happens wrong they use that as a proof thatgod is against them.
But that is not the case Paul is citing the things they are going through here
HE IS SAYING WHEN THOSE THINGS HAPPEN IN YOUR LIFE THEY ARE NOT PROOF THAT SOMEHOW GOD DOESN’T LOVE YOU
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Not only are all the rotten things stripped of their power to do you any harm or to stop the plans of God in your life He is actually using those things in your life to bring aout His purpose and will!
IN ALL THESE THINGS WE ARE MORE THAN CONQUERORS!!
WHATEVER BAD THINGS YOU MAY BE GOING THROUGH YOU NEED TO KNOW THAT IF GOD HAS BROUGHT YOU IN HE CAN BRING YOU OUT!
All of those things God is using them to bring about the beuaty of His will
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Paul started this chapter by saying that in Christ for you and I there is no condemnation and He ends it by saying there is no separation between the believer and their Savior.
Are you battling guilt over sin the good news of the gospel is this, your only one prayer away from new mercy, only one request away from being renewed, and God stands ready to forgive and restore.
ALL BECAUSE OF JESUS!
IF YOU WANNA KNOW HOW MUCH GOD LOVES YOU REMEMBER THE CROSS
WHILE JESUS WAS GOING TO THE CROSS HE KNEW THE SIN YOU WOULD COMMIT TOMORROW AND THE DAY AFTER AND THE DAY AFTER
HOW MUCH DOES GOD LOVE YOU?
Jesus was tried and convicted while having done nothing wrong,
He was mocked as the soldiers beat him and plucked his beard from his face, he was ripped open with the cat of nine tails,
HE was offered bitter gall to drink when He was at the point of dehydration, they smashed a crown of thron into his brow
Nails were driven into his hands and HIs feet a spear thrust into his side
FATHER FORGIVE THEM FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO!!!!
GOD IS FOR YOU
HE HAS DEALT WITH YOUR SINS
NOTHING CAN SEPARATE YOU FROM HIS LOVE FOR YOU!
DO YOU BELIEVE THAT?
Isn’t that good news?
(Let’s Pray)