In this sermon, Pastor Steve Mays shares a personal experience of being shot and how God intervened to save him. He emphasizes the power of God's presence in our lives and how it leads to victory. He uses the analogy of a heart transplant to illustrate how God can replace our weaknesses with His strength. Pastor Mays encourages believers to trust in God and not be discouraged by obstacles, reminding them that greater is He who is in them than he who is in the world.

It's the 2011 Summer of Sermons with Steve Mays. Man and man is not going to make it. It's failure. Man and God is going to be victorious. Pastor Steve Mays shares the only true way to live victoriously. Today, on Light of the Word. If you can bring God into your life, victory. Take God out, you're going to fall, you're going to stumble. But put God there, and great things are going to happen in your life. You know, it's quite amazing to see the great strides medical science has made in the area of heart transplantation. Just over the last 30 years, doctors have made it possible to replace a person's inferior heart with a good heart from a donor. Now that person can then go on to live a normal and healthy life. Well, today on Light of the Word, Pastor Steve talks about the benefits of the spiritual heart transplant that we've been given by Jesus Christ. We now have the strength to live healthy, balanced, and victorious lives. It's good encouragement from the much-requested message we shared last year called, This is Our Victory, Part 1. And now, the Apostle John reminds us, Greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. Pastor Steve shares the rest of this incredible promise. Here, let's listen. Making great choices in life is probably the key thing that you're going to look back on in your life. Who you're going to marry, or where you're going to go, or what you're going to do with your life are absolutely critical when you look back. When you're young, it's not really important. You just kind of flow with it. But if you get involved with the wrong person, or you marry the wrong person, it can be devastating in your life. And so decisions really determine the destiny of your life. Well, the greatest decision that you really do need to make is what you're going to do with Jesus Christ. Pilate said, I wash my hands of this man. No one can do that. What we want to do is when we get to heaven, we want to hear these words, Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of the Lord. No, what we do not want to hear is depart from me, I never knew you. And so the decision of eternity is absolutely crystal clear as the most important decision, and it will change every decision. And I'm going to talk to you a little bit about that. One of the things we're going to do, there's a tombstone that once read, As you are now, so once was I. As I now am, soon you will be. Prepare for death and follow me. And they crossed it out and said, to follow you, I'm not content until I know which way you went. Very important. So you need to make sure you're heading up. And that's the key of your life. Well, in 1st John, chapter 5, verses 1 through 5, we want to take a look at this. Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Now, underline born of God. So critical. And everyone that loveth him that begot loveth him also that is begotten of him. Kind of weird in the King James, so let me read it a different way. Everyone who believes that Jesus is Christ has become a child of God. And everyone who loves the Father loves his children too. That's always saying in the King James. By this we know that we love the children of God when we love God and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God that we keep his commandments and his commandments are not grievous. In other words, they're not difficult to do. For whosoever, underline, is born of God. Verse 1, born of God. Overcometh the world. And this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. So in verse 4, whosoever is born of God, overcometh the world. And this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith. Who is he? The question. Who is he that overcometh the world? But, the conjunction, the turning point. He that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God. I think that this is probably one of the great critical verses of the Bible. Because it really opens the door to understanding why there are so many that are having a difficult time in life. And when you look at this, you realize that John was the overcomer. He overcame. And out of all the New Testament writers, John speaks about overcoming more than anyone else. Six times in his epistle, he talks about overcoming. And 12 times in the book of Revelation, he speaks about overcoming. And in chapters 2 and 3 of the book of Revelation, 7 times he mentions to the church that does this, they're going to overcome and be given eternal life and different things. So out of all the New Testament writers, Paul spoke about being victorious. But John spoke about overcoming. And Peter talked about resisting the devil. But it was John that really took this phrase and spoke about an overcoming victory. And so once again, we realize in verse 1, born of God is the key. And then in verse 4 and 5, born of God. And the result is you're going to be an overcomer. So John now asks the question in verse 5, who is he that overcomes the world? That's a great question. Who is he that overcomes the world? Here's the answer. Those that confess that Jesus is the Son of God. That he has died upon the