ADDING POINTS TO THE SCORE

 I CORINTHIANS 15:51-58

           I want to speak this morning on the subject “ADDING POINTS TO THE SCORE”.   When we think about victory it is normally related to either a war or a competition of some type like some type of sports game or creative competition.  However, whether it is war or competition, no one likes to lose.  Everyone always wants to win     .    Paul in these verses speaks of the mystery of the resurrection of the dead in Christ and the rapture of the living in Christ.   He says of the dead in Christ in verse 52 that they shall be raised incorruptible.  You see the dead would already be buried and their bodies would already have begun the decaying process to return to dirt.  These decaying bodies would then be resurrected as incorruptible bodies, unable to decay.  However, those who are alive at the coming of Christ will still be in bodies that are able to corrode and die.  Those who are alive at the return of Christ will need to have their bodies changed so that the body will not corrode and suffer death.  They will need immortal and incorruptible bodies.   Paul says that when this happens death will be swallowed up in victory.   This saying is also recorded in the Old Testament.

ISAISH 25:7-8

          This is an end time prophecy.  At this time, the curse of death that has been a shadow covering the face of all mankind since the fall of Adam will be taken away.  The power of death will no longer be able to hold mankind down. (The end of the first resurrection, right before the Millennium)  Since death will not be able to hold the dead in that state, then I Cor. 15:55 ask “Where, O death, is your victory?  Where, O death, is your sting?"  Then the answer is given, “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.”  You sin is stinger that sin used to pushed mankind into death.  Think of sin as something like a cattle prod.  A cattle prod was a long pointed stick that was used to urge the cattle to move in the desired direction.  The herdsmen would ride along beside and behind the herd and occasionally prod a few of them to turn them in the desired direction.  As the lead cows and those on the outer edge turned those in the middle would be forced to turn also.   Sin is like a prodding rod directing, moving even forcing mankind towards death.   The law could not deliver me from my sin.  It was only able to point out to be that I was a sinner.  It then added strength to death in that it justified my death penalty.  But in verse 57 I am informed that mankind has been rescued from sin and death by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.    In Christ we have been delivered from the power of sin and death.   Though Christians may die physically, death can not hold us captive forever.  We who are born again believers have the victory over eternal death.

          Now in competitions you can have teams or individual competitions and many times you have both occurring at the same time.  The Williams sisters compete individually.   When they are playing singles each wins or loses on her own.  But with a football team there is no individual winner or looser.  If the team wins then all win and if they lose all lose.   However, on a track team, you have individual winners, small group winners as well as team winners.  Individual winners and small group winners contribute points to the team competition.  Jesus, in his Defeat of Satan has already won the team competition for us.  However, we are offered the opportunity to score more points for our side and utterly disgrace the enemy by winning individual and small group victories.

          Don’t get me wrong it is not that God needs for us to win any battles, because the battle that Jesus won assured God victory over his enemy.  But he offers man the opportunity to share in His victory.  In the natural we feel good standing in the bleachers when our team is winning, but we feel even better when we are on the team and we feel best when we have actually played in the game, scored some points, blocked a kick, made an interception or tackled the quarterback.  We feel like we contributed and that makes winning even feel better.  So God offers us the chance to participate in the utter destruction of his enemy.

          The team competition has already been won, but the individual and small group competitions are still going on.  I hate losing as does everyone else I know.  Over the years I have learns a few keys to gaining victories.

1.     Understand who has the real power. (I John 4:4)

        We overcome and gain victories not because we are strong, intelligent and well equipped, but because the Spirit of God that indwells us is stronger, smarter and has a battle strategy straight from God.  We are not able to stand against the enemy and do battle with him in our own power.  For  Zech. 4:6 teaches us that battles are won “Not by our might, nor by our power, but by God’s spirit, says the Lord of hosts.”  Every success I have is not my own.  For I cannot even keep myself.  For I Peter 1:5 declares I am being “kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation until I am ready to be revealed in the last time.” If I am going to be victorious I must understand where my power originates from.  My power rest in God.

