Victory, The Keys
God wants us to live in victory. To be a VICTOR means to BE A WINNER, A SUCCESS, it means to be A TRIUMPHANT OVERCOMER and CONQUEROR. (ROM 8:37) says, "Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us." In this message today I'm going to layout some STEPS OR PRINCIPLES from the Word of God. And if you put those steps into practice in your life it will enable you to LIVE A VICTORIOUS LIFE. You might be thinking, "I can't do any better, I'm satisfied just having the victory some of the time."
A) The Bible says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (PHIL 4:13)
1) That means you, you can do it.
a) Whatever it is that you set your heart after, you can do. (As long as it's in the word).
b) He said it (God), "You can do all things through Christ which strengthens you."
B) Look at 1COR 15:57
1) You don't have to be satisfied with just partial victory.
2) (2COR 2:14) Says, "Now thanks {be} unto God, which ALWAYS causeth us to triumph in Christ."
a) It's through the Lord Jesus Christ that we can ALWAYS have the victory, because He ALWAYS causes us to Triumph.
II) In order for that to be true He's given us some very important STEPS that we have to follow to have Victory. (These things are essential if we want to have victory through the Lord Jesus Christ)
A) Step #1 is PURITY IN MOTIVES.
1) PSA 37:4 Amp adds “Secret Petitions”
a) If you're truly able to come into God's presence, and to delight yourself in Him, God is working in you and purifying your heart and motives.
b) He says, if your motives are pure then God will give you the desires of your heart.
2) (PRO 21:8) Says, "As for the pure, his work is right."
3) (MATT 5:8) Says, "Blessed {are} the pure in heart: for they shall see God."
a) Those that are pure in their motives are the ones that please God, and really it's the only way that you're going to be able to walk in God's path for your life.
(i) When you're walking in God's path and plan for your life that's when you experience the blessings of God.
b) If you want God's best for your life, check your motives. Is your heart pure before the Lord?
B) The 2nd step is FELLOWSHIP.
1) ACTS 27:19-26.
a) Paul knew the Lord and he had fellowship with the Father and because of his fellowship Paul receive a word from the Lord that all were going to be safe.
b) Paul said in (V 25), "For I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me."
c) Strong faith is built when we fellowship with God.
(i) You can't have faith in someone you don't know.
(ii) When you fellowship with God you grow to a level where you completely trust Him. You begin to know that God will come through and that He is faithful.
2) (1JOHN 1:3) Says that our fellowship is with the Father and with His son Jesus Christ.
3) In (PHIL 2:1) It refers to us fellowshiping with the H. S.
a) We need to know God, not just know about Him, but to have that relationship with Him.
b) In (GAL 4:9) Paul says and I'm paraphrasing it, but he says, "After you have known God or known of God how can you go back to the former way of doing things."
(i) After you have gotten to know God you know that He is faithful and that He will bless you, He'll prosper you, and give you victory.
C) Step No. 3 is FAITH and CONFIDENCE in God.
1) 1SAM 17:31-37; 40-47
a) You have this knowing on the inside of you already.
(i) A knowing that says I'm an overcomer. I am victorious. I am a winner.
(ii) You have that knowing on the inside of you already because the greater one dwells in you and He is victorious.
b) Every battle that you win builds more and more confidence in Him.
2) (1JOHN 5:14-15) Says, "And THIS IS the CONFIDENCE that we have in him, that, IF WE ASK any thing ACCORDING TO HIS WILL, he heareth us: (15) And if we know that he hear us, WHATSOEVER WE ASK, WE KNOW that WE HAVE the petitions that we desired of him."
a) You've got to have confidence that God is faithful and that He is a rewarder to those that diligently seek Him. He will bring it to pass.
D) Step No. 4 is DESIRE.
1) If you're desire for something is strong enough you'll do whatever it takes to get it.
a) If you're desire is to have the blessings of God operating in your life than you'll do whatever it takes to get.
2) MATT 6:33
a) If you desire so much to have God's blessings in your life than start seeking 1st His kingdom and His righteousness and then God's blessings will begin to flow.
3) (MARK 11:24) Says, "Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive {them}, and ye shall have {them}."
a) Before there is any receiving going on there has to be a DESIRE First.
E) Step No. 5 goes together with No. 4 and that is “DETERMINATION.”
1) ROM 4:17-18
a) All natural hope was gone, but Abraham was determined that he was going to believe God and receive from Him.
2) PHIL 3:12-14
a) If you've ever run a race it takes Determination to win.
b) That's what Paul's talking about here, "I press toward the mark for the prise of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."
(i) Basically, he said, “I am determined that I am going to win. I am going to press in so that I may obtain God's very best."
3) 1COR 9:24
a) Be determined. Set your will on the will of God for your life, and that's where victory comes.
F) Step No. 6 is VISION.
1) 2KINGS 6:8-18
a) You need to have a vision; see things the way God sees them.
2) (PRO 29:18) Says, "Where {there is} no vision, the people perish."
a) You need to see the end. You need to see the victory even when you feel defeated.
G) Step No. 7 is CONFESSION. Your confession of faith which is confessing the Word. It's speaking the Word of God over your situation and believing His Word.
1) Listen to Moses' confession in EXO 14:13-16.
a) What was Moses doing?
b) He was agreeing with God.
(i) There's power in agreement.
(ii) Moses agreed with God and the Red Sea parted. They were all saved.
2) REV 12:11
a) What is the Word of our Testimony? What's our testimony?
(i) It's JESUS CHRIST.
b) The Word of our Testimony is the Word of Jesus, or the Word of God.
c) We overcame Satan by the Blood of the Lamb and by the Word of God.
III) Those are the 7 steps.
A) MOTIVE (pure heart), FELLOWSHIP, FAITH IN GOD, DESIRE, WILL (determination), VISION, and CONFESSION.
B) God wants you to have the victory and He's given you the KEYS.
4/7/91 SUN AM TFC and WOLCC SUN AM 6/4/95 and W. O. L. C. C. Sunday, March 8, 1998 & Thursday January 2, 2003