cross. He rose from the dead. He has ascended into heaven. He said it at the right hand of God. And he's coming back to rule the earth. Those who believe that are going to be victorious within their life. Now I can be a non-believer. And I can try to solve a lot of problems in life. And I will do somewhat of an okay job. But I will not be able to overcome the areas of the supernatural. The areas of warfare, of wickedness, of evil. The only way that you will ever be able to overcome the wickedness. And the pornography and the adultery and all the other things that go on in this world. Is something greater than you has to live inside of you. And has to give you the heart to make that great stand in your life. And so I see very simply that once again we make a tremendous mistake. Because we think if I could just get converted. I'd have total victory. But that's not the answer. I go from being converted. Giving my life to Christ. Enjoying everything about the Lord. And then a month later I'm in combat. I mean people are doing this and people are doing that. And relationships aren't working out. And marriage is having a difficult time. And kids are having a difficult time. And all of a sudden guess what? I'm bummed. And so someone says hey you want to go out and have dinner? I don't know I'm really bummed. Well I don't think the person is going to ask you again. Would you like to go out and have dinner and ruin my dinner? They might say well are you going to buy me dinner because I'm broke. I'm just so bummed you know. Well sure I'll buy you dinner. And so you sit and listen to how bummed they really are. So you try to share a couple verses. Oh I've been there but you know I'm really bummed. And the problem is an attitude. The Bible says that I am to really live by faith. Now there are horrible things to happen in our life. Life is not easy. And life is tough but God is good. And the idea that Christians are insulated or isolated is not even true. They're not even insulated. They go through what everyone else goes through except they have a way out. And that way out is who? Jesus Christ. He's made a way of escape. And if I go that way then God will give me victory. If I yield my life then God will give me his power. But if I'm stubborn and want to do it myself. And want to convince everybody that I'm really together. Then God is going to let me do that and I'm going to fall straight on my face. Every single time. Because it's not man and man. That's defeat. It's God and man that makes all the difference in the world. And the battle is not over. It's just starting. And that's exactly what we see in the Bible. When David looked to God he was just a majestic king. But when he took his eyes off of God he committed adultery. And he sinned against his best friend Ahithophel. And slept with his granddaughter which happened to be Bathsheba. And we know that Zacharias the very same thing happened. He didn't believe and his mouth was stopped. Until the day that he confessed. And once again his mouth was opened. I look in the Old Testament. Hezekiah. He gave his heart to God. He looked to God. And the Bible says God fought the battle. And destroyed the enemy. And then he took his eyes off of God. Built a navy. There in the Bible in 2 Chronicles. And God sunk the navy. No matter where you go Asa. As long as you walk with me I'll be with you. But if you turn I'm going to turn on you. And Asa did turn. Or Demas. As long as he was looking to God he was a co-laborer with Paul. But when he took his eyes off of God. He departed and went back into the world. Peter. Walking on water. Unbelievable. Took his eyes off of God. Sunk. Moses. A great leader. Took his eyes off of God. Smote the rock. You can go over and over again. These Bible characters. When they kept their eyes on God. They did great. Took their eyes off of God. Every one of them had problems. Elijah. Called down fire from heaven. Took his eyes off of God. He ran for his life. Great things for God. You take your eyes off. Anything can take you out. And when I look at humanity and society. There's this group over here. That they understand a little bit about God. Have a knowledge of God. They're born again. But they really don't believe. They're kind of like the ten spies. That they go in. They see the walls. They see the high walls. They see the giants in the land. And they come back. We can't do it. We have a grasshopper complex. You know. We feel like grasshoppers. We're nobody. And then there are these over here in life. Who have been the missionaries. That have gone into the world. Have changed the course of our nation. Men like Joshua and Caleb. That they went in. And they didn't see giants. They saw God. And they didn't see the walls. They saw God. And they saw what God was going to do. And they came back with a good report. And I kind of believe. When I look at this verse. I realize. These over here. They love God. But boy. Do they need to have a new understanding. They need to be victorious. God's in their life. And so this is what I want to teach you. Man and man is not going to make it. It's failure. Man and God is going to be victorious. If you can bring God into your life. Victory. If you can bring God into your business. Victory. If you can bring God into your marriage. Or your single life. Victory. Take God out. You're going to fall. You're going to stumble. You're going to go bankrupt. But put God there. And great things are going to happen in your life. Notice in 1 John chapter 2. Verse 13 and 14. Same book. 1 John