Hope Comes with Victory: Seven Keys to Victory: Leadership
Devotions this week based on the Message: “Hope Comes with Victory!”
Where is God?
It seems hard to reconcile sometimes what we see in our country and communities when it seems like the forces that are removing God from the public sphere are stronger than those that are trying to bring his message to hearts.
It’s hard to reconcile evil when it shows up daily in our news feed and experienced in our personal lives.
It’s easy to blame God for all that is happening. And perhaps it’s natural and in some ways an acknowledgment of the authority and leadership of God.
That is…if God is truly in control, why does he allow all the evil and injustice and persecution against his people to exist?
After all, the saying goes: “Everything rises and falls with leadership.”
There’s much to unpack in those statements, however if we are going to see victory in life and the power of the message of Jesus prevail over evil, we must trust our leader.
Here’s the truth:
Ephesians 1: 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Jesus is ruling over everything for the benefit of his church.
So while I don’t always understand what God is up to, a statement of truth like this forces me to ask a different question.
Instead of “God where are you?” it’s “God where are you?”
Wait that’s the same question. Perceptive! However one is asked with a heart of doubt and implies, “God I don’t think you are here.” The second is asked with a heart of faith and implies, “God I know you are here, reveal to me how you are showing up.”
In some of the greatest challenges of history, God showed up and his kingdom prospered and prevailed. The Roman government did everything they could to kill off Christianity – it thrives to this day and the Roman empire is gone. The pandemics of the ages gave Christians the opportunity to care (Black Plague; Spanish Flu; Covid; etc. Racial unrest gives the Gospel to unify hearts around the value of every person and the healing forgiveness we need. I could go on. In every struggle, hardship, difficulty and dare I say evil, is an opportunity for the power of the Gospel to show up in a powerful way.
Why? Because Jesus IS the leader. And every leader will see and take advantage of every opportunity for the win of the Gospel.
And we get to share in that victory as members of HIS body, the church.
So don’t despair. Here’s the truth:
1 Corinthians 15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:56-58)
Enjoy living today and each day in the victory Jesus gives to you!
Apply: What situation in your life are you blaming God for being absent? What does he reveal to you if you consider he was present or is using an awful experience for your blessing and benefit?
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for ruling over all things for my benefit as a member of your church. Amen.
Hope Comes with Victory: Seven Keys to Victory: Strength & Resources
Devotions this week based on the Message: “Hope Comes with Victory!”.
(Sorry I am late in sending this today…)
In an athletic match up, strength is often the key. Athletes know this so whether one plays football, basketball, soccer or whatever they spend time in the weight room. Part of strength is endurance. Part of strength is the amount of weight you can move. Strength makes a difference to win.
So do resources. If a team HAS a weight room, that matters. If a team has resources to buy the best equipment, that matters. If a team has the resources to have the best coaches, that matters.
Defeat is easy to obtain when I feel like I don’t have the power or resources to overcome my opponent.
Do you ever feel this way as a Christian?
Does it ever feel like the forces against us are stronger than the forces for us?
Does it seem like the opposition to Christ has a stronger effort and set of resources than do Christians?
I will admit, it does. And it feels discouraging.
Until I realize that I am looking at manmade strength and man obtained resources.
Look at what the Apostle Paul wants us to see:
Ephesians 1:18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
He then goes on to explain that power…read this slowly…let it soak in…
That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.
The power…that RAISED Jesus from the dead!
The power…that ASCENDED Jesus into heaven!
The power…that he has at the RIGHT HAND of God!
The power…that is ABOVE every…EVERY other power on earth today and in the age to come!
That power is ours to tap into for the sake of our faith and the spread of the Gospel.
And resources?
Psalm 24: 1 The earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it; for he founded it on the seas and established it on the waters.
All power. All resources are at God’s disposal and he is more than ready to share them with us…not for selfish gain or personal power, but for us to see the power of the Gospel and be part of its spread.
So this morning, I repent Lord of admitting defeat in my life when I’ve exhausted my personal strength and limited resources. Open the eyes of my heart to see and trust that the incomparably great power that raised Jesus from the dead is the power you are working in me and for me. Lead me not to despair but to trust…even when I can’t see the possibility, you have the power to win the victory.
Apply: What area of life are you trying to figure out with your strength and resources? What happens if you turn that to the Lord in prayer and ask him to figure it out with his power and his resources?
