1) OVERCOMING SELF – 5.1.11

Today we are launching a series entitled, “We shall Overcome.” Lesson one is “Overcoming Self.” We can be so full of ourselves that we cannot see Christ in all of His Beauty. We will discuss the words of John, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30)

Many years ago there was an evangelist traveling with his wife and little daughter. They were staying in the home of a friend. On the bedroom wall, just over the head of the bed in which they slept was a picture of Jesus, which reflected in the large mirror of the dressing table standing in the bay of the bedroom window. When the little girl woke on her first morning there she saw the picture of Jesus reflected in the mirror while she still lay in bed, and exclaimed, “Oh, Mommy, I can see Jesus in the mirror!” Then she quickly kneeled up to take a better look, but in doing so brought her own body between the picture and the mirror, so that instead of seeing the picture of Jesus reflected, she now saw herself. So she lay down again, and again she saw the picture of Jesus. She was up and down several times after that with her eyes fixed on the mirror. Then she said, “MOMMY, WHEN I CAN’T SEE MYSELF, I CAN SEE JESUS; BUT EVERY TIME I SEE MYSELF, I DON’T SEE HIM.”

• Charlie Brown said, “We have met the enemy and it is us.”

Last Sunday we hung our Hang-ups on the Bloodline of Christ. Here is a look into some of our flesh:

• 1) Our Tongue       
• 2) Fear                   
• 3) Doubt         
• 4) Anger         
• 5) Attitudes            
• 6) Selfishness      
• 7) Pride           
• 8) Substances           
• 9) Temper             
• 10) Depression    
• 11) Un-forgiveness  
• 12) Control           
• 13) Stress               
• 14) Lust          
• 15) Sin

THE BATTLE: THE FLESH

Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. 19. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. 20. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 21. I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me. 22. For I delight in the law of God after the inward man: 23. BUT I SEE ANOTHER LAW IN MY MEMBERS, WARRING AGAINST THE LAW OF MY MIND, AND BRINGING ME INTO CAPTIVITY TO THE LAW OF SIN WHICH IS IN MY MEMBERS. 24. O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? 25. I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

TUG-A-WAR ~ Have two teams play tug-a-war. FLESH VS. SPIRIT

According to Paul Lee Tan's Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations, "The Romans sometimes compelled a captive to be joined face-to-face with a dead body, and to bear it about until the horrible bacteria destroyed the life of the living victim. Virgil describes this cruel punishment: 'The living and the dead at his command/Were coupled face to face, and hand to hand;/ Till choked with stench, in loathed embraces tied,/The lingering wretches pined away and died.'" Without Christ, we are shackled to a dead corpse -- our sinfulness. Only repentance frees us from certain death, for life and death cannot coexist indefinitely.

FALLING SHORT: THE LIFE OF JUDAS ISCARIOT

Acts 1:25 That he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas by transgression fell, THAT HE MIGHT GO TO HIS OWN PLACE.

Perhaps the most significant thing that can be said of Judas Iscariot, was, that, in feeling sorrow for his crime of betrayal, he did not seek to atone for his sin to the One (Jesus) whom he had wronged, but, rather, went to his accomplices in crime (the priests) and there sought to set himself aright. Because those whom he had served in his selfishness failed him at the end (the priests), he went out and hanged himself.

WE LEAVE THE LIFE OF JUDAS WITH TWO LESSONS IN MIND:

• The journey into sin gains momentum. We never know where the path may end.
• Sin only needs opportunity to carry us to its utmost depths.

It is sadly possible to be associated with Jesus, to hear his gracious words, witness His wonderful works, yet refuse Him our heart’s allegiance and be ultimately lost.

 OVERCOMING: THE LIFE OF THE APOSTLE PAUL

Acts 22:6 And it came to pass, that, as I made my journey, and was come nigh unto Damascus about noon, suddenly there shone from heaven a great light round about me. 7. And I fell unto the ground, and heard a voice saying unto me, Saul, Saul, WHY PERSECUTEST THOU ME? 8. And I answered, Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me, I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. 9. And they that were with me saw indeed the light, and were afraid; but they heard not the voice of him that spake to me. 10. And I said, WHAT SHALL I DO, LORD? And the Lord said unto me, Arise, and go into Damascus; and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do.

PAUL’S IMPORTANT QUESTION: WHAT SHALL I DO, LORD? (Acts 22:10)

PAUL OBEYED: Acts 22:16 Arise, and be baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the name of the Lord.

THE VICTORY: PAUL, BEFORE AND AFTER

• BEFORE: Hated the Name           
• AFTER: Revered the Name
• BEFORE: Hated Followers       
• AFTER: Dedicated Follower
• BEFORE: Murdered Christians   
• AFTER: Martyred for Christ
• BEFORE: Tried to Destroy Message
• AFTER: Main Deliverer of Message
• BEFORE: Served in Fear and Anger
• AFTER: Served in Love

THE VICTORY: 1 Corinthians 15:51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, ⁵²In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. ⁵³For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. ⁵⁴So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. ⁵⁵O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? ⁵⁶The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. ⁵⁷But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

TOOL FOR YOUR TOOL BOX: FASTING

One of the most difficult yet effective ways of defeating your flesh and allowing the Spirit to reign free in your life is through the discipline of fasting.

Matthew 17:20 And Jesus said unto them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you. 21. Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting.

I SURRENDER ALL 

Judson W. Van DeVenter, 1896

All to Jesus I surrender;
 All to Him I freely give;
 I will ever love and trust Him, 
In His presence daily live.

REFRAIN:
 I surrender all,
 I surrender all;
 All to Thee, my blessed Savior, 
I surrender all.