THE VALUE OF DEFEAT

THE VALUE OF DEFEAT

"O sing to the Lord a new song! For He has done marvelous things; His
right hand and His holy arm have gained the victory." Psalm 98:1

"Paul tried to do the right thing, but, like us, sometimes he failed. In
his letter to the Romans, Paul seemed to agonize over his inability to
triumph over sin at every confrontation in his life. Don't we all feel
like Paul at times? We want to do what's right, but our actions don't
always represent our true desires.

However, Paul learned that failure shouldn't be condemning - in fact, it
taught him an invaluable lesson about victory: Christ's strength could
shine through any situation, no matter how weak that situation may have
made Paul. (2 Corinthians 12:10)

Here are some things to remember about defeat:

1. Defeat is often engineered by God. God isn't after
self-improvement. He is after death - death to our flesh, which leads to
life in Him.
2. Defeat is often essential for God to fulfill His purposes in our
lives. When we are broken to the point that the only place we can look
is up, and see Him, then we begin to see the purposes and plans He has
for our lives.
3. Defeat exposes our weaknesses and inadequacies. Our best efforts
never match what God can - and wants to - do in us and through us.

Defeat in our lives doesn't mean we are defeated. It is merely
God's way of pointing us to ultimate victory!" adapted from PATHWAYS TO
HIS PRESENCE by Dr. Charles F. Stanley

Great Quote: The reason why many fail in battle is because they wait
until the hour of battle. The reason why others succeed is because they
have gained their victory on their knees long before the battle
came...Anticipate your battles; fight them on your knees before
temptation comes, and you will always have victory. (Reuben Archer) R.
A. Torrey

Don't forget our FAMILY AND FRIENDS seminar this Saturday, December 9th.
If you have a loved one in your family struggling with addiction, this
seminar is for you. Call today for reservations, or visit our website
for information: www.americaskeswick.org.