DAWSON WILLIAMS

“Showdown With Perspective

Verses:

1. But godliness (conforming to the laws and wishes of God) with contentment (contentment means to be satisfied or pleased.)is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content. But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. (1 Timothy 6:6-10)(esv)

2. do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)(esv)

Big idea:

We need to adjust our posture to better understand his words Main verse: but godliness with contentment is great gain. (1 Timothy 6:6) (esv)

Introduction:

We CANNOT sit back and wait for something to happen, we need to take our next steps with him through prayer and supplication (the action of asking or begging for something earnestly or humbly).

Point(s):

1. Our perspective should look through the lens of gods grace

Action steps:

I’m inviting you to adjust your posture by doing the following: removing a negative and adding a positive

Closing:

do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. (Philippians 4:6)(esv)

Nathan Semlick

“Showdown Against Deception”

Big idea: To fight deception we must first realize we are being deceived then fight against it 

Introduction: During the War of 1812, British General Isaac Brock and the Shawnee chief Tecumseh bluffed their way into capturing Detroit without a fight. The ruse began in August 1812, when Brock besieged American General William Hull’s 2,000-strong army at Fort Detroit. Brock’s inferior force included just 300 regulars, 400 Canadian militiamen and 600 Indians, but he had cleverness on his side. Knowing that Hull believed the Indians to be ruthless barbarians, Brock allowed him to intercept a false letter indicating the British had 5,000 natives at their disposal. He then wrote another letter to Hull in which he cautioned that the Indian war party was so large that he feared he would be unable to control its bloodlust once the battle began. While Hull was mulling this over, Tecumseh marched the same group of whooping Indians past the fort multiple times to give the appearance of larger numbers. Brock also clothed his Canadian militiamen in discarded British uniforms to make the Americans think they were up against veterans. Faced with this well-acted bit of battlefield theater, Hull lost his nerve and surrendered. What if I told you that this scenario happens everyday. The devil and his army of legions try and do deceive you everyday. Today ill be talking about what deception happens and what you can do in response. 

Point 1: When deception comes it will appear good 

2 Corinthians 14-15

Satan does not come as a comic book style red guy with horns and a pitch fork, nor does he come as a monster from Nun. He will come as a a little tweety bird. His suggestions will appear to be wonderful and lovely but in the end they yield nothing. When you to restaurant and they give you to much change, and you think ah this wouldn't hurt anyone and you don't tell them. That is sin. If you promise to give your neighbors lawn mower back after using it and they never come for it, so you just keep it. That is sin. 

Point 2 : Deception is related to action 

We can be deceived in our action. Our actions are the evidence of what we believe . If we don’t do what we say we believe then we really 

believe something else. If I claim to hate greed, then demand a salary raise when I am being paid ample then my action show that I do not really hate greed. I may say I love my family, but what I really love is what they do for me. 

Point 3 : There are different levels of deception 

Unconscious Incompetence: When we don’t know we are being 

deceived and thus sin Conscious Incompetence: When we know we are being deceived and still give into sin 

Conscious Competence: When we know we are being deceived and don’t give into sin Most of us fall into Conscious Incompetence or Unconscious Incompetence we either don't know, we are being deceived and thus sin, or know we are being deceived and still sin. So how do fight conscious competence or learn about my unconscious incompetence? Point 4 : You Must Be Prepared To Fight Deception 

When the enemy comes it usually happens within a split second and if 

you are not prepared you will easily give in . You must train your mind to recognise deception that way you can fight it. You must set your heart on the things of God. Philippians 4:8 “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just,

whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things” 

In the past this was a big issue for Christians and so to help in the fight against sin and deception they created a list of virtues and vices. 

Pride is excessive belief in one's own abilities, that interferes with the individual's recognition of the grace of God. It has been called the sin from which all others arise. Pride is also known as Vanity. 

Envy is the desire for others' traits, status, abilities, or situation. 

Gluttony is an inordinate desire to consume more than that which one requires. Lust is an inordinate craving for the pleasures of the body. 

Wrath is manifested in the individual who spurns love and opts instead for fury. It is also known as anger. 

Greed is the desire for material wealth or gain, ignoring the realm of the spiritual. It is also called Avarice or Covetousness. 

Sloth is the avoidance of physical or spiritual work. 

Kindness = cures envy by placing the desire to help others above the need to supersede them. Temperance = cures gluttony by implanting the desire to be healthy, therefore making one fit to serve others. 

