======================================================================== EVERY MOMENT OF RESISTANCE TO TEMPTATION IS A VICTORY by Sandeep Poonen ======================================================================== Summary: This sermon emphasizes the importance of recognizing our identity as children of God and heirs with Christ, even amidst suffering and trials. It highlights the need to listen to the Spirit's testimony affirming our status as beloved sons and daughters of God, providing us with the fuel to endure and overcome temptations. The message encourages believers to count victories over sin, receive God's affirmation, and find joy in abiding in His love, ultimately leading to a life of victory and glorification with Christ. Duration: 16:31 Topics: "Identity in Christ", "Overcoming Trials" Scripture References: Romans 8:16, Hebrews 12:2, John 5:19, Hebrews 7:25, 1 Corinthians 10:13, Philippians 2:15, Hebrews 9:24 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DESCRIPTION ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This sermon emphasizes the importance of recognizing our identity as children of God and heirs with Christ, even amidst suffering and trials. It highlights the need to listen to the Spirit's testimony affirming our status as beloved sons and daughters of God, providing us with the fuel to endure and overcome temptations. The message encourages believers to count victories over sin, receive God's affirmation, and find joy in abiding in His love, ultimately leading to a life of victory and glorification with Christ. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENT ------------------------------------------------------------------------ I was reminded of something today from Romans chapter 6 verse 14. I'm sorry, where I got Romans 6 14? Romans 8 16. Romans 8 16. Romans 8 16. It's a beautiful, beautiful verse. I hope it will grow rich in meaning for us in the days to come. Romans chapter 8 verse 16 and 17. You're all there? Romans chapter 8 16 and 17. The spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God. And if children heirs, heirs also of God and fellow heirs of Christ. If indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. That passage, that those two verses, such a beautiful heritage secret to getting victory over sin is right there. The spirit testifies to me that I am a child of God. And if I'm a child, then I have everything in God. I lack nothing. I've received everything from God, received everything with Christ. And in all of this is we're suffering. We're suffering. Trials coming to us, affecting us. So we've got suffering on one side, in the mix. If I were to draw this painting, there's suffering in the mix. I don't know what you want to picture for that. There's a storm. There's lightning, thunder, the suffering within. And then on the other hand, you've got God God telling you, you're a child of God. And because you're a child of God, you're a king. You reign with him. You're an heir of God. You're an heir with Jesus Christ. These are all happening in the same picture. And we know the suffering part. You know it, I know it. We all know it. We all know the suffering that's going on in your life. You know it. You know all the challenges for whatever sin or temptation or trial. The suffering part, you can paint very well. You can describe it. If we were to give you the mic, you can tell me a lot of what's going on. Appreciate that. But I don't know, the Lord is reminding me, I don't know how much you're hearing the spirit saying, you're a child of mine. And because you're a child of mine, you're an heir with God. You've got everything you need. Don't give up. Endure. You're a child of mine. You're an heir. You've got everything. You've got everything you need. And all I'm hearing is thunder and lightning and boom and failure and sinking into the sand. And we're hearing all of that. And you can paint those pictures really well. But did you miss the voice of God saying, you're a child of mine. Don't give up. Do you hear God at the same time saying, you're an heir. You're an heir with God and Christ Jesus. You've got everything you need. What are you worried about? What are you anxious about? If you suffer with me? Yeah, I know. I know. Suffering is part of it. Suffering is part of it. Don't be discouraged. Don't be troubled because you've got suffering is part of it. So important for us to hear as the suffering is going on. You're a child of mine, Sandeep. You know, Jesus was sent into the wilderness and he was, he had to face 40 days being tempted by the devil. We've not even faced one second of being tempted by the devil himself. We get junior demons. If we do get assaulted by demons, it's like a junior demon. Okay. So let's be real about that. Jesus had 40 days with the devil himself, the top of the chain. 