Set Free 7 - Defeating Defeat

Defeat.

Middle English deffeten, from Anglo-French defait, past participle of defaire, desfaire to destroy, from Medieval Latin disfacere, from Latin dis- + facere to do

source

The word itself means destroy.

And that’s just what it does.

It destroys us from the inside out, and it doesn’t just make us discouraged. It destroys joy, destroys love, destroys hope, destroys faith. It destroys rest and peace.

It destroys grace.

We were called to victory.

Anything less is not what God wants for us.

Please read Joshua 1:5-9.

We are going to cover several passages today, so have your Bible-fingers ready.

In our text, God is talking to Joshua, who just had a huge responsibility passed off to him. A frightening, tiring, and mentally and emotionally taxing responsibility.

Does that resound with you at all?

It does with me, time and time again.

Not only do we have to do this thing called life, but we’ve got the whole spiritual warfare thing to fight now too? Time for a coffee break, right?

Q: What is an area (or areas, plural) in your life that has got you overwhelmed?

It is overwhelming. And God does ask a lot of us sometimes. But please take heart. He’s here alongside you.

Joshua 1:5 “No one will be able to stand against you as long as you live. For I will be with you as I was with Moses. I will not fail you or abandon you.” NLT emphasis mine

And, Sister, He doesn’t want you to live defeated. He wants you to live in victory. That’s the whole reason He came. That’s the reason He left His Spirit to live inside of us.

Satan would love nothing more than for us to feel like we’ve lost the battle. Become battle-weary and allow our emotions and fatigue to take over our reasoning; our focus.

He wants us weary. He wants us dragging. And the longer he can get us to drag in the dirt, the more that’s all we’ll see, that’s what we’ll believe, and it will have us so covered in dirt that our light won’t shine.

He wants to steal our light. Steal our joy. Steal our faith.

John 10:10 “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” NKJV

Did you see it? Destroy. Defeat. Satan’s goal.

But do you also see the solution?

Jesus.

Just like we read in Joshua 1:5. We have already won because of Him.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 “We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.” NKJV

(despair: to be utterly at loss, be utterly destitute of measures or resources, to renounce all hope; source)

God is there.

Romans 8:31b “…What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” NKJV

Our cause is His cause.

The heart of God in Joshua and countless other places through His Word shows that His desire for you is victory through Him.

Isaiah 54:17 “But in that coming day    no weapon turned against you will succeed.You will silence every voice    raised up to accuse you.These benefits are enjoyed by the servants of the Lord;    their vindication will come from me.    I, the Lord, have spoken!”

Do you see a resounding theme?

Q: In Isaiah 54:17 this victory is the heritage of whom?

Q: In Ephesians 6:10 we are told to be strong how?

Q: In Philippians 4:13 we are told that we can do all things, but how?

Look at 1 Corinthians 15:57 “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” NKJV 

So it is already ours. If we are living with a defeated heart, where is our focus?

Not where it should be. Not on Christ.

DO: Pray for God to reveal the areas you’ve been feeling defeated. In your journal, please describe them, and your thoughts as you encounter these situations from day to day. Pinpoint the time when your gaze shifts from God to self-sufficiency – I’ll bet that’s when you start battling feelings of defeat. Pray – visit with God about these issues and ask for His help keeping your focus on Him.

Grip His hand. Don’t let go.

Please read the last verses of our base text again;  Joshua 1:7-9.

Q: What tool did God give Joshua for success that he was to use day and night?

See also Hebrews 4:12 and Ephesians 6:11.

Though the command in Joshua 1:8 was spoken to Joshua, we would do well to obey it also. The war is the same one we’re fighting; the tools, reconnaissance and strategy are still the same.

God’s Words are the tools we need with us. And because we need it handy always, we NEED to memorize. This is not optional. We need to memorize to become a strong warrior. And so much of the battle is in our head, so wouldn’t it be prudent to put the weapons there too?

It may be a little daunting to realize that we are actually commanded not to feel dismay, however, when you look at the nuts and bolts of it, it looks like this:

Eyes off Christ = dismay.

Eyes on Christ = no dismay.

Not so daunting now, is it?

Take heart.

Take peace.

Don’t be defeated – because we are not defeated. Christ has the victory in hand already. Take His hand and accept victory. And keep looking to Him.

John 16:33 “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” NLT

We see the importance of memorizing God's Word. Start today! Get free printable index card of our memory passage here 

Set Free 3 - Breaking Bondage to Power of Sin

“I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate.”

