Comfort at the Height of Battle
MEMORY VERSE:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me
to preach the good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Luke 4:18-19
INTRODUCTION
Just when you thought nothing can shock you any more, something comes that does. Just when you thought nothing can rock you any more, your world suddenly turns upside down. This is the height of battle and there is comfort waiting at the edge of the battlefield.
I. Victory imprisons.
o Victory breeds complacency.
o Victory breeds apathy.
II. Surrendered victory liberates.
o Surrendered victory humbles.
o Humility liberates.
III. Freedom from surrendered victory enriches.
o True freedom focuses on God.
o True freedom blesses.
CONCLUSION
One should always rejoice over victory but never sit nor sleep on it because it lowers our guards down. The constant reminder that painful experiences will always come once in a while, but God will always be there whenever they do come will keep us from being imprisoned by the pain that comes at the height of our battles with life.
REFLECTION: Let us ask ourselves the following questions:
o Am I at the height of battle right now?
o Where is my battlefield?
– Who and what am I battling with?
o What is most painful about my battle right now?
– How has it imprisoned me?
o What victory in the past paved the way for my present imprisonment?
– How did this victory imprison me?
o Do I want to be liberated from my bondage?
– Am I willing to let God take over for me in the height of my battle?
APPLICATION:
= prayer of commitment =
Heavenly Father, thank You for the victory. Forgive me for allowing past victories to make me believe that what I am experiencing right now makes life unfair. Help me to surrender everything to you: both the battles and the victories. Amen.
= statement of commitment =
Whenever I feel that life is a box of chocolates, I will look to God and say, “Lord, I surrender, let’s share this.” Whenever I feel that life is unfair, I will look to God and say, “Lord, I surrender, let’s share this.”
CLOSING PRAYER