Charity or love = cures greed by putting the desire to help others above storing up treasure for one’s self. 

Chastity or self-control = cures lust by controlling passion and leveraging that energy for the good of others. 

Humility = cures pride by removing one's ego and boastfulness, therefore allowing the attitude

of service. 

Diligence or Zeal = cures slothfulness by placing the best interest of others above the life of ease and relaxation. 

Patience = cures wrath by taking time to understand the needs and desires of others before acting or speaking. 

Tell my story of working on sloth. 

Now I want you to take 30 seconds and look at this chart and pick both a virtue and vice to work on. Some of you may be thinking boy I don’t struggle with anything on this list well i can assure you you do (explain how they can mean different then we typically think). Then turn to someone one near you and tell them what your gonna work on. The church is a great place to build one another up and work on our mistakes and praise our successes. Now set a reminder on your phone for tonight. What I want you to do is before you go to bed take a minute or two to think about how you did with your virtue or vice. Do not forget or turn over to go to sleep or start watching a tv show, this is the part where you must fight. Temptation is strongest when you know your being tempted. You may get in bed and think boy I should do that but i’m too tired. Do not give in. 

Action Steps 

1 : Ask for help from God 

When you get to these moments, which if you are constantly thinking 

about whether you are applying your virtue you will, you will not be able 

to do it on your own. You must ask help from God. When you get home today I want you to choose a bible verse to go along with your virtue. 

2 : Don’t expect perfection

As Christians we know that perfection is impossible, however we can work toward it. In your journey you should mark success by progress, wars aren’t won in a day. They say building a habit takes about 30 days of intentional thought, so for the month of December I would encourage you to work on your virtue. At the end of that you may be able to move on to another virtue. For December I will be working on the temperance of my words, speaking only want is kind, true, and necessary. My bible verse will be Proverbs 10:19 “When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise”. I implore you to do this to and while it may be hard it is worthy task. Here is great quote from C.S Lewis “No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good. A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is. After all, you find out the strength of the German army by fighting against it, not by giving in. You find out the strength of a wind by trying to walk against it, not by lying down. A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness — they have lived a sheltered life by always giving in. We never find out the strength of the evil impulse inside us until we try to fight it”. So let us do as Ephesians 4:22-24 tells us “put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.”

Abby Mowery

“Showdown With Outside Voices”

Big Idea: To stand up when people tear and question our faith in Jesus. 

Introduction: 

Story 

History discussion on the separation of church and state - more specifically prayer in school. My stance: there should be a mental health or quiet time that if kids choose, they may use that time to pray without having to fear the scrutiny of their classmates. Explain why I did CREW last year (to allow kids to feel safe together to pray and have a community where they could feel comfortable) 

People's responses directed at me: that this idea is inappropriate, unimportant, religion doesn't belong during the school day. 

How that left me feeling: upset, angry, confused 

How I dealt with it: I turned to my bible (which I had been kind of neglecting for a bit up to that point) and prayer. I thought how could these people say these things not only are they wrong, but they just don't get it and then God spoke to me through Acts 18:9-10 

Scripture: Acts 18:9-10 

ESV: And then Lord said to Paul one night in a vision, “Do not be afraid, but go on speaking and do not be silent, for I am with you, and no one will attack you to harm you, for I have many in this city who are my people.” 

Points: 

● Keep speaking when the voices try and drown you out. - SPEAK DIRECTLY TO THE OUTSIDE VOICES 

God said, “your right they don't understand, BUT that is EXACTLY what I have sent you to do. DO NOT STOP preaching my word until they DO understand!” If we are to love our neighbors, then do NOT give up in the face of scrutiny. Do not stand down. The ideas and criticism of the enemy is fighting you for a reason; he knows what you can do in the name of Jesus. he knows what you can do in prayer. 

● Access God’s children; You are not alone. - SPEAK WITH THE INSIDE VOICES 

We are never alone no matter how we may feel. God is alway there, but also just like he said, “for I have many in this city who are my people” and we have them too. Utilize your family, your pastors, your mentors, and especially your prayer and bible. We are a community and we band together. 

Action Steps: 1. Defend your faith always, don't give up. 

2. KEEP PREACHING GOD’S WORD AND HIS TRUTH!

3. Reach out to God's community. 

Closing: 

We need to keep preaching until those who don't get it, do get it.

