Part 3 - Conquering Complaining
Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who
us. —Romans 8:37
- When we talk about overcomers, we’re talking about living in the finished work of the
In Part 1, we learned that when the Bible talks about overcomers, He means you.
- I John 4:4 - He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
I John 5:4 - For whatever [whoever] is born of God overcomes the world.
Overcome - to subdue (literally or figuratively):— to
Overcomers are characterized by cheerful, hopeful endurance –hupomone.
In Part 2, we talked about conquering anxiety.
- Don’t just seek to be free from
Hope is the
Overcomer are anchored in
Ponder the promises of God, and allow the truth to set us free.
As we do, we move from the “for
Part 3 - Conquering Complaining
- Overcomers - you don’t hear the language of excuse,
1. The power of
. Speak life!
Death and life are in the power of the tongue. —Proverbs 18:21
• Complaining changes the atmosphere for the
• Complaints are the declarations we make out loud when we’ve
• A complaint is a statement of
• Complaining attracts the
Fear will always attract whatever information is needed to
However sharing a struggle can also be followed with a declaration of trust!
Let the redeemed of the Lord SAY SO. —Psalm 107:2
I will say of the LORD, “He is my refuge and my fortress;
My God, in Him I will trust.” —Psalm 91:2
2. You can live a life
of complaining! In fact, it’s actually God’s will!
12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.
14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world. —Philippians 2:12-15
- It’s time to
12 Spies – Good Report Vs. Evil Report
23 Then they came to the Valley of Eshcol, and there cut down a branch with one cluster of grapes; they carried it between two of them on a pole. They also brought some of the pomegranates and figs. 24 The place was called the Valley of Eshcol, because of the cluster which the men of Israel cut down there. 25 And they returned from spying out the land after forty days.
26 Now they departed and came back to Moses and Aaron and all the congregation of the children of Israel in the Wilderness of Paran, at Kadesh; they brought back word to them and to all the congregation, and showed them the fruit of the land. 27 Then they told him, and said: “We went to the land where you sent us. It truly flows with milk and honey, and this is its fruit. 28 Nevertheless the people who dwell in the land are strong; the cities are fortified and very large; moreover we saw the descendants of Anak there. 29 The Amalekites dwell in the land of the South; the Hittites, the Jebusites, and the Amorites dwell in the mountains; and the Canaanites dwell by the sea and along the banks of the Jordan.” 30 Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, “Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.” 31 But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we.” 32 And they gave the children of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone as spies is a land that devours its inhabitants, and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great stature. 33 There we saw the giants (the descendants of Anak came from the giants); and we were like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight.” —Numbers 13:23-33So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. 2 And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness!
6 But Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had spied out the land, tore their clothes; 7 and they spoke to all the congregation of the children of Israel, saying: “The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. 8 If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, ‘a land which flows with milk and honey.’ 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them.”
10 And all the congregation said to stone them with stones. Now the glory of the LORD appeared in the tabernacle of meeting before all the children of Israel. —Numbers 14:1-10
3. Move in the opposite spirit –
!
Praise is an expression of
Praise and gratitude change the atmosphere for the
Instead of grieving the Holy Spirit, praise welcomes His Presence! Praise is rooted in trust and faith!
But You are holy,
in the praises of Israel. —Psalm 22:3
If God is enthroned upon praise, who is enthroned upon
Life is not all blessing, or all problems. You get to
• Complaining is a magnet that attracts more problems to complain about.
• Gratitude is a