After conversion, the heart cry of each and every believer is how to live a victorious Christian life. That was my cry and I am sure yours too.
Some Christian try and try and when they don’t succeed, sink down to a lower level of Christian experience, living on a standard lower than they desire, but helpless to advance and fearful lest they make fools of themselves by trying.
Other Christians have never heard of the victorious life and continue sinning and confessing, sinning and confessing. Is that all that Christ has to offer?
1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith
“The devil does not mind a religious person or a powerless Christian, but he surely fears the power of a triumphant life.”
The victorious Christian life is the life that God wants to see lived by us. It is not sinless perfection, yet it is the growing consistency of a holy life and witness in many areas. We should not be satisfied with anything less.
The victorious Christian life is Christ Himself living in us and through us. It is not us trying harder to please God. Quite frankly, the harder we try to live up to God’s standard, the more certain our failure will be. God wants to supply us with His victorious life
- PRINCIPLE OF THE VICTORIOUS LIFE: “ by faith”
The principle is that the victories life is a gift received from God by faith. Our salvation was a gift. Our victory is also a gift.
The drunkard, substance abusers is converted and immediately gets victory over liquor and substance.
“Faith does nothing; faith let’s God to do it all” (Dr C.G.Trumbull)
One qualification that you must have for the victorious life is the broken pinion, the broken nature, uttermost weakness (C.G. Trumball). The secret of victory is in the indwelling Christ. Victory is in trusting, not trying.
Victory is available to each of us because of what Christ has already done for us. It's His victory. He won the battle. Our victory comes as we enter into His victory, and that victory can only be apprehended through faith.
2.SECRET OF THE VICTORIOUS LIFE: “IDENTIFICATION”
The secret of the victorious life is our identification with Christ. In the cross two important truths are taught- substitution & identification
1. identification with Christ’s death: I died with Christ ( Rom 6:5,6;Gal
2. Identification with Christ’s burial- I am buried with Him ( Rom 6:4,5)
3. Identification with Christ’s present triumphant life
The secret is that the indwelling Christ lives in the heart and life of each believer for the purpose of becoming Lord and master of that life.
3 ENEMIES:
· The World
· Satan
· The Flesh
The Christian does not work up towards victory, he works down from it. We do not struggle towards it, but we stand in it because of the cross and the empty tomb.
i) “But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us”. (Rom
Is Victorious Christian Living Really Possible?
One doesn't have to be a Christian for many years before he begins to wonder,
- Is there really such a thing as victorious Christian living?
- Do I only have the promise of God's forgiveness and eternal salvation, or can I actually experience victory over old habits and ways?
I think that if we were completely honest with each other, we would discover that there are multitudes of Christians asking those questions - and for good reasons.
Victory Over the Fear of Rejection
I've watched fear paralyze many people. I've seen people rendered immobile because of the fear of failure, the fear of the future, and the fear of death. Perhaps the greatest and most common crippling fear that I've seen is that of the fear of rejection. I've seen people do harm to their own bodies because of this fear. I've watched people compromise their morals, trample their beliefs, and become spiritually defeated because of this fear.
There's one great solution to fear - love (perfect love). The Bible says, "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love (I Jn
Only Jesus had the ability to forgive those who hated him, those who were the very enemies of God. He loved all of mankind with the perfect love of God. He loved you and me with perfect love. It's that love that casts out the fear of rejection. It's that love that allows us to know, feel, and experience God's acceptance. Jesus said, "All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (John
If you find yourself a captive to the fear of rejection, then come to the cross. You'll find there the perfect love of God that will release you to be all that God intended you to be. Courage flows from the cross. The cross permeates the innermost parts of your life and enables you to see God in His infinite love. Look to the cross! Live near the cross! Take up your cross! Follow Jesus!
Victory over Temptation:
Temptation is real! The Bible reminds us in James 1:13-15 “ let no one say when he is tempted “ I am tempted by God” for God cannot be tempted by evil, and He himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lust. Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death” God does not tempt anyone because temptation does not come from God. Temptation is not sin but can lead to sin.
I Cor 10:13 “ No temptation has overtaken you but as such as is common to man, and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.”
