THE LORD IS WITH YOU IN OPPOSITION (6 OF 6)
Scripture: Acts 17:32-34, Acts 18:17, 1 Corinthians 2:3
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The Lord Is With You In Opposition! (6 of 6)
Series: The Lord Is With You
Dennis Marquardt
Acts 17:32-18:17 1 Cor. 2:3
INTRO: No one likes opposition, yet, as Christians we must face the fact that this will be a real part of life at times. Why does God allow opposition into our life? What purpose does God see in our struggles with opposition? God usually helps us in one of two ways when opposition strikes us: He may shield us from the terrible storm or He may have us face directly into it! In either case He is trying to teach us to hold on to Him ... we must adopt the strategy of the vine!
ILLUS: THE VINE HAS DEVELOPED ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL METHODS OF SURVIVAL IN NATURE. IT IS CAPABLE OF DEVELOPING IN ANY CLIMATIC CONDITION, IT IS ABLE TO GROW AS TALL AS THE TALLEST TREE WITHOUT HAVING TO BUILD A HUGE TRUNK FOR SUPPORT, IT CAN SPEND IT'S ENERGY ON GROWTH UPWARDS BECAUSE IT UTILIZES THE STRENGTH OF WHATEVER IT CLINGS TO, THUS IT GROWS MUCH FASTER THAN THE VERY TREE IT ATTACHES ITSELF TO. WHY IS IT ABLE TO STAND ANY STORM FROM ANY DIRECTION? IT WINDS ITSELF AROUND IN A CIRCLE UPWARDS. IT DOES THIS SO THAT NO MATTER WHICH WAY A STORM COMES FROM IT CANNOT BE SHAKEN OFF ... EVEN THOSE VINES THAT GROW STRAIGHT UP ARE UNSHAKABLE ... WHY? IF A VINE GROWS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF A TREE AND A STORM COMES FROM THE NORTH, THE WINDS WILL DRIVE THE VINE INTO THE STRONG TREE, IT REMAINS IN POSITION THEREFORE, IF THE WINDS COME FROM THE SOUTH, THE TREE ITSELF WILL SHIELD THE VINE FROM THE WINDS, AGAIN IT REMAINS UNMOVED ... EVEN THOSE THAT GROW STRAIGHT TEND TO WIND SLOWLY SO THAT ONE PART OF THE VINE IS ALWAYS PROTECTED FROM A STORM IN ANY DIRECTION! THE VINE IS AS SAFE AND AS STRONG AS THAT WHICH IT CLINGS TO. - SOURCE UNKNOWN
And so we are to be like a vine clinging to Christ ... if opposition comes against us head-on He is our shield; if it comes from the other direction it can only drive us closer to Christ and so we still are safe! Like the vine, ...
Series: The Lord Is With You
Dennis Marquardt
Acts 17:32-18:17 1 Cor. 2:3
INTRO: No one likes opposition, yet, as Christians we must face the fact that this will be a real part of life at times. Why does God allow opposition into our life? What purpose does God see in our struggles with opposition? God usually helps us in one of two ways when opposition strikes us: He may shield us from the terrible storm or He may have us face directly into it! In either case He is trying to teach us to hold on to Him ... we must adopt the strategy of the vine!
ILLUS: THE VINE HAS DEVELOPED ONE OF THE MOST SUCCESSFUL METHODS OF SURVIVAL IN NATURE. IT IS CAPABLE OF DEVELOPING IN ANY CLIMATIC CONDITION, IT IS ABLE TO GROW AS TALL AS THE TALLEST TREE WITHOUT HAVING TO BUILD A HUGE TRUNK FOR SUPPORT, IT CAN SPEND IT'S ENERGY ON GROWTH UPWARDS BECAUSE IT UTILIZES THE STRENGTH OF WHATEVER IT CLINGS TO, THUS IT GROWS MUCH FASTER THAN THE VERY TREE IT ATTACHES ITSELF TO. WHY IS IT ABLE TO STAND ANY STORM FROM ANY DIRECTION? IT WINDS ITSELF AROUND IN A CIRCLE UPWARDS. IT DOES THIS SO THAT NO MATTER WHICH WAY A STORM COMES FROM IT CANNOT BE SHAKEN OFF ... EVEN THOSE VINES THAT GROW STRAIGHT UP ARE UNSHAKABLE ... WHY? IF A VINE GROWS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF A TREE AND A STORM COMES FROM THE NORTH, THE WINDS WILL DRIVE THE VINE INTO THE STRONG TREE, IT REMAINS IN POSITION THEREFORE, IF THE WINDS COME FROM THE SOUTH, THE TREE ITSELF WILL SHIELD THE VINE FROM THE WINDS, AGAIN IT REMAINS UNMOVED ... EVEN THOSE THAT GROW STRAIGHT TEND TO WIND SLOWLY SO THAT ONE PART OF THE VINE IS ALWAYS PROTECTED FROM A STORM IN ANY DIRECTION! THE VINE IS AS SAFE AND AS STRONG AS THAT WHICH IT CLINGS TO. - SOURCE UNKNOWN
And so we are to be like a vine clinging to Christ ... if opposition comes against us head-on He is our shield; if it comes from the other direction it can only drive us closer to Christ and so we still are safe! Like the vine, ...
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