Sermon Tone Analysis

*Today* we’re going to *pick up* where we *left off last week*.

So let’s *turn to 1* *Corinthians 15:57*.

*I) **1COR 15:57*.

*A) **It’s possible* that *we’re doing all the things right*, *but* we *still* *don’t see the victory*.

The *Word of God gives* us some *insight* into that *HEB 10:36*.

*1) **I like the way the NIV puts it*, *(Hebrews 10:36)* *“You need to **persevere** so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.”*

(NIV)

*a) **When the KJV says* *“You have need of **patience**”*, *the NIV says* *“persevere”* *the Greek literally says*, *it’s a steadfastness*, *constancy*, and it an *endurance.*

*b) **Delay is not denial*.

*Just because* *you don’t see the victory yet*, *it doesn’t mean you’re defeated*.

*2) **While* *we’re waiting in patience*, *doing the will of God*, *we should still be checking ourselves*.

*a) **(1COR 11:31)* Says, *“For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.”*

*B) **There are some important things* that *you should know in order to have this victory*.

*1) **1st* look at *ROM 8:28*

*a) **It’s essential* *to know that all things will work out for good if you love the Lord*.

*b) **Notice* that there is a *condition* to that V., *“To them that Love God.”*

*(i) *The word *“love”* here is the *Greek* word *“Agapao”* which comes from *“agape”*

*(ii) *This is the *highest form of love*, an *unconditional love*.

*(iii) **This is the best love* *that we could have for the Lord*.

*And the Lord says* that *if you have this kind of love for me*, *all things will work out for good*.

*(a) **God has a way of turning situations around* for His glory.

*(b) *But your *love for the Lord is the key*.

*c) *Back in *(Romans 8:28)* It *Says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”*

(KJV)

*(i) *The *beginning* of that *V* *says,* *“We know”* *You have to have* *that knowing and that attitude* *that God will turn the situation around*.

*(ii) **Other wise* *you* will *get into negativism* *and that will bring defeat*.

*2) *The *2ND* *thing* that *you need to know* *to have victory* *is found in* *PHIL 4:13* (*1st* was to *know* that *God* *will turn the situation around*.)

*a) **It’s important to realize* *that you can have victory through Jesus*, *and that’s where victory comes from*.

*b) **If you don’t understand that,* *then you will be defeated before you even start*.

*3) **3rd* *ROM 6:14*

*a) **It’s very important* that *you realize* that *you are not under sin’s dominion*, *nor are you under the curse of it*.

*(i) *(*Galatians 3:13*) says, *“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law.”*

*(ii) **We have been redeemed from the penalty of sin*.

*b) *But it’s even better than that (*2COR 5:21*) Says*, “For he hath made him {to be} sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”*

*(i) **If you have*, (what I call), *a sin consciousness*, *it’s going to hinder your relationship with God*.

*(ii) **HEB 9:14*

*(a) **The NIV says*, *“Cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” *

*(b) **You can’t really be serving God* *in the fullest* *with a sin consciousness*.

*(iii) *(*HEB 10:22*) *Says*, *“Let us draw near *(to God) *with a true heart*” (or you could say *“With a Pure Conscience”*)...

*(a) **(In full assurance of faith**, **having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience**, **and our bodies washed with pure water.”*)

*c) **If we’re coming to God** **and** **want to walk from victory to victory* *it’s important to have* that *“PURE CONSCIENCE.”*

*(i) **We need to know* that *we’re no longer under sin*.

*II) **Another thought* *that goes along these same lines of having a “SIN CONSCIOUSNESS”* *is that sometimes people are living for the Lord* *and have put sin behind them* (*in other words they’re not practicing sin*) *but they still have a sin consciousness*.

*A) **They still feel like they’re a sinner* *and that’s their problem*.

*1) **They remember their acts* *and* *sins* *before they became a Christian* *or* *even after they became Christian*.

*a) **Even though they confessed their sins to God* *they still don’t feel worthy of receiving God’s promises* *and* *walking in victory*.

*2) **Let’s look at a couple scriptures* *along these lines*.

