Victorious

I haven’t written in a while and thought I would….

This New Year, 2015, I want victory. My pastor gave a great sermon on victorious living and I want to be that kind of Believer; fully trusting God in all things; truly living in close fellowship with Jesus so that in everything “I view life through the lens of Christ” (Thomas, Jan 2015).

But why do we often feel so defeated. Romans 8:37 emphatically confirms, “we ARE more than conquerors”… not just a conqueror, but a mighty conqueror. So where is the disconnect?

Yesterday in particular, I was slighted by some friends/co-workers. I felt hurt, alienated, and angry…but the Word, Christ, reassures there is victory in all things, even things such as these.

We are told that trials, tribulation, distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or the sword does not have the power to subdue us; to alienate our love and confidence; to produce apostasy. We are the victors, not these things, because our faith is not destroyed; our love for Christ is not diminished; our hope is not abated. And the victory is in growing closer to Christ in the midst of it. Our relationship with Christ is our victory, our triumph.

And yet, why do we not FEEL triumphant? We believe the lie that trials equal weakness. Trials mean defeat. And yet, this belief and our feelings are false and couldn’t be further from the truth. Or we focus on the sin that so easily entangles us. We must change our view or lenses. Trials are opportunities to increase our dependance on God for His strength and grace, which also expands our love to Christ. The other night I watched the movie “Evan Almighty” and in this film, the actor Morgan Freeman, who plays God, tells Evan’s wife, “If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If he prayed for courage, does God give him courage, or does he give him opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for the family to be closer, do you think God zaps them with warm fuzzy feelings, or does he give them opportunities to love each other?”

We are changed from defeat to triumphant because of Christ. We can choose to believe the lie of defeat when we are not or we can acknowledge Christ’s triumph.

Because this, it is my resolve, to live victorious and claim Christ’s triumph. I am sure I will be given opportunities to trust Him. To trust Christ in various and polka-dotted ways, James 1:2.

“Lord, make us more like you. Help us to be victorious in the little and big things in life” Corrie ten Boom.