DAILY BIBLE VERSES AND PRAYER THOUGHTS: MONDAY - VERSES: John 16:33; Revelation 2:26 PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank God that Jesus has already overcome the world. TUESDAY - VERSES: 2 Peter 2:19-20; Revelation 3:5 PRAYER THOUGHT: Ask God to help keep you secure from being overcome with wickedness. WEDNESDAY - VERSES: 1 John 2:13-14; Revelation 17:14 PRAYER THOUGHT: Pray that you will continue to overcome Satan. THURSDAY - VERSES: 1 John 5:4-5; Revelation 3:12, 21 PRAYER THOUGHT: Beg for strength and faith to trust Jesus and overcome the world FRIDAY - VERSES: Revelation 2:7, 11, 17 PRAYER THOUGHT: Thank God for the tree of life that is available to those who overcome. Pray for steadfastness to reach that paradise and enjoy that fruit. SATURDAY - VERSES: 2 Corinthians 2:9-11; Revelation 21:7 PRAYER THOUGHT: Implore God's aid in helping you recognize Satan's devices and overcoming them. k q l w k q l w k q l One who gains strength by overcoming obstacles possesses the only strength which can overcome adversity. - Albert Schweitzer k q l w k q l w k q l We must overcome the notion that we must be regular... it robs you of the chance to be extraordinary and leads you to the mediocre. - Uta Hagen k q l w k q l w k q l Wanting something is not enough. You must hunger for it. Your motivation must be absolutely compelling in order to overcome the obstacles that will invariably come your way. - Les Brown k q l w k q l w k q l ASSIGNMENTS 1. Daily read over this material and read or sing the song. 2. Place the scripture where you will see it each day. 3. Think of how you have overcame Satan in the past. 4. Write ways you can depend on Jesus' blood, tell others about him, and live for him, or consider your willingness to die for Him. 5. Prepare to tell the class about a time you overcame Satan, or tell about a time you failed to overcome him. SPIRITUAL HEALTH REGIMEN - WEEK 39 OVERCOMING - 4-14-13 to 4-20-13 SCRIPTURE - Revelation 12:11 And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. COMMENT – We overcome and win the battle with Satan in the same way our brethren in the first century did: the blood of Jesus that cleanses us, the word of our testimony, and our willingness to die knowing we have a better home in heaven. SONG – FAITH IS THE VICTORY 1. Encamped along the hills of light, Ye Christian soldiers, rise, And press the battle ere the night Shall veil the glowing skies. Against the foe in vales below Let all our strength be hurled; Faith is the victory, we know, That overcomes the world. 2. His banner over us is love, Our sword the Word of God; We tread the road the saints above With shouts of triumph trod. By faith they, like a whirlwind's breath, Swept on over ev'ry field; The faith by which they conquered death Is still our shining shield. 3. To him that over comes the foe White raiment shall be given; Be fore the angels he shall know His name confessed in heaven; Then onward from the hills of light, Our hearts with love a flame; We'll vanquish all the hosts of night, In Jesus' conquering name. REFRAIN: Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory! O glorious victory That overcomes the world. THOUGHTS "The measure of a man's success is not what he achieves, but what he overcomes" (Booker T. Washington). k q l w k q l w k q l AFRAID TO SAVE? To overcome the fear we all experience when considering approaching someone with the gospel, we need to have a conviction that God has given us something to say that our audience needs desperately to hear. Such a conviction will free us from fear. For example, consider a person walking down a street who notices a meeting of a large group of people inside a building. Then he sees a fire in the upper part of the building where the meeting is being held. He would immediately run in and tell the people to get out. And there would be no fearful thoughts and hesitation. Why? Because he knows that they needed to hear what he had to say. How convinced are we that people need to hear a word from God? k q l w k q l w k q l FEAR Picture this: Eric Valli, a professional photographer, is dangling by a nylon rope from a 395 foot cliff in Nepal. Nearby on a rope ladder is another man, Mani Lal, doing what he has done for decades: hunting honey. Here in the Himalayan foothills, the cliffs shelter honeycombs of the world's largest honeybee. At the moment, thousands of them are buzzing around both men. Lal, a veteran of hundreds of such attacks, is calm. Not so Mr. Valli. Describing that moment in National Geographic, he says, "There were so many bees I was afraid I might freak out. But I knew if I did, I would be dead. So I took a deep breath and relaxed. Getting stung would be better than finding myself at the bottom of the cliff." He overcame his fears and won a photo competition for his efforts. Fears can send a person plummeting to destruction. Some believers, fearing the stings of persecution, testing, and temptation, have compromised their faith and slipped from the lifeline of Christ - which is why the Bible teaches us to fear God alone. Craig Brian Larson Arlington Heights, Illinois, Leadership-Vol. 11, #1 k q l w k q l w k q l VICTORY In Hawaii, because of the time differential with the continental U.S., the NFL Monday Night Football game is played in mid-afternoon, so the local TV station delays its telecast till 6:30 in the evening. When my favorite team plays, I'm too excited to wait for television, so I'll listen to the game on the radio, which broadcasts it live. Then, because they're my favorite team, I'll watch the game on television, too. If I know my team has won the game, it influences how I watch it on television. If my team fumbles the ball or throws an interception, it's not a problem. I think, That' s bad, but it's okay. In the end, we'll win.! "In this world you will have trouble," said Jesus. "But take heart! I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). When going through trouble, knowing the final outcome makes all the difference.