Everything Is Awesome & No One Is Happy Standing Firm

 Everything Is Awesome & No One Is Happy

Standing Firm

Opening Illustration:

The year was 2012. The place was Shelby, North Carolina. It was a Wednesday night, around 9 p.m. when Lindsey Wood arrived home with her teenage son. They had both been at church. Mrs. Wood volunteered in the Children’s Ministry and her son was a worship leader for the youth at the church.  They walked in, everything seemed normal. Quiet even. Mrs. Wood asked her son to take the trash out. He complied. When he walked out of the house Mrs. Wood was viciously attacked by man who had entered the home earlier. In an instant, Mrs. Wood was living out Jesus’ words captured in John 10:10. 

John 10:10 ESV

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. 

He had escaped a work release program and was hiding out in her home. Mrs Wood had her throat slashed though it was not a life threatening wound. Fearing for her life. Mrs. Wood begged her attacker not to kill her. Mrs. Wood’s son heard the commotion and hid in the backyard. He called the police while he listens to his mother reason with her attacker. When the police were sent to the house, the dispatcher on the other end of the line prayed with Mrs. Wood’s son. Inside Lindsey Wood began to pray aloud. Her prayers began to calm her attacker. She asked the man if she could read him the Bible and he accepted. He asked her to pray for him which she did. The police finally arrived and there was a standoff. This just gave Mrs. Wood time to share the Gospel with her robber. The breaking and entering had spun into a Bible study. After about two hours, the robber apologized to Mrs. Wood and agreed to go in peace with the police. 

That is a wild story isn’t it? While most of us have never had that happen to us, we can somewhat identify with the feelings of being suddenly attacked. Unexpected. Surprising. Have you ever felt like the world was attacking you? Attacking your children. The world attacking your marriage? Trying to pull you and your spouse apart. Have you ever felt like you were attacked at work? School? Have you ever felt attacked at church? 

Jesus makes a lot of promises but one of the most important promises that He gives to us is that we will be attacked in this world. John 16:33 reminds us all that “in this world you will have trouble”. In fact, one of the defining characteristics of being a Christian is being under attack. Just think of all the ways that Jesus was attacked:

-His life was threatened by Herod.

-His life was attacked by the Pharisees. 

-He was attached by Satan. 

-His life was attacked by His family, His friends, and His disciples. 

-He was attacked by the Romans.

-He was attacked by Pilate, Herod, and soldiers. 

Friends this is clearly not an exhaustive list. There are preachers and teachers who falsely claim that God only wants for you to be happy and prosperous. Sadly, and I really wish those preachers and teachers were right, everything that they have said is not found in the Bible. The truth is that when we obey Christ a target is placed on our lives. Everyday we wake to do God’s bidding is a day that Satan aims at that target hoping to destroy our lives, damage our reputation, and disrupt our families. This is why Paul tells us to put on the full armor of God. Why do we need armor? Because we are under constant, daily, attack. 

Ephesians 6:10-17 NIV

10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. 11 Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. 12 For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. 13 Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. 14 Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, 15 and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. 16 In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. 17 Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Here is the good news my friends. Even though the world may attack us as Satan attacked Jesus, we are never alone. In fact, the Lord applauds those who can stand the test of faith and not fail. Hebrews 12 reminds us that there is a great cloud of witnesses, former saints who have died and gone to be with the Lord, they are cheering for us as we run our race and withstand the attacks of Satan. That is why James, the brother of Jesus starts his book with the following statement, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.” Do you know what verse that is? That’s James chapter 1 verses 2 and 3. Remember it this way, knowing that this world is going to attack you, that Satan wants to destroy you, is as easy as knowing your 1, 2s, and 3s. James chapter 1, verses 2 and 3. 

Fill in the blanks this morning:

Although this world will attack you, God answers with affirmation!

Today’s Thought:

Although This World Will Attack You, God Answers With Affirmation!

Point:

As I have stated several times behind this pulpit, I am a great admirer of Abraham Lincoln. Think about all the challenges and attacks he had to have endured. While he is a cherished historical figure and a giant in American history, his contemporaries and peers often times doubted him, attacked him, made fun of him, and disrespected him. Imagine being the man trying to hold this country together while being heckled in the newspapers, criticized by members of your own political party, and suffering through tragic loss. Still, Lincoln endured. He stood strong. Pressed forward. Lincoln said the following:

“We shall not fail - if we stand firm, we shall not fail. Wise counsels may accelerate, or mistakes delay it, but, sooner or later, the victory is sure to come.”