Prayer: Lord, open the eyes of my heart to see the incomparably great power that you are working in and around and through us who believe. AMEN.
Hope Comes with Victory: Seven Keys to Victory: Wisdom & Insight
Devotions this week based on the Message: “Hope Comes with Victory!”.
Ephesians 1:17 I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.
Key #3 Wisdom
A winning team knows how to take information and experience and combine it to pull off a strategy to out play their opponent. At times in a contest there are crucial moments where a decision has to be made to execute a play. The ability to make the right call is a mark of wisdom in the coach.
In the realm of religion, many belief systems claim to have the right truth, the right behavior, the right beliefs. It certainly takes wisdom to sort through something so important.
The disciples of Jesus, shortly before Jesus went back into heaven asked him, “Are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?”
They still had an idea that Jesus was going to establish an earthly kingdom. Jesus didn’t try to explain it, he just told them to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit came on them. Then he ascended into heaven (pretty well squashing the idea he was here to establish an earthly kingdom!)
I can only imagine the conversation in heaven when the Spirit of God welcomes Jesus back and he is congratulated on completing the mission the Father sent him on. After the welcome, I picture Jesus turning to the Holy Spirit and saying, “I tried for 3 plus years to get these people to understand clearly my mission and purpose and what my kingdom was all about. Now it’s your turn. Perhaps you can give them the wisdom and insights they need to carry out the task of making disciples.
The Holy Spirit did just that and gave the Spirit of wisdom to the disciples. They understood more clearly. They moved forward more resolutely. They had wisdom from God’s Spirit to know Jesus, his work and impact more fully.
Key #4 Insight
Ephesians 1:18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe.
A winning team has more insight than its opposition. They study films, have scouts, practice harder and more to gain the advantage. The coach wants to get his players to visualize winning, execute each play in their mind and experience the celebration win, even before it happens.
Paul is praying for the same insights for each of us to know we are on a winning team with Jesus:
- Know the hope to which he has called you. “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last.” You have been called by the power of the Word to believe the truth that our hope of eternity is ONLY found in Jesus. You are on the team because God’s grace called you to the team.
- Know the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints. Visualize the victory! Jesus has secured a wonderful inheritance in heaven for you! You can go through life with the confidence that the glory of heaven is guaranteed through Christ.
- Know the power at your disposal…more on this tomorrow as Paul explains it further. It’s incomparable!
At times it does seem like as Christians we are losing. Perhaps these two keys, “wisdom and insight” might be at the heart of a prayer for God to help you see how his truth applies in the situation (wisdom) and what truth he wants you to see in the situation (insight). Then as he grants you the Spirit of wisdom and the enlightenment of your hearts, you will see the obstacles Satan throws as opportunities and the seeming defeats as open doors.
Apply: What is a situation that you are dealing with today? What happens when you visualize the glorious riches of heaven God has promised you. How does that change your perspective on the issue with which you are dealing?
Prayer: God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, please give me the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that I may know Jesus better. I pray also that you would enlighten the eyes of my heart in order that I may know the hope to which you have called me, the riches of Christ’s glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. AMEN.
Hope Comes with Victory: Keys to Victory…Belief & Teammates
Devotions this week based on the Message: “Hope Comes with Victory!”.
Ephesians 1:15 For this reason, ever since I heard about your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, 16 I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers.
Key #1: Belief
Belief takes a group of talent and forms them into a winning team.
The most recent example of this was Tom Brady (whether you like him or not) and his leadership which took an underperforming Tampa Bay Buccaneers to win the Super Bowl in his first season with them. How did he do this?
Chris Goodwin, a wide receiver for the Bucs explained: “I think the biggest thing that he brought was just the mentality of expecting to win over hoping to win,” Godwin said, via The Pat McAfee Show. “We’ve had a bunch of talented guys for years but could never really put it together. The history of the team kind of creeps into your mind. You go into games like, as a competitor you’re like, ‘Yeah we can win this.’
“But really you’re just hoping to win. But this year we approached every single game like, ‘We dxxx sure can win this game.’ … Once the playoffs hit there was no doubt in our mind that we were going to win.”*
No doubt. Just belief. Belief in a leader who has proven he can win.
Greater than any football quarterback is Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul thanks God for the Ephesians “faith in the Lord Jesus.” Faith is a confidence and trust in one who has won and guarantees us we will win.
