The Agony of Victory

Master author and Bible teacher Alan Wright. Somebody caught them in a moment that even though the net was around his neck.

They were in that moment, not celebrating. It was like everything had been spent, and if you didn't know better you've thought they had been defeated master excited for you to hear the teaching today. In the series. Free yourself yourself. I want to make sure you know how to get our special resource right now could be yours for your donation this month to Helen right ministries as you listen to today's message go deeper as we send you today's special offer.

Contact us at pastoralan.org or call 877-544-4860 that's 877-544-4860. More on that later in the program. Now let's get started with today's teaching here Alan Wright. Today's message the agony of victory. Everybody that knows me knows that I do from time to time, mention my alma mater, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, sometimes unavoidably it does come up in conversation that I went to Carolina and it just happens to come up every now and then the subject of basketball and every now and then. It might be mentioned that I was at the University North Carolina in 1982 when we had the likes of of Michael Jordan and James worthy and Sam Perkins and oh yeah, that was a year that I was there. One of the years we won the national championship every now and this this comes up in conversation sometime after the 1982 national championship. I was looking through a pectoral book of the Carolina sports over the years so the semi's house as is, those books you put out onto the coffee table and as I was just leafing through it and I saw and there are pictures from the 1980 championship. There was one photo really caught my attention. It was a picture of James worthy, with the net around his neck and Sam Perkins was standing close by, and they weren't out on the on the court. They were not think in the locker room. It look like there just maybe a hallway right after some of the celebration or the rent was was so interesting was in just moments after they won the national championship in this particular photo.

They looked not only exhausted but if you didn't know better you would think they were sad. They looked almost just hauntingly empty just somebody had caught them in a moment that even though the net was around his neck. They were in that moment, not celebrating. It was like everything had been spent. If you didn't know better you'd have thought they had been defeated and it made me think about how many times in life where I've had the biggest exertion and may be the greatest victory and then just some moments afterwards or days afterwards find myself with a strange, hollow feeling. Maybe if you experience this where it's like after something you've accomplished it was really great. Just on the other side of it, you could actually be tempted with the old voice of shame thing is so interesting about this is that you would think this is the way Shane speaks to us.

It says you don't measure up. You have to measure up and until you measure up.

You won't be accepted as a one of the things that happens is shame is driving us inwardly try to do more to be more so that we would have that sense of being totally accepted and totally love is so often times people to have that fuel of shame working in their hearts will really work hard at something and it can really lead you to a point. Or maybe you've tried really hard at something, you reach a certain pinnacle. But here's I think what happens is you get to that point and maybe you, you finally had that success or that accomplishment that you think would bring you that sense of inward peace. But what lies close at hand. Is there a voice of the tempter.

This is look at you now so you got that far. Are you really loved and accepted. Now maybe you haven't done enough. Maybe you ought to just give up because obviously you gave it your best and it wasn't good enough. That's where I get my title for this chapter and for this message because of the old sports show that would talk about the, the agony of defeat thrills of victory, but the agony of defeat I just wondered if there is sometimes strange as it may seem an agony that can follow victory and I have found him own life and interact with others and I've seen this and others that sometimes some of the highest achieving people are actually prone to the most severe shame. It doesn't seem like it would go together because what people people tend to think of shame as I can figure out what this is about the guy that's in the gutter. This is about the guys given up or but I found just the opposite that shame more likely applies to really high-performing people really high achievers people even that have become famous saw this quote from Merrill from Madonna in Vogue magazine some time ago. She was talking about her career and she said my drive and life comes from a fear of being mediocre. That's always pushing me. I push past one spell of it and discover myself as a special human being. But then I feel I'm still being mediocre and uninteresting. Unless I do something else because even though I have become somebody I still have to prove that I am somebody, my struggle has never ended.

Madonna said I guess it never will. Maybe could identify with that.

Where is the point at which you feel like you could finally say I did it.

That was enough I can rest now, and that accomplishment and the fact of the matter is if we are looking in any measure to the accomplishment itself for RP's or for looking to the accomplishment or to the achievement defined acceptance and others. We will be forever vulnerable to the voice of the tempter says look you still haven't read reached there something that can feel really empty after you giving your all done your best, and even won the trophy on the other side of it. When you start feeling like maybe that wasn't enough. Nowhere is this pictured in the Scripture more poignantly than the story of one of the greatest greatest miracle workers greatest men of faith in the Bible. Elijah Elijah, if you want to follow it's in first Kings chapter 18 where we come to this incredible big confrontation between Elijah the prophet of God, the true God and all of these prophets of Baal and that this is a a a conflict for the ages because this is all about the conflict of the true God and the false gods. This is all about the idolatry of the people up against the true living God of the universe and we come to this in first Kings chapter 18 and to set the stage there been a growing conflict here between King Ahab and Elijah, and here's how this contest is going to be settled is going to come down to and a contest on Mount caramel and there they go together. All these 450 prophets of Baal and then there's going to be Elijah and Elijah proposes a contest in which will each take an offering of a bowl and put it on the altar and then who's ever God comes down and consumes it with fire will say that's the true God of it what what what a moment. What a contest that exist just as this is the way we're going to do this and that and so they say. Yeah.

