Worship Devotional XCI
Originally posted to the Facebook group on 10/2/2021.
Worship Devotional for 10/3/21
1 Corinthians 15:50-58:
"Brothers, I tell you this: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, and corruption cannot inherit incorruption. Listen! I am telling you a mystery:
We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, in a moment, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. For this corruptible must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal must be clothed with immortality. When this corruptible is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: 'Death has been swallowed up in victory.' 'Death, where is your victory? Death, where is your sting?' Now the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!"
Songs:
1) Battle Belongs by Phil Wickham
Throughout Scripture we see how God has acted on behalf of His people when they sought Him for help and cried out to Him for rescue and deliverance. Two such men — both kings of Israel from the line of Judah at different times in history — gave the same declaration when they were faced with fierce opposition from enemies who appeared to be stronger. David, when facing Goliath in 1 Samuel 17:45-47, said:
"You come against me with a dagger, spear, and sword, but I come against you in the name of Yahweh of Hosts, the God of Israel's armies — you have defied Him. Today, the Lord will hand you over to me. Today, I'll strike you down, cut your head off, and give the corpses of the Philistine camp to the birds of the sky and the creatures of the earth. Then all the world will know that Israel has a God, and this whole assembly will know that it is not by sword or by spear that the Lord saves, for the battle is the Lord's. He will hand you over to us."
We know that because David trusted wholeheartedly in the Lord, the giant fell and the Israelites had victory over the Philistines. Around 150 years later, Jehoshaphat is king in Jerusalem. Enemies from multiple nations join forces and surround them on every side. 2 Chronicles 20:3 says:
"Jehoshaphat was afraid, and he resolved to seek the Lord."
He calls all of Judah together to seek God and to pray to Him for deliverance. When they are gathered, the Holy Spirit speaks through a Levite name Jahaziel:
"Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast number, for the battle is not yours, but God's...You do not have to fight this battle. Position yourselves, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord" (vv. 15 & 17).
The Lord turned the enemies of His people against each other, causing the vast armies that rose against Jerusalem to slay each other and fall before their very eyes. God faithfully kept His promise, fought for them, and gave them victory. He will do the same for us as we call upon Him, seek Him, and take refuge in Him.
There may be battles that we have to face in this life, wars that we will struggle to endure. But when things come against us that would overwhelm us and threaten to bring us down in defeat, may we be like David and Jehoshaphat and resolve in our hearts to seek the Lord. May we always remember that God loves us and that He fights for us when we run to Him in faith. Whatever battle you may be faced with right now, surrender your heart to the living God and lay down your fear and pride before the One who is greater. The battle belongs to the Lord.
2) See A Victory by Elevation Worship
We all struggle in this life with hardships, trials, temptations, losses, etc. We each have our own battles to face, and there are times when victory seems far away. Maybe all you can see right now is defeat. But there's good news! The ultimate outcome does not depend on us or on our ability to fight the wars that rage around and within us. Jesus has already claimed the victory by what He did on the cross and through His resurrection from the grave! So even if you are fighting what feels like a losing battle, know that this is not the end. There's hope for every believer, even in the darkest night. The things that you are going through — the temptations you keep falling for, the grief or depression that keeps haunting you, the lies that you keep listening to, the fears that keep holding you back — are all in God's hands. We can still sing with faith that we will see victory. We must remember that God is still sovereign, He is still on the throne, and He is still able to rescue us and to sanctify us for His purposes and for His glory. He takes what the enemy intends for evil and turns it for good.
Romans 8:28:
"We know that all things work together for the good of those who love God: those who are called according to His purpose."
The victory that God won for His people when He lead Israel out of Egypt is a picture of the salvation He offers to all people of all nations through Jesus. We all were born into slavery to our sinful desires under the rule of death. We could never free ourselves from the enemy's hold on us by our good deeds or by our own strength and abilities, for we are all guilty of rebellion against God. But because the blood of Jesus was shed for us, we are justified through faith based on His work of righteousness and not ours. Just as God showed His might through signs and wonders against the Egyptians, so He has shown His might through the miracles and works that Jesus did against the works of the Devil. Just as God brought Israel out of Egypt, the land of slavery, so He has brought us out of our slavery to sin. Just as the Egyptian armies were drowned in the Red Sea, never again to rule over God's people, so God has cast our sins into the depths of the sea and given us a new name, that we may never again be slaves condemned to death, but instead children of God in righteousness, freedom, and life.
4) Every Victory by The Belonging Co.
The things of the past were written for our encouragement and edification, but they were only a shadow of the salvation to come. Now that salvation has come, for Jesus has come to earth, lived among us, was crucified on the cross, rose again from the dead, and now lives and reigns and intercedes for us at the right hand of the Father. The ultimate victory has been won, and we wait in faith for the end to come. As we wait and endure the temporary struggles of this life, fighting the good fight for the faith, may we never give ourselves to pride, thinking that victory or salvation comes from anything of ourselves. Instead, we always give glory to God, because every victory comes from Him. He is the One who rules over all things, and His Spirit is the One who strengthens us for the fight and gives us faith to overcome.
Philippians 2:5-11:
"Make your own attitude that of Christ Jesus, who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage. Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men. And when He had come as a man in His external form, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death — even to death on a cross. For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow — of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth — and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
5) Victory In Jesus by E.M. Bartlett
1 John 5:1-5:
"Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Messiah has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father also loves the one born of Him. This is how we know that we love God's children when we love God and obey His commands. For this is what love for God is: to keep His commands. Now His commands are not a burden, because whatever has been born of God conquers the world. This is the victory that has conquered the world: our faith. And who is the one who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?"
Theme(s): Battle, Victory
Scripture references:
Genesis 50:19-20
Exodus 1-15
Joshua 6
1 Samuel 17
2 Samuel 21:15-22, 22
2 Kings 18-19
2 Chronicles 20:1-30, 32:1-23
Psalms 18, 20, 46, 59, 105-110, 118
Isaiah 25, 36-37, 54, 59-63
Hosea 13:4-14
Zechariah 4:6
Matthew 19:26
John 14-16
Romans 8
1 Corinthians 15 (esp. vv. 54-58)
2 Corinthians 3-5
Ephesians 6:10-18
Philippians 2:1-11, 4:12-13
Hebrews 12:1-2
1 John 5:1-5
Revelation 19 (esp. vv. 11-16), 22:1-5