Hey, podcast listeners. Thanks for streaming today's podcast from Pathway to Victory. Pathway to Victory is a nonprofit ministry featuring the Bible teaching of Dr. Robert Jeffress. And right now, your generous gift will have twice the impact thanks to the Light the Darkness matching challenge. It's active now through December 31st.
To give a special year-end gift, go to ptv.org slash donate or follow the link in our show notes. Now here's today's podcast from Pathway to Victory. Thanks for joining us on today's edition of Pathway to Victory.
Before we began today's program, I wanted to say a word about the recent election. In 1 Timothy 2, Paul said we should pray that government would basically protect us and then leave us alone to practice our faith. And I think the election has ensured that's going to happen for the next four years. I've known President Trump for almost 10 years, and I know religious freedom is a very real priority with him. We need to remember that it is not government's responsibility to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.
That's our responsibility and one we need to take advantage of while there's still time. The only way we're going to change America is by changing the hearts of Americans, and that's only possible through the power of Jesus Christ. Thank you for supporting Pathway to Victory generously in this important time but limited time of religious liberty, so together we can pierce the darkness with the light of God's Word. On today's edition of Pathway to Victory, we're going to look at one of the most well-known prophecies about the birth of Jesus. It's a verse you know well.
It's a verse that gives four names that describe who this baby was and what he would do. I've called today's message The Names Above Every Name. Welcome to Pathway to Victory with author and pastor Dr. Robert Jeffress.
Think about some of the most popular names in politics and tech or entertainment, and due to their massive influence, these names tend to dominate the news cycle and often come up in conversation. But today on Pathway to Victory, Dr. Robert Jeffress draws our attention to the one name that rises above them all. Now here's our Bible teacher to introduce today's message.
Dr. Jeffress? Thanks, David, and welcome to this special Christmas Eve edition of Pathway to Victory. We know that you're getting ready for tomorrow's Christmas celebration, and we're grateful that you decided to spend this half hour with us. On today's program, I'm inviting you to turn in your Bible with me to a wonderful proclamation from the prophet Isaiah. Isaiah chapter 9 verse 6 says, For a child will be born to us, and the government will rest on his shoulders, and his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. Did you realize those beautiful words were spoken by Isaiah hundreds of years before the birth of Christ? It's proof that Jesus is the long-awaited Messiah. He's the light of the world, and it's our responsibility as Christians to shine his light brightly in a world that's floundering in darkness. Gratefully, Pathway to Victory is the recipient of a wonderful Light the Darkness matching challenge in the amount of $1.5 million.
Because of this gift, we're able to pursue the call of Jesus to shine his light into the dark corners of our world. And when you give a gift toward the matching challenge that's active for one more week, I'm going to send you a copy of the 2025 Pathway to Victory daily devotional. It's a breathtaking navy blue leather-bound volume with an inspirational chapter written for every weekday in 2025. So while there's still time, please reach out to Pathway to Victory with your generous year-end gift to the matching challenge.
Every dollar you give by midnight December 31st will be automatically doubled in size. Alright, let's turn our attention to our study and God's Word together. I titled today's message, The Name Above All Names. Christ is born. God in the flesh.
I want you to think about what an amazing thing this is. Who is this baby that was born in Bethlehem 2,000 years ago? Well, in the New Testament, his name that's most frequently used is the Lord Jesus Christ. But in the Old Testament, in the prophecies, there are a number of names that the Messiah is known by. And for the few moments we have today, we're going to look at one of the most well-known prophecies of the 115 or so prophecies about the birth of Jesus. It's a verse you know well. It's a verse that gives four names that describe who this baby was and what he would do.
And we find the passage in Isaiah chapter 9, verse 6. For a child will be born to us. This Messiah who would come, the deliverer, would be born. Why did Jesus have to be born? He didn't come into existence at Bethlehem, but he came into human form in Bethlehem.
He had to be in human flesh because he was going to die and be that offering for our sins. For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us, and the government will rest on his shoulders and his name will be called. You can hear the strains of Handel's Messiah as you read that. And his name will be called. And then we have the four names that Isaiah gives us for this Messiah.