2.     Hangout with God (James 4:7-8)

              Recognizing that I have no power in and of myself, I must submit to the greater power that is within me, the Spirit of God, if I am to have victory.  It will do me no good to have the greater power in me if I will not yield to his power.  You cannot resist the Devil if you are running with him, thinking like him, and behaving like him.  Often times we as Christians spend more time hanging out with the Devil and his followers that we do hanging out with God.  If you are going to fight against evil you must surround yourself with good.  Draw near to God and he will come near to you.  When we are in the presence of God we can draw on His power, His strength, and His energy as we do battle.

3.     Hold on to the promises of God (2 Peter 1:3-4)

          Verse 3 says that God has given us all that we need to live godly in this world.  He has in His word given us great and precious promises.  God also communicates personally with us.  We must know how to discern his voice and we must learn how to hold on to the promises of God both in his written word and in his spoken word.  To do battle victoriously we must know what our General has said and hold on to it until he gives further instructions.  We can not waver back and forth.  We must stand firm on the promises of God.

          Romans 4:17-21 – Consider Abraham.  We must be fully persuaded that God can and will do what He promises.

4.     Seek God’s help through prayer (Psalms 28:6)

              The psalmist brought his petitions to the Lord and the Lord heard him and delivered him.  If we are to be victorious Christians we too must bring our petitions to the Lord.  Nothing is too small to take to Him and nothing is too large for him to handle.

     Philippians 4:6 – We are encouraged here not to be worried or concerned about anything, but rather to present our petitions to God.  God knows that we can not be effective warriors for Him if we are bogged down with worry and anxiety.  We have been told in 1 Peter 5:7 to Cast all of our cares upon him; for he cares for us.

     Hebrews 4:14-16 – We are to run to our Father when we are in need of his help, not away from Him.  And when we come we are to come expecting Him to meet us with the help that we need.

5.     Walk in God’s protection (Psalms 28:7)

                   The Psalmist recognized God as the source of his protection.  Our victory depends on our faith in God’s protection.  This is a dangerous world in which we live.  But God is well able to protect His own.  We can not be fearful of our enemy and his devices.  We must know that God can and will protect us.

          2 Timothy 1:12 – We must know and be assured of the fact that God is able to keep or protect all that we release into his care.  Psalms 127:1 declares “except the Lord keep the city, the watchman wakes in vain.”  In other words if God does not watch out for us all of our efforts to protect ourselves would be in vain.  God has always traveled with his people protecting them and leading them to victory as they followed him.  He will do the same for us.

6.     Trust in God’s Provision (Ps. 28:7)

          The psalmist says that he trusted and God and he was helped.  His needs were met.  God will provide for us if we trust in Him.  What does Philippians 4:19 say? “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”  This is what Paul told the Philippian Christians.  Of course he said this to them because they themselves were givers.  We must learn to trust in God as our source because “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from God the Father, (James 1:17)”.   But Psalms 84:11 declares that no good thing will he withhold from those that walk uprightly.  We can have victory over our circumstances because God our Father will provide for us.

7.     Stay focused on praising God (Psalms 28:7)

                   Here the Psalmist greatly rejoiced because he had God’s help.  He praised the Lord for his victory.  Today many will not praise God.  They fell to understand that the more we praise God the greater the victories that we win.  As I have often said praise takes our focus off of us and put it on a God who is greater than anything we face.  Praising God invites him into our situation and circumstances and when God is on the scene we are assured victory.         Recognizing the importance of praising God, the Psalmist declares is Psalms 146:2 “While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.”  He said while he was living, not when God is blessing or when all is well.  He says as long as I am breathing I will praise Him.        

          Individual and small group victories can be won when we understand who is fight with us and the power he holds.; when we submit ourselves to God and draw close to him so that we can draw on his power.  We can have victory when we know the promises of God and hold on to them, and when we seek God’s help through prayer.  In order to have victory we must walk in God’s protection and trust in God’s provision.  Finally, because of past victories and in expectation of future victories we must commit ourselves to daily praising God.  The team victory has already been won.  Let’s run up the score on the devil by adding points for individual and small group victories.