Summary: Someone has said, “Your Attitude, determines your Altitude.” Many times it is easy to get caught up in the negative things that happen around that we forget to thank God for the blessings, for the Victory that God has granted us.

“Experiencing Victory in Jesus!”

10/1/2006 - Marsing, ID

Ricardo Rodriguez – pastor_rr@yahoo.com

I Cor 15:57-58

“57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

“57Mas á Dios gracias, que nos da la victoria por el Señor nuestro Jesucristo. 58Así que, hermanos míos amados, estad firmes y constantes, creciendo en la obra del Señor siempre, sabiendo que vuestro trabajo en el Señor no es vano.”

Our message last week was on the “BeAtitudes”.

Someone has said, “Your Attitude, determines your Altitude.”

Many times it is easy to get caught up in the negative things that happen around that we forget to thank God for the blessings, for the Victory that God has granted us.

Negative Programming

As much as 77% of everything we think is negative and counterproductive and works against us. People who grow up in an average household hear “No” or are told what they can’t do more than 148,000 times by the time they reach age 18. Result: Unintentional negative programming.

Shad Helmstetter in Homemade, Jan., 1987

Negative vs Positive Comments

A survey asked mothers to keep track of how many times they made negative, compared with positive, comments to their children. They admitted that they criticized ten times for every time they said something favorable. A three-year survey in one city’s schools found that the teachers were 75% negative. The study indicated that it takes four positive statements from a teacher to offset the effects of one negative statement to a child.

Institute of Family Relations in Homemade, December, 1986

Many times we get drowned in the negative things that happen in this world and we loose sight of who is King of kings.

When Jesus was on the cross, Satan thought he would use that moment to dwindle the spirit of the disciples and perhaps this was the end of the hope of humanity. Little did Satan know that what he intended for evil, God intended for Good.

His blood cleaned us from sin and through his striped we are healed.

 There’s a story of a Scottish soldier who was badly wounded. A Christian surgeon said to him, I must operate right away. But I think I ought to tell you that you have one chance in a hundred to come through the operation. Have you anything to say?"

The soldier said, "No, doctor, get on with the operation! All is well with my soul. Whichever side I come out on, there will be a welcome for me. If I come through the operation, Mother will welcome me. If I don’t Jesus will welcome me!"

Even though the soldier faced the likelihood of his own death. He faced it with courage because he trusted God with his life.

TEN POWERFUL KEYS TO EXPERIENCING VICTORY IN BATTLES

(Adapted from : TEN POWERFUL KEYS TO EXPERIENCING VICTORY IN BATTLES by Dr.Stanley Vasu )

I Cor 15:57-58

“57But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

“57Mas á Dios gracias, que nos da la victoria por el Señor nuestro Jesucristo. 58Así que, hermanos míos amados, estad firmes y constantes, creciendo en la obra del Señor siempre, sabiendo que vuestro trabajo en el Señor no es vano.”

1. FAITH

The first key in obtaining our Victory is through faith in Jesus Christ. No matter what obstacles may come our way, faith will help us overcome and lead us to VICTORY. Satan wants to steal your joy, but don’t let him steal your FAITH!

I John 5:4

" for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. "

Ephesians 6:16

" above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one."

“Sobre todo, tomando el escudo de la fe, con que podáis apagar todos los dardos de fuego del maligno.”

Isaiah 54:17

" no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD. "

This is our inheritance through faith. We will have the Victory.

2. THE WORD OF GOD

We must use the word of God to fight the devil. The word of God is the sword of the Spirit . This is the weapon that the Holy Spirit uses in our spiritual warfare. There is enormous power in the anointed word of God to destroy the works of the devil. We must use the word of God in times of battles with evil forces and proclaim the authority of the word of God over every demonic stronghold and break the yoke of the enemy in our lives. The word of God helps us to discern the real motives of people who may try to deceive us . It also reveals the true condition of our own hearts in order that we do not deceive ourselves .

Ephesians 6:17

" Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. "

Matthew 24:35

" Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. "

Hebrews 4:12

" For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."