chapter 2. Verse 13 and 14. It says here. I write unto you fathers. Because you have known him. That is from the beginning. I write unto you young men. Because underline. Ye have overcome the wicked one. Man, that is so encouraging. I write unto you little children. Because you have known the father. Verse 14. I write unto you fathers. Because you have known him. That is from the beginning. Now check this out. I have written unto you young men. Because you are strong. The word of God abides in you. And ye have overcome the wicked one. That is absolutely exciting. The possibility of overcoming the wicked one. Of being strong in the word of God. It would be over here with Joshua and Caleb. They believed God. God gave them an excellent spirit. They took God at the word. And they went in and they conquered. So exciting when you begin to realize. It is not you. And what happens today. Is we think it is us. So we have to prove to somebody. We have to please somebody. We have to do something. And that is not the way it should be. We are to please God. And do it for God. Are we going to have problems? You bet your life. Is life going to be difficult? You bet your life. But all of a sudden. Disappointments becomes God's appointed times. And difficulties becomes God's opportunities in your life. And when Jacob said. All these things are against me. Paul said. All these things are for you. So it is an attitude. In your heart. Did you wake up this morning. Saying to yourself. God is in my life. He can get me through this day. As my day is. So shall my strength be. We look at marriage. Forget it. We look at the kids. It is too gone. We look at work. It is over. That is not the attitude. Because God is a God that can resurrect. God is a God that can give a new heart. God is a God that can give a brand new beginning. But through the emotions. And through the hurt. And through the pain. We don't see that any longer. What we see. Is how people have done things. And do things. And what I have done. And how I have made a mess of my life. That might be true. But I want to remind you. All the years. The canker room has eaten up. God can restore overnight. The key. Bring God into your life. Bring God into your marriage. Bring God into your teenagers. You need to do that. And when I look at teenagers today. Leaving. Why are they leaving? Because of the example at home. They don't see God. They see a husband and wife. Man and man. Now if you could take a man. And put God into his life. They are going to see. A man and a wife. And a God. In the midst of that. That is going to work. They are going to see the problems. The mistakes. But they are going to see God. Beginning to change people's lives. So. You take God out of somebody. All of a sudden. They are miserable. And that is what we have today. Christians are. Oh what a bummer. I can't believe how horrible things are. I mean the heathens are having a better time. And then we share with the heathens. You need to come and accept Jesus Christ. Why? To be like you? I don't think so. If this is what Christianity does. I don't think I am going to accept Christ. And that happened in Martin Luther's day. All of a sudden he took off to seek the Lord. And fast. Because he was having a difficult time trusting God. When he came back. His wife met him at the door. He opened the door. And she was there in black. Black veil. Black everything. He said who died? She goes you haven't heard? No. Who died? God. And he rebuked her. And he said well the way you are living. And what you are doing. It might as well be God's death. Because you talk it. But you don't live it. Is God alive? Or is he dead? Well if he is alive. He can get us out of this thing. So all of a sudden. I begin to realize. Notice in 1 John 4. Ye are of God little children. That is so good. Ye are of God little children. In other words God is in you. And have overcome them. Now who is the them? I don't know. It could be your relatives. It could be anybody. It could be the job. It could be whatever it is. You have overcome them. Because greater is he that is in you. Than he that is in the world. Now I have shared this with you. And I am going to share it one more time. Because it fits with the study. When I first got saved in 1970. I was shot. And I knew that I was going to be shot again. Because they were trying to kill me. I got saved and moved into a Christian house. Called the mansion Messiah. I went from Led Zeppelin to Arky Arky. Just overnight. I went from a gun to a Bible. Overnight. I went from radical to baptized in the spirit. Overnight. They brought me into this house. And put me with these 25, 35 guys. I think it was 30 guys or so. We had four bunks high. I was on the top bunk. Never been so high in all my life. Right there. Claustrophobia. I think we had a foot before our head. The women were upstairs. Separated. No sex. No nothing. On fire for God. At church. Doing the whole thing. And I remember that night. I crawled into bed. I was still hurting from being shot. And I had this dream. That Satan had a .30-06. And he aimed it right at me. And I remember it was like yesterday. The scope had me right there. The trigger was pulled. The bullet came out really slow. And I saw this bullet coming. And I began to scream. And I screamed loud enough. It woke a bunch of people up. And all of a sudden this hand came out. Of heaven. With a tube. And the bullet went in. And around. And with velocity. It went back and killed Satan. And I heard this verse. Greater is he that's in you. Than he that's