Recognizing God's Unseen Protection and Blessings
Summary
In my sermon, I emphasized the importance of recognizing God's protection and blessings, even when they are not immediately apparent. I highlighted how God often protects us from dangers we do not see, and that these unseen blessings are just as significant as the tangible ones we receive. I also discussed the importance of acknowledging God's role in our deliverance, rather than attributing our survival to our own strength or abilities. I stressed that God allows challenges to come into our lives to show us that He is with us at all times, and that we should not only focus on the tangible blessings we receive, but also appreciate the dangers we have been shielded from.
In the second part of my sermon, I discussed the tendency of people to take blessings for granted and forget the source of these blessings. I used the example of the Israelites in the Bible who, despite experiencing God's miracles, still questioned His presence in times of hardship. I emphasized that it is not enough to have experiences with God; we must truly experience God Himself. I also stressed the importance of recognizing our dependence on God and surrendering to Him, acknowledging that we cannot win our battles without His help.
Key Takeaways:
- God's protection often shields us from unseen dangers, and these unseen blessings are just as significant as the tangible ones we receive. (#31:28)
- We should not only focus on the tangible blessings we receive, but also appreciate the dangers we have been shielded from. (#32:14)
- It is not enough to have experiences with God; we must truly experience God Himself. (#27:38)
- We must recognize our dependence on God and surrender to Him, acknowledging that we cannot win our battles without His help. (#50:15)
- We must be present and aware when we are in a spiritual battle, and look to God for help. (#50:53)
Study Guide
Bible Reading:
1. Exodus 15:22-25 [26:43]
2. Exodus 17:1-7 [27:38]
3. Ephesians 5:8-13 [37:17]
Observation Questions:
1. In Exodus 15, what was the significance of the piece of wood that Moses threw into the bitter water?
2. In Exodus 17, what was the significance of the rock that Moses struck to provide water?
3. In Ephesians 5:8-13, what does Paul mean by "fruitless deeds of darkness"?
Interpretation Questions:
1. How does the act of Moses throwing the piece of wood into the water in Exodus 15 relate to our relationship with God?
2. What does the rock in Exodus 17 symbolize in our spiritual journey?
3. How does Ephesians 5:8-13 instruct us to live as children of light?
Application Questions:
1. Can you recall a time when you focused more on the blessings you received rather than the Blesser? How can you shift your focus to appreciate the Blesser more?
2. How can you apply the lesson from Exodus 17 about the rock providing water in your current life situation?
3. In what ways can you expose and turn away from the "fruitless deeds of darkness" as mentioned in Ephesians 5:8-13?
4. How can you actively live as a child of light in your daily life?
5. Can you identify a personal "battle" you're currently fighting? How can you surrender it to God and trust Him to help you win?
Devotional
Day 1: Recognizing Our Dependence on Christ
We often find ourselves in battles, both seen and unseen, and it's crucial to remember that we cannot win these battles on our own. Our victory comes from Christ, and the more we rely on Him, the more victories we will see in our lives. We must surrender to God, acknowledging that we need Him in every aspect of our lives ([49:28]).
Psalm 44:6-7 - "I put no trust in my bow, my sword does not bring me victory; but you give us victory over our enemies, you put our adversaries to shame."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent struggle or battle you faced. How did you rely on Christ during this time?
Day 2: God's Protection in the Unseen
God's protection is not always visible to us. He often shields us from dangers and challenges that we are not even aware of. It's important to remember that God's protection extends beyond what we can see or understand, and that He is with us at all times, even when we don't see the evidence ([31:28]).
2 Kings 6:17 - "And Elisha prayed, 'Open his eyes, LORD, so that he may see.' Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha."
Reflection: Can you recall a time when you later realized God had been protecting you from unseen dangers?
Day 3: The Danger of Misplaced Gratitude
Sometimes, we can become so focused on the blessings we receive that we forget the source of those blessings. We must remember to give thanks not just for the blessings, but also to the One who provides them. Our experiences with God should lead us to a deeper experience of God Himself ([26:43]).
Deuteronomy 8:18 - "But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent blessing you received. Did you remember to give thanks to God, the source of all blessings?
Day 4: The Blessing of Unseen Protection
God's protection often extends to things we don't see or understand. He shields us from dangers and challenges that we are not even aware of. This unseen protection is a blessing just as much as the tangible blessings we receive ([32:14]).
Psalm 121:7-8 - "The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore."
Reflection: Can you think of a time when you later realized God had been protecting you from unseen dangers?
Day 5: The Importance of Surrender
Surrendering to God means acknowledging our need for Him in every aspect of our lives. It means recognizing that we cannot win our battles on our own, and that our victories come from Him. When we surrender to God, we are saying that we want to win, but we want to win with Him on our side ([50:15]).
Proverbs 3:5-6 - "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight."
Reflection: Reflect on a recent victory in your life. How did surrendering to God play a role in this victory?
Quotes
1. "Sometimes you can't see because you're fighting somebody directly in front of you but eventually you'll be able to see again and you will continuously win the battle. You will not win the battle on your own, you actually do need Christ. The more that you use Christ in your life, you will win anyway if you fight anyway." - 49:03
2. "It's not always what you see that God's protecting you from, majority of times it's what you don't see that he's protecting you from. The more you get into your mind and say well do I have this God, I am thirsty God, I need this God, I need that, I need this, you are only considering what's in front of you, you're not considering what's outside of you." - 31:08
3. "Don't y'all know that there are blessings in what we don't see, what we don't run into? That is a blessing. You are receiving that as well as you are receiving the tangible. What you don't run into is a blessing just as much as what you get is a blessing." - 31:08
4. "It's apparent that just because you had an experience with God doesn't mean that you've experienced God. Many of us have had experiences with God and yet we still have not experienced God. We keep confusing our experiences with him as the blessing when his vult is the experience of him and our experiences with him." - 26:09
5. "Have you ever been in a situation where you have prayed and prayed and prayed and God provided and you took the blessing but not the blesser? You took the water from the rock but not the rock. You didn't consider that the water doesn't come from rocks, that rocks don't provide water." - 26:09
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