This Is The Victory
1John 5:4-5
(4) For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world--our faith.
(5) Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Develop this story:
1Samuel 30:6
(6) And David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because all the people were bitter in soul, each for his sons and daughters. But David strengthened himself in the LORD his God.
Psalm 46:10
(10) "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!"
EOLS: The victorious life is not derived from external influences; it is settled inwardly in the Christian’s identity.
ME
Savor with me a moment that we’ve all known in our lives, let’s call it “The Big Win.” It may have been a come from behind, it may have been from an underdog position; it may have been a surprise or the culmination of a long process. It may have been something with great fanfare, or it may have been an intensely intimate, personal situation.
I remember when my sister bought a ping-pong table and we played for days, over and over. She was quite good at the game! I couldn’t seem to beat her but I could play her a decent game. She had played in her college dorm for years and was quite good.
After a couple of days of playing game after game, I improved to the point where I slipped one in on her; I finally won a hard-fought game! It was probably a bit of a fluke, but nonetheless I savored it! I must admit though it wasn’t earth-shattering. I knew I’d had a lucky game, and she was still the better player by far. I didn’t mean to gloat, really I didn’t. But I think I probably did smirk at her and maybe celebrate just a little bit too loudly! She just got real quiet.
I’ll never forget that look in her eye when we started the next game. It was absolute, sheer determination. Something had deeply moved my sister inside and she was determined her little brother would not replicate the feat that had just overcome her. I remember to this day the face she wore and it defines intensity! She began to smash that little plastic ball and make it spin in directions contradictory to the laws of physics. No more “Ms. Nice Girl”, little brother was going down! I tried to lighten the mood by joking around, and Sis wouldn’t say a word…for the entire game.
I was never so glad for a game to end! She destroyed me, and made sure that I understood my win was nothing more than a lucky break! I tried to make some casual lighthearted conversation to penetrate the mood and she was still quiet; I was starting to wonder if she was mad at me. I realize now she was leveling off of her adrenalin rush! She finally punctuated the silence with a comment I will never forget:
“There is NO feeling like victory.” You’d have to hear her say it to appreciate it but it was the most determined, intense look and inflection that I could imagine. I’ll never forget it. It was one of those little instructional moments in life-something so simple yet quite profound.
It’s not been long since I teased her about it, and I would dare say she remembers. She whipped me in ping-pong many more times until we moved on to something else. But that day I saw something in her that I’ve thought about many times. She was/is one of the most determined people that I had ever met.
She’s a sweet retired school teacher and grandma of sixty today, but the determination is still there. I’ve watched her all my life and there’s no one I admire more than my sister. She’s been through some deep waters in her life and that steely-eyed, set-jaw determination combined with her pure and simple faith in Jesus Christ has brought her victory in life. The ping-pong game was simply a demonstration and a chance to see inside her personality, her determination and her ability to overcome.
I guess the deal with sports and games is that they are demonstrations of and sometimes preparation for real life. Sometimes I think people get too carried away with competition, but
The fact is, we all savor victory. We desire it in our own lives, in the things we pursue. We pay to watch sports teams and athletes get the win so that we can savor it vicariously. We go to see movies that depict victory and overcoming tremendous odds. We ascribe meaning and import to contests which sometimes in themselves don’t make a lot of sense.
Why do I have all six Rocky movies on DVD, and why do I still cheer when Apollo Creed goes down; why do I cry when Rocky hollers for Adrian, why do I feel like running when the trumpet music begins? In real life, why do I get all excited about watching athletes clash on a football field or a guy who can smack a baseball clean out of a ballpark? It’s because we savor and desire victory-in every realm of life.
We Christians tend to use the word victory often. We sing a great old hymn “Victory in Jesus” which is one of my favorites. I’ve known probably a dozen churches named “Victory.” I’ve heard scores of sermons preached on the victorious Christian life.
What do we really mean when we talk about “getting the victory” or “overcoming” in the context of the Christian’s life?
It implies first of all that there is opposition and that there is a contest of some sort going on. There is a possibility of defeat and a struggle or battle that ensues. Have you ever known a truly defeated person? Even a Christian?
Have you ever felt you were going down for the count? Have you ever been about to throw in the towel? Have you ever known someone who did?
So how can we live an overcoming, victorious life? How can we battle against the raging current and realize that peace and blessed assurance that God wants us to have?
GOD
As Christians, we have come to a point of realization that there is a battle going on for our soul. The Holy Spirit brought us to our knees one day to confess our sins and to receive Jesus Christ as our Savior. God provided the path to our ultimate victory and through His grace and mercy He has lavished his love upon us so that we will not be defeated. We can know that our destiny is with Him and that we are His children! That excites me, that motivates me and it causes me to be eternally grateful. So why, on some days is it all I can do to plod ahead; why does defeat and despair seem to surround me like a dark cloud?
Why is it still “game on?” If we know the outcome and end result, then why do we have to struggle to get there? What is the deal here? God, didn’t you save me? Didn’t you call me? Didn’t you make the way for me to be saved? So why can’t I be happy and joyful?
I’ve often thought that I am totally comfortable with my appointment with the casket. I can honestly say that I have no fear, I know that as God is true, my destiny is with Him and that death will be a great victory in one sense. Yet, somehow I can lose my heart and get caught up in the cares and trouble of life, and getting to the casket is far more daunting than actually facing it!
Christians are not exempt from struggle and discouragement. Jesus called the life that He has for us “taking up a cross” months, perhaps years before he physically took one up to Mt. Calvary where he laid himself out for you and me. He guaranteed us that we would see trouble in this life.
John 16:33
(33) I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation.
But take heart; I have overcome the world."
It’s all in the tagline. Jesus Christ, God in the flesh has told us in his words-we are overcomers.
YOU
John the Apostle tells us:
“For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world.” That’s you, that’s me.
“The world” is a biblical term, the Greek word “kosmos” implies the “world system.” The cares, the toils, the struggle of life; we’re talking about the world that we live in.
On a deeper level it refers to the realm where satan himself is king and the domain from where evil emanates and resides. It is in stark contrast to the Kingdom of God.
Yes the devil is real, evil is in this world. And it’s likely no news to you that you are a target. His tools are brutal discouragement in every possible shape or form. The battlefield is between your ears.
Game on. The battle is for you, for your life.
US
My purpose here today is to speak a word to us, the Body of Christ, that we are OVERCOMERS.
It’s interesting to note the word in Greek translate “overcomers” is “nikao” , it’s literal meaning is “to get the victory, to prevail.” It comes from the primary word “nike” which is defined “the means of success, victory.”
So, the message today is simple. I need, we need to understand something about this battle that we go through. There’s some here who have been beaten down and discouraged. Everyone here (including your pastor) could tell a story, and it may take different forms but we would all agree that the battle is on.
Know your enemy,
1Peter 5:7-8
(7) casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.
(8) Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.
Follow your orders, respect the chain of command
1Corinthians 15:57-58
(57) But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(58) Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
Be deliberate in your attack and counter
Define victory-every war must have a working definition of victory, or else it turns into a brutal quagmire, wasting life and resources.
Not just the end-game, but the little hurdles, the trial, celebrate the steps and the training process! A key mistake is to assume or to allow the enemy to define victory. That’s reactive.
Know your objective, and every move you make should be targeted. If you wait for the enemy to start shooting to figure out a plan, you’re already dead.
Savor victory, remember it and desire it.
You’ve been there. You remember what it was like. Keep it in mind, God’s victory that He has for you. The only one who can stop it is- you.
A Final Word:
Rom 8:35-39
(35) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?
(36) As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered."
(37) No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
(38) For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers,
(39) nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