--Lyle Arakaki k q l w k q l w k q l I AM NOW ONE OF THEM In his book Christ Followers in the Real World, Gordon MacDonald includes a letter written in the third century by Cyprian of Carthage to his friend Donatus. "This seems a cheerful world, Donatus, when I view it from this fair garden under the shadow of these vines. But if I climbed some great mountain and looked out over the side lands, you know very well what I would see. Brigands on the high road, pirates on the seas, in the amphitheaters men murdered to please the applauding crowds, under all roofs misery and selfishness. It is really a bad world, Donatus, an incredibly bad world." "Yet in the midst of it, I have found a quiet and holy people. They have discovered a joy which is a thousand times better than any pleasure of this sinful life. They are despised and persecuted, but they care not. They have overcome the world. These people, Donatus, are the Christians... and I am one of them." k q l w k q l w k q l OVERCOMING SATAN SONG 186 – STANDING ON THE PROMISES PRAYER SONG 42 – FAITH IS THE VICTORY INTRODUCTION - REVELATION 12:7-12 SONG 275 – NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD I. THEY OVERCAME HIM BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB - ACTS 20:28; 1 JOHN 1:7; HEBREWS 9:24-26 SONG 229 – THE LORD'S SUPPER LORD'S SUPPER SONG 200 – STAND UP FOR JESUS II. THEY OVERCAME BY THE WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY - LUKE 9:23-26; 2 TIMOTHY 1:7-8; REVELATION 12:17 SONG 559 – WHEN ALL OF GOD'S SINGER'S GET HOME III. THEY OVERCAME BECAUSE THEY DID NOT LOVE THEIR LIVES TO THE DEATH - REVELATION 6:9; 7:11-14; MARK 8:34-38 CONCLUSION - REVELATION 21:5-8 INVITATION SONG 203 – SOLDIERS OF CHRIST ARISE CLOSING SONG 350 – FARTHER ALONG CLOSING PRAYER OVERCOMING SATAN SONG 186 – STANDING ON THE PROMISES PRAYER SONG 42 – FAITH IS THE VICTORY INTRODUCTION SCRIPTURE - (Rev 12:7-12) And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, {8} but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. {9} So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. {10} Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. {11} "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. {12} "Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time." A. SATAN IS ALIVE AND WELL IN THE WORLD TODAY B. SATAN IS VERY INVENTIVE AND CLEVER IN THE WAY HE WORKS C. SATAN CAN BE DEFEATED – WE OVERCOME HIM IN THE SAME WAY THE CHRISTIANS OF THE FIRST CENTURY DID… 1. BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB 2. BY THE WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY 3. BY NOT LOVING THEIR LIVES TO THE DEATH SONG 275 – NOTHING BUT THE BLOOD I. THEY OVERCAME HIM BY THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB A. CHURCH PURCHASED WITH HIS BLOOD - (Acts 20:28) "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. B. CLEANSED FROM SIN BY HIS BLOOD - (1 John 1:7) But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. C. SIN DESTROYED BY HIS BLOOD - (Heb 9:24-26) For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; {25} not that He should offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the Most Holy Place every year with blood of another; {26} He then would have had to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now, once at the end of the ages, He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. SONG 229 - THE LORD'S SUPPER LORD'S SUPPER SONG 200 – STAND UP FOR JESUS II. THEY OVERCAME BY THE WORD OF THEIR TESTIMONY A. DO NOT BE ASHAMED OF JESUS & HIS WORD - (Luke 9:23-26) Then He said to them all, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. {24} "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. {25} "For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost? {26} "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words, of him the Son of Man will be ashamed when He comes in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels. B. DO NOT BE ASHAMED OF THE TESTIMONY OF THE LORD - (2 Tim 1:7-8) For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. {8} Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, C. WAR WITH SATAN - (Rev 12:17) And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ. SONG 559 – WHEN ALL OF GOD'S SINGER'S GET HOME III. THEY OVERCAME BECAUSE THEY DID NOT LOVE THEIR LIVES TO THE DEATH A. SLAIN FOR TESTIMONY - (Rev 6:9) When He opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the testimony which they held. B. DIED IN THE TRIBULATION - (Rev 7:11-14) All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, {12} saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, Thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever and ever. Amen." {13} Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "Who are these arrayed in white robes, and where did they come from?" {14} And I said to him, "Sir, you know." So he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. C. MUST OVERCOME SELF - (Mark 8:34-38) When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. {35} "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it. {36} "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? {37} "Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? {38} "For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels." CONCLUSION A. (Rev 21:5-8) Then He who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new." And He said to me, "Write, for these words are true and faithful." {6} And He said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. {7} "He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. {8} "But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death." INVITATION SONG 203 – SOLDIERS OF CHRIST ARISE CLOSING SONG 350 – FARTHER ALONG CLOSING PRAYER Revelation 12:11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Revelation 12:11 They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.