It's Easy: Victory is Easy
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II Chronicles 20:10-18, II Chronicles 20:22
BSB
10 And now, here are the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, whom You did not let Israel invade when they came out of the land of Egypt; but Israel turned away from them and did not destroy them.
11 See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession that You gave us as an inheritance.
12 Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
13 Meanwhile all the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, were standing before the LORD.
14 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite from Asaph’s descendants, as he stood in the midst of the assembly.
15 And he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.
16 Tomorrow you are to march down against them. You will see them coming up the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley facing the Wilderness of Jeruel.
17 You need not fight this battle. Take up your positions, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you.’”
18 Then Jehoshaphat bowed facedown, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down before the LORD to worship Him.
22 The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated.
11 See how they are repaying us by coming to drive us out of the possession that You gave us as an inheritance.
12 Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
13 Meanwhile all the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, were standing before the LORD.
14 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite from Asaph’s descendants, as he stood in the midst of the assembly.
15 And he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.
16 Tomorrow you are to march down against them. You will see them coming up the Ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley facing the Wilderness of Jeruel.
17 You need not fight this battle. Take up your positions, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid or discouraged. Go out and face them tomorrow, for the LORD is with you.’”
18 Then Jehoshaphat bowed facedown, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down before the LORD to worship Him.
22 The moment they began their shouts and praises, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir who had come against Judah, and they were defeated.
BSB
Victory is easy in the presence of God!
Matthew 11:30
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30 For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”
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Victory is not secured by what we do, but by what Christ has already done!
Jesus is not overwhelmed by your diagnosis with cancer, your family conflict, your marriage problems... NOT EVEN DEATH itself.
I Corinthians 15:55, I Corinthians 15:57
BSB
55 “Where, O Death, is your victory? Where, O Death, is your sting?”
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
BSB
Victory
(Greek) Nikos - victory, to utterly vanquish
(Greek) Nikos - victory, to utterly vanquish
Saved
(Hebrew) Yasa -
to save, be saved, be delivered
to be saved (in battle), be victorious
to give victory to
(Hebrew) Yasa -
to save, be saved, be delivered
to be saved (in battle), be victorious
to give victory to
Ephesians 2:8-9
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8 For it is by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not from yourselves; it is the gift of God,
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
BSB
Salvation is by grace.
Victory is by grace, not by work or effort.
Not by might, nor by power, but by the spirit of the Lord.
Victory is by grace, not by work or effort.
Not by might, nor by power, but by the spirit of the Lord.
King Jehoshaphat was surrounded by 3 armies threatening him and God’s people, and I love his response to the enemy.
II Chronicles 20:12
BSB
12 Our God, will You not judge them? For we are powerless before this vast army that comes against us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are upon You.”
BSB
The king was not going to approach this as so many kings before him did in their strength and confidence in their armies, but he operated in the value of authenticity.
Weakness is not a sign of faithlessness; it is a positioning of yieldedness.
II Corinthians 12:9-10
BSB
9 But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My power is perfected in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly in my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest on me.
10 That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
10 That is why, for the sake of Christ, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
BSB
My grace - my favor, my enabling work to make you be what you could not be & do what you could not do
Sufficient - to possess unfailing strength
Made Perfect - complete, to carry through
My power and strength are complete & they will carry you through in weakness
Sufficient - to possess unfailing strength
Made Perfect - complete, to carry through
My power and strength are complete & they will carry you through in weakness
John 15:5
BSB
5 I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing.
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Your victory is connected to your vision.
God’s solution is always there before you ever find yourself in this current position.
God’s solution is always there before you ever find yourself in this current position.
Many times, we pride ourselves in our WORK when we should simply humble ourselves in WORSHIP.
James 4 says God opposes the proud but He gives grace to the humble.
Humility is what accesses grace.
Maybe the current places of defeat in our lives are simply consistent places of pride in our hearts.
What is pride? Confidence and trust in self.
Put no confidence in the flesh or in the flesh of others.
James 4 says God opposes the proud but He gives grace to the humble.
Humility is what accesses grace.
Maybe the current places of defeat in our lives are simply consistent places of pride in our hearts.
What is pride? Confidence and trust in self.
Put no confidence in the flesh or in the flesh of others.