3. THE HOLY SPIRIT

The Holy Spirit helps us in our battles and conflicts. We are in an intense spiritual warfare. Even our natural and physical battles often has a spiritual cause behind it. Therefore we need to fight these battles not in human strength but with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Lord wants us help us fight our spiritual battles with the help of the Holy Spirit. When the enemy comes like a flood the Spirit of God lifts up a standard against him. Spiritual warfare cannot be fought with human or carnal weapons. We must rely on the strength of the Holy Spirit to resist the attacks of the enemy.

Isaiah 59:14

" So shall they fear The name of the LORD from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him. "

Zechariah 4:6-7

" So he said to me, "This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: ’Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the LORD Almighty.

"What are you, O mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ’God bless it! God bless it!’ "

Acts 10:38

"how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him. "

4. THE NAME OF JESUS

The name of Jesus is a mighty weapon when we fight the enemy . The name of Jesus is all powerful . When we use the name of Jesus against the attacks of the enemy we will have great victories. God honours the name of Jesus and when we ask anything in the name of Jesus , God will grant our petitions. The Lord gives us victory through Jesus Christ. Therefore we must stand firm, unmoved and always increasing in the service of God because we have the assurance that our labour in the Lord is not in vain. Surely our service for the Lord will bear eternal fruit.

I Corinthians 15:57-58

" But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 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. "

Matthew 28:18

" Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me."

Mark 16:17-18

"And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well."

John 16:23-24

“And in that day you will ask Me nothing. Most assuredly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name He will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."

Philippians 2:9-11

" Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

5. THE BLOOD OF JESUS

The blood of Jesus is powerful weapon when we face battles . We can overcome the enemy by the blood of the Lamb of God. The blood of Jesus is a great protection over our lives and our families. We should always live under the covering of the blood of Jesus in our lives. We are very precious to God because He has bought us with his own blood.

Revelation 12:11

" They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death."

I Peter 1:18-19

"For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect."

6. THE INTERCESSION OF JESUS

Jesus is our solicitor and heavenly advocate.He pleads on our behalf before God and wins the mercy and favour of God for us.He is the most influential person in heaven and the best advocate we can have to plead our case.And He does it absolutely free of charge because He loves us and we belong to Him. He is our Heavenly advocate who will plead on our behalf before the throne of Heaven . The Father would not deny the plea of His Son Jesus when He pleads on our behalf. Let us commit all our matters into His hands. God gives us the victory by pleading our cause . He is our mighty redeemer who will thoroughly plead on our behalf and give us the victory . We must be grateful for all the blessings and deliverance we receive as a result of the intercession of the Lord Jesus on our behalf.

Hebrews 7:25

" Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. "

Romans 8:34

" Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. "

I John 2:1

" My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have one who speaks to the Father in our defense—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One."

Jeremiah 50:34

" Yet their Redeemer is strong; the LORD Almighty is his name. He will vigorously defend their cause so that he may bring rest to their land, but unrest to those who live in Babylon."

7. PRAYER AND FASTING

Prayer and fasting is a powerful weapon in spiritual warfare . When we pray we acknowledge our dependence on God . We admit that we are helpless without him. Fasting is a sign of humility before God . It also demonstrates that we are serious and desperate in seeking God to deliver us.

When we seek God earnestly and commit our cause into His hands , He will perform mighty miracles on our behalf . Therefore prayer and fasting is a powerful weapon when we fight severe battles in our life .

Mark 9:28-29

" And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, “Why could we not cast it out?” So He said to them, “This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting.”

Ephesians 6:18

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints. "

James 5:16-18

" Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops."

Psalms 50:15

" and call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me."

Psalms 18: 6, 16-19

" In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears. He reached down from on high and took hold of me; he drew me out of deep waters. He rescued me from my powerful enemy, from my foes, who were too strong for me. They confronted me in the day of my disaster, but the LORD was my support. He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me. "

Job 5:8-16

“But as for me, I would seek God, And to God I would commit my cause—Who does great things, and unsearchable,Marvelous things without number. He gives rain on the earth, And sends waters on the fields. He sets on high those who are lowly, And those who mourn are lifted to safety. He frustrates the devices of the crafty, So that their hands cannot carry out their plans. He catches the wise in their own craftiness, And the counsel of the cunning comes quickly upon them. They meet with darkness in the daytime, And grope at noontime as in the night. But He saves the needy from the sword, From the mouth of the mighty, And from their hand. So the poor have hope, And injustice shuts her mouth. "

8. PRAISE AND WORSHIP

God gives us the victory when we invoke His presence with our praise and worship . As we begin to praise and worship Him in the midst of our battles , God causes confusion in the enemy’s camp . His mighty presence fills us and we experience a mighty deliverance and victory . Our praise and worship is a two edged sword to destroy the enemy’s attacks. Jehoshaphat experienced a mighty victory through praise and worship. Paul and Silas experienced a great deliverance through praise and worship.

