this past week
June the sixth
is a day that is marked in history and will ever be marked in history
we know it is D-Day
tens and thousands of lives were lost
well over a hundred thousand
people were killed
over a hundred thousand injured and missing
to acquire freedom from tiring
and I don't know that we can ever think the people who went and
fought, died, bled
were tormented some to this day
of what they saw and what they had to endure and what they had to go through
we can never say thank you enough
Amen
we've received a special gift for
our veterans and I know it's not veterans day but
we'll do it again I don't think we can say thank you enough
Amen
I want to thank you for being a veteran of our armed services
and you're a veteran of our armed services would you stand today
all over the house
ushers if you would give them a hand yes
just remain standing our ushers
they're going to be coming around they have something for you today
just to show you how much we appreciate what you've done
as a reminder for your service
I know that there was a time in our history when we
had a very ungrateful nation for the sacrifices that were made
and many times I think people forgot
that soldiers do not have a choice
I guarantee you
to a man you would ask them they would rather have been home as to been sent to
where they were and endured the hardships that they had to send
and go through and none of them deserved
some of the treatment that they received when they got off an airplane at home
amen so if you served in that unfortunate
I know they call it a conflict but it was war thank you so much for your
service and we honor you today one more time would you let our veterans know
how much you appreciate them
that coin serve as a reminder to you
you have someone that loves you and a church that is praying for you always
amen if you have your bibles turn away I'm not going to ask you to yo-yo again
and stand back up I'm going to trust you'll stand on the inside
turn with me to the book of Psalms in the 20th chapter
I'll preach to you on a thought today it's simple grace is the victory
grace is the victory
the man
I think the day is if I read correctly was
the largest
offensive ever unleashed
over 150,000 forces
on one day
I'd love to say that that was the day that the victory was won but there were
battles that still had to be fought after that day but the victory came a man
I'd love to tell you in your life as a Christian that your victories
have already been secured for you and you won't have to fight another battle
but I can't tell you that today there will be battles
to face because there's an enemy still at large
for the child of God amen
so let's read Psalm 20 for just a few moments
the Lord hear thee in the day of trouble
the name of the God of Jacob defend thee
send thee help from the sanctuary and strengthen thee
out of Zion remember all thy offerings and accept thy
burnt sacrifice grant thee
according to thine own heart and fulfill all thy
counsel we will rejoice in thy salvation
and in the name of our God we will set up our banners
the Lord fulfill all thy petitions
now know I that the Lord saiveth his anointed
aren't you grateful he will hear him
from his holy heaven with the saving strength
of his right hand some trust in chariots and
some in horses but we will remember the name of the Lord our God
they are brought down and fallen
but we are risen and stand upright
save Lord
let the king hear us when we call
grace is the victory father I love you I thank you today
for the power of your word and I pray that that word just enriches our heart
and enriches our life enables us to leave here today in that
grace full of victory I pray now Lord you touch every heart and every mind
in the house Lord as we're here simply
to draw near to you we give you
praise for all things even the battle that we face because we know that you are
with us as we glorify your name to you be praised forever
in Christ's name the church said amen and amen give the Lord a good
praise offering would you
sometime back this thought was on my mind and I remember preaching it
but I couldn't get away from it again this morning
and I know the Lord have something to say to us again it's like songs
we sing I get a blessing every time I sing them
so listen for whatever it is
you didn't hear the first time and catch it this time
amen this 20th Psalm 20 and 21
they do go together but they're separated
both are battle songs they're battle hymns
the 20th Psalm precedes the battle
while naturally the 21st follows the battle
in Psalm 20 we see a prayer for
the king and a prayer for the battle
while in Psalm 21 it is a praise for the victory
that comes through and after
Psalm 20 anticipates victory while 21 reflects
on the victory the psalmist wrote this
possibly during many of the trial
times that he had many of the difficult times but some scholars maybe believe somewhere
in 2 Samuel between 8 and 10
as the psalmist would reflect and they would write and record
this prayer that was offered up for the king as he goes out to battle
one thing you need to know about David, David was the warring
king he was the man after Gods own heart he was selected by God himself
to follow Saul as king over Israel
they sung the songs about David for a reason
Saul has slain his thousands but David has slain his ten thousands
right? one thing about David as the warring king
his sword may have been worn but it was never rusty
because he was the
warring king of Israel
the Psalm as it records an incessary prayer for the king himself
just before he encounters the enemy in battle
one thing we know is for certain battles will arise
amen?
