River Church NOLA
Wed Dec 30 The Battle for 2026
  • Open Up The Heavens
  • My Jesus
  • Scandal Of Grace
  • Goodness Of God
  • INTRO
    NY Eve… Tomorrow beings a new year. The old is leaving and we get to begin all new. How may of you have made NY resolutions?
    Here are some NY Resolutions people have made…

    I won’t bore my boss by with the same excuse for absences but will think of some new excuses.  

    I will never again take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.   

    I will answer my snail mail with the same enthusiasm with which I answer my e-mail or texts.  

    I resolve to clean out my email inbox… or at least delete five emails and feel accomplished.

    I will start buying Power Ball tickets at a luckier store.   

    I will always wear clean underwear "just in case.”   

    I will play more video games because scientists say they are good for you, and they improve your hand / eye coordination skills.  

    I will try to drive closer to the speed limit.  

    We all need to make the resolution that we will grow in our relationship with Jesus this year.

    Tonight I want to tell you we are in a fight… a battle. Now there have been a lot of famous battles… Bunker Hill, Gettysburg, D-Day, Midway, Battle of the Bulge,  Battle of Ia Drang in Viet Nam…
    Bruce talked Sunday about not allowing ourselves to be distracted. That’s not easy, but it’s harder and harder in our society today. There are so many things out there.

    Life is a battle

    Life is a battle and anything worthwhile is worth fighting for.  You have to fight for your spiritual growth... for a great marriage... for good finances…
    The 2nd most used analogy in Bible for the Christian walk is that of a soldier.  #1 is that of an athlete. 
    Words like conquer, fight, battle, war overcome, and victory are fighting words.  We are in a fight. 
    1 Timothy 6:12 NASB95
    Fight the good fight of faith; take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
    1 Corinthians 9:26 The Living Bible
    So I run straight to the goal with purpose in every step. I fight to win. I’m not just shadow-boxing or playing around.
    That’s the attitude you need to start this new year off with.  Determine you are not messing around... you will fight to win. 
    The battles I want to look at today are not with the culture, the devil or even good and evil. 
    Today, we want to look at the PERSONAL BATTLES you all will fight this year as you try to grow in your relationship with the Lord. 
    If we don’t learn to win these battles, it doesn’t matter what your goals are or how many NT resolutions you make… they won’t work.
    We are not a battle against ideologies... politics... evil... everything that’s wrong in the world.  It’s an inner fight. 
    Ephesians 6:12 TEV
    For we are not fighting against human beings but against the wicked spiritual forces in the heavenly world, the rulers, authorities, and cosmic powers of this dark age.
    The powers of this dark age are what we battle, and it’s in us.  We have this new nature we received when we received Jesus and we have that old nature we were born with. 

    This battle is between my old nature and my new nature.

    Old Nature wants to do what’s easy... whatever pleases me.  It’s all about me!  New Nature wants to please God, to do his will and fulfill his purpose in your life. 
    ILL – Someone once said – 2 dogs fighting in my mind.  Winner is the one you feed
    You are either feeding the old nature (dark side) or the New self.  Whichever you feed will win. 
    Romans 7:22–25 LBP
    22 I love to do God’s will so far as my new nature is concerned; 23 but there is something else deep within me, in my lower nature, that is at war with my mind and wins the fight and makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. In my mind I want to be God’s willing servant, but instead I find myself still enslaved to sin. So you see how it is: my new life tells me to do right, but the old nature that is still inside me loves to sin. Oh, what a terrible predicament I’m in! Who will free me from my slavery to this deadly lower nature? Thank God! It has been done by Jesus Christ our Lord. He has set me free.
    The big war you will have this year, in 2026, is not with other people.  It’s inside you.
    There are many different battles you will face this year... maybe hundreds, but I want to discuss 3. 

    3 Battles You Will Face this Year

    The first battle is between selfishness and unselfishness.

    This is a daily fight. Every day, we have to decide if we will live for God for ourselves.
    Every time you win this battle... every time you choose selflessness, your life gets better. But…

    Every time I choose selfishness, it creates conflict with other people.

    James 4:1–2 NCV
    Do you know where your fights and arguments come from? They come from the selfish desires that war within you. You want things, but you do not have them. So you are ready to kill and are jealous of other people, but you still cannot get what you want. So you argue and fight. You do not get what you want, because you do not ask God.
    Think of any conflict you have... spouse, kids, work, anything ...
    That conflict did not start with them.  It often begins with you. If you had a humble spirit inside you, even their quirkiness, their sinful choices and mistakes would not bother you as much.  The more selfish and self-centered we are, the more conflict we have with others…

    When you choose to act unselfishly, your life becomes more peaceful.

