What if Christmas isn't just about a peaceful nativity scene, but actually represents the greatest spiritual battle ever waged? This message radically reframes our understanding of Jesus as Wonderful Counselor by revealing that His arrival 2,000 years ago was an act of spiritual warfare. Drawing from Isaiah 9:6, we discover that when the prophecy declared 'He shall be called Wonderful Counselor,' it wasn't describing someone who simply offers therapeutic advice—it was announcing a supernatural strategic advisor who brings the wisdom of heaven's throne room into our darkest battles. The Hebrew word for 'wonderful' means full of wonder and awe, referring to miraculous things only God can do, while 'counselor' describes a king's war strategist whose counsel determines victory or defeat. This transforms how we see our own struggles: we're not just dealing with personal issues, we're engaged in warfare where the enemy deploys lies, deception, and pain to hold us captive as prisoners of war. But Jesus offers us a different POW—a Plan of War, Provision of War, Promise of War, and Presence of War. Through examining ten common lies the enemy uses (like 'you're alone in this' or 'you're too broken to be used'), we're invited to exchange these deceptions for divine truth. The message culminates in a powerful communion experience where we literally surrender our pain points and lies we've believed, receiving instead the healing and freedom Jesus purchased through His death and resurrection. This isn't about quick fixes—it's about daily micro-wisdoms that build our capacity to hear His strategic counsel in both small and life-altering decisions.
Discussion Questions:
-How can the truth that 'Christ in you is greater than the chaos around you' become more than just a statement and instead a lived reality in the midst of your current struggles?
-In what ways have you been living under the 'wisdom of the world' rather than seeking divine counsel, and what has been the cost of that choice?
-Reflecting on the list of what healing is NOT, which misconception about healing have you been holding onto, and how does releasing that misconception open you to what true healing might look like?
-What is your current 'pain point,' and which path toward healing from the sermon's list do you sense the Wonderful Counselor is inviting you to walk right now?
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