Acts 17:1-6 ESV

Now when they had passed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. 2 And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, 3 explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” 4 And some of them were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a great many of the devout Greeks and not a few of the leading women. 5 But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd. 6 And when they could not find them, they dragged Jason and some of the brothers before the city authorities, shouting, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here also,

We are continuing in our series “Showdown.” And much like the classic western where the good guy rides into town to defend it from the bad guys, inevitably resulting in the quickdraw duel at high noon, we are discussing the moments in our lives when we find ourselves in a standoff and we must act.

The “opponents” that we face can take on many forms and be motivated by various factors. It is important that we recognize those opponents and act accordingly.

Title: WHAT ARE WE FIGHTING FOR?

Deep Dive into the history of Duels

• 17th and 18th Century Duels were fought with swords. Afterwards they began to be fought with pistols.

• Fights were to First Blood, Severely wounded, The Death, or one shot.

• July 11, 1804: U.S. Vice President Aaron Burr, while in office, dueled former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton; Hamilton was killed.

• February 24, 1838: U.S. Representative from Kentucky William Jordan Graves killed U.S. Representative from Maine Jonathan Cilley in a pistol duel. Afterwards, Congress passed a law making it illegal to issue or accept a duel challenge in Washington, D.C.

• September 13, 1859: U.S. Senator David C. Broderick and former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of California David S. Terry. Broderick was killed.

• Even Abraham Lincoln, as an Illinois state legislator accepted a dual and was about to fight when his people talked him out of it.

Duels and showdowns are common still. Luckily we have mostly moved beyond the need to shot each other in order to make our point. As I read through these historic duels the one question that I have is why? What happened that caused such anger that it drove two people to the point of killing or at best severely hurting the other?

In the scripture that we read a few minutes ago we see this angry mob. Evoking images of torches and pitchforks. Looking to take out Paul and his companion because he “turned the world upside” with his preaching and teaching about Jesus.

And, as I pondered this moment in scriptures and the one I will share with you in a moment, I think to myself; “Are the things that I am fighting for so compelling that it turns the world upside down?” Or, “Is it possible that what I am fighting for is misguided and unimportant?”

Let me be clear, the gospel is the most important possession of the church. It must be the only thing that motivates our fight. This beautiful gospel is that God has made a way that we might become children of God. Part of his inheritance. That no matter the depth or depravity of our sin, it will not be too great that his blood cannot cover. That no matter how far we wander, he will be relentless in his pursuit of us. That because SO LOVED the world that he gave his one and only son (To become sin on our behalf, to take our punishment upon him, to die on our behalf) that WHOEVER believes in him will not perish but have everlasting life.

No! my concern is that we have forgotten our first love. And the message we proclaim has become cloudy and at times secondary. That instead of fighting for people, we begin to fight against people.

Acts 19

Synopsis – Paul rides into Ephesus. He begins to teach and preach in the synagogues. God was doing “extraordinary miracles.” People were being healed, even from handkerchiefs that Paul touched. Those that practiced magic began destroying their books. All totaled some 50,000 silver pieces worth. The idol makers got angry because they were losing business because lives were being changed. THE GOSPEL DISRUPTED THE ECONOMY!

Could you imagine if our message, the glorious gospel was resulting in economic shift?

The idol makers were so upset that they started a riot.

Acts 19:32 ESV

Now some cried out one thing, some another, for the assembly was in confusion, and most of them did not know why they had come together.

Doesn’t this look like our world right now? Everybody is angry about something. I could make a handful of statements and probably offend everyone. If we offend people, let’s do it because of the gospel. Let’s be the type of people that turn our world upside down.

What was the message that caused this huge shift? That caused people to turn away from their practices that dishonored God? We can’t say for certain but we might have an clue given to us by Paul in his letter to the church in Ephesus.

Ephesians 2:1-10 ESV

“And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Ephesians 2:12-13 ESV

“remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

THIS IS THE MESSAGE! THIS IS OUR MOTIVATION FOR THE FIGHT!

I believe that our message as believers have been lost, or at least minimized, by all of the other “important” issues of our day. Instead of standing firm and fighting for what is right many believers have joined the mob. “We are mad, not sure why, but we are mad!”

Revelation 2:2-5

“‘I know your works, your toil and your patient endurance, and how you cannot bear with those who are evil, but have tested those who call themselves apostles and are not, and found them to be false. I know you are enduring patiently and bearing up for my name's sake, and you have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first. If not, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless you repent.

This love at first is, I believe, this gospel of grace. It is really easy for us as believers to feel like we can move past this. We can become hard in our well doing that we forget about the great grace that God has shown us and that he desires to show others.

