Win With In
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(NLT) — 12 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Pergamum. This is the message from the one with the sharp two-edged sword: 13 “I know that you live in the city where Satan has his throne, yet you have remained loyal to me. You refused to deny me even when Antipas, my faithful witness, was martyred among you there in Satan’s city. 14 “But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel.
In you read about how Balaam convinced the Israelite people to “make good” with the Moabite people, namely the women.
He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin. 15 In a similar way, you have some Nicolaitans among you who follow the same teaching.
The Nicolaitan teaching was false and full of teaching. A large part of it had to do with compromising with pagan religious practices.
16 Repent of your sin, or I will come to you suddenly and fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches. To everyone who is victorious I will give some of the manna that has been hidden away in heaven. And I will give to each one a white stone, and on the stone will be engraved a new name that no one understands except the one who receives it.
POINT- There are 2 battles going on everyday for those who are followers of Jesus.
The battle on the outside and the battle on the inside.
KEY POINT- The battle on the outside is all about your appearance to others…
Its the things people can see.
KEY POINT- The battle on the inside are the things you do that no one can see, the things you think about that no one knows…
KEY- In Pergamum you can clearly see this battle happening.
KEY- On the outside Pergamum was winning the battle.
They were living in a city that Jesus described as the location of the throne of Satan. This was likely due to the fact that the altar to Zeus was located at the high point of Pergamum.
They refused to deny Christ even if it meant being killed.
They remained the church.
But on the inside they were loosing a battle.
This generation needs to understand that it is not enough to win on the outside, it is not enough to win where everyone can see, you need to be able to win with in.
MAIN POINT- Winning on the outside requires appearances, but winning with in requires action.
JESUS GIVES US CLEAR STEPS ON HOW TO WIN WITH IN, HE DESIRES YOU TO BE MORE THAN A CONQUER.
People who win with in…
1. Stay Focused.
1. Stay Focused.
(NLT) — 14 “But I have a few complaints against you. You tolerate some among you whose teaching is like that of Balaam, who showed Balak how to trip up the people of Israel. He taught them to sin by eating food offered to idols and by committing sexual sin.
Jesus is saying you are allowing someone to teach who sounds kind of like Balaam…
Here is who Balaam is…
(NLT) — 1 While the Israelites were camped at Acacia Grove, some of the men defiled themselves by having sexual relations with local Moabite women. 2 These women invited them to attend sacrifices to their gods, so the Israelites feasted with them and worshiped the gods of Moab.
(NLT) — 15 “Why have you let all the women live?” he demanded. 16 “These are the very ones who followed Balaam’s advice and caused the people of Israel to rebel against the Lord at Mount Peor. They are the ones who caused the plague to strike the Lord’s people.
The Israelites were freed from their slavery in Egypt and they were to follow the path God had for them which lead to blessing. Along their path they came across some of the Moabite people and in order to manipulate the Israelites some of the women were seducing the men of Israel.
CHALLENGE- Where is your focus?
Are you focused on arriving at the destination God has for you or are you getting distracted by every pretty thing that you find appealing on your journey.
KEY- When things are out of focus you can not see them clearly for what they are.
ILLUSTRATION- When you move a camera sometimes the focus has to readjust…
(NIV) — 15 All of us, then, who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16 Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
Some of you got your eyes off of Christ and changed the focus of your heart so when you looked back at Christ his plan looked blurry to you…
So some of you started embracing the things that will destroy you instead of embracing the one who gave his life to save you…
Stop making judgements on the things you can see clearly.
POINT- ADJUST YOUR FOCUS SO CHRIST IS CLEAR AND THE THINGS OF THIS WORLD ARE BLURRY
(NIV) — 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked. “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. 6 “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.” 7 The men traveling with Saul stood there speechless; they heard the sound but did not see anyone. 8 Saul got up from the ground, but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing. So they led him by the hand into Damascus.
KEY POINT- God had to make Saul blind in order for Saul to see.
Is there a generation that might say Lord make me blind to the things of this world, set my focus so you are clear and this world is blurry.
ILLUSTRATION- If you know anything about cameras or telescopes, or binoculars, you know that before you can change focus from 1 thing to another often everything goes out of focus for a moment.
This is why so many people fail at readjusting their focus… They don’t see the immediate benefit of loosing their popularity, they don’t see an immediate change when they give up their sin…
POINT- You will never be able to set your focus so Christ is clear and this world is blurry unless you have some faith, because only with faith can you allow yourself to loose focus of this world in order to gain focus of Christ.
2. Stand Out
2. Stand Out
(NIV) — 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans.
KEY- The Nicolaitans and the teachings of Baalam were similar.
KEY POINT- The Nicolaitans were all about infusing the gospel of Christ with the culture of the day. Getting people to blend together. It adopted both Christian views and Pagan views.
CHALLENGE- How can you stand out when you have allowed the culture to set in?
(NIV) — 9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
QUESTION- Why is it believers are always wanting to be like everyone else?
I believe that so many in your generation are not looking for someone that is like you, someone who is like your friends, etc… Your generation is looking for someone to be like.”
3. Set their direction
3. Set their direction
(NIV) — 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.
KEY- Repent means to have a change in direction.
4. Stay Satisfied
4. Stay Satisfied
(NIV) — 17 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it.
(NIV) — 31 Our ancestors ate the manna in the wilderness; as it is written: ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’” 32 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 “Sir,” they said, “always give us this bread.” 35 Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.
Conclusion
Conclusion
One of the toughest lives you can live is one where you are winning outside with your appearance but loosing inside.