Striving for Total Victory in Christ

 

Summary

In today's exploration of 2 Kings 13:14-21, we delve into the concept of "Total Victory" and the dangers of settling for less than what God has intended for us. Many of us live with just enough peace, joy, and breakthrough to get by, but God desires for us to experience an abundant life, overflowing with His goodness. This abundant life is not just about surviving but thriving in every aspect of our existence. Jesus promised us a life superior in every way, yet we often settle for mediocrity. The story of King Joash and Elisha illustrates the importance of not just starting well but finishing strong, aiming for complete victory rather than partial success.

When Joash was instructed by Elisha to strike the ground with arrows, he stopped after three strikes, which limited his victory over Syria. This act symbolizes how we often limit ourselves by not fully committing to God's instructions. The process of sanctification, or becoming more like Christ, is ongoing. It involves not just dealing with the symptoms of sin but allowing God to transform our nature, desires, and actions. This transformation is a journey that requires persistence and faith, trusting that God is working all things for our good.

We are reminded that God has a role, and we have a responsibility. God provides the power and victory, but we must act in faith, doing our part to see His promises fulfilled. Details matter in our walk with God, and paying attention to His specific instructions can mean the difference between partial and total victory. Persistence in faith, even when the process seems long and arduous, is crucial. We must continue in what God has last instructed us until He gives us a new direction.

Ultimately, total victory is about aligning our lives with God's will, trusting in His timing, and persevering in faith. We are called to press on, not settling for just enough, but striving for the fullness of what God has for us. This is the abundant life Jesus died to give us, and it is available to all who believe and follow Him wholeheartedly.

Key Takeaways:

- The Danger of Settling: Many Christians settle for a life of mediocrity, experiencing just enough of God's blessings to get by. However, God desires for us to live an abundant life, overflowing with His goodness and victory. Settling for less than what God has for us limits our potential and the fullness of life He intends. [07:59]

- The Process of Sanctification: Salvation is not a one-time event but an ongoing process of becoming more like Christ. This involves dealing with the symptoms of sin and allowing God to transform our nature and desires. Sanctification is a journey that requires persistence and faith, trusting that God is working all things for our good. [12:38]

- Recognizing Our Roles: God provides the power and victory, but we have a responsibility to act in faith. We must recognize our roles in God's plan, doing our part to see His promises fulfilled. This involves aligning our actions with God's instructions and trusting in His provision. [31:17]

- The Importance of Details: Paying attention to God's specific instructions can mean the difference between partial and total victory. Details matter in our walk with God, and following His guidance precisely is crucial for experiencing the fullness of His blessings. [37:51]

- Persistence in Faith: Total victory requires persistence in faith, even when the process seems long and arduous. We must continue in what God has last instructed us until He gives us a new direction. Perseverance in faith leads to the fulfillment of God's promises and the abundant life He has for us. [44:28]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:45] - Introduction to Total Victory
- [02:30] - The Story of Elisha and Joash
- [04:15] - The Danger of Settling for Less
- [07:59] - Understanding Abundant Life
- [10:20] - The Process of Sanctification
- [12:38] - The Role of Faith in Victory
- [15:55] - Overcoming the Enemy
- [18:30] - Recognizing Our Roles
- [20:56] - The Importance of Details
- [23:25] - Persistence in Faith
- [26:40] - Aligning with God's Will
- [28:04] - The Power of God's Promises
- [31:17] - Acting in Faith
- [32:51] - Conclusion and Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Total Victory

Bible Reading:
- 2 Kings 13:14-21
- Judges 3:2
- Deuteronomy 7:22

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Observation Questions:

1. In 2 Kings 13:14-21, what specific instructions did Elisha give to King Joash, and how did Joash respond to them? [36:02]

2. According to the sermon, what was the significance of Elisha placing his hands on the king's hands during the shooting of the arrow? [28:04]

3. How does the story of King Joash illustrate the concept of settling for less than what God intends for us? [20:56]

4. What role do the "wild beasts" mentioned in Judges 3:2 and Deuteronomy 7:22 play in the context of achieving total victory? [12:38]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the act of King Joash striking the ground only three times reflect our own tendencies to limit God's work in our lives? [36:02]