conflict will present itself the enemy will
come and face you, amen?
therefore we have to
have the goods so to speak
to last and make it through the battle
we have to have the goods to endure through the hard times
I mean there are some hard times in life I'd love to tell you life is so sweet after you
find Jesus but you really just get to deal with some hardships
when you come to know the Lord because the devil then doesn't have you
so he's out to get you back
he's out to take you out
so we got to have the goods and as we look at this Psalm this morning
we think about what's going on through the battles
it's grace that brings us the victory
God's grace we say amazing grace how sweet the sound
that saved a wretch like me I once was lost
but now I'm found right?
and we look at this Psalm we think about how God's grace is added and
the people of God call out on the name of God because they know
God will hear and answer isn't that what he said?
the Lord hear thee in the day of trouble the Lord hears us
when we pray when we call upon the name of the Lord so when we
begin to look at this Psalm we have to think about something that there is one enduring
fact and that is that God hears us when trouble comes
never for a moment allow the enemy to convince you that God has
not heard your prayer he has heard your prayer
never allow the enemy to convince you God doesn't love you because he doesn't
answer the prayer the way you told him to answer it
a lot of our incessary
is instructional prayers we instruct
God how we want him to do what we need done hello
surely I'm not the only one in here that does that I tell
God best way for him to do it and make it better for me
but the longer you go you realize it's about him
and not necessarily all about you well I'm the one going
through the trouble yes but it's his grace that gets you through it so be careful
how you begin to question the grace that is sent your way
that enduring fact enduring means lasting continuing it means stable
the Lord hear thee it is so encouraging to
know that the Lord not only hears our prayer but he is
also ready to help us in the time of trouble
the Lord hear thee in the day of trouble the name of the
God of Jacob defends thee I am so
grateful that he not only hears me but he is willing and
able and desire us to enter into my supplication
not my instruction but he enters into my supplication when I
ask him oh God I need your help whatever you deem necessary
do that grant that him here's my situation but however
you see fit to help me I am here ready willing
and able to accept that help that you bring into my life Jesus
said in John 15 and 7 if you abide in me and my words abide in you
you shall ask what you will and it shall be done under you
there's an enduring fact that the Lord is on your side and he hears
you when you pray the secret here is that little word
if if you're abiding if it's a it's a conditional prayer
it's a conditional promise if you're where you're supposed to be
God will do what he has promised to do if you are where
you're supposed to be then God will provide the help that he has
promised he would provide for you and me in our life and in
our situation but let me just share something with you that help doesn't
always show up like I think it ought to show up that's the
reason Romans said Paul would be inspired by the spirit to record those
words all things work together for good to those who are called according
to his purpose those who love him right all things work together for good
well I'm here to tell you right now I've seen some things working that I didn't think were so
good but God in his infinite wisdom over my finite
in capabilities he knows what I need when I need it how I
need it and if I'm where I'm supposed to be he'll do what he
has promised to me to perform over my life and somewhere along
the way good is going to be extracted from every situation
oh it may not turn out the way I want it it may not turn out the way I picture it
and it may not be the end result that I desire but for me and
for you when it's over and said and done with if you are abiding
then the promise is coming good is going to come your way it
I know it may not be good here below it may not be good in life it may not
be a good circumstance it may not be good anyway we can see it
but somehow the goodness of God is going to make its way through every
dilemma and every situation in your life if you are where
you're supposed to be the Lord hears you in your day of trouble
if you abide in me
favorable answers in
prayer are always conditional and the
condition is on our end not God's there are always
conditional in accordance to my and your faith and our
obedience to what God's word says his word is
settled in heaven heaven and earth shall pass away but you know