The instruction to the church here is repent, do the works you did at the beginning. If not then the influence that the church had in the region would be gone.

I do not want to cash in my influence for things that don’t really matter. Let’s fight harder for the gospel of grace than anything else.

Maybe this “showdown” is really us squaring off the unimportant, the frivolous, or the lesser causes.

Closing

SCRIPTURE: Genesis 3:8–10 (ESV) And they heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. But the LORD God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.”

PRAYER

We have a built in mechanism for our survival: FEAR

• We see something dangerous

• We experience FEAR

• It protects us when we experience heights, fire, large animals, etc.

That mechanism is often exploited...

1. We see a CHALLENGE

2. The challenge experiences DISTORTION

• The challenge is distorted, appearing larger, more threatening than in reality

• Illus: the low light that casts tall shadows

• Illus: Granville Mass. monument on small wooden bridge.

• The tactic of every army

  • Judges 7:20–22 (ESV) Then the three companies blew the trumpets and broke the jars. They held in their left hands the torches, and in their right hands the trumpets to blow. And they cried out, “A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!” Every man stood in his place around the camp, and all the army ran. They cried out and fled. When they blew the 300 trumpets, the LORD set every man’s sword against his comrade and against all the army. And the army fled as far as Beth-shittah toward Zererah, as far as the border of Abel-meholah, by Tabbath.

• The challenge is distorted, appearing larger, more threatening than in reality

• Distortions are deceptions - This is the enemies playground

3. The distortion activates the mechanism of FEAR

• An emotional response

• Initially based on distortion

• FEAR is experienced by everyone, even the most heroic

• FEAR is It is not a lack of faith

4. The DECISION must be made,.. what to do?

• This can happen over a few minutes of a few days, few years

• AFRAID - sees the distortion and decides to honor it as real

  • Will keep you from God’s best every time

• COURAGE - sees the distortion and disregards it as a lie

So often the challenge and distortion is of a spiritual nature

These can be one-off experiences, but the can be exploited into strongholds

3 PREVALENT FEARS FOR TODAY

The Fear Of Bad Outcomes

• Causing us to ignore God because His way might not work

• Specifically - if I stick to what God says, this may not work

• Exodus 16:19–20 (ESV) And Moses said to them, “Let no one leave any of it over till the morning.” But they did not listen to Moses. Some left part of it till the morning, and it bred worms and stank. And Moses was angry with them.

• Examples:

  • Lying on a resume

  • Sabotaging a colleague to level the playing ground

• Honor God’s Word and His Word will honor you.

• God’s math equation will always work out.

• Joshua 6:20 (ESV) So the people shouted, and the trumpets were blown. As soon as the people heard the sound of the trumpet, the people shouted a great shout, and the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they captured the city.

The Fear of Injury & Death

• pressuring us to avoid risks associated with winning God’s BEST.

• Numbers 13:1–2 (ESV) The LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “Send men to spy out the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the people of Israel. From each tribe of their fathers you shall send a man, every one a chief among them.”

• Numbers 13:30–31 (ESV) But Caleb quieted the people before Moses and said, “Let us go up at once and occupy it, for we are well able to overcome it.” Then the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we are.”

• Numbers 14:1–3 (ESV) Then all the congregation raised a loud cry, and the people wept that night. And all the people of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron. The whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the LORD bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become a prey. Would it not be better for us to go back to Egypt?”

• We are so pain adverse. We are so afraid of dying?

• Jesus’ pain/death were the prerequisites to life

• A previous attribute we honor: COURAGE IN BATTLE

  • Noble wars, fought to protect the underdog

  • Young men sent men into battle to fight for someone else

  • When faced with death, these men marched forward

• Protections in the US have afforded current generations have never faced a real enemy.

• We’ve had to create them; we’ve define them with long lists; we’ve created therapeutics

• In previous generations they would have overcome them.

• The media distorts them

• We are so consumed with safety and safe spaces - THEY ARE OUR GOD

• Helicopter Parents Turn Into Snow Plow parents

• Illus: family what had not left their home

• Worse than dying is the failure to live an abundant life.

• DON’T BE RECKLESS, BUT LIVE & THRIVE

The Fear of Man’s Opinion

• pressuring us to dishonor God to win the honor of men.

• Matthew 26:69–75 (ESV) Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a servant girl came up to him and said, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you mean.” And when he went out to the entrance, another servant girl saw him, and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” And again he denied it with an oath: “I do not know the man.” After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Certainly you too are one of them, for your accent betrays you.” Then he began to invoke a curse on himself and to swear, “I do not know the man.” And immediately the rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, “Before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.