Negative peer pressure is just another name for temptation.No temptation is unique to you but if it comes, He will look a way out for you. Keep in mind that even Jesus Christ was tempted, but not successfully:
- by Satan (Matthew 4:1–10)
- by the Jewish leaders (Matthew 16:1)
- by Peter, His faithful disciple (Matthew
Job withstood enormous temptation to give in to Satan. He resisted and did right simply by stating the Word of God and become victorious.
U Victory Through Our Choices
I've met many young men and women who began the race with the fire of God burning in their souls, but have finished defeated and saddened at what could have been a victorious run in life. What happens in such situation? Why do some of the most talented and gifted men and women of God find themselves defeated? Why do believers with such a passion for God end up drowning in the deep waters of sin and self?
. Some of those choices are actually temptations. We must say "no" to Satan's cunning ways and "yes" to God
The wrong choices in life may begin with a subtle look, a flirtatious smile or wink. We then begin making choices about fulfilling the lusts of our hearts. We act upon those things that would alienate us from God and drag us into defeat. The Bible says, "For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world" (1 John 2:16 NAS).
As long as we live in this world, we're going to have to make choices in three areas of life:
1) the lust of the flesh;
2) the lust of the eyes; and
3) the boastful pride of life.
Sin is no respecter of persons. If we choose any one of those areas, they will destroy us. How do we then overcome such temptations? How do we make the right decisions in life? How do we put our feet on the highway to holiness rather than the slippery slope of sin?
Q Our hearts must be set apart for God.
Q We must passionately long to know and love Him more than we desire the passing pleasures of sin.
Q We must hunger and thirst for His righteousness. When our hearts long to love Him, then we will have the strength to reject sin and embrace Christ.
Jesus said, "No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other…." (Matt.
Every morning when you awaken, make a decision. Choose to love and serve Jesus. Before you ever place a foot outside your door, choose to passionately follow Christ. Make the right choice long before the temptation faces you. The right choices in life will lead to long-term victory. Choose Jesus. He is our victory
U Victory Over An Unbridled Tongue
When one thinks of the power of words, it should cause us to be extremely careful about which words we use. Words can be used to build up or to tear down. Words can bring life and peace or death and destruction. The person who learns to bless others with their words will be a very wise person and find that they have contributed greatly to their families and to society.
The Scriptures say, "If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless" (James
We can build or destroy a child's esteem by the words we speak. We can construct a healthy or destroy deep relationships through our communication. It's imperative to bring this little instrument, the human tongue, under the control of the Holy Spirit.
But the question is, "How do we do that?"
U First, speak the truth. Jesus is the truth. When we speak of the Savior, we will be able to see lives changed for eternity. When the Holy Spirit works in our lives, He will always glorify Jesus. Therefore, we ought to speak of the Savior every opportunity that we get.
U Second, speak that which blesses people, rather than curses them. Say those things which will build people up rather than tears them down.
U Third, when you begin to feel anger, then place a bridle over your tongue. Determine that when your angry that you will count to thirty before you respond. Often much damage is done because we speak too quickly.
U Finally, ask the Holy Spirit to take control of your speech. Ask him to give you the power to speak only those things which please the Father.
As we give control of our tongues to God, we will not only find pure faith, but we will also see lives changed. Yes, lives can be changed by the words we speak - if we speak in the power of the Holy Spirit and only that which honors and pleases God.
U Victory Over Anger
Is it okay to be angry or not? Quite often I find that Christians are confused over the subject of anger. "The Bible speaks of being angry but not sinning," I frequently hear Christians say in defense of one of their outbursts. However, the kind of rage in many people today is not the kind of anger that the Bible is talking about when it says that we're not to let the sun go down on our anger.
So, when is anger good and when is it bad? First, we need to understand anger from a Biblical perspective. There are three Greek words used in the New Testament that's often translated as the verb angered.
1) The first is the word "Thumos" which is an agitated feeling which results in outbursts.
2) The next word is "Parorgismos" which is a more thoughtful feeling or "righteous indignation" - a disgust for injustice.
3) The final word is "Aganaktesis" which refers to physical pain or irritation.
It is this first word "Thumos" that I want to deal with when I speak of victory over anger. It's this word that is used in Galatians 5:20 when describing the deeds of the flesh.
How then do we overcome anger? If we look at it closely, the cause of much of our anger, we will normally find is a result of deep hurt. We become angry because we feel mistreated or because we have received a raw deal in life. Or perhaps it's because someone has inflicted pain and injury upon us. Therefore, we hold unresolved feelings of bitterness that eventually make their way out of our lives in outbursts of anger. We do and say things that are not in sync with how we would normally respond to people and situations.