II Chronicles 20:15
BSB
15 And he said, “Listen, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Listen, King Jehoshaphat! This is what the LORD says: ‘Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army, for the battle does not belong to you, but to God.
BSB
Stories of battles without a fight:
Moses & Red Sea
Joshua & Jericho walls
Gideon & 300 with torches & trumpets
Elisha & the chariots
Moses & Red Sea
Joshua & Jericho walls
Gideon & 300 with torches & trumpets
Elisha & the chariots
Psalms 44:3-7
BSB
3 For it was not by their sword that they took the land; their arm did not bring them victory. It was by Your right hand, Your arm, and the light of Your face, because You favored them.
4 You are my King, O God, who ordains victories for Jacob.
5 Through You we repel our foes; through Your name we trample our enemies.
6 For I do not trust in my bow, nor does my sword save me.
7 For You save us from our enemies; You put those who hate us to shame.
4 You are my King, O God, who ordains victories for Jacob.
5 Through You we repel our foes; through Your name we trample our enemies.
6 For I do not trust in my bow, nor does my sword save me.
7 For You save us from our enemies; You put those who hate us to shame.
BSB
It does not mean you don’t show up to the battle, it simply means you won’t be fighting in the battle.
God’s process for victory is simple: position yourself, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord.
Position yourself:
This is the problem, many of us have put ourselves in the wrong position. The position of fighting for victory not from victory. (Seated with Him in heavenly places)
We put ourselves in the position of having the might not the position of weakness... We think we are the ones that are going to win this battle.
Worship is the posture of weakness that positions us for His greatness. In all these things, we are more than conquerors
Position shifts perspective.
Awareness of God’s presence reminds you of your position & gives you the right perspective.
Position yourself:
This is the problem, many of us have put ourselves in the wrong position. The position of fighting for victory not from victory. (Seated with Him in heavenly places)
We put ourselves in the position of having the might not the position of weakness... We think we are the ones that are going to win this battle.
Worship is the posture of weakness that positions us for His greatness. In all these things, we are more than conquerors
Position shifts perspective.
Awareness of God’s presence reminds you of your position & gives you the right perspective.
3 Places We Must Stand:
Stand in the presence of the Lord
Stand on God’s word
Stand against your enemy
Stand in the presence of the Lord
Stand on God’s word
Stand against your enemy
Stand in the presence of the Lord:
Ephesians 6:12-14
BSB
12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
13 Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand.
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed,
13 Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand.
14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed,
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It is not how you stand or where you stand, it is who you stand with.
John 14:15-16
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15 If you love Me, you will keep My commandments.
16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—
16 And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate to be with you forever—
BSB
"Another helper"
Parakletos: stand along
Stand
wait, uphold or sustain the authority of something
Your activity does not produce anointing, your attention does. What you set your attention on, you put your affections towards.
Whatever you behold, you become.
Parakletos: stand along
Stand
wait, uphold or sustain the authority of something
Your activity does not produce anointing, your attention does. What you set your attention on, you put your affections towards.
Whatever you behold, you become.
2 Corinthians 3:16-18
BSB
16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
18 And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into His image with intensifying glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
BSB
Stand on God’s word:
Heaven and earth will pass away but my word abides forever
Heaven and earth will pass away but my word abides forever
Isaiah 55:10-11
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10 For just as rain and snow fall from heaven and do not return without watering the earth, making it bud and sprout, and providing seed to sow and food to eat,
11 so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.
11 so My word that proceeds from My mouth will not return to Me empty, but it will accomplish what I please, and it will prosper where I send it.
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Stand against your enemy:
II Corinthians 10:3-4
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3 For though we live in the flesh, we do not wage war according to the flesh.
4 The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
4 The weapons of our warfare are not the weapons of the world. Instead, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
BSB
The greatest weapon of warfare against you is fear & intimidation because the enemy knows if you simply show up to the battle you win!
1 Peter 5:8-9
BSB
8 Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
9 Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.
9 Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering.
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Lions roar for two reasons:
To intimidate other lions
To communicate they feel threatened
To intimidate other lions
To communicate they feel threatened
James 4:6-7
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6 But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
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Submit yourselves to God.
II Chronicles 20:18
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18 Then Jehoshaphat bowed facedown, and all the people of Judah and Jerusalem fell down before the LORD to worship Him.
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Victory is easy...
