Nehemiah 8:10

1. the one that possesses your joy owns your strength!
   1. who’s the thief? John 10:10 – the thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have [it] more abundantly.
2. what is meant by strength?
   1. the Hebrew word is ma`owz. It is used as a place or means of safety, protection, refuge, stronghold.
3. when we are in the strength of the Lord we have:
   1. safety, protection, refuge, and are in a stronghold or fortress!
      1. confidence, bold faith, stability and a “don’t quit”, attitude!
4. his strength is made perfect in our weakness!
   1. and he said unto me, my grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength* is made perfect in weakness. most gladly therefore will i rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. – 2 Corinthians 12:9
      1. *strength = dynamis
      2. “our weakness” means to not trust in your natural means
5. in the “joy of the lord” is God’s strength which then becomes our strength
   1. Psalms 13:5-6
      1. King James Version: But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation. I will sing unto the lord, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.
      2. Amplified Bible: But I have trusted, leaned on, and been confident in your mercy and loving-kindness; my heart shall rejoice and be in high spirits in your salvation. I will sing to the lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.
      3. Darby Translation: As for me, I have confided in thy loving-kindness; my heart shall be joyful in thy salvation. I will sing unto jehovah, for he hath dealt bountifully with me.
      4. Common English Bible: But I have trusted in your faithful love. my heart will rejoice in your salvation. yes, I will sing to the lord because he has been good to me.
      5. The Message Bible: I’ve thrown myself headlong into your arms – I’m celebrating your rescue. I’m singing at the top of my lungs, I’m so full of answered prayers.
6. how do we get the joy to get the strength?
   1. Psalms 16:8-9
      1. King James Version: I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; my flesh also will rest in hope.
      2. Amplified Bible: I have set the lord continually before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad and my glory [my inner self] rejoices; my body too shall rest and confidently dwell in safety.
      3. Contemporary English Bible: I will always look to you, as you stand beside me and protect me from fear. with all my heart, I will celebrate, and I can safely rest.
7. how do we celebrate? by rejoicing in the lord and in his salvation, no matter what the circumstances tell you!
   1. Habakkuk 3:17-19 – Common English Bible: Though the fig tree doesn’t bloom, and there’s no produce on the vine; though the olive crop withers, and the fields don’t provide food; though the sheep is cut off from the pen, and there is no cattle in the stalls; I will rejoice in the Lord. I will rejoice in the God of my deliverance. the Lord God is my strength. he will set my feet like the deer. he will let me walk upon the heights.

1. all of creation is groaning and travailing in pain, waiting for the manifestations of the sons of God.
   1. Romans 8:19-22 – all of creation is waiting, groaning, travailing in pain, waiting for us!
   2. look at the news! Boston, Texas, Newtown, Aurora, Tucson, Columbine? People are groaning, travailing in sorrow and grief! What do we have that can help? the good news!
   3. but, when we hear bad news, we get depressed, we get fearful, we get double-minded!
2. Jesus wants us to be his witnesses, giving witness to Jesus and the good news of the gospel. Because these problems are caused by spiritual problems that need spiritual help!
   1. Acts 1:8 (NLT) – but you will receive power when the holy spirit comes upon you. and you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
3. What did Jesus declare when he began his ministry? – Luke 4:18-19
   1. He came to make and to proclaim, “The acceptable year of the Lord!”
   2. And what does that mean? That God is not mad at you, that God is not punishing you, that God is not testing you, that God is not at a distance, that God wants to give you his unconditional love!
4. God has given us the Holy Spirit to be in us, and to be the power of God in us, then to be God’s witnesses to the gospel, the good news gospel!
   1. We have the ministry of reconciliation! – 2 Corinthians 5:18-21
   2. We are to proclaim Luke 4:18-19 because we have the same spirit of the Lord!
5. Jesus gave gifts to mankind so we all can do, “the work of the ministry”, which is proclaiming “good news!”
   1. Ephesians. 4:10-15 And God gave some apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, until we all come into unity!
6. We have to understand the good news to be able to communicate the good news! – Philemon 1:6
   1. Your faith becomes effectual by acknowledging every good thing in you in the Lord.
7. Acknowledging the good things God has put in you will give you boldness and confidence to share it with all that need it!

1. how do you approach your problems in life? Are we fighting our spiritual battles naturally?
   1. Ephesians 6:12 – for we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual [hosts] of wickedness in the heavenly [places].
2. the Bible says, we are not ignorant of satan’s devices, are we? – 2 Corinthiams 2:11
3. snares, what are they? The motive behind the snare is to get you into is to guilt, condemnation, regret & shame. this makes your faith work against you.
   1. guilt, condemnation, regret & shame:
      1. a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior. a regrettable or unfortunate situation or action
      2. synonyms: remorse, humiliation, indignity, discomfort, dishonor, disgrace, indignity, misfortune, bummer, junk thinking! These are snares to use our faith against us!
4. faith is one of the most powerful forces on this earth
   1. God created everything that exists with his faith
   2. We are made in his image and likeness – we are “faith beings”
   3. Our faith is affecting everything that exists on the earth
5. faith in God’s grace through Victory’s Vision will deliver you from snares!
   1. Psalm 91:3 (NASB) – for it is He who delivers you from the snare of the trapper and from the deadly pestilence.
      1. Psalm 91:3 (The Message Bible) – that’s right–he rescues you from hidden traps, shields you from deadly hazards.z
6. how does a Victory’s Vision deliver you?
   1. Hebrews 12:1-3 – 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,
      ***looking unto jesus, the author and finisher of [our] faith, who for the joy that was set before him
      ****endured the cross, despising the shame, and has
      *****sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him who endured such hostility from sinners against himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls
   2. *lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares [us]
      1. every weight is the guilt, condemnation and shame produce when we are snared by law that the enemy uses.
   3. **let us run with endurance
      1. don’t quit, god has made a way of escape – 1 Corinthians 10:3
   4. ***looking unto Jesus
      1. remember your exchange on the cross
   5. ****endured the cross, despising the shame
      1. despise means to never take it into account, don’t mentally consider it.
   6. *****sat down at the right hand of the throne of god
      1. rest in God’s grace