You Are a Winner

You Are a Winner in Jesus!

6,000 Plus Illustrations for Communicating Biblical Truths (Humor: Thanksgiving Treats)

As our family was enjoying a delicious Thanksgiving dinner, my four-year-old granddaughter stopped chomping on her drumstick long enough to look at her mother, smile, and say, “I really like turkey on the cob.”

Today's Best Illustrations, Volumes 1-4 (Lincoln: Thankful despite Trials)

A man whom many believe was the greatest American president is a good example. When he was 7 years of age, his family was forced out of their home, and he went to work. When he was 9, his mother died. He lost his job as a store clerk when he was 20. He wanted to go to law school, but he didn’t have the education. At age 23 he went into debt to be a partner in a small store. Three years later the business partner died, and the resulting debt took years to repay.When he was 28, after courting a girl for four years, he asked her to marry him, and she turned him down. On his third try he was elected to Congress, at age 37, but then failed to be re-elected. His son died at 4 years of age. When this man was 45, he ran for the Senate and lost. At age 47 he ran for the vice-presidency and lost. But at age 51 he was elected president of the United States.The man was Abraham Lincoln, a man who learned to face discouragement and move beyond it. Did you know that it was Abraham Lincoln who, in the midst of the Civil War, in 1863, established the annual celebration of Thanksgiving? Lincoln had learned how important it is to stop and thank God in the midst of great difficulties.

LAST TIME: The God Fearing Christian can say - “The Lord is On My Side - the Lord is For Me!” 4-6

“God is On My Side!”

Verse 8 is the middle verse in the English Bible.

This is the last song sung following the Passover celebration in Judaism. This is sung when walking to worship God at the Temple. Jesus sang this song at the Last Supper in the upper room before traveling to Calvary.

Psalm 118:22–24 (AV)

The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD’S doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Verse 24 is quoted and misapplied many times. I have heard non-Christians cite this verse about any and everyday being wonderful.

We should be thankful for everyday - but this verse is about a specific day. Because of this Specific day, we can live as winners - victorious in Jesus.

“THIS” being the day that the rejected stone becomes the head of the corner!

John 2:19–20 (AV)

Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days?

To the Ephesians (And us) included in the household of God, the household is:

Ephesians 2:20 (AV)

And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;

1 Peter 2:6–7 (AV)

Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

We can rejoice in everyday because Jesus is alive!

We can be glad everyday because Jesus is alive!

Christians can be cheerful everyday because we are winners in Jesus.

Jesus was rejected so we can be accepted.

The world rejects us, but God in Jesus name accepts us.

We are winners in Jesus!

HOW ARE WE WINNERS?

God Fights For You. 14-17

We are in spiritual battles that WE CANNOT WIN ON OUR OWN!

Proverbs 21:31 (AV)

The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.

Ephesians 6:12 (AV)

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Valiantly

Enhanced Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew and English Lexicon (חַ֫יִל)

חַ֫יִל strength, efficiency, wealth, army;

We have 3 common enemies:

1 John 2:16 (AV)

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

10,000 Sermon Illustrations ( Enemies)

• The World: external enemy

• The Flesh: internal enemy

• The Devil: infernal enemy

Today's Best Illustrations, Volumes 1-4 (The Shortest Way to Happiness)

If anyone would tell you the shortest, surest way to happiness and all perfection, he must tell you to make it a rule to yourself to thank and praise God for everything that happens to you. For it is certain that whatever seeming calamity happens to you, if you thank and praise God for it, you turn it into a blessing.

God Opens Doors For You. 18-21

Because of our sinfulness, many times we choose the wrong path for our life. Some people force open doors and claim opportunities from the Lord.

Some will choose wrong and call it right trying to convince themselves and others “God Opened the Door.”

Verse 18 - God may chasten us to get us back on the right path! Then He will open the gates we can go through!

Today's Best Illustrations, Volumes 1-4 (Worshiping the Wrong Monarch)

The majority of us do not enthrone God, we enthrone common sense. We make our decisions and then ask the real God to bless our god’s decision.—Oswald Chambers

CONTRAST: Being corrected for sin and being directed into the right way!

The Right Gate.