-Abraham Lincoln

Background:

Today we are only reading one verse. We are reading Philippians 4:1. The reason that we are only reading one verse is because there is a lot of meat on that bone. There is a lot in verse one that can challenge us and encourage us when we are feeling attacked, like life is falling apart, or when we are feeling overwhelmed. Philippians 4 is Paul’s closing to his beloved church and friends. He speaks of Christ’s strength during times of suffering and hardship. He offers up prayers of encouragement and he points the church to focus on what God has provided for them and be grateful for their many blessings. He also prays for peace in the church, free from arguments and petty bickering. Yes, even churches in the ancient world had similar problems to churches of today. They fought, just like churches today do. So, let’s dive in to this one short verse and glean some wisdom from it this morning. Let’s read Philippians 4:1. I am reading from the English Standard Version. 

Today’s Scripture:

Philippians 4:1 ESV

“Therefore, my brothers, whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved.”

I. Satan’s Tools To Discourage You!

Illustration:

Quick question, how many of you have felt discouraged this week? Go ahead and raise your hands. Look around folks, you are not alone. Know this little secret, the ones who didn’t raise their hands were probably just to scared to admit in public that they have been discouraged this week as well. Isn’t it great to know that we are not alone in our discouragement. Reminds me of a Charlie Brown cartoon I saw a few weeks ago. A church member sent it to me and I saved it for this message. 

Charlie Brown Cartoon:

Charley Brown says to Lucy, "Nobody likes me, Lucy. Everybody hates my guts. Do you see that plane up there, Lucy? It’s a plane full of people going somewhere else. That’s what I’d like to do. I’d like to go somewhere else, somewhere where nobody knows me. Then with new people I could get a fresh start. Do you think that’s what I ought to do, Lucy? Go get a fresh start with new people who don’t know me?!"

And Lucy, herself fresh from yanking away Charley Brown’s football just before, replies, "Forget it, Charley Brown. Forget it. Once the new people got to know you, you’d be right back where you started from."

The Lucy’s of this world represent the conventional wisdom: that we will never be accepted. That we will never know enough or be smart enough to be accepted. The Lucy’s of this world tell us that we are not much and never will be; they know that they know and we don’t. We all have, every single person in this room, a Lucy in our life. So, who is your Lucy?

Point:

The point is this, that Satan is our ultimate Lucy. He is always trying to discourage us, hurt us, and he desperately wants to deter us from following Christ. He certainly does not want us to “stand firm” as Paul tells his Philippian brothers and sister. He discourages several different ways. Satan discourages us first through unmet expectations. 

I. Satan’s Tools To Discourage You!

A. Unmet Expectations

Point:

We can create the perfect picture in our minds of how life should be. We watch others as their lives play out the way we imagine for our own. It may even seem easy and seamless for everyone else. When we look through the lens of social media, it appears that everyone is so happy, so beautiful, talented, perfect. But when we look at our lives, we remember our broken hearts, our broken dreams, and sometimes perhaps our then broken hope. We didn’t land the job. We didn’t get asked on the date. Our family has all but fallen to pieces. The one thing we think we want most is just out of reach. And the tears blur our vision. Where do we turn in these moments when those desires we have built up so much in our hearts—those expectations—come crumbling in on us?

The answer rests in Jesus. Because we live in a world broken by sin, dreams will fail, people will fail, and inevitably, the tears will flow. Each one of us is certain to experience, to varying degrees, expectations that remain unmet. Yet, as Christians, we do not despair! When we look to our Savior, who humbly came into this world to die on a cross that we might truly live, we discover glory in our unmet expectations, for they point us more to Jesus. While expectations on this earth may fail, the Lord never will. Because of Jesus’s sacrifice, we can have hope regardless of what our days may bring. Where this world falls short, Jesus’s power and might shine all the more brightly with a hope that endures. 

Again, all of us have been hurt when people let us down or when someone doesn’t keep their promise. Even worse is when I hear a story of when someone was hurt by a church, a minister, a Sunday School teacher, and they quit on their faith all because someone hurt them. Again, the sting of unmet expectations is familiar and dates all the way back to the ancient world. 

James 4:1-3 ESV

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? 2 You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. 3 You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. 

I. Satan’s Tools To Discourage You!

A. Unmet Expectations

B. Unresolved Grudges 

Matthew 5:23-24 ESV

So if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. 

Point:

Isn’t holding a grudge just the best? Someone has wronged us, wounded us, irritated us, infuriated us, etc., and they deserve some kind of retribution. They can’t get away with that, can they? They need to know that they’ve angered you, and you will make sure they know.

Sure, obtaining “justice” might not always look the same, depending on your personality, but typically it looks like lashing out, ignoring the other person, avoiding eye-contact, walking the other way when you see them, and having imagery debates in your head.

We’ve tricked ourselves into thinking there is freedom in that. They have to pay, don’t they? It feels good to “show them” through subtle actions and biting words that they’ve done something we don’t like. Holding a grudge, after all, is our default mode when wronged.