2. What does the sermon suggest about the relationship between God's power and our responsibility in achieving victory? [31:17]

3. How does the process of sanctification, as described in the sermon, relate to the idea of total victory in a believer's life? [12:38]

4. In what ways does the sermon challenge the notion that total victory is only achievable in the afterlife? [15:55]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you settled for less than what God had for you. What steps can you take to pursue the fullness of God's promises in your life? [20:56]

2. The sermon emphasizes the importance of persistence in faith. Identify an area in your life where you need to persist in faith despite challenges. How can you practically apply this persistence? [39:34]

3. Consider the roles of God's power and your responsibility in your current challenges. How can you better align your actions with God's instructions to achieve victory? [31:17]

4. The sermon highlights the importance of details in following God's instructions. Is there a specific area where you might be overlooking details in your spiritual walk? How can you address this? [37:51]

5. How can you actively participate in the process of sanctification in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to allow God to transform your nature and desires? [12:38]

6. Reflect on the concept of total victory as described in the sermon. What does total victory look like for you personally, and what changes might you need to make to pursue it wholeheartedly? [44:28]

7. The sermon mentions the danger of settling for mediocrity. Identify one area in your life where you might be settling. What specific actions can you take to strive for the abundant life God has promised? [07:59]

Devotional

Day 1: Embrace God's Abundance
Many Christians find themselves living a life of mediocrity, experiencing just enough of God's blessings to get by. However, God desires for us to live an abundant life, overflowing with His goodness and victory. Settling for less than what God has for us limits our potential and the fullness of life He intends. The story of King Joash and Elisha serves as a reminder that we should not be content with partial victories but should strive for the complete fulfillment of God's promises. By fully committing to God's instructions and embracing His abundance, we can experience a life that is not just about surviving but thriving in every aspect. [07:59]

Isaiah 55:2-3 (ESV): "Why do you spend your money for that which is not bread, and your labor for that which does not satisfy? Listen diligently to me, and eat what is good, and delight yourselves in rich food. Incline your ear, and come to me; hear, that your soul may live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, my steadfast, sure love for David."

Reflection: In what areas of your life have you settled for less than God's abundance? How can you begin to seek His fullness today?


Day 2: The Journey of Sanctification
Salvation is not a one-time event but an ongoing process of becoming more like Christ. This involves dealing with the symptoms of sin and allowing God to transform our nature and desires. Sanctification is a journey that requires persistence and faith, trusting that God is working all things for our good. As we grow in our relationship with God, we must be willing to let go of old habits and embrace the new life He offers. This transformation is not always easy, but it is essential for experiencing the abundant life God has for us. [12:38]

2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV): "And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit."

Reflection: What is one specific area in your life where you need to allow God to transform you? How can you take a step towards that transformation today?


Day 3: Acting in Faith
God provides the power and victory, but we have a responsibility to act in faith. We must recognize our roles in God's plan, doing our part to see His promises fulfilled. This involves aligning our actions with God's instructions and trusting in His provision. By stepping out in faith and taking action, we demonstrate our trust in God's promises and open ourselves up to the fullness of His blessings. It is through our obedience and faith that we can experience the victory God has already secured for us. [31:17]

James 2:17-18 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."

Reflection: What is one step of faith you can take today to align your actions with God's instructions? How can this step lead you closer to experiencing His promises?


Day 4: Attention to Detail
Paying attention to God's specific instructions can mean the difference between partial and total victory. Details matter in our walk with God, and following His guidance precisely is crucial for experiencing the fullness of His blessings. By being attentive to the details of God's Word and His instructions, we can ensure that we are fully aligned with His will and open to receiving all that He has for us. This requires a heart that is willing to listen and obey, even in the small things. [37:51]

Proverbs 4:20-22 (ESV): "My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh."

Reflection: Are there any specific instructions from God that you have overlooked or neglected? How can you begin to pay closer attention to His guidance today?