in the world. Now. I never had read that. And I shared with the guys. What I heard. And they said. That's Aladdin. And they turned me here. To 1st John 4. It was the first scripture. God had ever given to me. And what it told me. Is listen. If God's with you. Who can be against you? If God's going to be with you. He's going to get you through it. You're not going to sink. In the middle of Galilee. You're not going to die. Through this relationship. God's going to be your strength. And so we read. We are of God. Little children. And you have overcome them. Because. Greater is he that's in you. Than he that's in the world. Now go back to 1st John. Chapter 5. Verse 4. Whosoever is born of God. Overcome at the world. Now. Check it out. You're going to overcome the wicked one. You're going to overcome the world. You're going to overcome the lust of the flesh. The lust of the eye. And the pride of life. You're saying. Well. I'm not doing that right now. Well. There's a reason. There's a reason why. Satan is pulling you down this way. And there's a reason why we're yielding to all these other things. Because we don't see God in our heart. If we would see God. Alive in us. He would give us the power. To say no. But in your strength. In my strength. In my will. I don't have the ability. But if I saw God in me. Then God would do it. Another words. Check this out. The God that destroyed Satan. And the God that destroyed everything that was evil. Is now living inside of me. And Jesus rose from the dead. The resurrection power. And Jesus. Who conquered Satan. By trusting God. Lives inside of me. And Jesus. Who destroyed Satan. That wouldn't bow to him. Lives in me. And Jesus. Who hung on the cross. He lives in me. So Stephen. Greater. Is he that's in you. Than anything's in the world. So. Yes. You're born again. But do you believe. You see. That believing. Takes you through combat. That believing. Takes you through conflict. And all of a sudden. I begin to. See the power. In verse five. Who is he that overcomes the world. But he. That believes. That Jesus. Is the son of God. So. It's not just. Oh. I love God. I want to come to church. I want to kind of feel good. That's exciting. But now. Let's take it to the next step. You're a warrior. You're involved. You're getting involved. Things are coming. What are you going to do. Well. I'm going to quit. No. You're going to overcome. Well. I have this handicap. You're going to overcome. I got this difficult marriage. You're going to overcome. You got this difficult kid. You're going to overcome. Well. How can you say that. Because. The Bible says. That you. Are an overcomer. It's God's will. In your life. To overcome. Now. You've been taught. Prosperity. I don't agree with that. Another words. God will bless you. But. They make this big thing. Out of prosperity. I'll tell you what. The greatest calling. In your whole life. It's God's will. For you. To be victorious. And it's God's will. For you. To be. Overcoming. Why. His son. Is inside of you. And his son. Was victorious. And his son. Was overcoming. So. If that's not happening. In my life. It's because. I don't believe. Or I'm not letting God do it. Because. I want to do it. I want to show man. Who I am. I want to show everybody. How great I am. Forget it. They all know. The truth. We need God. Helping us. We need God. To change us. And so. I read in John 16. Don't turn there. In John 16. 33. The gospel. These things. Have I. Spoken. Unto you. That in me. You would have peace. In this world. You will have. Tribulation. But. Be of good cheer. Help me out. I. Have overcome. The world. So. You can overcome it. He can. And you can. Overcome. Lust. He can. So. What's the problem here. It's kind of exciting. When you begin to. Realize that. He conquered Satan. He conquered sin. And he conquered self. So. What it really means. I need to surrender. To the lordship of Christ. If I do. God's going to give me victory. If I don't. I'm going to fall. Like everybody else. And listen. To what Paul had to say. In 2nd. Corinthians. Chapter 2. Verse 14. This is probably. The greatest conviction. Verse. In my life. Now. Thanks be unto God. Which. Always. Causes us to triumph. What are you going to do with that. 2nd. Corinthians. Chapter 2. Verse 14. Well. Thanks be unto God. That. Always. Causes us to triumph. Let's talk about this last week. I don't think so. How. Did you do at home. I don't want to talk about it. How. Did you do. On the. Internet. Don't want to talk about it. How. Did you do. With friends. Don't want to talk about it. Will you. Triumph. I don't want to talk about it. See. When you look at a verse like this. Now. Thanks be unto God. Which. Always. Causes us to triumph. In Christ. And make it. Manifest. The Savior. Of the knowledge. In other words. God. What. Is going on. You. Taught. This. You. Want me. To be victorious. You said it was going to be hard. But. Though I'm. Pressed down. Beyond measure. Yet. I die. Daily. To who I am. He says in. Galatians. Two. Twenty. And you've heard this. I am. Crucified. With Christ. Nevertheless. I live. So. It's not like. I'm. Crucified. I'm. How you doing. I'm. A crucified Christian. I'm. Just so. I'm. Really. Crucified. Well. Where's the joy. I'm. Just crucified. You know. That's not the way it happened. Jesus hung. As he hung. He said. What father. Forgive them. For they don't know what they do. He was not bummed. He was now. Overcoming. That pain. Because he was in fellowship. With God. He said. But. Christ. Liveth in me. And the life. That I now