Eg There's one story in the Bible that has been a tremendous help to me in overcoming feelings that have been harbored in my heart. Joseph had been treated unjustly by his brothers. If anyone had a reason to become angry, Joseph did. Yet, when he saw his brothers later in life, he responded to them saying, "You meant it for evil, but God meant it for good." Joseph understood this great truth. God had a very specific plan for his life. Even though what he had received could have been easily perceived as a "raw deal" in life, he looked beyond his circumstances. He saw God's hand and God's provision. Consequently, he didn't become bitter. There were no outbursts of "thumoi." There was an unbelievable sense of calm, love an peace that filled his heart.
Joseph knew that God was sovereign. He trusted in His reign and rule in His life. I believe that we can overcome those horrible outbursts of anger that plague our lives. We, too, must trust in God as our sovereign Lord. We need to get our focus off our circumstances and onto His omnipotence. We need to see that He is in control. That will only come as we spend time with Him in His Word and in prayer. Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit. As I spend time in the fullness of His presence, I am at peace. When stormy circumstances engulf my life, I don't have to give into outbursts of anger. I can rest in sweet assurance and peace that God is in control. That gives me victory over anger.
U Victory Over Materialism
The
Money isn't the "root of all evil." It's the love of money that produces all kinds of evil. I've met some poor people who are extremely materialistic. It's not the amount of wealth that one has that makes him materialistic. It's a person's heart attitude towards material possessions that determines whether he is materialistic. Materialism is one of the most subtle temptations that any Christian will ever face.
How do we overcome such subtlety?
$ First, we must keep our focus on Jesus. Seek Christ first. Our attitude towards wealth must be one that says, "I want God more than I desire anything else in my life. I want to know Him and walk in sweet fellowship with Christ." The real test of that attitude is whether we can be content with or without possessions. The Apostle Paul was able to know such contentment because his contentment was in Christ alone. It didn't matter whether he had much or little. He knew contentment that came from the intimate knowledge of God.
$ Not only must Christ be first in our lives, but our hearts must seek after His kingdom. One of the reasons that God required the tithe of the children of
$ A final safeguard against a materialistic spirit is seeking God's righteousness. What would it take for you to compromise God's commandments? How much money would it take for you to tell a "little white lie?" What Biblical principle would you violate in order to have more things? We will overcome materialism only when we have a rock solid commitment to Christ's righteousness. We must seek Christ first and His kingdom, and we must maintain an unwavering commitment to living in a righteous and Christ like manner. Only then will we know victory over materialism.
U Victory Over Bad Habits
Everyone develops habits in their lives, good ones and bad ones. However, the phrase, "that's just a bad habit," can often be a cover up for a long term pattern of sin. In fact, the "bad habit" is often a stronghold in our lives to which Satan has access. Consequently, he is able to keep us from the victory that Jesus wrought 2000 years ago. A bad habit is a physical pattern which can be harmful to us and displeasing to God. Often, it's something that has been haunting us since childhood. How do these habits get into our lives, and how can we know freedom from them?
First, we need to understand that not all habits are bad. We often have good habits that are necessary to function in the manner in which we were created. If we eat regularly and consistently, then that's a good habit and a part of our natural makeup. However, if we eat obsessively, then eating becomes a bad habit and is ultimately destructive. A bad habit can be an extreme action of something which is normally healthy.
Some people think that if we have enough will power, then we can overcome our bad habits. It's true that some people seem to have an enormous amount of will power. However, I've never met anyone who has the ability to overcome all their bad behavior patterns. The only human with that kind of ability to ever grace this planet is Jesus. He alone holds the key to victory over every bad habit in life. Only Jesus can set us free from bad habits that stalk us.
EG: in the camp- habit of smoking- God spoke to his heart, he cried out to God, "Oh, God, I need you. I place my faith in your Son, Jesus. Come and dwell in my heart." In that moment, a miracle took place. No, he didn't see a flash of lightening or hand writing on a wall. But the King of kings took residence in his life. He became the Source of his victory over smoking. What he was unable to do by human will power, He did in him by God's power. He began to experience victory. Even though Satan had a stronghold on him through tobacco, he was no match for God.
