Word Wednesday

Word Wednesday

Good Morning AMN,

For today’s Word Wednesday, I’d like to share a devotional written by my brother, Pastor Furman “Puck” Fordham. This message was written to his Riverside church family in Nashville, TN.  I pray you are encouraged by this message

Blessings,

Evelyn

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Riverside Family,

I am on a high this morning!!!

Last night my baseball team, the Kansas City Royals, won the World Series!!! Just in case you didn't know, for a sports fan, it doesn't get much better than this! Victory is soooooo sweet - AND IT IS SO MUCH BETTER THAN DEFEAT!!!

Take it from one who knows. I have had my full share of defeat. The last time my beloved city won a championship, I was 15 years old - and I just turned 45! Yes. Count 'em. That's 30 YEARS OF DEFEAT!!! So I'm an authority who can speak from experience. Victory may be hard, difficult, elusive and extremely rare; but victory CAN COME - and when it does, it is SO MUCH better than defeat!!!

As I was having worship this morning, I found myself thinking about our Christian experience. For many of us it has been YEARS since we've experienced victory over sin. We've had so much defeat, and usually against the same opponent, that in that

specific area of our lives we've come to expect it. Truth be told many of us have stopped fighting. We've conceded the battle and concluded that real, consistent, ultimate victory will never be ours.

But aren't you tired of spiritual defeat?! Aren't you tired of temptation whipping your tail and always gaining the upper hand?! Don't you want to taste victory?!

Well if you do, I have GOOD NEWS for you!

This past Sabbath Pastor Alicia reminded us that victory can be ours when we fight with the Word of God! God's Word is our weapon, and it has the power to defeat our enemy! Following the example of Jesus Christ, we were encouraged to commit God's promises to memory, and as we "hide God's Word in our heart," we won't sin against Him! Collect and claim your promises, and then fight your temptation in God's power rather than your own!

Wouldn't you like to be part of a winning team?! What if we were a church that was really experiencing victory over sin! Hey, GOD CAN DO THIS! We CAN have victory!!!

So let's get to work.

1. Collect your promises.

2. Commit them to memory.

3. Claim them as you battle against temptation.

Let's make 2 Peter‬ ‭1:3-4‬ our church-wide promise:

“As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.”

Looking forward to victory!

FFF