    Philippians 2:3–4 NLT
    Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves. Don’t look out only for your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.
    Don’t misunderstand humility.  Humility is not putting yourself down.  It’s just not focusing on you.
    You are incredibly valuable... so much so that Jesus Christ left heaven to be born as a baby, grow into manhood and die for our sins on a cross. 
    Humility is not think less of myself, but thinking of myself less.  People with humility walk into a room not worried about what people think about them, but about what the people need.

    The 2nd Battle is between forgiveness and bitterness.

    You will fight this one over and over again. 
    Because we live in a broken world, we will be hurt by someone and will hurt someone.
    You will be hurt by someone, whether intentionally or not, but you will be hurt.  Some have been hurt in the past and it still hurts.

    You cannot control what happens to you, but you can control your response.

    100% choice over response.  You can’t control the hurts you will experience this year, but you can control how long you hurt. 
    How you choose to deal with that hurt determines how long it will last.
    Hebrews 12:15 NLT
    Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many.
    If you hold onto the hurt, it will last and last.  If you let it go, you can shorten the period it hurts.  Some are holding onto hurt from years ago.  You have to learn to let it go.

    You need to deal with hurt immediately so it doesn’t turn to bitterness.

    Ephesians 4:26 NCV
    When you are angry, do not sin, and be sure to stop being angry before the end of the day.
    Don’t stay angry... Don’t let it turn to bitterness.
    Don’t nurse a grudge... Never go to bed angry.
    Get over it ASAP
    Great marriage is a union of 2 great forgivers.  There is a principle.

    Principle - What goes around, comes around.

    2 Corinthians 9:6 NLT
    6 Remember this—a farmer who plants only a few seeds will get a small crop. But the one who plants generously will get a generous crop.
    Galatians 6:7 GNB
    7 Do not deceive yourselves; no one makes a fool of God. People will reap exactly what they sow.

    We need to learn to forgive immediately and not hold onto it.

    Romans 8:37 NIV84
    No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.

    God enables us to be more than.

    When you let God take a hurt and turn it around, you become more than a conqueror. 

    God turns something bad in your life into spiritual growth.

    What was intended to break you actually makes you

    What was intended to hurt you actually ends up helping you.

    What was intended to separate you from God’s love, brings you closer.

    Sometimes though forgiveness, you turn an enemy into a friend.

    The 3rd battle is between what’s easy and what’s right.

    Galatians 5:17 GW
    What your corrupt nature wants is contrary to what your spiritual nature wants, and what your spiritual nature wants is contrary to what your corrupt nature wants. They are opposed to each other. As a result, you don’t always do what you intend to do.
    Can anyone identify with not always doing what you wanted to do?
    You don’t always do what you intended... or say what you intended. 
    Many of you are making NY Resolutions... they might last until next week???
    Your new nature wants to be healthy... to eat healthy.  Your old nature wants to eat everything that’s bad for you. 
    New Nature wants to be organized... Old Nature chaotic. 
    New Nature disciplined.  Old Nature undisciplined. 
    New Nature wants peace in relationships... Old nature is selfish and self centered and causes conflict. 
    Too often we let our old nature win because we just get tired.  Kids playing... you don’t discipline them because you are just too tired. 
    You are allowing short term relief to yourself to happen instead of long term training for your kids. 
    You have to focus on the long term benefits of doing the right things. 

    Most of the problems in life come from our inability to delay gratification.

    We want what we want and we want it now.
    The Bible says this...
    Galatians 6:9 The Living Bible
    And let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t get discouraged and give up.

    What matters in your life so much that you are willing to fight for it?

    Better Health?

    Closer walk with the Lord

    Marriage

    Strong kids

    Your spiritual growth?

    Getting out of debt?

    Your time with God?

    Hope over despair

    Victory over fear?

    I want you to win your battles.  History shows that whoever has the best weapons usually wins the war.
    It’s important to know the weapons God gives you to fight your personal battles this next year. 

    We can win the battle against our old nature by using these weapons.

    2 Corinthians 10:3–4 NCV
    We do live in the world, but we do not fight in the same way the world fights. We fight with weapons that are different from those the world uses. Our weapons have power from God that can destroy the enemy’s strong places. We destroy people’s arguments
    These are secret weapons that only Believers of Jesus have. 

    1st weapon: I draw faith from God’s Word.

    The more you read God’s word the more faith you will have. 
    Faith has enormous power... it can move mountains.
    The more faith you have the more power to fight your battles you have, so you have to get your faith quotient UP!

    Faith is a defensive weapon.

