For sports fans this is an exciting time of the year.  The Kansas City Chiefs just became the Super Bowl champions.

The All-Star Game for the National Basketball League is about to take place.  And soon, the college basketball teams will be seeking a place in the NCAA basketball championships.

Major League baseball is gearing up for the start of spring training with each team dreaming of becoming the World Series champions.

It is not easy to become a champion. . .it takes determination, practice, discipline and commitment to never give up, give in, back up, back down, sit down, quit or walk away until victory is achieved.

God has given each of us the heart of a champion far beyond the field of athletic endeavor.  Much like an earthly father who wants his children to be champions in whatever they undertake. . .our Heavenly Father desires for you and I. . .His children to win in the game of life.

We always refer to Jesus as a conqueror. . .one who conquered death, hell and the grave. . .yet we never call him a champion.

Throughout history, conquerors are those who went to war where there was the spilling of blood.

That’s why Jesus was and is a conqueror. . .He spilled blood. . .overcame demonic opposition to become a champion for our salvation.

In order for us to be conquerors. . .we must first champions in the areas of our lives where we’ve been given a vision, a goal, a dream and/or a calling.

We must prevail. . .as champions over the areas where we’ve been given stewardship.

There are seven characteristics of a champion.

Have you ever had something come through at just the right time to meet a specific need?

I know we have. . .

I remember once when our bookkeeper made a mistake which resulted in our owing $14,000 in taxes. . .which we discovered a week before it had to be paid.  And frankly, we didn’t have that amount of cash readily available.

We had nowhere else to go except God. . .and moved on believing God would somehow provide. 

We also reminded the Lord that we tithed and gave offerings regularly to keep the windows of heaven open and keep harvests coming in.

I was speaking that next Sunday at a church in southern California. . .it was an incredible service.

Can you imagine my surprise when the Pastor handed me a check for $16,000?  And for preaching a one-hour Sunday morning service?

I discovered later that a man in the church had given $10,000 in the offering in appreciation for advice I had given him a year or so before.  He later told me the advice made him hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Have you ever been really pumped up on Sunday morning only to fall short by Tuesday afternoon?

Have you ever experienced a sudden burst of faith during a thought-provoking sermon only to fizzle out at the first sign of adversity?

A lack of consistency can cause your faith to dwindle and your hopes to sag.

Often people refer to this as being double minded.

James 1:8 in the King James Version says:

“A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

In his New Testament letter, the Apostle James uses the term double-minded twice.  One in James 1:4 and again in James 4:8.

According to Strong’s Concordance the Greek word for double-minded is G1374 and it means:

“double-minded, wavering, uncertain, doubting, divided in interest”

Let’s talk about ten scriptural reasons you’ve got miracle working power available to you.  As I go through these ten scriptures. . .I’m going to specifically list 34 power points or keys. . .which I will review at the end of the call.

First, Mark 16:17-18 says:

“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;  They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.”

Do you believe?  Do you really believe every word in the Bible is true?  Do you really believe you can do everything the Word of God says you can do?

Signs follow those who believe. . .they can do what the Word of God says they can do.

Three key phrases from Mark 16:17-18.

1.       And these signs shall follow them that believe

2.       In the name of Jesus they shall cast out demons.

3.       They shall speak with new tongues

4.       They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.

Have you ever wondered. . .God, why do I have to go through this?

Or perhaps, you thought. . .why am I having to go through the fire?

While I realize that no one wants to go through hard times…

I can tell you with absolute certainty what you will find in the fire.

It’s your miracle.  That’s right.

Your miracle is in the fire.

My favorite Bible story as a child was about the three Hebrews thrown into the fiery furnace.  I loved this story even more than Daniel in the lion’s den.

Before we go any further. . .once again. . .I’m going to make a powerful, life-changing statement that I want you to write down.

“My miracle is in the fire.”

You can even personalize it.

“<<YourName>>’s miracle is in the fire.

Now let’s look at the story of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. . .who were cast into a fiery furnace heated seven times hotter by decree of King Nebuchadnezzar. . .simply because they refused to worship his golden image.

Daniel 3:5-6 in the New Living Translation says: