The Measure of A Champion - 360 Worship Center 4th Anniversary

Rev 11:1-2

Then there was given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone said, "Get up and measure the temple of God and the altar, and those who worship in it. 2 "Leave out the court which is outside the temple and do not measure it, for it has been given to the nations.  NASU

We would love to be champions

          Truth is – when we think of champions, we think of someone else

When you were younger, you dreamed of being a champion

          We believed we could do anything – even dangerous things

Grown folk & Reality begin to slowly rob you of your dreams

          We know too much

The older we get, the less we feel like champions

We don’t feel like a champion when we’re changing diapers or paying bills

Now, we try to talk ourselves into things

We do a better job of talking ourselves out of doing things

We give lip-service to certain scriptures:

•        I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me
•        We are more than conquerors through Him who loves us

Instead of focusing on the Word, we focus on the wounds 

We know ourselves:  flaws, in character, weaknesses & shortcomings

We disqualify ourselves from the use of God

        Never believe we’ll be champions

Jeremiah 

God told him that he was destined to be a champion

The first thing he did was say, “I can’t”

Fear – the greatest hindrance to being a champion

          Protection – against failure, hurt, embarrassment

We justify our fears with excuses

Too young, lacking education, no experience, what if I do it wrong

We want to wait until the conditions are perfect – procrastination

God doesn’t give you anything to do without anointing you to do it

And He commits to being with you

If Jeremiah could become a champion, you can too 

Moses 

Started out thinking he was a champion

Made a bad decision – murdered a man

Had a record

May not have a record – but, We all have a memory of a failure

Destroyed his self-confidence?

If Moses could become a champion, you can too 

 Ruth, the Moabite

Living under the covers

Incest, family struggles

                    Abortion

You’ve been born again into a new family

If Ruth could become a champion, you can too 

Elijah

Bi-polar, sank into depressions, disappear for weeks…

If Elijah was a champion, you can be a champion too 

Woman with alabaster box 

“If He knew what kind of woman it is touching Him”

People will have us thinking we’re not fit to handle Him

          To handle ministry

We’re not champions – in their estimation

          What we’ve done & gone through

Jesus said: “Whenever the gospel will be preached, they’ll talk about her”

What this woman did made her a champion

God’s measure of a champion is different from ours

God’s weapons of a champion are different

360 Worship Center, do you know your weapon? 

Ps 149:6.  Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a two-edged sword in their hand

He measures 360 Champions by their Worship 

•        Notice where the Champions are – Inside: the place of access

Champion are skilled with their weapon  

A Champion knows how to use their weapon

Under all circumstances

Worship changes your view from horizontal to vertical  

Stop looking at your situation & start worshiping Him

Leah – Gen 29:31. When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb;

Reuben, Simeon, Levi & Judah

Worship Drives the Distress Out of the Situation 

1 Sam 16:23.  Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him

Worship will restore your energy

Worship Confuses the Enemy

2 Chron 20:20.  Believe in the Lord your God, and you shall be established; believe His prophets, and you shall prosper."

22 When they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir.  They begin to fight, destroy and kill one another.

 Worship Brings God into the Situation – Isa 30:29-32 

You shall have a song as in the night when a holy festival is kept

³⁰ The Lord will cause His glorious voice to be heard, and show the descent of His arm,

³¹ For through the voice of the Lord the enemy will be beaten down, as He strikes with the rod.

³² In every place where the staff of punishment passes, which the Lord lays on him,

It will be with tambourines and harps; and in battles of brandishing He will fight with it.