The Right Path.

The Right Way.

PRAY the Lord would show you the right way for living and life choices.

Some are choosing vocation, location, education, or domestication.

Some are considering dating someone who may not love Jesus.

Some may follow worldly council about marriage and family.

God has a right way for you to live life - a way that includes His blessings, not merely forcing your will into His plan but submitting your will to His plan.

IE. God will never lead us down a wrong path. God never leads us to sin or destruction.

10,000 Sermon Illustrations (Making Right Decisions)

If we want God to guide us, our attitude needs to be right. Here are some guidelines as to how we can play our part in arriving at right decisions.

First, we must be willing to think. It is false piety, super-supernaturalism of an unhealthy pernicious sort that demands inward impressions with no rational base, and declines to heed the constant biblical summons to consider. God made us thinking beings, and he guides our minds as we think things out in his presence.

Second, we must be willing to think ahead and weigh the long-term consequences of alternative courses of action. Often we can only see what is wise and right, and what is foolish and wrong, as we dwell on the long-term issues.

Third, we must be willing to take advice. It is a sign of conceit and immaturity to dispense with taking advice in major decisions. There are always people who know the Bible, human nature, and our own gifts and limitations better than we do, and even if we cannot finally accept their advice, nothing but good will come to us from carefully weighing what they say.

Fourth, we must be willing to be ruthlessly honest with ourselves. We must suspect ourselves: ask ourselves why we feel a particular course of action will be right and make ourselves give reasons.

Fifth, we must be willing to wait. “Wait on the Lord” is a constant refrain in the Psalms and it is a necessary word, for the Lord often keeps us waiting. When in doubt, do nothing, but continue to wait on God

God Has A Future For You. 25-26

Today's Best Illustrations, Volumes 1-4 (So Little Place for Thanksgiving)

It is probable that in most of us the spiritual life is impoverished and stunted because we give so little place to gratitude. It is more important to thank God for blessings received than to pray for them beforehand. For that forward-looking prayer, though right as an expression of dependence upon God, is still self-centered in part, at least, of its interest; there is something we hope to gain by our prayer. But the backward-looking act of thanksgiving is quite free from this. In itself it is quite selfless. Thus it is akin to love. All our love to God is in response to his love for us; it never starts on our side. “We love, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

“Send Now Prosperity?”

the Hebrew word for prosperity is found in 85 verse of the OT.

Prosperity is “A state of abundance, wealth, and economic growth.”

Witthoff, D. (Ed.). (2014). The Lexham Cultural Ontology Glossary. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.

This prosperity is not now. Blessed are the poor in spirit. Riches now does not always equate to success. The Christian is laying up treasure in Heaven. WE have eternal prosperity - tomorrow in Heaven! This prosperity is future tense. The singers celebrating the Passover are praying for God to prosper and bless them. All of us want blessing now, but this prayer implies that Jesus would come to earth to deliver the people.

success is how you play the game. Leave the outcomes to God. Faithfulness Is being successful…

Jesus already came. The people shouted these very words 25-27 in the Triumphant entry of Christ.

“Save Now” Hosanna!

Matthew 23:39 (AV)

For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Luke 13:35 (AV)

Behold, your house is left unto you desolate: and verily I say unto you, Ye shall not see me, until the time come when ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

CONCLUSION:

God Fights For Us.

God Opens Doors For Us.

God Has a Future For Us.

“Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.”

You are a Winner in Jesus! Live like a winner.

LIVE LIKE A WINNER!

Be joyful. 24

Be glad.

Be making the most of each day to the glory of God.

Be Thankful. 29

Knight’s Master Book of New Illustrations “In Everything Give Thanks!”

“’Mid sunshine, cloud or stormy days,

When hope abounds or care dismays,

When trials press and toils increase

Let not thy faith in God decrease—

‘In every thing give thanks.’

“All things we know shall work for good,

Nor would we change them if we could;

‘Tis well if only He command;

His promises will ever stand—

‘In every thing give thanks.’

“He satisfies the longing heart,

He thwarts the tempter’s cruel dart,

With goodness fills the hungry soul,

And helps us sing when billows roll.

‘In every thing give thanks.’ ”