Putting aside for a moment the graceless and gospel-less problems in holding a grudge, we will actually find, ironically, that the one who is harmed when we hold a grudge is not the one we are holding the grudge against. Rather, when we think we are executing some kind of justice by holding a grudge, we actually harm ourselves more than we harm the object of our disdain.

Years ago I preached a sermon about holding on to anger and grudges. I described holding grudges like this: “holding a grudge is like drinking poison everyday hoping that it will kill the other person. Instead, it just kills you slowly, day after day, you are the one wasting away while the other person goes about their life unaware of your private unwavering anger.”

Brothers and sisters, we were not created to or commanded to hold grudges against one another. 

We all know this verse in Ephesians 4:26 from the Apostle Paul, “Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger.” But what about what comes after that?

“…and give no opportunity to the devil.” What does holding on to our anger and grudges do? It opens us up to all kinds of temptations and sin. Holding a grudge never ever results in what we think it will. Instead of harming the other person, it harms our own souls and opens us up to sin. Ironic, isn’t it? Even Jesus knew the value of resolving conflict when he said the following in Matthew 6. 

Matthew 6:14-15 ESV

For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

C. Uneasy About God’s Timing 

Point:

This is perhaps the greatest tool in the toolbox of Satan. Satan will often try to discourage us when we are waiting patiently on the Lord. 

“God doesn’t care about you.”

“God doesn’t love you.

“He has forgotten about you.”

“God is never going to keep His promise.”

These are things that Satan tells us. We all want things to happen immediately. We have a lot of fast food Christians in the world today. We think that God should adopt Burger King’s slogan, “You have it your way”. But we dont get it our way, we have to get it God’s way. 

Do you know what I have discovered about God’s timing? God usually answers our prayers in one of three ways. First, God says “no”. He gives us the red light. You pray and you pray for a relationship to work out but it doesn’t. You want that job and it doesn’t materialize. You prayed that it would but the door closed. Why? God has a better plan for you. He knows more than you do. He is also operating in other people’s lives working for their best as well. Contrary to popular opinion, Stuart Ryan Davidson is not the center of God’s universe. He is placing a lot of people in a lot of situations for their good, including me. 

So, God will say “no”. Then God might say “grow”. God gives us the yellow light. What does that mean? It means that you are not ready for God’s plan yet. You still have growth in your life in certain areas. God is keeping you in his green house for a while longer so that you can mature, develop, and gain strength. Angela and I watched a movie called Tick Tick Boom on Netflix the other night. It chronicled the story of Broadway playwright Johnathan Larson. The movie tells the story of Larson’s eight year journey in writing a play entitled “Suburbia”. It was his life work and he was so proud of it. Produces from Broadway came to hear it and they loved it. Larson expected his play to be picked up and put on Broadway but the calls never happened. His life’s work was rejected. He was crushed, depressed, and almost quit. 5 years later Larson wrote the acclaimed musical “Rent” and it changed Broadway forever. In fact, it changed how people would write musicals for the next 30 years. Larson had to suffer disappointment before he was ready to complete a life changing journey. A yellow light is not a bad thing. It can lead to greatness. 

Lastly, God can say “go”. God gives you the green light. Go for it. Take the job. Purse engagement. Pass the test. You have waited, you have grown, and now you are ready. 

Brothers and sisters, if God has told you no, don’t get frustrated. If He has told you “grow”, then wait patiently to mature you. God’s timing is always perfect. 

Psalm 27:14 ESV

Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!

II. God’s Tools To Encourage You!

Illustration:

A young couple, very much in love, were getting married in church. However, the bride was very nervous about the big occasion and so the preacher chose one verse that he felt would be a great encouragement to them. The verse was 1 John 4:18 which says: "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear."

The preacher asked the best man to read it during the ceremony. The preacher did not know the best man was not a regular churchgoer and did not know the difference between the Gospel of John and the First Letter of John.

During the service the best man introduced the reading by saying that the preacher felt this was a very good verse for the bride and that he would say more about it later in the service and then read John 4:18, which says:

"The fact is, you have had five husbands, and the man you now have is not your husband."

The preacher wanted to encourage the couple. His attempt went very wrong.

Quote:

William Arthur Ward once said-

Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you.

A. Pray

Philippians 4:6 ESV

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.

B. Partner

Quote:

"Encouragement is perhaps one of the greatest gifts friends can ever give. An encouraging friend is a lifeline to steady a floundering heart, to bring sunshine to a cloudy day, and to deliver a blessing just looking for a place to land."

James 5:16 ESV

Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

C. Pour Over God’s Word

Proverbs 30:5 ESV

Every word of God proves true; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

D. Praise 

Psalm 100:1-5 ESV

A Psalm for giving thanks. Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing! Know that the Lord, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

E. Partake 

Romans 12:11 ESV

Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

Go The Jesus Way Today & Stand Firm!