what's not going to pass away his word will stand for
ever and ever and ever and ever his word is established
so the condition is not on his end the condition
is on our end the condition is where you find yourself if you're
in doubt you're not going to get a faith answer if you're in disbelief you're
not going to get a faith answer but if you're in faith and you're in believing
and you're abiding in him he's going to hear you in your day of trouble
first John five fourteen fifteen and this is the confidence that we have in him
I just want to know does anybody have any confidence in God today or
has the devil can deceive you and treat you and lie to
you and try to break your confidence in God we have this
confidence in him I am confident in him
I'm here to tell you he doesn't do everything the way that I think he ought to do
it but I'm not God and his ways are higher than mine his ways
are past finding out I have learning I'm trying to learn as I
go through this walk of faith that I simply just trust God for
the end result and it's not it's not easy sometime
to have but I have seen God do some great and mighty things
and it builds my confidence in him that he hears me
when I pray and in my day of trouble he is
aware of my dilemma we have this confidence that in him
that if we ask anything according to his will
if there it is again that conditional phrase
if we ask according to his will
now you know what you won't done right
I know what I won't done in any given particular situation
but that necessarily may not be his will
for my situation my circumstance or my dilemma
something we do not like to accept is a simple fact what Peter said
if need be there's a manifold
trials and temptations that are coming your way
if it's necessary
do you know it requires some of those things to be necessary for you to
surrender your will to his will
oh I know that's not I'll shout and chandelier swing
and preach him right there because that puts the onus back on us doesn't it
it puts the condition back in mind your court
it puts us trusting God even if he deems it necessary for us to walk through
a wilderness for a little while even we may have to go through a fiery
furnace or two in life and we have to trust God and somewhere along the way
you've got to get enough muster about you to have confidence in God
that if you ask in accordance to his will he'll grant it to your life
if it's not his will you and I do not need it anyway
you do not want it if it's not God's will for your life
here's a simple question has anyone been outside of the will of
God before that's a miserable place to live
a miserable place to live you may be sitting in
here miserable right now and if you are hello
little self inventory maybe you're outside
his will I know this if there's active sin in your
life you're on the outside looking in
somebody say amen pastor preach to me get me to heaven somebody say would you
shake that bush a little bit pastor I want to go to heaven I have my heart's
desire set on heaven but I'm here to tell you if your will is contrary to his
you're not going
now look I listened I listened to brother
Milton's message last week God's portion
I listened to that and I told y'all he had spoiled you
he just ooze his encouragement and then here I have to come with a plow
I have to come in and tell you you can't go to heaven with active sin in your life
you can't really shout about that especially if that's you I'm talking to
without these I can't see you anyway
and you balcony folk are in real good shape because I don't even know half who's up there
so let's join you in the Lord and then see when I do put them on if you're past the podium I really can't see you
so you're alright I have this confidence that if we ask anything according to his will he
hears us and if we know that he hears how many knows he hears you
here's his condition again if we know that he hears us whatsoever we ask we know that we have the petition that we desire of him
if you know that he hears you stop panicking in life
well it ain't going so well well it might be one of them need be seasons in your life
Paul said I'd rather glory in the sufferings that I have how many of you want a glory in your suffering
no human nature is that we want pity
we won't pity in our suffering we don't glory in them why well mainly because we're suffering
you're in pain you're in agony you're in anguish it's hard to find glory in those situations
but somehow for the child of God the condition is the if and if we have confidence in him
knowing that he's able knowing that God hasn't forgotten nor forsaken and we have this enduring fact that the Lord hears us
and he knows what we need
Psalm 56 and 9 says when I cry unto thee then shall mine enemies turn back
listen to this last phrase this I know for God is for me