40 days was tested by the devil. Tested, tested, tested. You know what Jesus had before? What preparation do you need for Jesus before you go for such a trial? 40 days by the greatest deceiver of all time. What do you need? I'll tell you what Jesus got. He got baptized in water and as he came out, he heard God saying these words, you're my son. I'm well pleased with you. Now go, go 40 days in the wilderness by the king of all deceivers. You got it. You've got this. You know why you've got this? Because I affirmed you. I told you who you are. I told you, I gave you that confidence and that became that fuel. That became that jet pack on which he could stand on top of every deception of the devil for 40 days. He lived by words that proceeded out of the mouth of God. God's word was this, you're my beloved son. The spirit testifies to our spirit. You're my beloved son. You're my beloved daughter. I'm well pleased with you. Now let's just make sure you understand what this means. You're well pleased with you. I'm well pleased with you. Jesus doesn't say that to anybody. Jesus doesn't say that to all children. Jesus tells that to children who suffer and overcome in the moment. When I shut, when I, when I keep my mouth from responding in anger, in that moment, God is telling me, you're my child. I'm giving you some fuel right now for your next trial. You're my child. And that is supposed to be the reward that we keep looking for that gives us strength for the next trial. The spirit testifying to my spirit, you're my beloved son. I'm well pleased with you. You know why I'm well pleased with you? Because you didn't give into a bitterness, because you forgave, because you didn't lust, because you didn't give into self-pity. You're my child. I'm well pleased with you. And it's the same affirmation that Jesus got before he faced the devil. And God is saying, you need this fuel. If you don't have this fuel, you don't have a chance. The spirit testifies within your spirit that you're a child of God. And if child airs with God, you've got everything you need. If indeed you suffer with him, you take the road of suffering, the suffering in this. And but we have to pack your jet pack with you. You have to pack that affirmation of God with you. And we have to be attentive as we walk down the road of suffering to keep hearing from the Holy Spirit. Lord, the reason I went through this suffering was to hear from you saying, you're my child. And I don't know how many of us are picking up the phone from God many times in the day when he calls to say, hey, I don't have anything to tell you except to tell you that you're my beloved child in whom I'm well pleased. Lord, you're well pleased with everybody. No, I'm not well pleased with every child of God. Many children are murmuring and complaining. They're shameful children of God. God, it says that in Philippines too. Children who are reproachable. There are many children of God who don't have faith. They're not well pleased to God. But you, my son, you, my daughter, you took the way of escape. You didn't get bitter. You forgave. I'm well pleased with you. Imagine if I told my child, hey, wash the dishes. And he or she washed the dishes. And then I look at the dishes and I say, wow, you did a great job. I didn't expect that. That was, you knocked it out of the park. I thought you just killed, you know, you do a good, okay job, but you did a great job. That's incredible. That's massive. I'm so happy that you did the dishes. Hey, you know what? I forgot. Can you help me sweep the floor too? Imagine the energy with which this child will sweep the floor. Why? Because she pleased her dad. She pleased her mom in how she did it. And that gives a fuel to be like, I can do this. I just clean the dishes and it was hard work, but I got the reward from it. I can do the next one. And too often we're taking up crosses one after the other and not receiving the affirmation of God to say, this is the fuel to keep us going. And we think it's just one cross after the other, one cross after the other, who for the joy set before him endured the cross. It says in Hebrews chapter 12, he had joy of God telling him, well done son. Well done. The Holy spirit saying, well done. Jesus said, I do nothing on my own initiative in John chapter five, verse 19, because the father loves the son because God loves me so much. How do you know Jesus that the father loves me? Because he keeps telling me it. That's how I know it. He keeps affirming me. The spirit testifies to your spirit that you're a child of God. And so it's not a, it's not a hard road. It's not a difficult road without joy. And the secret to that joy is to keep picking up the phone and saying, God, how am I doing? And to hear him saying, you're my beloved son, you're my beloved daughter. And I'm well pleased with you because you're taking the way of escape. As I've shared before this beautiful quote from Frederick Faber, every resistance to temptation, every