(Romans 7:15, NLT) I don’t know about you, but I’m so glad that Paul opens up and says this. It makes it all sound so much more real. And I can totally relate.

Today’s text: Romans 7-8

So we are at war within ourselves. The nature we were born with against the new nature we inherited when we were born again.

Read Ephesians 4:17-23

When we were born, we were slaves to sun, and our sin nature. Slaves must obey their master.

Titus 2:9a “Slaves must always obey their masters and do their best to please them…” NLT

But when we became a Christian, our captivity to sin was exchanged for freedom in Christ – Romans 7:4-6. Now we are free to serve whom we choose. This is freedom in Christ.

Then why is it so hard?

What I want you to understand is this. There is a whole layer behind the scenes that we cannot see. Just take a look at Job 1:6-12. Satan is after us. He wants so badly to destroy us. So he will do whatever he can to keep us from leaning on God and serving God. And he’s got an army to help him. It’s a whole organized force out there. The powers are real. The power is real.

Yet we do not need to be afraid, amen?

So how do we break free from our desire to sin, and desire to live for self?

Even Paul, who seems like a super-Christian at times, struggled with this.

The answer (as always, yes?) is Jesus.

Romans 7:25 “Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin.” NLT emphasis mine

Romans 8:1-2 “So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” NLT emphasis mine

And the answer lies also in Romans 8:8-14. You have His Spirit living in you! Praise Jesus! Praise God for that.

Romans 8:12 “Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do.” NLT

We have no obligation to serve sin any longer. We have a higher calling. We are bound to the Spirit. See Acts 20:22. This word “bound” does literally (or figuratively in this case) mean bound or tied or even knit together, but also carries with it the idea of being so closely knit that they are one; part of the same whole. Imagine saying with confidence that you are one with the Holy Spirit.

Q: Can you say that your goals, your plans, dreams and mind are one with God’s? Knit together so you cannot tell them apart?

Q: If not, what do you suppose is standing in the way?

And just in case we were confused, we have Romans 8:15.

Romans 8:15 “ The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry,“Abba Father.” NIV

Because we have His Spirit does not mean that we have only exchanged owners, helplessly serving one, then freed only to be in bondage to another.

No it says we are not made slaves, but rather adopted as sons (and daughters, of course).

So this opens up a new realm of possibilities. Because we are sons, we can now serve out of love, without fear of messing up, and being “fired” from our position. We can serve because we want to. Because we are grateful.

Ephesians 6:6 “Try to please them all the time, not just when they are watching you. As slaves of Christ, do the will of God with all your heart.” NLT

From a heart grateful for the chance to live, for the rescue from bondage. Bondage to sin and its eternal sentence. A heart willing, fulfilling its new purpose, one that is knit with Christ’s.

So I’d argue, then, that the more we serve Him out of gratitude, the more pleased we are to do it. And the more pleased we are to do it, the less appeal going back to serving self will hold.

Please ponder this. Write down your thoughts and share them in the comments too.

So we are free. But we choose to be God’s slaves. Because we owe Him our lives and we’re delighted to give Him all we’ve got to give. Because we want to, not because we have to.

1 Peter 2:16 “For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.” NLT

So when those powers we talked about are warring in the heavenlies against us, then what?

Just remember this. We looked at Job’s story, and remember it was Satan asking God’s permission to have at him? And take a look, too, at Luke 8:29.

The demons, dark angels and powers, and yes, even Satan himself, are under God’s and Christ’s authority.

You’ll never be swept away without God’s permission. And you will certainly never be swept away without His knowledge. He’s got you.

You do have a choice. Even if Satan is tempting you, or throwing obstacles in your way to get you to stumble, you are still free.

Romans 6:6-7 “We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin.” NLT

Romans 6:17-18 “Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.” NLT

Romans 8:2 “And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death.” NLT

I would like for you to think for a moment about this freedom. Meditate on it, and believe it. Believe it from the core of your being. If you believe on it, then you will begin to act upon it.

Ephesians 6:16 “Above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts [arrows] of the wicked one.” NKJV

Answer these questions:

Q: In what areas do you seem to continue to stumble?

Q: Do you believe you are free from sin’s power through Christ?

Q: If not, what is stopping you from believing it?

Pray for help in this area. It is also a good idea to partner up with an accountability buddy or mentor who will join you in prayer.

We are not in this battle alone.

Don't forget to get your free printable of our memory passage here