Lessons In Victorious Living

Habakkuk 2:2

2 Then the Lord answered me and said:

“Write the vision And make it plain on tablets, That he may run who reads it.

We started a preaching series on last the series entitled Living Victoriously, and this morning we are going into part two of the series and so we will give this message the title of, “Victorious Living Lessons.” We have been and are still going through a lot of different things; the pandemic, the ugly head of racism, social injustice, business closing, and wondering how and when will this all play out.

And even though we are going through all of this hell, God desires for us to live a life of victory, God desires that we live victoriously! I’m tired this morning, tired of seeing the people of God walking around looking defeated. If you are tired of feeling defeated say Amen! I can’t hear you so just type it the chat so I will know we are on one accord!

In Romans 8:37 the word says “37 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” You are not just a winner, you are more than a winner! Your race is already won, you just got to stay in it! God doesn’t mean for you to only to live your best life when you get to heaven, but he means for you to live your best life right here and right now!

A month or so ago I ask the staff to text me something they wanted God to do for them in the next six months. And I had a conversation with each one who sent something in, and each text message I would write down. When you write something out you take it from an abstract thought to a tangible plan.

And the reason many of us walk around feeling like we are defeated is the fact that we want to win, we want to achieve, we want to live a life of victory, we just never planned for the victory! Write it down, Write it down, write it down!

There is something about having it to look over and meditate on, one of the things I miss about being in the sanctuary is when it was preaching time and the saints pulled out there notes notebooks and pens. I knew they didn’t come to be entertained, they came for a Word for the Lord! Write it down, Write it down, Write it down!

And as you are writing it down, make it plain. Remember in the movie “Coming To America” when the where in the club meeting women, and the came across the one who was telling her life goals, she said, “She wanted to work in the videos, be the star of the videos, she wanted to be a pop singer, then a rock singer, a song writer, a music producer. the an actress!” See some of us go around in circles because we don’t have a clear life plan.

Point 1 - Know Where You Are Going

Most of us want to go somewhere, move to the next level, but don’t know where that somewhere is or how to get there. They can picture that next level, but have made no plans of how they are going to get there. In our text this morning God tells the prophet Habakkuk to not only write the vision but to make it plain. Often times we have the vision but walk in a state of confusion. See I had the vision for Victorious Living Faith Ministries three years before the ministry was planted, I was carrying the seed with no clear plains to plant it. It wasn’t until I started writing it down, the the ministry started to take shape, you have got to have a clear vision of where you are going, and what you are going to do.

I can’t see your faces but I would be willing to bet that there is someone looking confused right now thinking, this sounds good but I don’t know what to write down. God has something for all of us to do, but figuring out what it is and how you get to it is the problem. How do I know what God wants me to do? There are two ways to know the plan God has for your life.

1. God will make it a burden in your life.

Don’t get it confused, not a burden on you life but in your life, meaning it will be something you can’t move nor get around. Everyday it will show up in your day, it will be something you don’t want, but have to do! Your God purpose will be driven by your God burden. You will have an overwhelming need to do something and nobody has to ask you to do it you are going to just jump right in. Most time your God burden is going to push you out of your comfort zone, that why most people try to avoid it! I know I did, tell the truth and shame the devil! My God burden came at seventeen to go into the ministry, and I tried to run from it, go around it, pretend like it wasn’t there. And found myself going this weight that I did not get relieve from until I yielded to the call. Somebody just figured out why they feel so heavy, Jesus says in Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

2. What God has for your future is determined by what has happened in your past.

I you had a time machine and could go back in time and change anything, would you? See if it had not have been for those things you went through in your past, your present, your today would not be what it is. Those things in your past prepared you for your today. Even those painful things, those hurtful things, those things we wish would never had happened, they prepared you for your today.

I never planned on being a pastor on being a pastor, it was not on my radar. But as I look back over my life and I think things over, everything in my past was preparing my to be the pastor of Victorious Living Faith Ministries. The hurts help me to help hurt people, the betrayals help me too relate more to Jesus, and the failures help me to see how God can pick you back up.

There are some hurts and regrets in our past but if you look it over you will see that they made you who you are today. You ought to be thanking God this morning for your past He brought you through it, His Word says in Deuteronomy 31:6 …He will never leave you nor forsake you. So thank you Lord you brought me through it!

Point 2 - Have Integrity

Matthew 5:37 CSB

But let your ‘yes’ mean ‘yes,’ and your ‘no’ mean ‘no.’ Anything more than this is from the evil one.

We are in a society right now that has a lack of integrity, we have leaders, and people in leadership positions that lack integrity. Matthew 5:37 gives us the basis of being a person of integrity your yes is yes and your no is no, do what you say you are going to do. Mean what you say and say what you mean. See “yes” use to mean; “I’ll do it, or “I will be there.” But now it means; “I’ll do” or “I’ll be there,” unless something better comes along.

I will be at service, I will sing in the choir, just as long as something better doesn’t happen. We are in a time were people don’t want to commit, look at FaceBook invites you can say, “Yes,” “No,” or “Maybe.” That maybe meaning I may show up, I may not to hold me to anything! Saints of God, God is looking for some commited people today, He’s not looking for the “maybe” or the lukewarm. Revelation 3:15-16 tells us, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So because you are lukewarm-neither hot nor cold-I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Be a person who keeps his word, if you give your word keep your word, even if it costs you.

Point 3 - Walk In A Spirit of Excellence

Daniel 6:3

Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom.

We have fallen into this trap of “Just enough to get by,” somebody know what I’m talking about, not doing your best on the job, but doing just enough not to get fired! Walking in your spirit of excellence, you don’t do just enough to get by, but you do more that what is expected. You look at that person who comes to work early, leaves late, and say “I am not doing all that, that’s not in my job description.” Then get an attitude when they become your boss!

God is looking for some people to walk in their spirit of excellence, that are commited to go above and beyond in service to the kingdom. God desires to give, no He has commited to give you His very best, to give you a peace that surpasses all understanding!

God wants you to live your best life right here and right now! He wants you to draw in closer relationship wit Him so you will know where you are going. To be of integrity so He can put the keys to the kingdom in your hands! To walk in your spirit of excellence so on that day of judgement Jesus can say to you, ... ‘Well done, good and faithful servant, well done!”