Okay. We got 450 prophets of ball they all their all you know, pumped up with this and so they they offer their bowl onto the altar and this is where it really picks up reading in verse 26 where that the really the suspense built and they took this is first Kings 1826. They took the bull that was given them and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying oh ball answer us. But there was no voice and no one answered Helen right will have more teaching moment from today's important series accepted perfectly free to be yourself with no fear of injection rolled her eyes. The last no more anxious feeling that you feel like the pressure is always on right here in my longing for life with no show before sin came into the world's relationship notion since the foundation has been around can't be too comfortable some condescending small tiny perfect in order to meet others to decide to measure them as well.

Right now the road ahead is pleasing shame and there's only grace of God in Jesus Christ only claimed books for yourself yourself exposes the laterals of soul. He leads you into a revolution of God's love that heals your cell discover freedom joy as you shall performance-based rating shame and fear for good life-changing full-length book from Alan Wright for yourself. The gospel is shared when you get Alan Wright Ministries. This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support. When you get today.

We will send you a special offer. We are happy to send this to you as our banks from Alan Wright Ministries, seven 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website past Rowan.org today's teaching now once again is they prepared it and called upon the name of ball from morning until noon, saying oh ball answer us. But there was no voice and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. What a great live live better. All is calling on everything within them and at noon Elijah mocked them.

I'm not recommending this to pastors, but in this case Elijah had the authority to do so. So he mocked them and you wouldn't believe that this is in this is what he said… Right here in the Bible. This is what Elijah said noon Elijah mocked them and said cry aloud like her cry out shout louder, for he's a God see he's mocking like you know he is a God yeah call louder to him. That's all you need to do this is what's really funny. He says either he is musing or he is relieving himself ball going potty so maybe you just need to call out a little longer reset or maybe he's on a journey. Or perhaps he's asleep and must be awakened me. This is some of this is some old stuff here from Allied days. I call out loud. Or maybe it's just, you know, indisposed at the moment or proxies asleep and all you need to just call out loud, which by the way side point. What a picture of the folly of religion that says that I need to do something in order to move God. See, other than the Christian gospel. All religions are essentially in one way or another, saying I'm good.

Make a sacrifice on their do something I'm good I'm good in some way earned or or or cause God to move on our behalf in the Christian gospel says precisely boss opposite that exactly the right time Christ died for the ungodly. While we were still in our sin and what we say is exactly the opposite, and that is there's not one thing that you can do to add to or take away from the love of God in Jesus Christ. Your out of the picture.

He's already set his love upon you, so this is a picture of paganism. This is a picture of all religion that stands in opposition to the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. So it says in verse 28.

They cried aloud and they cut themselves but call out for three hours to newness or maybe we just flagellating ourselves.

He'll do something for us. There blood gushed out upon them in his midday past. They raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice.

No one answered no one paid attention. Then Elijah said all the people come near me and all the people came near to him and he repaired the altar of the Lord that have been thrown down. Elijah took 12 stones, according to the number the tribes of the sons of Jacob and the word of the Lord came saying Israel shall be your name with the stones, he built an altar in the name of the Lord, and he made a trench about the altar's graves would contain two seals of seed we put then it describes how this debt and then this is the boldness of Elijah. He says that Phil jarred four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering all the wood they said due to second time the designs to do it 1/3 time in the water ran around the altar and build the trench around water so he is doused with water so nobody would be confused thinking that somehow a spark had it emerged in occult then go fark it was it was drenched with water in it at the time of the offering of the oblation, Elijah the prophet came near and said, oh Lord God of Abraham, Isaac and I and Israel, let it be known this day that you are God in Israel and then I'm your servant, and I've done all these things in your word. Oh, answer me oh Lord answered me that this people may know that you will Lord, or God that you have turned their pen turned their backs in the fire. The Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering in the wood in the stones of dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces 450 prophets of Baal that have been cried out to God lacerating themselves with their swords and they seasonally fall down their face and they say the Lord Yahweh the Lord he is God, Yahweh, he is God.