II Chronicles 20:21-24

" After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever." As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. The men of Ammon and Moab rose up against the men from Mount Seir to destroy and annihilate them. After they finished slaughtering the men from Seir, they helped to destroy one another. When the men of Judah came to the place that overlooks the desert and looked toward the vast army, they saw only dead bodies lying on the ground; no one had escaped."

Psalms 149:6-9

" May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations and punishment on the peoples, to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron, to carry out the sentence written against them. This is the glory of all his saints. Praise the LORD. "

Acts 16:23-26

" After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. Upon receiving such orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everybody’s chains came loose. "

9. LIVING CLOSE TO GOD

God gives us the victory when we stay close to Him. We must maintain our intimacy and close relationship with God. As we stay at His right hand we will make our enemies our footstool. He will be with us and no one can overcome us. He will deliver us and honour us. Our intimacy with God helps us to experience victory in all our battles. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are perfect towards Him.

II Chronicles 16:9

" For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose heart is loyal to Him......”

Psalms 110:1-7

" The LORD says to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet." The LORD will extend your mighty scepter from Zion; you will rule in the midst of your enemies. Your troops will be willing on your day of battle. Arrayed in holy majesty, from the womb of the dawn you will receive the dew of your youth. The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind: "You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." The Lord is at your right hand; he will crush kings on the day of his wrath. He will judge the nations, heaping up the dead and crushing the rulers of the whole earth. He will drink from a brook beside the way ; therefore he will lift up his head. "

Psalm 91:1, 14-16

" He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. "Because he loves me," says the LORD, "I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call upon me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him my salvation."

10. THE ANGER AND JUDGEMENT OF GOD

God gives us the victory through His indignation. He crushed the rebellion of Korah when he rose against Moses. His hand will be known towards His servants but His indignation towards His enemies. When God arises , his enemies will be scattered.The Lord will cause our enemies to be smitten before us and to flee in seven ways. His patience should not be mistaken as weakness or powerlessness. The Lord will rise up for us and smite our enemies. We should not take vengeance on anyone , but commit everything in the hands of God and He will grant us justice at the right time. God is slow to anger , but once His anger is aroused , He will completely destroy His enemies.

Isaiah 66:14

" When you see this, your heart will rejoice and you will flourish like grass; the hand of the LORD will be made known to his servants, but his fury will be shown to his foes. "

Psalms 68:1-2

" May God arise, may his enemies be scattered; may his foes flee before him. As smoke is blown away by the wind, may you blow them away; as wax melts before the fire, may the wicked perish before God. "

Nahum 1: 2-10

" The LORD is a jealous and avenging God; the LORD takes vengeance and is filled with wrath. The LORD takes vengeance on his foes and maintains his wrath against his enemies. The LORD is slow to anger and great in power; the LORD will not leave the guilty unpunished. His way is in the whirlwind and the storm, and clouds are the dust of his feet. He rebukes the sea and dries it up; he makes all the rivers run dry. Bashan and Carmel wither and the blossoms of Lebanon fade. The mountains quake before him and the hills melt away. The earth trembles at his presence, the world and all who live in it. Who can withstand his indignation? Who can endure his fierce anger? His wrath is poured out like fire; the rocks are shattered before him. The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him, but with an overwhelming flood he will make an end of Nineveh ; he will pursue his foes into darkness. "

Psalms 76:6-10

" At Your rebuke, O God of Jacob, Both the chariot and horse were cast into a dead sleep. You, Yourself, are to be feared; And who may stand in Your presence When once You are angry? You caused judgment to be heard from heaven; The earth feared and was still, When God arose to judgment, To deliver all the oppressed of the earth. Selah Surely the wrath of man shall praise You; With the remainder of wrath You shall gird Yourself."