Victory - Week 2 - Encourage Yourself in the Lord

Learning how to recover all that God intended for us! …Grace, blessing, favor, purpose and power. 

1 Samuel 30:3-6 (NIV) 3 When David and his men came to Ziklag, they found it destroyed by fire and their wives and sons and daughters taken captive. 4 So David and his men wept aloud until they had no strength left to weep. 5 David's two wives had been captured--Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel (Recorded/God’s Will-one husband/wife is quite enough). 6 David was greatly distressed because the men were talking of stoning him; each one was bitter in spirit because of his sons and daughters. But David found strength (encouraged himself) in the LORD his God.

What do you do when you are having one of the worst days of your life?

1. Reconcile your Pain  

  • Other participants (Pain) > God + Participant (Pain) = Captivity/Consequences…

  • Captivity/Consequences – Participant (Pain) + God > Other participants (Pain)= Freedo

2 Corinthians 7:10-11 (NIV) 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death(grieving consequence/loss of connection with God-First Wednesday). 11 See what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. – How do you know, determined where you go when you grieve-Toward or Away - Grace/Disgrace

2. Retrace your Steps  

  • I got tired-Physically, Emotionally, Spiritually

  • I started doubting God/dabbling/doing it your own way/considering ways that you know are outside of his will/cutting critical corners    

  • I got what I wanted  

3. Replace your trust:  Proverbs 3:3-6 (NIV) 3 Let love and faithfulness (for whom/to whom: Him who loves you) never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 4 Then you will win favor and a good name in the sight of God and man. 5 Trust (re-place courage/confidence in the only one who can truly save you) in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; 6 in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.  

 

Crossing Church