Day 5: Perseverance in Faith
Total victory requires persistence in faith, even when the process seems long and arduous. We must continue in what God has last instructed us until He gives us a new direction. Perseverance in faith leads to the fulfillment of God's promises and the abundant life He has for us. By holding on to our faith and trusting in God's timing, we can overcome obstacles and experience the victory that He has already secured for us. It is through our perseverance that we demonstrate our trust in God's faithfulness and His ability to work all things for our good. [44:28]

Hebrews 10:36 (ESV): "For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you need to persevere in faith? How can you remind yourself of God's promises and remain steadfast in your trust in Him?

Quotes


"praise the lord all right second kings chapter 13 and we're going to read verses 14 through 21 we're in the end i believe of our series about just enough is not enough so many times we settle for less than what god has for us we settle for what god wants we we we don't receive all that god wants for us we settle then a less for a less than experience jesus promised that we would have an abundant life with him that word abundant means overflowing it means superior means better in every way but many of us don't experience that abundant life we would not say our life is superior our life is overflowing and often that is because we choose to settle for less we settle for just enough breakthrough just enough goodness just enough peace just enough joy just enough to get past our current situation and god wants to bring us all the way through into fullness amen so the title of today's message is going to be total victory total victory and we're going to read verses 14 through 21 from second kings chapter 13 and then we're going to pray and we're going to launch into the word today so the bible says elisha had become sick with the illness with which he would die then joash the king of israel came down to him and wept over his face and said oh my father my father the chariots of israel and their horsemen and elisha said to him take a bow and some arrows so he took himself a bow and some arrows then he said to the king of israel put your hand on the bow so he put his hand on it and elisha put his hands on the king's hands and he said open the east window and he opened it then elisha said shoot and he shot and he said the arrow of the lord's deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from syria for you must strike the syrians at aphek till you have destroyed them then he said take the arrows so he took them and he said to the king of israel strike the ground so he struck three times and stopped and the man of god was angry with him and said you should have struck five or six times then you would have struck syria till you had destroyed it but now you will strike syria only three times then elisha died" [00:00:05] (144 seconds)


"See, when we come to Christ, the Bible says we're saved from our sins. And praise God, I'm so grateful I was saved from my sins. Because my sins were going to carry me right to hell. And my sins, which I did, not God, I did, not my mom, I did, not my brother, I did, not the culture, me. My sins were going to lead to a consequence that I couldn't afford to pay. But Jesus saved me. And I was so grateful that day that he did. But that's not all that salvation does. And I've come to discover that while we are following Christ, we're still in the process of being saved. I've discovered that as a Christian, I've sometimes stumbled and fall. Sometimes a word slipped out of my mouth that wasn't supposed to be there. Sometimes a look that shouldn't have gotten a second glance came out of my head. Sometimes a behavior or an action or something that was not righteous, not right, not good, I found myself doing. Now, maybe that's not been your experience. But I would guess if you're a human and you're trying to follow Jesus, you probably have stumbled too." [00:04:50] (68 seconds)


"sanctification it's where God begins to work this new life this salvation in us it's where God helps us become a son and daughter in the faith you know John chapter 1 verse 12 was one of my favorite scriptures it says to those who have received him he gave them the right to become children of God that's another misconception I get saved I'm a child of God no you get the right to become one and the process of becoming is called sanctification sanctification is where we're being transformed and transformation has layers first I think God deals with the symptoms and then God teaches us new ways and new behaviors ultimately as he's working to deal with the cause of our dysfunction think about it the consequences of sin are what they're dealt with his blood the Bible says that without blood there's no remission of sin but Jesus is the lamb of God that was slain from the foundational world and by his blood we have received remission our sins are erased praise God praise God I'm telling if that don't make you happy nothing's gonna make you happy the word of God teaches us new behaviors doesn't it says don't do this this is bad and this will lead to a curse and this will lead to pain and sorrow and consequences do this and this will lead to blessing and favor and goodness from God the word of God teaches us new behaviors but the Holy Spirit within us takes the blood of Jesus and regenerates us or makes us new he gives us a new nature so so here's here's the process I'm not just not just um being forgiven I'm not just dealing with the symptoms right because sinners do what they sin and sometimes we just want to deal with the symptoms so we want to clean up the act and we think that that's all that God does but God doesn't just clean up our act God also renews our mind because it's the way we think that causes us to act the way we do right but see that's not enough because just changing your thinking doesn't always change your response why because we have a layer on the inside a nature that has desires that has inclinations that has proclivities that just moves to one thing and moves to a next so we have to have a new nature I love what the scripture describes it says that we have new appetites that he gives us new desires" [00:07:31] (149 seconds)