This was one of Peter’s worst life experiences.

Why did Peter Deny Knowing Jesus?

• Fear of physical pain

• Fear of incarceration

• Fear of rejection

  • Plagues the church

  • We water down who we are and what we are about so as not to offend (we say it is in order to win them over first) that it renders our lives without power

  • What will my coworkers think if they see my bible, see me pray, invited them to church?

  • We will even go to the point to go against God’s word

• Fear of the optics: How will this be viewed by others?

  • Following Jesus experienced the flip flop of the mob

  • Fear of being disliked?

  • Fear of being punished?

  • Fear of being marked - affect popularity,

  • How does heaven view this is the first question we need to ask ourselves

Our BEST LIFE begins as we focus on God’s opinion

Acts 4:18–20 (ESV) So they called them and charged them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, “Whether it is right in the sight of God to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge, for we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard.”

Closing

This is a season for courage

Joshua to spies: Numbers 13:20 (ESV) Be of good courage and bring some of the fruit of the land.”

Moses to Joshua: Deuteronomy 31:6 (ESV) Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

John 16:32–33 (ESV) Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

In This Series We Will Focus On: common showdowns that show up in the lives of believers that are worth fighting. 

Series Scripture: 1 Timothy 6:12 (ESV) Fight the good fight of the faith. 

Illus: I grew up at drive-ins watching John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. 

• Bad Guys harassing people in a little town out in the middle of nowhere 

• The Good Guy shows up in town and sees what’s going on. 

• The town’s people are too afraid to do anything and can’t afford to hire someone who isnt

• The Good Guy fight the Bad Guys and saves the people and their town. 

It’s also a story line that appears thousands of times in scripture. Biblical showdowns! 

Today’s Message Will Focus On: a critical showdown you must face, and this first showdown you need to lose. 

TITLE: His Voice 
The reason why you need to lose this showdown is because when God speaks you need to surrender. If you don’t you go on being the bad guy. We all start off being the Bad Guy and we will remain the bad guy as long as we are in opposition to what God says. PRAYER 

Have you ever been around someone who is bossy?x 
Illus: Leslie/Ben 

Does It Seem Like God Is Incredibly Bossy 

• Adam/Eve: don’t eat from that tree

• Abraham: leave your city and go to a place I will show you 

• Lot: get out of Sodom, run and don’t look back 

• Moses/Ten Commandments: do this stuff or die 

• Tabernacle: No one touches the Ark of the Covenant. 

• Joshua/Jericho: “Don’t take any of their stuff for yourself” 

1 Timothy 6:12 (ESV) Fight the good fight of the faith. 

The Good Fight of Faith is a Fight involving FAITH: His Voice 

• Will you listen to God’s Voice 

The WHY of God’s Voice 

1. He Desires His Best For You 

• Genesis 1:28 (ESV) And God blessed them. And God said 

to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and 

subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and 

over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing 

that moves on the earth.”

• He’s so committed to your best, He sent His son to 

purchase access to best 

2. He’s Revealing The Way To His Best 

○ Psalm 143:8 (ESV)...Make me know the way I should go, 

for to you I lift up my soul. 

○ Psalm 119:105–106 (ESV) Your word is a lamp to my feet 

and a light to my path. I have sworn an oath and 

confirmed it, to keep your righteous rules. 

3. He Sees The Adversary Contesting His Best 

○ John 10:10 - steal kill and destroy 

○ Circumstances in your life contrary to what God says 

■ Anything that doesn’t line up with Genesis 

○ Contrary Voices - Voices in you life contrary to what God says - voices in your head, people in your world, voices of pop culture, in government, 

■ Voice of pleasure 

● Stay home, collect unemployment 

● Everyone should get basic needs covered without doing a thing 

● No discomfort 

■ Voice of substitute 

● God promises BEST, but here’s decent 

■ Voice of acceptance - optics 

● A struggle for everyone 

● Especially a struggle for people of faith 

● Nicodemus came to Jesus at night - what will people think

● What will people think if we gather 

■ Voice of fear 

● Do what I say or… 

● Nebuchadnezzar 

● What if your bosses say you 

4. He Knows His Best In Your Life Awakens Others To Theirs 

Closing 

1 Samuel 3:9 (ESV) Therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down, and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant hears.’ ” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. 

Will you submit to the Voice of God?