God's Road to Victory

Larry Siegle
02/23/25 - Sun AM

Link to sermon video: God's Road to Victory - L Siegle

EQUIPPED to ACCOMPLISH

“God’s Road to Victory”

(Galatians 5:16-25)

Series:  EQUIPPED to ACCOMPLISH

Thesis:  God’s has a purpose for the Cortland congregation and how to be equipped to accomplish that purpose.

INTRODUCTION

1.     The title of this series is Equipped to Accomplish

2.     This is the second lesson in our study:  God’s Road to Victory

3.     In the passages we just read, the apostle Paul provides a list of the ‘works of the flesh’ over against the ‘fruit of the

        spirit’—an he points out both the problem and the solution for the lifestyle choices people made and the

        consequences that follow over the course of time.

        a.     The ‘works of the flesh’ (vv. 19-21) are “evident” (shining, apparent, outwardly known)—you know them when you see them—these are not hidden or kept in secret.

                1)    These are the manifested ways that we see everyday on television, in movies, and in how ‘real life’ people

                        conduct their daily lives…they way their think, the way they speak (their identity).

                2)    The apostle Paul tells his readers these qualities have no place in the lives of believers.

        b.     The ‘fruit of the spirit’ (vv21-22), is the inward result of a life that is changed and transformed by entering into

                relationship with God, and walking with Him each and every day.

                1)    It is the inward qualities that are seen and demonstrated outwardly in our lives.

                2)    Christianity is not simply a form of ‘behavioral modification’—changes on the outside while remaining the

                        same on the inside.

PROBLEMS THAT BECOME A SOLUTION

1.     Story of the farmer that had bought some land to be used to plant corn in the field.

        a.     He takes his tractor and equipment out into the field to plow and prepare the soil, only to discover a huge rock

                out in the middle of the field.

        b.     He just ignores the problem and ploys the areas around the rock, sometimes he damages his equipment in the

                process.

        c.     The farmer keeps thinking about the wasted area where he cannot plant the crop and the cost involved from the

                loss.

        f.      Finally, one day, the farmer decides that he is going to do whatever is necessary to get rid of that huge rock.

        g.     He gets a shovel and a crowbar and goes out to the field to see what is necessary to do to remove the huge rock.

2.     Within just a few minutes the farmer discovers that what appears like a huge rock is really flat and only about six to

        eight inches thick—and comes up easily from the ground—PROBLEM SOLVED

3.     This old farmer has another problem that the door of his barn is raised and he has to climb over it to get into the front

        door.

        a.     The farmer then takes the huge rock back to the barn and places it in front of the door and makes for himself a step—the PROBLEM BECAME THE SOLUTION.

4.     God wants to uses the problematic areas of our lives to teach us how to grow and develop in our character and in the

        practical expressions of our lives.

SECOND PETER

1.     Last week we introduced some of the challenges, situations, and circumstances the believers at the time were

        facing—the opposition to the message of Christ.

2.     The whole letter was directed to these believers living in the “last days” to assure them that God had equipped them

        to Accomplish His purpose (II Pet. 1:3)—life and godliness.

3.     The promise was clear, that God was making them “partakers of the Divine Nature” (a reflection of who God is, how

        God thinks, and what God does).

        a.     The “knowledge of Him” (v 3)

        b.     His “calling” (invitation) through the gospel (Rom. 1:16)

        c.     God’s “glory” and “excellence” (vv 3)—His nature.

        d.     “precious promises” (Rom. 15:8; II Pet 3:9)—“through them” (as the basis on what the results depend).

        e.     These believers “had escaped” the things of the world (II Pet. 2:20-22)—for some the escape was only temporary.

                1)    How many of our own friends and loved ones do we know who have come into a “knowledge of the truth” (I

                        Tim. 2:4), but who over the course of time have allowed their relationship with God and with His church to

                        fall away?

2.     The parable of the “sower” and the “soils” (Matt. 13:3-9, 18-23).                                   

        a.     We do not just go to bed one night and wake up the next day no longer trusting in God—it happens gradually

                over time.

                1)    Years ago, the church referred to those who were not faithful in attendance as “out of duty”---

                2)    They have lost their “hunger and thirst for righteousness” (Matt. 5:6)—We do not come to worship and

                        fellowship with each other out of a sense of duty, but because it is our hearts desire to be here with each

                        other (Heb. 10:25)—believers in the midst of persecution and suffering needed encouragement to continue

                        to meet today—(We do not know what we have until it is gone).

        b.     Story in the news of a church somewhere in the Middle East in which 57 people were murdered because of their

                unwillingness to compromise their faith and to become Muslims.

                1)    The extent of our suffering for the Lord is…”somebody is in MY parking space this morning” or “His sermon

                        was boring today!” or “______fill in the blank.

THE BIBLICAL “SUPPLEMENT” LIST

1.     In this series we are going to see clearly how this list (II Peter 1) is connected to the list given by the apostle Paul (Gal.

        5)—and how God brings out the very best He wants us to become for Him as we are Equipped to Accomplish.

2.     The very first “add to” on the list begins with the foundation of faith.

        a.     There is nothing of this list that is done apart from faith (Heb. 11:6).

3.     Peter gives us a picture of a “recipe” with the ingredients that are listed here and what the results will be.

        a.     I tried to “bake a cake” ONCE, using a recipe…

        b.     Nobody told me there is a difference between ‘Baking POWDER” AND “Baking SODA”--- you can imagine the rest!

PLAN OF SALVATION

1.     There are those who want to “substitute” items that are part of God’s plan of salvation because it does not “fit” their

        theology.

        a.     “You do not need to be baptized to be saved”… (Matt. 28:18-20)

                1)    We cannot become disciples apart from baptism.

                2)    “Baptism is a work and we are not saved by works” (Eph. 2:8, 9).

                        (a)   Faith IS a “work” (John 6:29).

        b.     Each element in God’s plan of salvation arises “out of” genuine faith otherwise it is a useless expression (Rom.

                14:23).

2.     In the list of God’s “supplements” none of them arise from our own sense of having the ability to do it on out own

        apart from the power of God’s word working in our hearts, minds, and lives.

CONLUSION

1.     This week, pray and ponder on how God wants to take us from where we are, right here, right now, and put each of us

        on the road to victory, growth, and happiness as HIS people.

2.     Pray for those YOU know personally that were once here but now have wandered away, become distracted, lost their

        interest and desire in spiritual things.

3.     God’s providence will put YOU into places where these very people are and where you can minister to them,

        encourage them, help them to return to being what God wants them to be.