how many ever heard the name Charles Spurgeon known as the Prince of Preachers
he made this statement concerning this verse listen to this
it is impossible for any human speech to express the full meaning of this delightful phrase God is for me
he was for us before the worlds were made are you still with me
he was for us or he would not have given his well-beloved son
he was for us when he smoked the only begotten and laid the full weight of his wrath upon him
he was for us though he was against him he was for us
when we were ruined in the fall he loved us not withstanding all he was for us
when we were rebels against him and with a high hand forbidding him defiance he was for us
or he would not have brought us humbly to seek his face he has been for us in many struggles
we have been summoned to encounter host of dangers we have been assailed by temptations from without
and within how could we have remained unharmed to this hour if he had not been for us
he is for us with all the infinity of his being with all the omnipotence of his love
with all the infallibility of his wisdom arrayed in all his divine attributes
he is for us eternally and immutably for us for us
when yon blue skies oh I love this when yon blue skies shall be rolled up like a worn out vesture
for us throughout eternity and because he is for us the voice of prayer will always ensure his help
when I cry unto thee then shall mine enemies be turned back grace is going to bring you the victory
this is no uncertain hope but a well grounded assurance the psalmist said this I know
I will direct my prayer unto thee and will look for the answer assured that it will come
and that mine enemies shall be defeated for God is for me
oh believer Spurgeon said how happy art thou with the king of kings on thy side
how safe was such a protector how sure thy cause pleaded by such an advocate
if God be for thee then who can be against thee
I'm here to tell you an enduring fact that God is for you and he hears you in your day of trouble
do not panic because grace will usher to you the victory that you need to acquire in your life
with all
hallelujah
I didn't know I was going to get this bent out of shape this morning
hallelujah
you have the enduring fact know this you also have a strengthening force by your side
amen
he said he strengthens thee in the second verse
he hears you in your day of trouble and he strengthens you
that word strengthen means simply to support to hold up
when you don't feel like you're going to stand when you feel like the weight of the world is going to tear you down and knock you over
he will strengthen you he will uphold you in your day of trouble
Micah 7, 7 and 8 therefore listen therefore I will look unto the Lord I will wait for him the God of my salvation
my God will hear me rejoice not against me oh mine enemy when I fall when I fall when I fall
I shall arise and when I sit in darkness the Lord shall be a light unto me
you need to get it down in your heart he is going to hear you and then he's going to strengthen you
do not rejoice over me oh mine enemy when I fall I shall arise
when are you going to tell yourself I may be down but honey I'm not out it ain't over it ain't over
and I love what he said the old prophet declared it when I sit in darkness thy light will be there for me
you will be my light when you feel like you're inundated with darkness and darkness is all around
and you feel like the devil's got the upper hand in your life hear me child of God
he's your strengthening force and he is the one who will ever endure when you're down you shall arise
don't stand over me devil don't look over me don't you dare look down on me I may be down today
but I'm coming up tomorrow because the grace of God is going to usher the victory to me
well hallelujah
some of you sitting in the dark rooms of life waiting on the negatives to be developed
huh ain't that the way we do
we unroll a spool of negative and we get in a dark place waiting for it to develop
well I'm ready to expose some film
to the light
who needs a negative hello
I'm ready to expose the negative to the light
and let his glory radiate in the negativity of my life
somehow someway I've got to determine in myself that the grace of God will usher the victory that I need
and that I'm requiring at this very moment and the devil needs to be notified in your life
I may be down but I'm getting up and don't you dare stand over me pointing a finger at me looking down at me
I may be sitting in darkness but the glory of his light is coming my way and I refuse to accept the negative
let your ushering in
hallelujah
strength of the Lord is the force that will take you through every battle
somebody needs to know it's always sufficient
God's grace is never insufficient
what does that mean?
