I Samuel 7:3-6 Stress on verse 3
Keys to Victory
Introduction
On the night of December 9, 1914, Edison Industries was destroyed by fire. The loss exceeded $2 million, along with the vast majority of Thomas Alva Edison's work. Edison was insured for only $238 because the buildings were constructed of concrete, which at that time, was thought to make a building fireproof.
At sixty-seven years of age, Edison watched his life's work go up in flames.
The next morning, after firefighters had finally brought the inferno under control, Edison surveyed the scene. He said, "There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew"
Three weeks after the fire, Edison Industries produced the first phonograph.
What was the key to Edison's recovery? It was to look beyond the sit back and on to the victory.
George Washington didn't see the frozen Delaware river, he focused on the troops that were forming at Trent and the victory that would be theirs.
I know that the devil always attempts to get us to focus on our sit-backs, on our failures, and not on the victory that is ours.
Samuel had to get the people who had be defeated and humiliated to focus on the victory that would be theirs if they would only apply a few simple principles to their life.
What are the elements to victory?
I. There Must Be a Putting Away of Sin
True Repentance always has a putting away. Sin is removed. Not thought about possibly moving but moved, not just good intentions but actions.
Colossians 3:8-9
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
Putting away is often painful because it demands we rid ourselves of those sins of momentary pleasure.
Illustration
I sometimes believe the animal kingdom is smarter than mankind when it comes to recognizing God's warning signs.
In South American the natives hunt a bight colored variety of small frogs. To cook but not to eat. They gather the sweat that comes from the skin of these frogs to place on the tip of their spears because it is very poisonous.
Now what's amazing about these little frogs is that the bird kingdom that normally love little frogs for dinner will avoid them at all cost. Not even the lowly chicken will eat one of these, easy to spot because of their bright color, frogs.
Sin looks good but is very deadly.
II. There Must Be a Preparation of the Heart
I sometimes think that we get the horse before the cart. Most of the time we say, "Get your heart right and then your will put sin away." But! You cannot prepare the heart for worship if the unless you put the sin away.
Their heart was pricked. That lead to Repentance. Once one has repented, then the Heart can be prepared for real worship.
A prepared heart is a surrendered heart. A heart that has given all to Jesus. Nothing Held back.
III. There Must Be a Sole Purpose
"The Sole Purpose was to Serve the Lord and Him Only"
Revival always includes Service, service that is solely for the purpose of the Lord. Not Service for self-interest. Not service with self-centered goals. Service for the pure and simple act of love for the Only Lord.
This may come as a shock to some of you but your purpose on earth is not to see how many weeks vacation you can earn, nor is it to how much you can stash in your mutual fund, nor is it to see how much sun you can get
The Bible says in eccl. 12:13 that are pupose is to: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man."
IV. Then There Will be Prosperity (Victory)
Now note with me what Samuel Did:
1. He Restored God's Lordship v.7-8
2. He Reconciled the Peoples Sins With a Lamb V. 9
3. They Reclaimed the Land (Got Back What Was Always Theirs) V.10-11
Has Satan robbed you of what is rightfully yours? Has he stolen your joy? Wreaked your peace? Has He overran your confidence? Tested your Testimony? Cheated you of your courage? Fouled up your fellowship?
Isn't it about time to claim it back?
Make Him Lord
Praise the Lamb
Reclaim the Land
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