live. In this flesh. I live. By faith. Of the son of God. Who loved me. And gave himself. For me. So. The life. I live now. I choose. To believe. In God. Notice. In Romans. Eight thirty seven. This is a good verse. Nay. In all these things. We are more. Than conquerors. Through him. That loved us. Oh. What about taxes. In. All. These. Things. What about marriage. In. All. These. Things. What about my job. In. All. These. Things. What about. My dating. In. All. These. Things. I'm never going to get married. In. All. These. Things. No. You don't understand. So. It says right here. May. In. All. These. Things. We are more. Than conquerors. Through him. That loved us. Now. Paul said. For I am persuaded. In Romans. Eight thirty seven. That neither death. Nor life. Nor angels. Nor principalities. Powers. Nor things present. Nor things to come. Oh. Oh. The future. I'm all nervous. No. Can't be nervous. Sovereignty. God knows. What's going to happen. He knows. When you're going to die. Well. I'm going to die. In a terrorist attack. No. You might die. In a bathtub. You're going to slip onto. That's it. How did he die. Oh. He fell in the bathtub. That's a terrible way to die. I want to go out. Like a martyr. What happened to him. He just died. You know. For I'm persuaded. Neither height. Nor death. Other creatures. Shall be able to separate us. From the love of God. What's he saying. He is saying. He is saying that. No relationship. No satanic power. No difficult issue. No problems. No this. No that. Nothing. Is going to ever take me away. From my. Relationship with God. And the reason why. Is nay. In all these things. I. Can conquer. Because of him. You know. When I look at this passage. I have to say. In these two verses. Now. Thanks being to God. Always. Causes us. To triumph. In Christ. So. I have a choice. To make today. I can. Look around. And I can. See issues. And I can. See problems. And I. See the shortcomings. Of my own heart. My own life. I see relationships. I see things. I just. Yeah well. Just kind of flow with it. No. It's a choice. How would you like. To live your life today. Well. I think I want to live. My life victorious. That's. God's will. You see. It's not. God's will. To be depressed. It's not. God's will. Though we suffer. With depression. Though we suffer. With discouragement. Though we suffer. With all kinds of things. In our life. It's. God's will. We take it to the cross. And it's. God's will. We believe that he died. And it's. God's will. That we believe. That we're special. In his eyes. So. Jacob. Said. All of these things. Are against me. Paul. All these things. Are for you. And then. Even Joseph. Said. You thought. To do me evil. But God. Thought to do me good. Another words. You cannot lose. With your God. So. Let me bring it back. To reality. Yes. I believe in God. Good. But now. It's time. To really. Believe. In the power. Of what's inside of you. So. When you're about. To lose it. You can overcome. And when you're about. Ready to do things. You can. Trust God. And when. That temptation. Is right. Before you. You can. Go out. This way. Trusting God. But it's a choice. Either. I'm going to. Handle it. Myself. As a man. And do the same thing. Year. After year. Or. I'm going to surrender it. To a God. That's able. Through him. To give me victory. So. This God. He said. He'd give me. Absolute. Victory. And be an overcomer. I wonder. If we could just. Wake up. And say. God. I feel. Lousy. But as my day. Is so. Show my strength. Be. I'm going through. A difficult time. But God. You'll give me the grace. To do. What you want me to do. Give me the strength. To overcome. God. The temptations. Are so great. Stephen. I. Whip the devil. I died. On the cross. I took. The world. And I live inside. Of you. So. If you give me. The reins. Of your life. I'll do the same. For you. But you gotta. Give me. What I want. And that's your heart. And so. This morning. God. Here you go. Take it. I need you. To be part. And so. Here's the decision. In my marriage. God. Help us. In our. Parenting. God. Help us. In our single life. God. Help us. In our widowhood. God. Help us. In our business. God. Help us. In our church. God. Help us. In everything we do. So we give honor. And praise to you. Pastor Steve Mays. Urging us to utilize. The spirit of God. In the decisions. Of our lives. Glad to have you with us today. On light of the word. You know. Many times. Our bad choices. Are the result. Of simply wanting things. Our way. So we choose. To keep God. Out of the decision-making process. We ignore all the roadblocks. And warning signs. Of divine intervention. That God puts in our paths. We surely must know. That this is a big mistake. But. There we go anyway. Here's something that could help. It's a book called. Choices. This resource. Can greatly affect your future. By helping you make better. Decisions today. It'll give you. A solid foundation. For good. And godly choices. So give us a call today. And let us know. That you'd like. Steve May's book called. Choices. And we'll give you all the details. At 1-800-339-WISE. That's 1-800-339-WISE. Or you can find it online. At lightoftheword.org. That's lightoftheword.org. And while you're there. At our site. Learn how to get. Light of the word. For your iPod. As we continue. Our S.O.S. series. Steve explains. How each of us. Can be a trophy. Of God's grace. Learn how. Next week. See you next time. On Light of the Word. Light of the Word. Light of the Word. Hope shines in darkness. So follow the light of the word. Light of the Word.