And Elijah said sees them seized all the prophets of Baal and let none escape and meet this this is one of the coolest in the Bible. This story is about a man a God who's got so much faith so much confidence. It is almost unbelievable. This man Elijah. What a victory which makes it so surprising to come to chapter 19 and find out what happens in the next scene in the very next scene. Chapter 19 verse two Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying so may the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as a life of one of them. By this time tomorrow. Speaking of all the slain prophets, and you would just think that Elijah would just say in his heart who is this woman don't be scared of one woman right now because I just think God just destroyed 450 pagan prophets sent word back to her and said no go back home. Not worried about Jimmy something like that, but instead the text says Elijah was afraid and he arose and ran for his life and came to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah and left a servant there, but he himself wanted day's journey into the wilderness came sat down under broom tree and he asked that he might die saying it is enough now, Lord, take away my life from no better than my father's. He was depressed to the point of suicide is a strange thing but don't ever think that any measure of success is going to make you suddenly immune from the spiritual battle and don't ever think that you're ever going to reach a certain goal or milestone in your life where shame won't try to find a place in your heart. I'm no better than my ancestors. They all failed and now I failed and you want to grab him by the shoulders. Elijah just sold God move in the amazing way what you talk about no.

He's depressed for God is good because the second part of verse five says, behold, an angel touched him and said to arise and eat and looked, and behold, there was and is had a cake baked on hot stones and a jar of water and he ate and drank and lay down again and angel Lord came again a second time and touched him and said, arise and eat for the journey is too great for you and he arose and ate and drank and went in the strength of that food 40 days and 40 nights to Horeb. The amount of God and I'm touched by the touch by the ministry of this angel, and it makes me aware of just how much God wants to minister to you and to me when we are in the agony of Allen right today's teaching of the agony of the series for yourself for yourself and with get more with Pastor Alan coming up here for today are reporting good news thought in just a moment, stick with this like to be accepted perfectly free to be yourself with no fear of injection rolled her eyes make fun of you.

I love you less anxious feeling that you feel like a pressure is always on right here and longing for life with no show before sin came into the world's relationship since the fall has been around can't be to send out tiny perfect in order to meet others to decide to measure them as well.

Right now the road ahead is pleasing shame and there is only the grace of God in Jesus Christ only claimed for yourself yourself exposes the house of soul. He leads you into a revolution of God's love that heals your cell discover freedom joy as you shall performance-based living. Shame and fear for good life-changing full-length book from Allen right for yourself. The gospel is shared when you get Allen right ministries. This broadcast is only possible because of listener financial support.

When you get today. We will send you a special offer.

We are happy to send this to you as our banks from Allen right ministries, seven 877-544-4860 877-544-4861 come to our website Pastor hour and work with Pastor Alan in the studio are reporting good news thought today as we put a bookmark here in this teaching the agony of victory.

A strange thing but it's real is so real because you know Daniel, we were such a performance-based society and we buy into this idea that if I could finally reach that mountaintop if I could finally meet that goal that I've always said we make an idol of it and then we get there and maybe you come to this great moment of success and realize I still feel oddly empty. What is that, do not be deceived. Shame is not only they are in the low moments of the valley, but shame can also be there on the mountaintop because yeah it's wonderful to celebrate when God works a great thing through you, but in the end, our success is not our God Jesus as so in your success.

Shame off you guilt and shame are two words it did. Typically in the Christian world go hand-in-hand together, but there is a distinction between the two right well will learn a lot about your guilt is a real thing right commit a crime guilty and I have guilt so were all guilty will we all have sin, we all fall short of the glory of God. To say shame off you is not to soften up on sin was not what it means is not to say that grace means that you get salt on sin either as statuses was the solution all and what we're distinguishing between is what some have called true guilt and and fault guilt. But shame is something that's not just the same thing as false guilt and is not even the same thing exactly his condemnation, but what we learn is that shame really is a system of thought. It is a whole stronghold of the house of thoughts a way of looking at life, a way of looking at your own life is subtle at times and you don't realize it. And then there are others who've been through the deepest and darkest types of trauma, for whom it is a poison that's been taken and very deeply is very toxic, but the conviction of sin is will discover is a good thing.

That's a gift from God is good to know how we can go a better way is good to know how the grace of God can lead us into a better way of living.

So that's the grace of God.

Conviction of sin is not something to be ever shy about is not something we should run to this good is from God. Shame the shame that I describe in this series they know something we say it's it's toxic if you only caught part of today's teaching. Not only can you listen again online but also get a daily email devotional that matches today's teaching delivered right to your email inbox free. Find out more about these and other resources@pastorout.org that's Pastor out.org. Today's good news. Messages of listener supported production of Allen right ministries