moment of resistance to temptation is a victory. How many times did you resist dear brother or dear sister today? Did you get the phone call after you resisted saying from God saying, Hey, well done. That was a victory. Chalk it up, write it down. One for Sunni, one for Jesus, zero for the devil. Two seconds later, five seconds later, one minute later. Wow. Hey, another phone call from God. God, what do you want? I just want to tell you, you've got another victory there. You once again said no to your feelings, put another mark on the wall. Two for Jesus, zero for the devil. Five seconds later, another call from God. What do you want? No, I don't want to correct you. You just won again. You didn't give into that bitterness. Put another mark on the wall. Three for Jesus, zero for the devil. Get another call from God. Two minutes later. Hey, what happened man? Yeah, you fell. One for the devil. Don't worry. Get back up. Get back up. He's coming at you in a minute. Get another call. God, what? You won again. You won again. Put another mark on the wall. Four to one. I don't know what your life is like, but we're getting a lot of victories, dear brothers. And I'm not trying to build you up. I'm not trying to blow smoke to make you feel like, oh, we're just all winners. No, maybe you're losing a lot. I don't know. I don't know your life. You have to decide that before God. But are you resisting? Well, take the phone call from God saying, well, chalk one up. Count those victories. Count those victories. You're shaming the devil with every resistance. And pick up the phone from God and God saying, I'm testifying to your spirit. You're a child of God. Well done. Well done, son. Keep going. Well done, daughter of mine. Keep going. That becomes our chariot, so to speak, as Hannah Whittle Smith said. Becomes our chariot. The love of God. Trials are turned into golden chariots. We can ride on the next one. God, I got a little bit more steam for the next half an hour, for the next one hour. We're chalking up victories. We're marking victory after victory after victory. No temptation has come to you that is not common to man, but with every temptation comes the way of escape. When you take the wake of the way of escape, it's a victory, dear brother, dear sister. It's a way of escape. We're being tempted many times a minute. We may be tempted many times an hour. Start thanking God for the victories. Start rejoicing in those victories. Mourn the failures, dear brothers. Mourn the failures. But every time you're tempted to not forgive, forgive and count that as a victory. And one minute later, the unforgiveness will come in and forgive and count that as a victory and pick up the phone call and say, God, what do you think? And God says, I'm proud of you, son. I'm proud of you, daughter. Keep going. Abide in my love. Abide in that phone call. This is how we grow. This is how we grow. This is the secret to me of Jesus' life. He says, I never do my own will. You know why? Because God loves me so much. He keeps telling me how much he loves me. That's why I'm not doing my own will. Because I have that joy, the reward of God in front of me all the time. I hope this encourages you in your fight against unforgiveness and against bitterness and against anger and against lust and against being compassionate to your children. Don't give up. The spirit is trying to testify to your spirit that you're a child of God. As we enter into the most holy place and tear the veil of our selfish will, as we say no to our own will and yes to God, God says, I'm telling you, my child, I'm well pleased with you. And if we have children, then heirs. Come sit on my throne. Come sit on my throne. You deserve this spot because you said no to sin. Of course you'll suffer. Of course you're suffering. But you're suffering with me, so you're glorified with me. It's a beautiful life to live, dear brothers and sisters. Let's not look at all the pain. Let's not look at the suffering. Let's listen to the voice of God affirming us, rooting for us. He's our advocate. He lives to root for us. It says Hebrews 9, right? He lives to make intercession, Hebrews 7.25. He lives to make intercession for us. He lives forever to root for us and saying, I'm on your side. What a wonderful journey. This is the joy that accompanies us amidst all our sufferings. The spirit himself testifies that we are children of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs of Jesus Christ, if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. A beautiful passage that we may hold on to in this time. ======================================================================== Video: https://sermonindex2.b-cdn.net/tQaYFb_6jIc.mp4 Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/sandeep-poonen/every-moment-of-resistance-to-temptation-is-a-victory/ ========================================================================