I've seen alcoholics find freedom from their addiction through Christ. I have watched the most hardened drug abusers discover victory over drug addiction by the power of Jesus. It doesn't matter what a person's habit may be, Jesus provides the victory over every bad habit - no matter how large or small it may be. It doesn't matter how impossible it may seem to overcome the habit, it's not too big for God. He specializes in the impossible. Jesus said, "With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible" (Matt.
U Victory Over Deceit
A few years ago, the President of the
What is deceit, and why is it so wrong? How does one find victory over deceit if it has been a part of their character?
First, we need to understand that truth and deceit are incompatible. They can't live in the same house. In fact, deceit is often the withholding of truth. It's telling partial truth but not "the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth." Deceit is somewhat different from lying in that a lie is a direct contradiction of the truth. Deceit is much more subtle. It simply doesn't give a full disclosure of the truth and is usually rooted in selfish ambition.
Justice is built upon truth, and without it, there can be no justice. Once truth is compromised, then justice ceases to exist.
But there's an even more critical issue for the Christian. The goal in the life of the believer is to become like Christ. One particular description of Jesus in the Bible continually amazes me. John, inspired by the Holy Spirit described Jesus, saying that He was "full of grace and truth" (John
But when we look to the Savior, we see absolute truth and perfect grace. He carries justice in one hand and forgiveness in the other. There is no partial truth nor any incomplete forgiveness in Him.
If we are to experience victory over deceit, then we must learn to be painfully honest. John wrote in his first epistle, "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:8, 9). Notice how interconnected truth, justice and forgiveness are in that passage, and observe how related denial and deceit are.
The victorious Christian life is one lived in the light of the truth. Victory can only be seen in the spotlight of truth.
At home I have an electric power saw, a drill and a grinder. Like my mind, will and emotions, these tools all serve different functions. Yet all three tools plug into the same power source, electricity. Electricity is their life. Without that life, without that power, all my tools are nothing but big paperweights. My mind, will and emotions also must be plugged into the power of the Holy Spirit so that God’s spiritual life can flow through me and give me victory over sinful desires and habits.
U Victory Over the Darkness
God is our protector. He is our first and last line of defense. We don't have to be afraid. Satan may be "a roaring lion," but he's a toothless one. Psalms 91 is one of my favorite passages of Scripture because it gives a complete description of our victory.
The Psalmist wrote, "He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, 'He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.' Surely he will save you from the fowler's snare and from the deadly pestilence. He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at
Great is His faithfulness!
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Victory Brings Greater Growth
There's an interesting principle of life - victory produces more victory and defeat produces greater defeat. It doesn't always have to be this way. But, unless the cycle is broken, it's merely a fact of life. Success births greater success and failure births more failure. However, in the Christian life the cycle of failure and defeat can be halted by the Holy Spirit dwelling in the believer. He can give us victory over any patterns that we have developed.
There's a reason in the Christian life that victory produces greater victories. Jesus said, "He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him" (John
Every step of obedience to God produces fruit within our lives. That's why the Scriptures say that we live from faith to faith and glory to glory. One step of obedience leads to another step of obedience. After walking up a number of those steps, we find ourselves on a higher level of our relationship with Christ. We go from one level of faith to another. We experience one level of God's glory and are enabled to go on to another level. That makes the Christian life an ongoing adventure with Christ.
But you may be asking, "What if a person is in the opposite cycle - what does he do? Defeat produces a cycle of more defeat. Is that person doomed to failure?" This is the great thing about the Christian life. No matter how defeated a person has been in his life, Christ can change that life at any moment. The grace of God is greater than the worst of sin. The cycle can be changed. The believer in Christ has every resource needed to overcome the most terrible cycles in our lives. The Holy Spirit dwells deep within our hearts to empower us to become like Christ.
We must confess our sins and truly repent of them. The blood of Jesus is sufficient to cleanse us from all unrighteousness - no matter how bad our sins may seem. Once we have confessed and are clean, we can appropriate by faith the Holy Spirit to empower us to walk in obedience to the Word of God. We take each act of obedience one step at a time. Before long, we find ourselves on a new cycle - one of victory. Victory leads to victory. That's why Paul wrote that "we are more than conquerors through Christ who loved us.
Begin the cycle of victory today. Take it one step at a time. You'll find yourself going from victory to victory; faith to faith; and glory to glory!
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