Princess Warriors (inspired by message series at Stafford Crossing Community Church)

Hey ladies!  Our church, Stafford Crossing Community Church in Fredericksburg, VA, has covered a series over the past 5 weeks called "Warrior."  It's a message meant for men, women, and children.  Here's the church's website http://www.staffordcrossing.org/ and a link to the archived sermons (in case the notes below seem "patchy" and a bit confusing, etc.). http://www.staffordcrossing.org/pages/page.asp?page_id=118576

PRINCESS WARRIORS!

Here are some points and Bible verses from the "Warrior" series (provided in Sunday's service bulletins):

Exodus 15:3
Matthew 10:34
Revelation 19:11-13, 15-16

God created within you the heart of a warrior.
Ezekiel 22:30

Every warrior has a cause to fight for.
Nehemiah 4:14

A warrior without a cause to fight for will find the wrong thing to fight for.
Acts 8:3

Name my cause: ___________________________________________

Sometimes you throw a punch and sometimes you turn a cheek.
Ecclesiastes 3:8

Judges 6:11-12

When God looks at a woman He does not see the woman as she is, but God sees what she could become.

Every warrior fears failure.
Judges 6:15

When a warrior's fear of failure exceeds her faith in God, she becomes hesitant.

The warrior empowered by God has what it takes to do what God has called you to do.
2 Corinthians 12:9

Judges 6:14
2 Peter 1:3

Most warrior's greatest fear is pain.

Most warrior's greatest pain is regret.

Attitudes that make strong women weak:
Lust: I want it.  Judges 14:1-2
Entitlement: I deserve it.  Judges 14:8-9
Pride: I can handle it.  Judges 14:10

Our spiritual enemy, Satan, loves to make strong women weak.
Our good God loves to make weak women strong.

Attitudes that make weak women strong:
I want God.
I deserve death.
I cannot handle anything without God.

Judges 15:19-20
Judges 16:1-2

Closer look at Samson's life:
He did not ruin his life all at once.  He ruined it one step at a time.
He taunted his enemy.  Judges 16:3; 1 Corinthians 10:12
He rationalized the same old sin.  Judges 16:4-5, 15-17, 19
He assumed his disobedience would never cost him.  Judges 16:20-21

If I am stepping away from God, what should I do?
Turn around (and go the other direction).
Judges 16:22

The warrior who abandons her cause becomes passive.  Psalm 78:9

The warrior who abandons her cause can also become abusive.  1 Samuel 19:15

The warrior pursuing her cause becomes consumed with passion.  John 2:16-17

A passionate warrior has...
someone to protect.  Nehemiah 4:14; 2 Samuel 10:12
a Kingdom to advance.  Matthew 11:12; Joel 3:9-11