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Sunday Night, March 22, 1992, Usair Flight 405 Waited in Line to Take Off from New York's Laguardia Airport

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Sunday Night, March 22, 1992, Usair Flight 405 Waited in Line to Take Off from New York's Laguardia Airport Wed., Oct. 16, 2019 - Overwhelmed Overcomer - part 1 Sunday night, March 22, 1992, USAir flight 405 waited in line to take off from New York's LaGuardia Airport. 51 people were on board, including Bart Simon, a Cleveland businessman. A snowstorm was blowing, and an already delayed flight sat in line for 30 more minutes until the control tower gave clearance for takeoff. The plane barely lifted into the air, back down, and up again. But the left wing dipped and hit antennas on the side of the runway; the fuselage began to break apart. The plane flipped into Flushing Bay. 27 people died. But Bart Simon survived. He needed stitches, shoes, and more clothes. Surviving a plane crash is a traumatic experience. Some people would never fly again. But the day after the crash, Bart Simon climbed aboard another USAir plane and flew-safely-home to Cleveland. Bart Simon is an overcomer. Fear and failure ground many people. An unknown future paralyzes people. But “God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind.” - 2 Tim. 1:7 John 16:33 - "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." As followers of Jesus, we are called to be overcomers. Romans 8:37 - New International Version - “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” New Living Translation - “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” Why do we have this victory? Because of God’s love for us. Rom. 8:38-39: “And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[a] neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow-not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below-indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.” - Romans 8:38-39 The One who created us, loves us, has empowered us to be Overcomers. What does it mean to be an overcomer? You prevail. Succeed w/a problem. You have to over come something. We forget that basic truth. Tonight - I want to remind you of truth to hold onto when you face difficulty. Empowering Scriptures: 1 - I John 4:4 says, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” 2 - Hebrews 4:16 Contemporary English Version (CEV) - “So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.” – no problem is to small/big. God’s kindness helps us no matter what. 3 - Isaiah 41:13 - " For I am the Lord your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you." - Another help promise! 4 - Joshua 1:5 - " No one will be able to stand against you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you." - not going thru anything alone. 5 - Prov. 18:24 - “There is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” 6 - Psalm 61:2 - "From the most remote place of the earth, I will call to you, when my heart is overwhelmed. Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” - You’re never too far away from God. He offers safety and stability. 7 - Matthew 19:26 - "But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, with men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible." - Your situation is not impossible b/c you don’t see a way out. 8 - Isaiah 40:31 says, "But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint." - Be patient. Let God be God. You don’t have to solve it today. 9 - Psalm 34:18 - “The Lord is close to the broken-hearted, and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” - You may be down, crushed, hurt . but you are a victor. Overcomer. And He is with you. 10 - Psalm 91: 14-16 - "‘Because he loves me,’ says the Lord, ‘I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. He will call on me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation.’” "To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne. He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." - Revelation 3:21 Christians often get disillusioned when a crisis comes their way because they think, "Why did God let this happen?" 1st - know that bad never comes from God. "It is the thief who comes to steal, kill and destroy; but I have come that you may have life and have it more abundantly." John 10:10 To be an overcomer - understand who the enemy is: Satan. It’s not God. 2nd - realize God is for you; He has answers, deliverance, help, and peace. But He won’t save us from every problem. Stop blaming Him for allowing it. 3rd - Have the right attitude. When Goliath came against the Israelites, the soldiers all thought, "He's so big we can never kill him." David looked at the same giant and thought, "He's so big I can't miss!" Trust in God allows Him to work for us. Praising God in the storm will change your attitude in the storm. Many times, our attitudes influence how long a trial lasts. Negative thinkers rarely find themselves taking a victory lap. But positive people who praise God see victory. Victory takes many different shapes. Trust God. When you’ve done all you can do, stand on the rock. .
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