1 John 5:4, "For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith."
As believers in Christ, we can, and should, live victorious lives each and every day. Because of Jesus' victory on the cross, we have the ability now to walk victoriously all the time. But Christ's victory on the cross has more meaning to it than many of us think. Too many times we limit our victories because we think too narrow minded.
In the text above, it said, "this is the victory that overcometh the world". What is the victory? "Even our faith"! But, can I ask you something? Faith in what? Faith in Jesus. That's what! Faith in the victory that He accomplished by dying on the cross, then raising back up from the grave. This is our faith!
But, once again, let me say that many times our faith is too narrow minded. We limit God from giving us total victory because we don't understand all that Christ did for us. If we are going to be totally victorious, if we're going to win future battles for the Lord, then we need to know how to be victorious the way God wants us to be.
There are three things that God has given to me that I want to share with you:
1. POWER FOR THE PRESENT
Galatians 1:4, "Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father."
Titus 2:12, "Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world."
When you gave your heart to Christ, He gave you all that you would need to live a victorious life. All you have to do is appropriate what you need from His resources. He has given you power to live in the here and the now. He has given us power to be delivered from this present world, and to live righteously and godly. You can do it, because He has given you the power to do it! Each and every day that you get up out of bed in the present, you can know that during that day in the present, you are going to have victory, because Christ has already won the victory for you.
2. ASSURANCE FROM THE PAST
Romans 3:25, "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God."
1 Peter 2:10, "Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy."
Ephesians 2:2-6, "Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved); And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus."
Not only has Christ given you the victory for the present, He also has given you the victory over the past. This is one area that many believers can't seem to get the victory in on a day by day basis. But, praise be to God, the victory is ours over the past, because everything that we have ever done is now gone forever! And we have been made to sit together with him in heavenly places!
3. HOPE FOR THE FUTURE
Matthew 6:34, "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."
Colossians 1:5, "For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of truth of the gospel. "
Titus 1:2, "In hope of eternal life which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began."
Titus 2:13, "Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ."
1 Thessalonians 4:13-17, "But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord."
Not only did Jesus provide us with the victory for the present, and the victory for the past, but He also provided us with the victory, or hope, for the future! It doesn't matter what tomorrow might bring, for we know who holds tomorrow, and we know who holds our hand! It doesn't matter what the future may hold, because our future is already planned, and it doesn't include defeat! We are a victorious people who are on our way to a heavenly home.
These three things my friends are the believer's victory!!!