Jesus is a proven winner…
Illnesses? Cured. Demons? Driven out. Sin? Forgiven. Death? Defeated. The list goes on. Jesus has challenged and won the victory over the world’s toughest challengers…sin, death, and Satan. So when we question whether being connected to Jesus is the winning team? Who else is there to put your faith in than the one who lived, died, rose and ascended for you?
Key #2: Teammates
Great talent with great ego equals great losses. Mediocre talent with great love for team equals amazing victories.
Paul commends the Ephesians for their “love for all the saints.” They cared about, appreciated, loved others among them who had put their trust in Jesus as Savior. How important is this? We perhaps have all had church experiences where there is more internal bickering, backstabbing, and bad behavior than outside the church. Satan loves to create dissension and division in the church. He loves to take great people of God, turn them into themselves and their ego and against one another. What happens? Satan wins…the Gospel loses.
So let’s repent and him. What happens when we express love, care and concern for our Christian teammates? We begin to realize we are all on the SAME team! Jesus loves us all. Jesus died for us all. Jesus rose for us all. Jesus sends us all to do HIS work. Doing it together as gifted, saints of God creates wins for the Gospel. Go Team!
Apply: Take time today to send a note of appreciation to a fellow Christian teammate. Let them know how much you and God’s team values them!
Prayer: Holy Spirit, thank you for calling me to faith in Jesus. Strengthen my trust in him to always love team Jesus and my fellow teammates! Amen.
Hope Comes with Victory: Are we winning or losing?
Devotions this week based on the Message: “Hope Comes with Victory!”.
The statistics aren’t great. The numbers say we’re losing.
So is it true?
Pew Research reports in 2019, 65% of American adults describe themselves as Christians when asked about their religion, down 12 percentage points over the past decade. Meanwhile, the religiously unaffiliated share of the population, consisting of people who describe their religious identity as atheist, agnostic or “nothing in particular,” now stands at 26%, up from 17% in 2009.
Both Protestantism and Catholicism are experiencing losses of population share. Currently, 43% of U.S. adults identify with Protestantism, down from 51% in 2009. And one-in-five adults (20%) are Catholic, down from 23% in 2009. Meanwhile, all subsets of the religiously unaffiliated population – a group also known as religious “nones” – have seen their numbers swell. Self-described atheists now account for 4% of U.S. adults, up modestly but significantly from 2% in 2009; agnostics make up 5% of U.S. adults, up from 3% a decade ago; and 17% of Americans now describe their religion as “nothing in particular,” up from 12% in 2009. Members of non-Christian religions also have grown modestly as a share of the adult population.
(https://www.pewforum.org/2019/10/17/in-u-s-decline-of-christianity-continues-at-rapid-pace/)
Unless you’re lowering your golf score or competing on the “The Biggest Loser”, numbers like this don’t say “YOU’RE WINNING”!
It can feel personally or collectively as Christians that we are on a losing team…if we focus purely on numbers. Don’t get me wrong, the numbers are concerning…not because it doesn’t look good for Christianity, but because it doesn’t bode well for a person’s soul.
Satan is deceiving people to think that “winning at life” is done better apart from Christ than with him. Satan has infiltrated churches to move the message off of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus to being cultural saviors and social justice warriors.
The numbers don’t indicate that those connected to Christ are losing. They indicate more people are losing out on a connection to Christ and the grace of salvation he gives.
This is what concerns me.
I am convinced Jesus provides the ultimate victory. If he was still in the grave…I wouldn’t be convinced. If he were still on this earth…I wouldn’t be convinced. But the fact remains he ROSE from the dead and ASCENDED into heaven. NO ONE has ever won the battle over death on their own…Jesus did. NO ONE has ever ascended into heaven on their own…Jesus did. Why? Because the mission he came to do was complete. He won the battle over sin, death and the devil. He ascended to heaven and sits in the position of power, the right hand of God, above ALL other powers in heaven and on earth.
Satan loves to discount, discredit, and deceive hearts away from Christ. But hope is found where there is victory. And true and eternal victory is ONLY found with Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
This week we’ll expand on some of the seven aspects of a winning team (LISTEN to this week’s sermon for the full list).
Apply: God has placed me on his winning team. Who in my circle of interaction is missing out on the hope this victory gives? Ask the Lord for an opportunity to discuss and share the hope and victory Jesus gives…then be ready when he provides that opportunity!
Prayer: Lord Jesus thank you for winning the ultimate victory over sin, death and the devil. Use me Lord to bring this message of hope and victory to someone else this week! AMEN.