PALM SUNDAY: VICTORY 2.0 – MARK STONE
Scriptures:
Judges 16:25-28 NIV
Genesis 1:1-2 NIV
Isaiah 45:3 NIV
2 Samuel 19:1-4 NIV
Genesis 40:14-15 NIV
Points:
1. We need to move from persuasion of the flesh to revelation in the Spirit.
2. We need to keep on doing the unglamorous things in the secret places.
3. We need to reframe how we view victory
How do we react when it feels like our hope and dreams don’t align with the will of GOD for our lives?
If we’re convinced and convicted that if GOD’s will always comes to pass, How do we be okay with the HIS will not aligning with ours?
What do we do with all the disappointment, the sorrow, the frustration? Where does surrender become quitting? What’s the tipping point between patience and apathy? When does determination become stubbornness?
This is not a wrestle with GRATITUDE… Or a battle for more FAITH… This is more GIVING IN, BUT NOT GIVING UP.
JUDGES 16: 25 – 28 (NIV)
It’s easy to despair when we cannot see. Whether that’s in the physical or mentally and emotionally:
Not being able to see a better tomorrow or even the promise of a better tomorrow can be disheartening. When Samson lost his eyes he must have thought that his anointing, his fulfilling of his calling was over. But the word of GOD shows us something different:
GENESIS 1: 1 – 2 (NIV) – “In the beginning GOD created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of GOD was hovering over the waters.”
THEN: GOD sheds the light.
When your present looks formless, hopeless – when there is NO REASON for courage – we can be encouraged… because the darkness is not the absence of HIS presence or creative power, it’s the precursor. The promise of what is to come.
Samson is remembered through the annals of time. Without the servant boy, Samson doesn’t complete his mission, doesn’t fulfil his calling. But no-one even knows his name.
His impact on the outcome is immeasurable but he is unseen.
So, how do we navigate this situation or season?
- We need to move from persuasion of the flesh to revelation in the Spirit
We need to move closer to the comfort of our Father by unwrapping the gift of His Holy Spirit. It’s about activation of what is already there. Samson does this in the moments before he turns the mockery of the crowd into the glory of the King.
- 2. We need to keep on doing the unglamorous things in the secret places
There’s something about the relationship between Samson and the slave boy that we need to catch:
Trust has been built up. A rapport has been established.There’s a belief in each other.
This would have been established over time in the prison, in unglamorous moments, grinding corn, sharing meals, stumbling around together. We need to be consistent and faithful in the secret places, preparing for the moment or moments when GOD wishes to use us.
ISAIAH 45: 3 (NIV) – “I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the GOD of Israel, who summons you by name.”
Even if those moments are unseen, even if those moments feed someone else’s story and not our own.
Unseen is not insignificant.
Exposure is not impact.
- 3. We need to reframe how we view victory
Victory 2.0 – a better version of what we’ve grown accustomed to experiencing.
The first mention of Victory in the bible: 2 SAMUEL 19: 1 – 4 (NIV) –“Joab was told, “The king is weeping and mourning for Absalom.” And for the whole army the victory that day was turned into mourning, because on that day the troops heard it said, “The king is grieving for his son.” The men stole into the city that day as men steal in who are ashamed when they flee from battle. The king covered his face and cried aloud, “O my son Absalom! O Absalom, my son, my son!””
This can be the earthly/worldly nature or perception of victory:
That in order to succeed someone has to lose.
The pursuit of victory that results in defeat can be disheartening.
Victory can be disappointing – it doesn’t match up to what you were pursuing.
There’s a picture of Palm Sunday in the events that follow (2 Samuel 18):
The battle between Israel (Absalom) and Judah (David). Absalom rides into battle on a mule. The Messiah rides into Jerusalem on a donkey. Absalom is killed, hanging in a tree. It’s a picture of the death of the Messiah. Another Father lost a Son, but his sacrifice turned mourning into victory. Showing us a better way.
For kingdom work, victory and freedom need to share a common thread: they are a corporate endeavour.
This thought is not a call to ‘pack it all in’. As if a radical change of circumstance is the thing that’s going to allow us to do what we are called to do.
Your circumstance is GOD’s preference. Because we don’t exist in isolation, our circumstances don’t hinge on just us. In the meantime, we are not to confuse;
Our station with our mission.
Our sustenance with our substance: how GOD chooses to sustain or maintain us for a season so that we can achieve what He has assigned us for (the substance of who we are).
GOD has you where He wants you for right now. You can wrestle with it or embrace it.
Discussion Questions
1. How do you typically respond when your hopes and dreams seem to clash with what you perceive as God’s will for your life? Do you have any personal experiences you’d like to share?
2. Considering the idea that God’s will always prevails, how do you reconcile any discrepancies between your desires and God’s plans? What strategies or perspectives help you accept God’s will, even when it diverges from your own?
3. “Giving in, but not giving up”: How do you distinguish between surrender and quitting? When does persistence become stubbornness, and how can you recognise this boundary in your own life?
4. Discuss the importance of consistency and faithfulness in unseen, unglamorous moments, as exemplified by the relationship between Samson and the slave boy. How can you apply this in your own life?
5. Victory is redefined as “Victory 2.0,” emphasising a better version of success. How does this perspective challenge traditional notions of victory, especially in the context of the biblical examples provided?
6. Consider the analogy between Absalom’s defeat and Jesus’ triumph on Palm Sunday. How does this comparison reshape your understanding of victory and its connection to corporate endeavours and kingdom work?
7. How do you differentiate between your current circumstances and your overarching mission or calling? How can you embrace your present situation while remaining committed to fulfilling your purpose?
8. Reflect on the notion that God has placed you where He wants you for the present moment. How does this idea inspire you to embrace your circumstances and trust in God’s sovereignty?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, we gather in gratitude for your presence and guidance in our lives. As we seek Your wisdom, help us align our desires with Your perfect will. Grant us strength to trust You, especially in times of disappointment and frustration. May we find comfort in Your promises and courage in unseen moments, remaining faithful to Your calling. Guide us to redefine victory as aligned with Your kingdom purposes. We surrender our circumstances to You, knowing You have placed us where we need to be. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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