"God wants us to have total victory. God wants us to conquer our enemies in a way that doesn't destroy us or leave us vulnerable. In the Bible, and you can find this in two places, we're not going to look at it up, look at it on the screen, but I'm going to give it to you. In Judges 3, verse 2, and Deuteronomy 7, verse 22. So again, Judges 3, verse 2, Deuteronomy 7, verse 22. Essentially, this is what God says. God says to Israel, He says, Listen, when I bring you into the promised land, I brought you in with the nation still there. And you are going to have to learn how to possess your promise by driving the nations out, one by one. Deuteronomy 7, verse 22, God says, Listen, if I were to give you total victory, you would be overrun by the wild beasts. Now, what does that mean? How does that apply to us? Because we're not going to battle. We're not taking up our M16 or M60 or... We're not going to battle. Well, I'm dating myself a M2. You know, we're not taking up those old school weapons. We're not doing those things. What are we doing? Well, the nations represent the world, the flesh and the devil in our lives. These things that we have to subdue, we have to conquer so that we can live in the life of flourishing by God. But the wild beasts throughout scripture are demonic forces. They're demons, really fallen angels that work to overtake our soul. So what God is saying is like, listen, I'm gonna teach you how to gain victory piece by piece, bit by bit, part by part in your life so that number one, you will have courage and confidence and number two, you won't be overwhelmed by the vacuum that's created." [00:11:42] (100 seconds)


"our true victory over the world is our faith we understand that the times and seasons are in god's hands and therefore we need to continue in the faith that we've received until the very end you cannot quit you cannot stop because the blessing is coming when the blessing comes and whether it comes now or whether it comes in the next life it doesn't matter because it's still coming we overcome by faith the bible tells you read hebrews chapter 11 you can see all the victories and all the challenges and all the difficulties of men and women of god who who battled for with faith to see god's victory they battled some died in the fight i mean one priest was sawn in half between the church and the altar somebody's in pain right now sawn in half i mean could you imagine for your stance for god but what did he get he got eternal life he got to stand in the presence of god he got his eternal reward god does not leave any of his words empty god keeps all of his words and he fulfills all of his promises we walk by faith so what does this mean i mean why am i talking about this because we've got to get this in our heart that we orient ourselves about following god by faith we trust him we obey him out of devotion and the knowledge that god is able to work all things together for our good sometimes we're afraid of god and so we let that manipulate us or let that control us god does not need to control you with fear but when you love god and when you've been loved by god you do things out of love and devotion because you know that god is for you not against you know that god wants to give you good you know that god wants to lead you in a good you know that god has promised and god has demonstrated with the sacrifice of his son that all he's going to do is for your good so why do i obey god not because i'm afraid he's going to whoop me not because i'm afraid of hell not because i'm afraid of consequence but because he loved me so much he loved me so much that he's going to do good for me so if he tells me do this i know that in the end of my doing this is going to be good and it's going to be particularly for my good because god don't need nothing you ever thought about that god doesn't need my worship god doesn't need my obedience god is good how he is and if i could add anything to god he wouldn't be god if god needed anything for me he wouldn't be god but god loves me" [00:24:48] (148 seconds)


"Victory would be through God's power, but who had to shoot the arrow? The king did. The king had to do the shooting. God's hands was there. God would give the victory, but the king had a role to play. He had a responsibility. It was the arrow of the Lord's deliverance. Did you notice it was given two names? The arrow of the Lord's deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria. One was God's, one was man's. And this is our life. See, we need to recognize our roles. God is the one who's going to deliver you. God is the one who's going to bless you. God is the one that's going to give you victory. God is the one that's going to change you. God is going to do what needs to be done, what we're unable to do. But we have responsibility. God has power and wisdom and provision and supply and all the things that we need. What do we have? We have responsibility. We do what he says and we receive what he has." [00:29:59] (50 seconds)


