Two-year-old Sarah and her 13-year-old sister had been fighting a lot, so Sarah's parents, trying to take advantage of her newfound interest in Santa Claus, reminded the 2-year-old that Santa was watching and doesn't like it when children fight. This had little impact.

"I'll just have to tell Santa about your misbehavior," her mother said as she picked up the phone and dialed. Sarah's eyes grew big as her mother asked "Mrs. Claus" (really Sarah's aunt; Santa's real line was busy) if she could put Santa on the line. Sarah's mouth dropped open as Mom described to Santa (Sarah's uncle) how the 2-year-old was acting. When Mom said Santa wanted to talk to her, she reluctantly took the phone.

Santa, in a deepened voice, explained to her how there would be no presents Christmas morning to children who fought with their sisters. He would be watching, and he expected things to be better from now on.

Sarah solemnly nodded to each of Santa's remarks and silently hung the phone up when he was done. Mom asked, "What did Santa say to you, Dear?"

Sarah sadly said, "Santa said he won't be bringing toys to my sister this year."

Sometimes we just don’t get it. The message that is meant for us we think is meant for someone else. It goes over our heads. And we miss it.

I have a message for you today. You are in a spiritual battle. Not your neighbor, not your husband, not your wife, not your kids. You are in a spiritual battle.

This Christmas season can bring out the best and the worst in us. How do you react if you don’t get what you want for Christmas? The inner you will come out. I have heard people say, “I don’t care” and then grumble that “the least the could have done was…” And then others have said, “Whatever is fine” and whatever was fine with them.

How do we have victory in this spiritual battle? How can we be sure that we are not dragged down and overrun? How can we find victory in the midst of all that is going on around us?

I want to give you two examples this morning. Both illustrate the point I want to make. So I will give you the first illustration and answer the question, “How do I have victory in the spiritual battle.” Then I will go on to my second illustration and then wrap this up (pun intended).

The first illustration of this victory is found in Lu 1:26-38.

26 In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favoured! The Lord is with you.” 29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favour with God. 31 You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; his kingdom will never end.” 34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” 35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. 37 For nothing is impossible with God.” 38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it be to me as you have said.” Then the angel left her.

Notice Mary’s move. It will be question, question, acceptance.

First, in verse 29, Mary asks this question: “What kind of a greeting is this?”

Imagine someone walking up to you and saying, “Hi, it’s good to see you. Billy Graham spoke highly of you.” You might say, “What kind of a greeting is this? Why would Billy Graham even know me, let alone speak highly of me?”

This is the first question.

Second, in verse 35, “How shall this be seeing I am a virgin?”

The angel told her she would have a child, “the son of the Most High.” So her second question is a natural one, “How shall this be?”

Questions play a big role in our spiritual battle. The questions Mary asks she asks from the vantage point of a person who wants to know the answer. Some people ask questions because they want to stump the listener. Some people want to ask questions to reveal the ignorance of the listener. Some people ask questions just to get discussion going. Mary is asking these questions to get an answer.

Do you remember that Satan used a question in the Garden of Eden to try and thwart Eve? “Has not God said…?” was his question. And you may find your mind full of questions.

Sometimes we have questions because we are naturally curious. Sometimes we have questions because a window has opened on a new way of looking at things and we want to explore the horizon through this new frame. Sometimes we have questions because our world has been shaken and what we knew isn’t working for us any more.

This can often be an important part of the spiritual battle. Paul tells Timothy, a young pastor, these words. (2Ti 2:24 -26) 24 And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25 Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

So Mary asks these two questions. And now, we see her answer, her response as these questions are answered.

As we look at her answer, the key to spiritual victory will be seen. This is the key to spiritual victory. Obedience to God that springs out of your inner faith.

Now to see it in Mary in verse 38: “I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be to me as you have said.” Or, as we would say, “Let it happen!”

Her questions are answered. Does she fully understand? Probably not. But she knows enough to say, “let it happen.”

Paul says this about his own ministry.

Ro 1:5 Through Christ and for his name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to call people from among all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith.

Mary has victory because her obedience springs from her faith. “Let it be to me as you have spoken.” She became the Lord’s servant, willing to do his will. She believed so she obeyed.

Faith without works is dead. Saying you believe and then disobeying do not go hand in hand.

Now to our second illustration. That illustration is Jesus Christ.

What do you see in the manger? A baby boy. What did heaven see in the manger? A servant of God.

(Php 2:5 -8) 5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death--even death on a cross!

Though Jesus was God, he became a servant of God. Though he was everything, creator, Lord, God, he made himself nothing. All of Jesus’ life was lived under orders from his heavenly father. When he was tempted in the desert he said, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Father.”

Obedience that sprung from faith.

Some Jewish leaders came to Jesus and asked him, “What must we do to do the works of God?” Jesus answered them, “Believe on Him whom He has sent.” This obedience starts by trusting Jesus. We put our faith in Him. We put our lives into his hands. We sit to listen to what he has to say. We trust in Jesus.

Thus the first step to spiritual victory is to put your trust in Jesus Christ. Some people trust in Muhammad, Buddah, Deepak Chopra, and others. If you trust them, you have already lost the battle. The first step to spiritual victory is to put your trust in Jesus Christ. He is the Son of God.

The second step to spiritual victory is to trust Him. There is the initial turn we make from trusting no one or trusting someone else to trusting Jesus. We know he died for us, was buried and rose again. But that is just the start. He wants us to continue to sit at his feet, to learn and then to trust him enough to get up and do what he says. We begin by faith and we grow by faith.

How do you know if you truly believe? You know you believe when you obey. Jesus said, “Follow me.” That is what faith looks like, following Jesus. That is what obedience looks like. Following Jesus.

Mary had faith. She said to God, “I am your servant. Let’s do this.” Trust. Obey. Jesus said to his Father. I will be a servant. Trust. Obey.

I invite you to step over the line today. Trust Jesus. Obey him. If you have received Christ as savior, he is asking you to be baptized. Trust. Obey. If you are a Christian, he is asking you to follow Jesus. Trust obey.

Trust and obey. For there’s no other way. To be happy in Jesus. But to trust and obey.

And Jesus is worth obeying. He will never lead you astray. Through the confusion, through the questioning, through the tough times, through the good, he is worth obeying. He loves you. He died for you. He was buried for you. He rose again for you.

He’s beautiful. The more you understand him, the more you follow him. The more you listen to him, you will find that he is beautiful and his grace abounds to you.