Victors, Not Victims

Scriptures: (I Corinthians 15:57 NKJV) But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (Deut. 20:4) For the Lord your God is the  one who goes with you against your enemies. Prov.21:31)….Victory rests with the Lord.
     
God is altogether amazing and powerful as He is able to handle any difficulty that befalls us. For He has overcome death and the grave and has wrought our salvation with His own blood on the cross. There is nothing to compare with the vastness of God’s power as found in Jesus Christ (Eph. 3:20-23). He is able to do amazing things according to His power that is at work within us.
   
Believers all too often become overwhelmed with many stresses of the day. We experience highs and lows in our struggles on a daily basis. There are such issues as in ministry, family issues, children and child care issues, parent teacher conferences, college. Crime, economic downloads, etc. No matter the situation, be encouraged that God is greater than all of our situations. He will give you victory over all. We do not have to be a victim to life’s troubles. We can have victory over them all in Christ (John 16:33). “ Through Him, we have defeated troublesome things and is no longer to be defeated by them” (Hope In Your Pocket 2018). We very well may experience troublesome times, yet we are victorious over all of them. We need to allow God’s power to give us victory. Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians and reminded them that their status might be  cast down yet unconquered. “We are hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed: we are perplexed, but not in despair” (2 Cor. 4:8); “..persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed” (2 Cor. 4:9) -- always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body “(2 Cor. 4: 10).
Scriptures in the Old and New Testament reference human victory as well as war victories.  The Lord delivers those who trust and served Him. Examples of God’s amazing power as He intervened in the life of the Hebrew children:  He helped the Israelites as they wandered through the desert;  David, a shepherd boy, defeated a giant ( I Sam. 17); Daniel in the lion’s den for, the Lord shut the mouths of the lions. They could not harm him. When there is no human agent to intervene, it is the Lord’s own hand that brings forth victory (Isaiah 59:16; 63:5). God loves us, and He wants to help the same today through His Son. Victory belongs to the Lord and victory rests with the Lord (Prov.21:31).  Therefore, believers ought to be thankful to God, who in Christ, always leads us in triumph (2 Cor. 2:14).

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I am so glad that victory rest with you and not mere man. Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, holds me in the hollow of His right hand. He won and/or had victory on the cross for me.   He now intercedes on my behalf in every situation. I aim to trust Him with my whole heart, mind, and soul -- and only Him.  He is bigger than any situation that confronts me. Jesus, Your love overwhelms me every day. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

(by Novella D. Carpenter)