that means that whatever he sends you is enough to get you through whatever it is you're facing
part of the problem for most of us is we get so down in our negatives
that all we can do is make juniper juice and pout with an old prophet by the name of Elijah
and just throw our hands up and quit
I'm telling you don't quit
you can't quit
if there's no crying in baseball then surely there's no quitting in church
don't quit
look at your option
my lord I'm about to preach
look at your options in quitting
look at your options of refusing the grace of God
walking away from the tender hand of his mercy
you walk straight into the hands of a torturous enemy
crawl your sorry hide back into a bar stool and see where an empty bottle gets you
it'll put you right back in the gutter that he pulled you up out of
I'm going to show you my age roll your newbie and see where it takes you
take you straight to a devil's hell
rot you from the inside out
hello
versus the option
make your way to an altar
and let the all sufficiency of his grace strengthen you one more time
he won't put you back in the gutter
he won't separate your mind from thought
he'll bring you back to your composure
so that you can look the devil in your eye and resist him so that he flees from you
so that you can arise with the glory of God that lives in you
for greater is he that's in you than he that is in this world
there is no other option
it's like supper at the house when we were kids
there was no other option
if it's on the table you ate it or done without
and I ever told you I despise goulash
I ever told you that was my dad's favorite meal
you know how many nights I went to bed either with a whip and are hungry
several
mom knew dad liked it so
that's what you had
I mean I took a mini of striping
I despise that stuff
now I like manwich
but manwich and mama's goulash
I mean that's so far away
it's not the same
there's some things in life that you're not going to like
but you're going to have to deal with it anyway
you're going to have to allow God's grace to sustain you
you may have to fast like I did
and like I probably need to be doing today
I never told Sister Kathy the recipe to goulash
so we do not have that dilemma at our house
there's things in life that you're going to have to deal with that are not necessarily your favorite things
but you're not left to deal with them alone
His grace, those thorns of your life, those
afflictions that come your way, that enemy that is sent from hell to come against you
Paul talked about that thorn in the flesh
it was an angel sent from the devil to buffet him to come against him
and he wanted it gone
and he prayed and touched heaven on three different occasions
until he heard from heaven
said Paul my grace is sufficient for you
it may not change the way you want it to change
but accept the grace that's being offered to you
because of sufficiency
I found one description toward this word in the Greek and actually it was hunky dory
I thought you really want me to pray? I'm going to pray. Yeah, say it, might as well
sufficient
His grace is hunky dory for your life
yeah, come on think about it
it's sufficient, it's adequate, it's enough, it's hunky dory
somebody need to hear that this morning
no, the situation may not change the way you want it to change but his sufficiency is hunky dory in your life
you're going to have adequate supply from heaven to endure whatever it is that's coming your way
because he's heard you and he will strengthen you
you got a few more minutes?
Paul learned that lesson
as sufficiency of God's grace empowered him
to overcome every circumstance that was sent against him
too many times in battles we try to go it in our own power
we try to go in our own strength
and so we fail every time
the only way to get through
the battles of life is simply to rely on the strengthening power of God's grace and his help
that's the only way
Psalm 63 and 7 because thou hast been my help therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I praise
somebody's in a shadow and you need to start praising your way out
well there's nothing to praise about
oh really?
you really want to go there?
what about everything he's already done?
what about all those battles he's already brought you through?
is that not enough? is it what you do for me lately? is that all you got?
well that's pretty sad
you've not done anything for me lately so therefore I'll hold back my praise
well there's one of those conditions
you need to get under the shadow of his wing and start lifting up your praise
because he is good
he has been good
and will always be good regardless of what life has brought our way
oh life, I've said it many times, life stinks sometimes
it's not always positive, it's not always up
but for the child of God it's better than the lemonade theory for the world
isn't that what they say? life gives you lemons will make lemonade?
well I'm of the southern camp of lemonade
if it ain't sweet lemonade I don't want it
hello? it's like tea, who drinks unsweet tea? unless you're diabetic, don't go there
but there's no way you can dislike the flavor of Lipton unsweet tea
you tell me that? I want to look at your taste buds, they've been scorched
you have learned to drink it, but it don't taste good
it's like drinking tar like some of you drink, call it coffee
nothing pleasurable about that, you've just adapted to where you can drink it
that's the way it is with life sometimes
part of our problem is we've just gotten to where we can tolerate it
I'm not going to stop right there and preach, we don't have time, I'm going on
Paul finally made his way to where he could declare, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me
he made his way all the way from this thorn
to making that declaration, it's not I that lives, but it's Christ that lives in me
and he could talk about the hope of glory
that he could declare, I have not seen, neither is the ear heard
and it hasn't entered into the heart of man
what good God has in store for him
while he's dealing with a festering thorn
praise him anyway
a steady faith always overcomes
verse 7 that psalm said we will remember the name of the Lord our God
I think sometimes we forget who it is we actually serve
right? Abraham called him what? Jehovah Jireh
why? because the Lord has seen and he heard
and not only did he see and hear, but he provided
right? to Gideon, Gideon declared him as Jehovah Shalom
Jehovah who is our peace
right? you know the guy threshing wheat at the wine press
wrong harvest, wrong place, but for fear he's hiding
and God finds him there and he calls him out
Gideon, thy mighty man of valor
it's like me when I go some places and these guys try to introduce me
like I need an introduction to preach later
they go through all these accolades and things and I look at the door and wonder who's coming in to preach
that's the same way with Gideon, thou mighty man of valor
he said who are you talking to and where is he at?
is that another boy around here named Gideon?