    The shield protects the soldier.  Your faith will quench the attacks of the devil on you.  It’s a defensive weapon against doubt, fear and unbelief. 
    Ephesians 6:16 The Living Bible
    In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan.
    The fiery arrows are ideas that the devil will plant in your thoughts... ideas of depression, despair...
    You have to raise the level of your faith.

    How do you build your faith? Through the Word of God

    Romans 10:17 NKJV
    So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
    If you want your faith to grow, you have to hear the Word of God.
    Listen to it, read it... etc. 
    You need to hear and read the WOG more than once per week.
    Ephesians 6:17 NLT
    Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
    Your offensive weapon is your sword... the WOG.  It has the promises, the commands, the truth and the teachings. 
    No soldier would go into battle without their sword or rifle.  You don’t go into battle unless you are “worded up.”
    Read it, meditate on it, listen to it, memorize it... apply it.

    2nd weapon: I receive support from God’s people.

    One reason many of you lose battles is because you don’t have support from God’s people. 

    God never intended you to fight your battles on your own.

    Philippians 1:30 NLT
    We are in this struggle together. You have seen my struggle in the past, and you know that I am still in the midst of it.
    Hebrews 10:25 NCV
    You should not stay away from the church meetings, as some are doing, but you should meet together and encourage each other. Do this even more as you see the day coming.
    We have worship services, Small Groups, Special Events. 
    Sunday worship / Classes / Bible Studies / Small Groups (where you get to use your gifts) / Wednesday Services –
    Wednesdays – provide quality kids program, discipleship oriented messages and we will be done by 8:15 so you are not too late getting home.
    How many of you like to eat?

    Worship is nourishment for your soul.

    You need to be plugged into worship so you can receive nourishment. 

    Worship refreshes your mind and cleanses your spirit.

    Worship cleanses your mind like a bath cleanses your body.  How would you smell if you only took a bath once per week. 
    We need each other.
    Ecclesiastes 4:12 NLT
    A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.

    3rd weapon: I receive power from the Holy Spirit.

    Only Christians get this. 

    You need a power greater than yourself to fight the battles you will face this year.

    1 John 4:4 NLT
    But you belong to God, my dear children. You have already won a victory over those people, because the Spirit who lives in you is greater than the spirit who lives in the world.
    So why are you afraid?
    We hear on the news that the sky is falling... Listen, if you read the word of God, we win in the end.  Listen,

    God will help us fight our battles.

    Psalm 44:3 The Living Bible
    They did not conquer by their own strength and skill, but by your mighty power and because you smiled upon them and favored them.
    The more you depend on God, the more power you receive to fight your battles.  How do you know you are depending on God?  You pray a LOT.

    We connect with God’s power through prayer.

    21 Days of Prayer -
    Ephesians 6:18 NLT
    Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere.

    We are to use all of our weapons so we will stand firm.

    Ephesians 6:13 NLT
    Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm.
    Standing Firm is our goal.  So we need to use all of our weapons. 

    Your most important weapon is your salvation.

    The most important protection for a soldier is his headgear.  Nothing else will work if you head gets smashed. 
    You have to protect your head... your thoughts...  If your thoughts are whacked out, everything will be. 
    Ephesians 6:17 NCV
    Accept God’s salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.
    1 John 5:4–5 NLT
    For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.
    That’s salvation.
    What would you like to be placed on your tombstone?
    2 Timothy 4:7 NIV84
    I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

    3 NY resolutions for 2026

    1. Spend more time on God’s Word

    2. Spend more time with God’s people

    3. Spend more time trusting the Holy Spirit.

      • 1 Timothy 6:12NIV2011

      • 1 Corinthians 9:26NIV2011

      • Ephesians 6:12NIV2011

      • Romans 7:22–25NIV2011

      • James 4:1–2NIV2011

      • Philippians 2:3–4NIV2011

      • Hebrews 12:15NIV2011

      • Ephesians 4:26NIV2011

      • 2 Corinthians 9:6NIV2011

      • Galatians 6:7NIV2011

      • Romans 8:37NIV2011

      • Galatians 5:17NIV2011

      • Galatians 6:9NIV2011

      • 2 Corinthians 10:3–4NIV2011

      • Ephesians 6:16NIV2011

      • Romans 10:17NIV2011

      • Ephesians 6:17NIV2011

      • Philippians 1:30NIV2011

      • Hebrews 10:25NIV2011

      • Ecclesiastes 4:12NIV2011

      • 1 John 4:4NIV2011

      • Psalm 44:3NIV2011

      • Ephesians 6:18NIV2011

      • Ephesians 6:13NIV2011

      • Ephesians 6:17NIV2011

      • 1 John 5:4–5NIV2011

      • 2 Timothy 4:7NIV2011

River Church NOLA
robert@riverchurchnola.com
504-578-8317
https://riverchurchnola.com
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