Wounded but not Conquered

Great sermon yesterday about being wounded but not Conquered.

My take on it was not to be ashamed of the scars. Take them as an opportunity to tell the story of where God has brought you from.

I know that I have a very large ugly scar on my left forearm. It is so dramatic that people do say, "Oh my goodness! What happened?" "Car Accident" would be enough of an answer, Right? Not if I want to seize the opportunity to share a wonderful life lesson, and talk about the goodness of God even though I was wounded.

You see I was praising God, just singing to Him, when apparently I sang myself to sleep. Next thing I know I'm off the road and bouncing on an embankment, right as I am about to hit a tree. I screamed "Jesus", and then in seconds it was over.

The top of my car crushed in, no windshield left at all, driver side of car crushed in....Grace in the passenger seat, with blood coming out of her ears. I knew what that meant, and immediately I began declaring every scripture pertaining to healing over her, speaking it with great authority! I also declared that she would live and not die, and would declare the works of the Lord, she slowly looked over to me and said "Mom...what happened". Someone immediately came to our "rescue", Called 911, family, and my pastor at the time to begin praying.

To make a very long and wonderful story short, Grace was perfectly fine, with just a couple of cuts on her chin. Why the blood from the ears? Nothing there anyone could find!

I was cut out of the car, and now have two plates in my arm, spent 9 months in physical therapy getting the use of my hand back.

Why is this a good story? Why wasn't I angry at God for not "watching over us"? This is why....I had felt for a while like there was going to be an life or death situation that was going to happen...I even told my pastor at the time that I thought it was a matter of life and death that I was attending his church. I was learning that death and life are in the power of our tongues. (Prov. 18:21) I knew to speak the word and watch it work.

I believe with all of my heart, that this day, was a day that my life was literally at risk for being taken. I know with everything in me, that God had his hand of protection over me, and what was meant to take my life, was only able to wound me. Wounded but not Conquered.

How will you choose to look at your scars. They don't have to be physical scars. Are you only looking at the pain inflicted? Are you consumed with the questions of "Why"? Have you been so angry and blaming God for not taking care of you? I challenge you to look for the bigger picture. There may have been something far worse that you could have endured, and were saved from, even though what you did have to endure was horrific. I've recently been hearing this phrase, That God Uses, but never Abuses! Would you dare to believe that God is good? Even if something bad has happened in your life? Would you? Believe that maybe there are things you have been kept from that you may never know. Yeah, I know you were wounded. But you know what....It's really up to us most of the time, whether we're conquered on not. You are more than conquerors in Christ Jesus. I have more than this one ugly scar on my arm. Life has left me with many battle scars. I have been Wounded, BUT NOT CONQUERED!