Fit For Service
Gtcotr/ss091204
Our main text today will be found in Romans 6
Yesterday marked the third anniversary of the September 11, 2001, terrorists attack on America. The terrorists high-jacked four commercial airliners and crashed two of them into the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers in New York City, another succeeded in hitting the Pentagon in Virginia, while the fourth was crashed into an empty field with the aid of the brave passengers who thwarted the terrorists’ plans to hit their target of either the White House or the Capitol building in DC.
Three thousand people lost their lives that day. Since that time, our efforts to track down and deliver justice to those responsible for world terrorism has cost many more lives. More than 1000 of our brave soldiers have died on the battlefield of Iraq alone.
While civilized nations have responded to the demands of this day, the church has also responded with prayer, fasting, encouragement and support. Together, the church of the living God along with the United States of America and their determined allies have declared war on the spirit of terrorism and we are determined not to cease pursuit until we see final victory.
This devil and his followers do not want to accept their inevitable defeat. When found and cornered they come out fighting. They know their time is short … they tear, they threaten, they show their teeth and do their worst, hoping to frighten their pursuers into backing off, giving up and running away. But it won’t work! Our duty is clear and our resolve is firm.
We have come too far and paid too much to stop short of complete victory. Our exit strategy does not include being counted out, carried out or leaving by some side door. We entered this ring to win and win by a knock out blow with no score cards or decisions left to the judges. The first to go will be the terrorists. They need to work on their exit strategy. We go home when it’s over!
In WWI there was a song often sung to remind those in battle and at home just when the boys would be returning. It became the most popular WWI song and even became the song of choice for enlistees and their families during the Second World War. It went like this:
Over there, over there,
Send the word, send the word over there -
That the Yanks are coming,
The Yanks are coming,
The drums rum-tumming
Ev'rywhere.
So prepare, say a pray'r,
Send the word, send the word to beware.
We'll be over, we're coming over,
And we won't come back till it's over
Over there.
This song was written by George M. Cohan and in 1940 the US Congress recognized him for his contribution to the war efforts and awarded him the Congressional Medal of Honor. All because he helped frame and set the resolve of a nation responding to an evil which the world could no longer tolerate. He gave the army their mindset. Each soldier understood his/her duty.
You are now a soldier in this current war against evil.
You are in an army of God.
An army of prayer warriors. We fight the enemies of God and the evil which would come to harm children, destroy families and devastate communities in the name of hatred. We stand and attend to our duties on the front lines for our God.
As with any army, it is imperative that we be trained, equipped and fit for service. Yours may not be a physical warfare but it is warfare nonetheless. Don’t let your Commander & King down. Your orders are clear. Some of you will hold the front line with prayer while others will take the word of God to advance and engage the enemy with all prejudice, giving no quarter. Stop looking for an exit --- we won’t go home until it’s over.
My job as your pastor is to:
* Train you to know the enemy
* Equip you for warfare
* Keep you fit for service
* Lead you into battle
This morning I will focus our time on keeping us fit for service.
Nothing will knock us out of the fight quicker than sin!
So today, let’s look at how we can defeat sin.
Last Sunday we began our service with the statement:
There is no justification for terrorism --- just as there is no justification for sin.
Before we qualify as fit to serve in the cause of freedom for others, we must first free ourselves from the power of sin.
I. Freedom From Sin
A. First there are two powers of sin
1. The Damning Power of Sin
2. The Governing Power of Sin
B. I trust all of you are free from the Damning Power of Sin. This is defeated through salvation and forgiveness of sins which are past. God grants this freedom from the wages of sin to all who will call upon the name of His Dear Son, Jesus. If you sincerely believe and ask Jesus to come into your life, be your Savior and Lord, His blood will save your soul and give you eternal life. The sin you were born into and the sins of your past will be blotted out and there will be no evidence against you on those counts.
C. This morning, however, we will focus on the Governing Power of Sin. The sin which ensnares the believer, the Christian, after they are born again, in efforts to knock them out and take them out of the race. The sin which makes us unfit to serve our King.
Turn with me now to Romans Chapter 6
Romans 6 (NKJV)
6 Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.
7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.
8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him,
9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him.
10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.
11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts.
13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.
D. You, Christian, You Are Free From Sin
E. Sin no longer has any dominion over you - cannot control you -
1. Unless …
2. You let it rule
II. There Are 3 Ways To Defeat Sin’s Control Over Your Life
A. Confess and Forsake Sin
Proverbs 28:13 He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
1. 1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins … forgive & cleanse …
2. Hebrews 12:1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.
#1 If you have sinned - confess and forsake! - Don’t hide & harbor it.
#2 If you are tempted to sin --- ‘Run Away!’
B. Flee --- ‘Run Away’
1 Corinthians 6:18 Flee sexual immorality. Every sin that a man does is outside the body, but he who commits sexual immorality sins against his own body.
* If you are standing on the doorsteps of sin today --- ‘Run Away!’
* In keeping you fit to serve it is important that I help you deal with sin. Sin will disqualify you. Sin will allow the enemies to ignore you, defeat you and break through upon your family, community, your nation and the world. Sin will render you powerless.
* In Acts 19 there were seven sons of one man who thought they could overpower the devil on their own. The devil spoke and replied: ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?’ Acts 19:15
Believe me, the devils know if you are right with God!
C. 3 Ways To Take Back Control Of Your Life
1. Confess and Forsake Sin
2. Run Away From Temptation
3. Stay Off The Road Sin Lives On
Proverbs 7:25 Don’t fool around with a woman like that; don’t even stroll through her neighborhood. (The Message)
Romans 13:14 But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts. (NKJV)
Matthew 7 (NIV)
13 "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.
14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.
The road may be narrow but stay on the right road.
III. Conclusion
* Each soldier and every Christian has a job to do in this current war against evil.
* We must all be
> Trained
> Equipped
> Fit For Service
* The Christian’s duty is to:
> Hold the front lines with prayer
> Take the word of God as our sword to advance and engage the enemies of God.
* While you do, remember these things:
> We wrestle not against flesh and blood
> We hate the sin but love the sinner
> It won’t be over until it’s over
