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Winning When Losing is Certain

Sunday July 14, 2002 • Richard Coleman

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Serving as an instrument of God, Richard Coleman delivered a powerful message to the body of believers at Woodland Hills Church this morning. Richard began by noting that a day of trouble has come upon us. The effects of moral, social, and economic evil in this country cannot be denied. The reality of this evil is being recognized by many, Christians and non-Christians alike, and certainly comes as no surprise to God. As these challenges of the devil come, people are going to become more and more desperate for God. They will be looking at the church to see if indeed we are proclaiming and living the truth. As these people search for answers, we should not selfishly act as if the Christian life is easy and without problems. Instead, we must be real and honest. While we can be confident that God has the ultimate victory, the reality of the devil’s attacks must be acknowledged. There will be times in each of our lives when we are faced with situations that we cannot handle. The question then looms: What do we do when losing is “certain”?

Using 2 Chronicles 20:1-4, Richard gave three steps by which we can win amidst the certainty of losing. First, we must come to God for help. In verse three of this passage Jehoshaphat acknowledged his enemy and his need for God. Acting as King of Judah, he then brought the people together to call upon the name of the Lord. In the same way, we must identify the devil as the author of evil while continually reorienting ourselves back to God, our Helper and Sustainer.

Second, .by faith we have to believe that God will speak to us and then we must listen for God. This requires us to engage ourselves spiritually. The act of listening is not merely an intellectual exercise but involves the submission of the soul, spirit, and body to the Word of God.

Third, we must follow God by faith. In the 2 Chronicles passage, all people of Judah had a particular position that they were to fulfill to the best of their ability. In the same way, we must assume our God-given role on the battlefield of the Lord. After hearing from God, we are to take action.

The devil is undeniably present in our world today. When God is moving in a particular situation, the devil will make every effort to attack that place. Yet, despite the heavy gunfire of the devil that we may be encountering, we can be assured ultimate victory. What the devil intends for evil God can use for good. The promise of Romans 8:38-39 cannot be tainted by the devil but instead gives us confidence in God, our Commander in Chief.

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Focus Scripture:

I Chronicles 20:1-4

1 In the spring, at the time when kings go off to war, Joab led out the armed forces. He laid waste the land of the Ammonites and went to Rabbah and besieged it, but David remained in Jerusalem. Joab attacked Rabbah and left it in ruins. 2 David took the crown from the head of their king [a]—its weight was found to be a talent [b] of gold, and it was set with precious stones—and it was placed on David's head. He took a great quantity of plunder from the city 3 and brought out the people who were there, consigning them to labor with saws and with iron picks and axes. David did this to all the Ammonite towns. Then David and his entire army returned to Jerusalem.

4 In the course of time, war broke out with the Philistines, at Gezer. At that time Sibbekai the Hushathite killed Sippai, one of the descendants of the Rephaites, and the Philistines were subjugated.

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