"a key element to faith is persistence it's not given up because of what we see or or when what we see is contrary to what god has spoken or what our circumstances don't line up with what what our expectations are here's the truth commitment with conviction leads to completion commitment with conviction leads to completion you commit to god that means you need to be convinced that god is who he said he was and because you're convinced that god is god and god will do what god said he would do you stay through to the end it keeps you all the way through when you commit to god you got to do so with conviction what did he say he said you count the cost didn't he you remember what jesus said no one builds a building without counting the cost first he said no one goes to battle without making sure they got enough resources army you know uh logistics in order to defeat the opposing army right he said that's stupid people will make fun of you so how much more should we count the cost when it comes to following christ count the cost when it comes to following god bible says don't waver in unbelief but be strengthened in faith why because we're convinced that god is able to do what he promised to do that's what father father abraham abraham the father of our faith that's that's what he did it said he did he looked at his body he was old and he didn't waver in unbelief he didn't look at the circumstances and say well god i'm i'm old like how am i going to have a kid he just said god you said it it's going to happen i believe you i'm not going to consider my circumstances having the final say i'm going to do what you said to do and i'm going to receive what you promised to give me and so what did he do he turned out the lights and went in the tent" [00:40:08] (114 seconds)


"you ever heard that phrase god said it i believe it and that settles it this this phrase only sounds foolish to someone who has no history with god and only doesn't make sense to someone who really doesn't know him because if you know god then you know who he is and you know what he's like and you know what he can do and you know that he's working all things together for your good so if god says it then all i have to do is believe it and that's it god will do it because i know him now you may say well that's not using your your logical brain and that's oh yeah that's using you you perfect logic because I know God. If you don't know God, that don't make sense. You're like, that's stupid. Faith people are dumb. No, you just don't know God. Because if you knew God, this would not be a problem. If you knew God, when God says, get up and leave your country and go do this, then you're going to be like Abraham. All right, which way? If you know God and you know Jesus and he says, go give me that five loaves and two fish and we'll feed everybody. You're like, all right, then here you go. Five loaves and two fish. If you know God, if you know the character of God, the nature of God, the most natural thing in the world is to say, well, God said it. I believe it. I'm going to do it. It settles it. That's it for me." [00:42:05] (69 seconds)


"When you pray, keep praying until you have an answer. Remember, Paul prayed three times, right? But once he got his answer, he stopped praying about that. But remember, Jesus says when he comes on the earth, he's looking for people of faith. And he gave a story about a widow woman who was trying to get justice from the judge. And he was persistent. She was persistent. And she was in his face over and over and over and over again until finally the judge who didn't fear God or fear man was like, all right, man, give this woman what she wants. And Jesus said, that's faith. Keep obeying God until you see the promise. Remain persistent until you prevail. Continue in the will of God until you receive the reward. You want total victory in your life? Keep prevailing. Keep persisting. Keep moving forward. Don't stop. And then when God gives you another word, do that. And another word, do that. Amen?" [00:45:15] (56 seconds)


"Don't give up. There's total victory for you if you'll follow Jesus. Not just little battles. Don't settle for just winning a few battles. Get everything that God has for you. I don't know about you, but I want everything God has for me. Everything. Everything he poured his, he shed his blood for. I want it. That's the best way I can honor him is to live the life he purchased for me. To use the freedom he redeemed me for. I want the abundant life of Christ and I want to spend eternity with him. That's what I want. And that's why we have to recognize the roles. Like, what has God promised to do and what is your responsibility? pay attention to what God has said because the details define success. And then see it through to the end, right? Prevail with persistence. And here's the truth. And I'm finishing with this. Because King Joash didn't do the things, do these things, the victory that he was supposed to secure for himself and for Israel went to another man. You ever wonder why right after that story it says Elisha died and the raider was thrown into his tomb there and as soon as he touched the bones that man was brought back to life? Why? Because the blessing was still there. The king didn't get it. He didn't get total victory. So what did this guy get? Victory over death, which is total victory." [00:47:15] (85 seconds)


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Transcript
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