Now I wanted us to do something different today. And so what I'd like to do is this as we look at these four names of the Messiah who was born on Christmas Day. I'm going to say a brief word about each of these names and how it applies to us, what it means to us. And then we're going to stand together and we're going to read some scripture I selected that talks about this name and what it means to our lives.
And then after we stand and read the scripture, we're going to stay standing and we're going to sing a hymn that relates to that particular name of Jesus. The first name that he is called is Wonderful Counselor. Just think about how great it would be to have your own personal counselor that you could trust to always give you the right answer about every question you had. A counselor who knew your future and could tell you exactly what's ahead of you. A counselor who could help unravel the perplexities of this life and your life, but could also guide you safely into the next world and deliver you into heaven. Wouldn't it be great to have that kind of counselor?
Somebody who was always right in whatever question you needed answered. That's Jesus. That's the Messiah.
He is our Wonderful Counselor. Every word he speaks to us is true because it comes from God. He's called the Living Word of God. And he's called the Word, the Word of the Living God.
That word, word, means expression. The reason we can trust everything Jesus says is everything he says to us about our lives and our future comes from God himself. He is called the Living Word. And how do we have access to his words today? The Living Word has been deposited into the written Word of God. This book is Jesus' words to us. It contains everything we need to know about life, about death, about heaven, and about hell.
He is our Wonderful Counselor. Now, let's read about the Living Word of God deposited in the written Word of God. Let's stand together in honor of the reading of God's Word. And you read with me.
Now together. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. I have treasured your Word in my heart so that I may not sin against you. Teach me, O Lord, the way of your statutes, and I shall observe it to the end. Give me understanding that I may observe your law and keep it with all my heart. Make me walk in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Open my eyes that I may behold wonderful things from your law. Pray of heaven, pray of heaven, feed me till I wonder more. Feed me till I wonder more.
When I dread the verge of Jordan, give my anxious fears outside. Bear me through the smelly verdant, let me sing of pain and sorrow. Songs and praises, songs and praises, I will never give to thee.
I will never give to thee. That is Jesus, our wonderful counselor, who will lead us through this life and safely into the promised land. Now you may be seated. He shall be called Wonderful Counselor. He'll also be called the Mighty God. Jesus didn't come into existence in Bethlehem. He is God. He has existed eternally. Everything you see around you, everything in this galaxy, everything in this universe, the planets, everything, have all been created by Jesus.
Colossians 1 says, For in Him and through Him were all things made. Jesus is the Mighty God, and the same power that flung this universe into existence, that same power is available to every follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Mighty God. Now, we're going to read together about the power of that baby who was born in Bethlehem, the Mighty God.
Let's stand together, beginning with Psalm 19. The heavens are telling of the glory of God, and their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth, who has displayed Your splendor above the heavens. When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars which You have ordained, what is man that You have taken thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him?
You make him to rule over the works of Your hands. You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beast of the field, the birds of the heavens, and the fish of the sea, whatever passes through the paths of the seas. O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth. Thy power throughout the universe displayed. Thanks seems my soul, my Savior God, to be. How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Thanks seems my soul, my Savior God, to be. How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
And when I think that God His Son, not staring, sent Him to die, I scarce can take Him in. That on the cross I heard it gladly buried, He bled and died to take away my sin. Thanks seems my soul, my Savior God, to be. How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Thanks seems my soul, my Savior God, to be. How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
When twice shall come with shout of acclamation, and take me home, one joy shall fill my heart. Then I shall bow in humble adoration, and there proclaim, My God, how great Thou art! Thanks seems my soul, my Savior God, to be. How great Thou art! How great Thou art! Thanks seems my soul, my Savior God, to be. How great Thou art!
How great Thou art! And He shall be called the Mighty Counselor, the Mighty God. And thirdly, He's called the Eternal Father. What does Isaiah mean by the Eternal Father? The word Father denotes the relationship we have with God. When we come to faith in Christ, our sins are forgiven, our status before God instantly changes.
No longer are we slaves, but we are sons and daughters, we are children of God. No longer are we His enemies, we are His friend. That's what the Father means to us. He's a good and perfect Father.