*This is a problem that many Christians have*.

*They don’t feel worthy to receive from God*.

*B) **2 Corinthians 5:17*.

*1) **What you need to see* *from this verse* *is that the old man that walked according to ways of this world* *and* *did the sinful things is gone*.

*a) **Now* *you are a new man or woman* *in Christ* *and* *the blood of Jesus has cleansed you from all sin*.

*C) *Turn to *Philippians 3:13-14*.

*1) **Notice* that *Paul didn’t say* that *he was perfect*.

*He said*, *“I have not apprehended*, *I have not arrived*, *I am not perfect.”*

*a) **The next thing he says* *is that he forgets his past* *failures*, *blunders* *and* *errors* *and* *he keeps pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus*.

*(i) **In other words*, *he keeps on serving God* *and* *following the Lord*.

*2) **If we’ve confessed our blunders to God*, *God has given us His righteousness*.

*a) **Our sins* are *as far as* the *East* is *from the West*.

(Proverbs 103:12)

*b) *And that *God* *buried them in the depths of the sea*.

(Micah 7:19).

*c) **And* *in* (*Hebrews 10:17*) *He says that He would remember our sins no more*.

*(i) **If God has forgotten our sins*, *we to should no longer dwell* *on our past failures and blunders*.

*3) **If we continue to dwell on those things* *we’ll never believe that we can have God’s very best*.

*a) **Remembering in your past errors* *is a faith robber.*

*It stops you from believing that God wants you to walk in victory* in every situation.

*Jesus said* *all things are possible to them who believe*.

*b) **Remembering your past failures and blunders* *hinders you from believing*.

*(i) **You need to know that your sins are completely wiped away*, *and that* *you are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus*.

*(ii) **Instead of having a sin consciousness*, *we should have a righteousness consciousness*.

*III) **There are 3 steps* that *we all need to take to have* that *victory*.

*JAMES 4:7*

*A) **1st* of all *submit yourself to God*.

*1) **That means serving Him** **and being obedient to Him*.

*2) **Then* He says, *“Resist the Devil.”*

(*2nd*).

*a) **Resist* those *temptations to sin*, *resist evil thoughts*; *resist the works of the Devil*.

*b) **Then* *the Devil will flee*.

*3) *Then *in (V 8)* *he says, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you.”* (*3rd*).

*a) **When you draw nigh unto God* *and He draws nigh unto you*, *then you have victory*.

*b) **But notice* that the *submitting to God comes before* *the drawing nigh* unto Him.

*B) *Look at *DEUT 28:1*

 

*1) **In order for us to have this kind of victory*, to where we are set high above all nations, *we need to follow these conditions*.

*a) **1st* of all he says, “*HARKEN* *unto the voice of the Lord,”* The word *“Harken”* *means* *“listen intently to.” *

*b) *The word *“OBSERVE”* *means* *“To guard, and to protect.”*

*c) **Then he says*, *“And do all His commandments.”*

*2) * *In other words* he’s saying*, “Listen intently to the Word of God*, *protect and guard that Word in your heart*, *and do it.”*

*IV) *Turn with me to *1COR 9:24-27*

*A) *In (*V 24*) *he tells us to* *run this race of LIFE*.

*1) **He goes on to say*, *“Don’t just run it any old way*, *run to WIN.”*

*B) **Then in* (*V 25*) *he says*, *“Be temperate in all things”*

*1) *The *RSV* *says*, *“Every athlete exercises self-control in all things.”*

*a) **We as Christians need to be temperate* *or* *use self-control* *in all things*.

*b) *The *NIV* *says, “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training.”*

*C) **He then ends this chapter with* *“I keep under my body, & bring it into subjection.”*

*1) **These are the things that are essential for victory*.

*But to sun it all up*, *if you want to go from victory to victory* *you have to sell out for God*.

*He has to be 1st in your life*.

SUN AM 5~/12~/91 TFC & WOLCC SUM AM 4~/25~/93 and W. O. L. C. C. someday Sunday, March 22, 1998.