======================================================================== HOW GOD PICKS YOU UP TO FIGHT AGAIN by Shane Idleman ======================================================================== Summary: This sermon emphasizes the importance of staying on the winning side in spiritual battles, highlighting the need to fight from a position of victory even when faced with weariness and compromise. It addresses the struggle of maintaining a position of victory, the significance of repentance to regain solid footing, and the continuous warfare in the Christian walk until the end. Topics: "Spiritual Warfare", "Maintaining Victory in Christ" Scripture References: Psalm 27:1, Ephesians 6:10, 2 Corinthians 10:3, Psalm 37:23, Galatians 6:3 ------------------------------------------------------------------------ DESCRIPTION ------------------------------------------------------------------------ This sermon emphasizes the importance of staying on the winning side in spiritual battles, highlighting the need to fight from a position of victory even when faced with weariness and compromise. It addresses the struggle of maintaining a position of victory, the significance of repentance to regain solid footing, and the continuous warfare in the Christian walk until the end. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ CONTENT ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Break the silence, confess the name, sing till demons know your name. Who can intimidate God? Let me leave you with that thought. Who can intimidate God? Who can stall His will, stop His plans, derail His train? There is no fear when you are on the winning side. That's what you have to remember as we get into this book. There's no fear on the winning side. Did you know you're on the winning side? Here's why it's difficult. We're still in the battle. In battle, you become weary, you become tired. And I talked about this before, I don't want to belabor the point, but it's important. It's like, if we took, we won this stronghold up here. We won it, God's victorious, but the enemy's coming up the steps and trying to take that ground that he lost. And so, although we won the battle, I have to fight from a position of victory. I'm in the position of victory, so are you, but we have to fight. We have to come against. We have to put on the whole armor of God. We can't let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. He humbled Himself. And you see, that's the battleground. Though I might fall down, I get back up. And that's what the enemy's doing in the lives of many people. Hey, I'm holding my ground, I'm battling, but then he gets us down here, right? And then another compromise. And another compromise. And another compromise. And the enemy pulls you down here. Oh, this is interesting, huh? I'm going to go pick on people. Drive the camera guys crazy. But isn't that true? Now I'm down here. Now I don't want to do ministry. I don't want to come to church. I don't want to read my Bible. I've lost my position of victory. The enemy's got me. He took me down. What am I supposed to do? Did you know that's why many people are hopeless? That's why many people don't want to go to church. That's why they have no relationship with God. The Bible's dead. It's boring. Lifeless. 6 a.m. worship. Are you kidding me? I don't want to sleep in. I'm so not in a good spot right now, Shane. Okay, but remember, you can get back up to that position of victory with a beautiful word called repentance. Though the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, even if he falls, the Lord will uphold him, pull him up with His right hand, and put him back up on a solid footing. Guys, that's how we finish strong. You think I'm always up here? You don't think I've been down here? You know where the devil would love to put me? See how far this can go, right? He'd like me out that door, in the parking lot, driving home. And so that's why you feel the struggle. You ever see those shirts, the struggle is real? Moms get the shirt, the snuggle is real, newborn babies. Hannah, Henry, I'm going to pick one up for you guys. But it's real. And so you need to be encouraged. It's part of the warfare. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal. They're not. They're mighty through God for the pulling down of strongholds, casting down arguments, every thought that exalts itself against the knowledge of Christ. Oh, He's got me today. Wait a minute. Wait a minute. I'm taking my thoughts captive. Oh no, I'm coming back, Lord. I'm on fire again for You, Lord. I'm back on solid footing. God raised me up and He put me back on solid ground and there's beauty out of these ashes and months go by and years go by and then the enemy's pulling me back down. God, I don't want to go back down there. And you get back up and you fight again and that's the Christian walk until you lay six feet under in the grave. Is that not true? Anybody tells you they just live up here on the top step is a liar. Full of pride and selfish ambition and boasting. I've noticed a lot of prideful people aren't even saved. I want to be honest with you. I know a lot of prideful people are Christians, but there's no fruit. There's no fruit. Something that blew my mind away. I think it's in the back of a MacArthur Study Bible. It talks about the characteristics of genuine faith. I don't remember all of them. But I realize it doesn't say there's no verse for those who have a knowledge of Scripture. It says true love, sincere humility, genuine repentance. Back of your MacArthur Study Bible, you'll find it. All these signs of true repentance. But it doesn't say, and they'll have a mindset of the Word. They'll know the Word intellectually. Why? Because knowledge by itself is nothing. It's a modern day Pharisee. Elon Musk can quote Scripture. Andrew Tate. Ooh, let's get controversial. He can quote Scripture. Kanye's been dropping some Scripture bombs. That's head knowledge. Just because somebody quotes the Bible and knows the Bible does not mean they know the writer of the Bible. There has to be the fruit of the heart. Why? Because it's the heart that changes. The heart that changes. So anyway, I'm really hoping that helps you because so many people feel beat up and defeated. And instead of getting back up the steps and saying, God help, God help. You know it's okay to do that? But men in our pride, we don't like to do that. I got this. Let me get up myself. That's what I love. I love when a newborn, they just... Up. Up. They can't get up. They can't walk yet. Total dependence and joy in their face. You pick up and you hold that child. That's what many of you need to do. Help. God help. I need to come home. ======================================================================== Video: https://sermonindex2.b-cdn.net/B3aEUTqMo5Y.mp4 Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/shane-idleman/how-god-picks-you-up-to-fight-again/ ========================================================================