I'm scared to death, it's pretty obvious, I got my wheat at the wine press
afraid of the enemy, but can I tell you God knows more about you
when you accept the anointing that he places in and on your life
and you operate in and through that anointing, he knows what you become
when you allow him to become on you and use you and in you and through you
he knows what he's capable of so therefore he knows what you're capable of through him
Gideon, thy mighty man of valor
you know, let me know the story of Gideon
several thousand he has in his army
till God says I can't use every one of them, let's start weeding them out
who else is scared, go home, two thirds of his army left
time is over and said and done with, Gideon's got 300 good old boys
red neck as red neck can be, hello
and then he gets his instruction, gets you a pitcher and a candle
get a horn and get up on the hill
look, all you're waiting on is some instruction
all you need is some, grace will usher to you the victory
he's confident in who he is
and he's confident in what he can do in you and through you
if you trust him
if you trust him, stand with me, I'm not finished by any stretch but I know you're about done
a steady faith, remember who the Lord your God is
know for a fact
that our foe is already defeated
already defeated
one spiritual principle that the average Christian has never fully understood
it is in that they think that Satan still has the upper hand in all earthly things
it's not so
Christ defeated Satan
Romans 5, 17 puts it this way
for if by one man offense
death reign by one
much more they which receive an abundance of grace
and the gift of righteousness shall reign in life
by one, Jesus Christ
the thief cometh not but to steal, kill and to destroy
but Jesus said I've come
that you might have life
and have it more abundantly
grace is the victory that we look for
it's the all sufficiency of God's
enabling power to our
weak and mortal lives
part of our dilemma also comes is when we try to see God
in light of our own strength and weaknesses
we
it's just a subconscious thing we do because of our human nature
we compare God's ability with our strength and inability
we think cause we can't get it done that
God can't get it done
but I'm here to tell you something this morning God can
he can
a lot of things we don't like to face in life
we don't like to fully accept the will of God
because the will of God sometimes isn't favorable
in our life
you think all those people leaving
was favorable to get in
we know now that God provided for Abraham a realm on top of the mountain but
Abraham didn't know that when he was climbing up the hill
Abraham didn't know just yet when he put the stones together for the altar
Abraham hadn't heard the ram caught yet when he laid Isaac down
still no interjection when he lifted his hand
but it was then
what are you saying all that for pastor I said you got to walk all the way through it child of God
you can't quit
can't give up you can stop he's already been too good to you
and his grace will bring you the victory his grace is sufficient
needless to tell yourself it's hunky-dory
it's hunky-dory
tell your doctor that I'm hunky-dory how you doing I'm just hunky-dory
what does that mean his grace is sufficient father I love you this morning
thank you for your goodness your mercy and your grace
over the household of faith this morning
Lord I know this is the word you burn in my heart you wouldn't let me go any other place
you arrested me right here
there are those here this morning who needed it
because every situation is not ideal
but your grace is the victory
I wonder this morning while heads are bowed
how many of you feel like that prophet old Micah when he was sitting in the dark room anybody
lift your hand up you feel like you've been in a devil just making fun of you in the dark place
how many of you feel like him in that verse 7 when he said I may be down
but don't stand over me I'm getting up
how many feel like you've been knocked down life just took took the sails
and ripped holes in them and you're sitting still
heavenly father over this group
those who are standing in this sanctuary today
I'm praying for the all sufficiency of your grace
let your glorious light penetrate to the darkness which they feel surrounding them
let your light shine
those who feel knocked down extend your hand
and may they declare with the psalmist he picked me up up out of the miry clay
and he set me up on a rock and established my goings
pick up your children Lord pick them up they feel as though they've been steamrolled by life and ran over
your word today the grace your grace is sufficient as encouraging us this morning
father I pray over each one today
add your grace because your grace is the victory
the ninth verse of that 20th Psalm said save us
sometimes that's all we can get out Lord save me
hear the prayers of your people the petitions of their heart
encourage each one in this room today father
we'll be quick to praise you for your goodness and your mercy
and the abundance of your grace
amen amen could you give the Lord a good praise offer him for his grace