Faith, Fight, and Victory: Embracing God’s Promises

So often, we find ourselves weighed down by the challenges and disappointments of life, feeling as though we are not qualified or worthy to receive the promises God has spoken over us. Many of us carry a sense of insecurity, believing that our past mistakes or failures have disqualified us from God’s best. Yet, the story of Israel’s journey into the Promised Land reminds us that God’s faithfulness is not dependent on our perfection, but on His power and purpose. When the Israelites finally stood on the threshold of their inheritance, they were met not with ease, but with opposition—nations bigger and stronger than themselves. This was not a sign of God’s absence, but rather a stage for His strength to be revealed.

Life rarely unfolds as simply as we hope. We expect that, after all we’ve endured, the breakthrough should come easily. But God often allows us to face “Jebusites”—those last, stubborn strongholds that seem impossible to overcome. These are not meant to defeat us, but to remind us that the victory is not by our might, but by God’s hand. The city that once mocked David and Israel, declaring they would never enter, became the very place of their greatest victory—the City of David. In the same way, the areas in our lives where the enemy seems most entrenched are often the places God intends to give us as a testimony of His power.

We must not measure our worth or our future by our failures. Like a footballer who scores one out of every six or seven shots, our lives are not defined by the misses, but by the victories God brings. God is not keeping a tally of our mistakes; He is building a highlight reel of His faithfulness in our story. The end of the story is already written—God is the author and the finisher. He knows the greatness that is still to come in your life, and He has chosen you not in spite of your failures, but because He knows what you will accomplish through Him.

So, let us shift our focus from our regrets to our highlights. Let us remember the times God brought us through, the moments He proved Himself faithful, and the victories that seemed impossible. The battle is not over, and the story is not finished. God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than we could ask or imagine—not just for others, but for you, personally. Walk in that confidence, knowing that your greatest victories may still be ahead.

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Key Takeaways

• 1. God’s Promises Often Come with Opposition When God leads us into new territory, we often encounter challenges that seem bigger and stronger than we are. These obstacles are not evidence of God’s absence, but rather opportunities for His power to be displayed. The presence of opposition is a sign that God is at work, preparing to show Himself faithful in ways we could not achieve on our own. [39:25]
• 2. Your Past Does Not Disqualify You from God’s Best Feelings of unworthiness and insecurity can make us believe that God’s promises are for others, not for us. Yet, God chooses us knowing our failures, and He delights in using those who feel least qualified. Our story is not defined by our mistakes, but by God’s grace and His ability to redeem every part of our journey. [35:10]
• 3. Victory Is Not Always Immediate or Obvious Just as David and Israel faced fortified walls and mocking enemies, our breakthroughs may not come easily or quickly. The process may involve setbacks, near-misses, and ongoing battles. What matters is not how many times we fall, but that we keep moving forward, trusting that God is writing a story of victory that will be clear in the end. [45:22]
• 4. God Counts the Victories, Not the Misses Like a footballer whose career is celebrated for goals, not missed shots, God’s focus is on the victories He brings in our lives. He is not keeping score of our failures, but is building a highlight reel of His faithfulness. We are called to remember and celebrate the moments God has come through, rather than dwell on our shortcomings. [52:00]
• 5. Believe God’s Promises Are Personal It is easy to believe that God can do great things for others, but harder to accept that He wants to do them for us. The real battle is to take God at His word for ourselves—to believe that we are the head and not the tail, that He is able to do more than we can imagine, specifically in our own lives. This personal faith is the key to stepping into all that God has for us. [54:45]

Youtube Chapters

• [00:00] - Welcome
• [31:08] - The Challenge of Showing Up
• [31:42] - Addressing Real-Life Issues
• [33:00] - Turning to 1 Chronicles 11
• [33:36] - Life’s Unexpected Difficulties
• [34:23] - Wrestling with Insecurity
• [35:10] - Feeling Disqualified
• [36:25] - God’s Promises and the Wilderness
• [37:36] - Entering the Promised Land
• [38:48] - Facing “Bigger and Stronger”
• [41:12] - The Reality of the Fight
• [43:35] - The Jebusites and the Last Stronghold
• [45:22] - Nevertheless: Overcoming Against the Odds
• [48:25] - Lessons from Football: It’s Not Always Easy
• [52:00] - God’s Highlight Reel
• [54:45] - Making God’s Promises Personal
• [56:00] - Remembering Your Highlights
• [57:31] - Prayer and Blessing

Bible Reading

1 Chronicles 11:4-6 (NIV) — > 4 David and all the Israelites marched to Jerusalem (that is, Jebus). The Jebusites who lived there said to David, “You will not get in here.” Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.
> 5 David had said, “Whoever leads the attack on the Jebusites will become commander-in-chief.” Joab son of Zeruiah went up first, and so he received the command.
> 6 David then took up residence in the fortress, and so it was called the City of David.

Deuteronomy 7:1-2 (NIV) — > 1 When the Lord your God brings you into the land you are entering to possess and drives out before you many nations—the Hittites, Girgashites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites, seven nations larger and stronger than you—
> 2 and when the Lord your God has delivered them over to you and you have defeated them, then you must destroy them totally. Make no treaty with them, and show them no mercy.

Observation Questions

1. According to 1 Chronicles 11, what was the attitude of the Jebusites towards David and the Israelites when they approached Jerusalem?
2. In Deuteronomy 7, how does God describe the nations Israel would face as they entered the Promised Land?
3. The sermon mentions that the Israelites faced “bigger and stronger” nations even after God’s promise. What does this reveal about the nature of God’s promises? [[39:25]]
4. What was the outcome for David and Israel when they faced the Jebusites, despite the initial opposition? [[45:22]]

Interpretation Questions

1. Why do you think God allowed the Israelites to face nations that were “bigger and stronger” than themselves, even after promising them the land? [[39:25]]
2. The Jebusites mocked David and Israel, saying they would never enter the city. What does this teach about the kinds of opposition we might face when stepping into God’s promises? [[44:11]]
3. The sermon compares our lives to a football match, where not every attempt is a goal. How does this analogy help us understand God’s perspective on our failures and victories? [[52:00]]
4. The preacher says, “God is not keeping a tally of our mistakes; He is building a highlight reel of His faithfulness in our story.” How does this change the way we view our past and our future? [[53:07]]

Application Questions

1. The Israelites had to face “bigger and stronger” nations even after years of waiting for their promise. Can you think of a time when you expected a breakthrough to be easy, but instead faced unexpected challenges? How did you respond? [[40:01]]
2. The sermon talks about feeling unworthy or disqualified because of past mistakes. Are there areas in your life where you feel like your past is holding you back from God’s best? What would it look like to trust God’s grace in those areas? [[35:10]]
3. The Jebusites’ city became the City of David—the place of greatest victory. Is there a “stronghold” in your life that seems impossible to overcome? What step could you take this week to trust God with that area? [[45:22]]
4. The preacher encourages us to focus on our “highlights” instead of our regrets. What is one specific moment in your life where God came through for you? How can you remind yourself of this when you face new challenges? [[56:00]]
5. The analogy of the footballer missing many shots but being remembered for the goals is powerful. How do you usually respond to your own “misses” or failures? What would it look like to celebrate the victories instead? [[52:00]]
6. The sermon challenges us to believe that God’s promises are personal, not just for others. Is there a promise from God’s Word that you struggle to believe is for you? What would it take to make that promise personal this week? [[54:45]]
7. The preacher suggests going home and “playing your highlights”—remembering God’s faithfulness. What is one practical way you can do this in your daily or weekly routine? (e.g., journaling, sharing testimonies, prayer) [[56:00]]