He only wants our best. We can trust Him with our entire life. And He's that way eternally. Unlike human fathers who can change, their love can come and go, their trustworthiness can come and go, Jesus never changes. He is eternal from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God. We can depend upon Him to always keep His Word. We can know that there is no shifting shadow in Him, as James says.
He's the same yesterday, today, and forever. Let's read about God being our Eternal Father in the Scriptures right now. The Scriptures are going to be found on the screen from Psalm 90. Let's stand together and read about the faithfulness of our Father. Now together, Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were born, You gave birth to the earth and the world. Even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God.
You turn men back into dust and say, Return, O children of men. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.
Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have, for He Himself has said, I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you. O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come, our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home. Before the hills in order stood, or earth received refrain, from everlasting, Thou art God, to endless years the same. O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come. Peace now, our God, Thou shalt last, and our eternal home.
You may be seated. He shall be called the Wonderful Counselor, the Mighty God, the Eternal Father, and finally, He will be called the Prince of Peace. Peace means the absence of trouble or turmoil.
Remember the promise of the angel to the shepherds, for I bring you good news of great joy that shall be to all the people. Then He promised this baby would bring, and the King James says, peace, goodwill toward men, but you know what the real translation is, peace with whom God is pleased. The only people who experience the peace of God are people who are at peace with God. You can't have the peace of God without being at peace with God. You'll never be at peace with other people.
You'll never be at peace with your circumstances. You'll never be at peace with yourself until, first of all, you are at peace with God, and that's why Christ came, to offer reconciliation between God and sinners. Let's read about the Prince of Peace and what He offers to each of us. First, beginning in Luke 2, let's stand and read together. And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased. Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. πΆπΆπΆ πΆπΆπΆ πΆπΆπΆ πΆπΆπΆ No one is more worthy of our affection than Jesus, the name above all names. And we've been praying that today's edition of Pathway to Victory would pave the way for a wonderful Christmas celebration with your family and friends.
Before I turn the microphone over to David, I have some urgent information to share with you. First, I want you to own a copy of this brand new leather-bound Pathway to Victory daily devotional for 2025. The daily devotional is one of the favorite traditions at Pathway to Victory. Time is running short to take advantage of this special offer, so please reach out to us today. This is an exclusive resource. You won't find the Pathway to Victory daily devotional anywhere other than right here.
The leather-bound cover is navy blue with inlaid gold accents, and I've written over 260 chapters so that you have something to guide you through every weekday of the new year. To receive the daily devotional, all that's required of you is this. Simply give a generous year-end gift to the Light the Darkness matching challenge that's active right now.
And here's the best part. Because of this $1.5 million matching challenge, any gift you give today will be doubled until we reach the goal. So when you give a generous gift of $200, it becomes $400.
A gift of $3,000 would become $6,000. Whatever the amount you give, you can have twice the power of shining God's light in the dark corners of our world. Thanks so much for standing with Pathway to Victory as we enter a brand-new year together. We couldn't provide this ministry without friends like you. David.
Thanks, Dr. Jeffress. Today when you give a generous year-end gift to support the ministry of Pathway to Victory, we'll say thanks by sending you the brand-new 2025 Pathway to Victory daily devotional. Call 866-999-2965 or visit ptv.org. And when your gift is $100 or more, we'll also send you our current series called Reigniting Your Passion for Christ. You'll get that on DVD video and MP3 format audio discs. Remember, your donation today to Pathway to Victory.
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Box 223-609, Dallas, Texas, 75222. I'm David J. Mullins. Join us again next time for a special Christmas Day message called When Darkness Overcomes the Light. That's coming up Wednesday on Pathway to Victory. You made it to the end of today's podcast from Pathway to Victory, and we're so glad you're here. Pathway to Victory relies on the generosity of loyal listeners like you to make this podcast possible. And right now, your special year-end gift will be matched and therefore doubled in impact thanks to the Light the Darkness Matching Challenge. Take advantage of this opportunity to double your impact before the deadline on December 31st. To give toward the matching challenge, go to ptv.org slash donate or follow the link in our show notes. We hope you've been blessed by today's podcast, From Pathway to Victory.
