Last night I was talking with a friend about victory. We’ve been praying for each other and there are some situations that we have been praying over for a long time yet neither one of us is discouraged.
We know that God has given us the victory!
God’s faithfulness is not temporary or conditional. No, He is always faithful and worthy of our trust. Occasionally, we need to be reminded of that.
” But we thank God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ! 58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Don’t let anything change you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. You know that your work in the Lord is never wasted.” I Corinthians 15:57-58 CEV
We give thanks to God, who gives us the victory over life’s situations. This victory is ours through our relationship with Christ Jesus. It may not always look like we are victorious but when we give Him thanks our Father gives us little glimpses into how He’s working.
Jesus didn’t look victorious when they laid him in the tomb. Peter didn’t look victorious when he was sinking on the sea of Galilee. Daniel didn’t look victorious when he was thrown into the lion’s den. Paul didn’t look victorious when he was stoned and left for dead.
Maybe your circumstances don’t appear very encouraging but God is working!
You still deal with the same situations at work, with your family, your health, your finances, your fears. But God is working. He has never lied, never broken a promise. When we come to Him with His word we aren’t being arrogant. We are being obedient.
“Rain and snow fall from the sky and don’t return until they have watered the ground.
Then the ground causes the plants to sprout and grow, and they produce seeds for the farmer and food for people to eat. 11 In the same way, my words leave my mouth,
and they don’t come back without results. My words make the things happen that I want to happen. They succeed in doing what I send them to do.” Isaiah 55:10-11 ERV
These verses create a powerful image in my mind. Did you ever plant some seeds in a garden or flower bed? Maybe you were young and impatient. Your folks told you to leave them alone, they were growing under the soil where you couldn’t see. Then one day the sprout popped through the earth, still you were instructed to leave it alone and let it grow. It seemed like ages before it was fully developed. Seed – sprout – stalk – leaves – fruit – harvest.
Victory!
That’s how it is with God’s word. It is planted in prayer, watered and germinating where no one sees but it always succeeds where God sends it. Thanks be to God who gives us the victory.
Stand strong in doing the work that God has called you to do. Don’t give in to the voice of public opinion or pressure of your peers. You have victory in Christ Jesus so stand strong and give thanks!