NO MORE DEFEAT. I AM VICTORIOUS!!!
INTRODUCTION:
There is not better feeling like the feeling of Victory. When you win something everything in you comes alive. Remember the feeling you experienced when your favorite football team won their match or championship.Or maybe when you were in school or college and you won a track race 100 meters or relay during Inter-house competition . Or even when you felt you won a debate or an argument. You felt confident, almost unbeatable. You walked with your head high everyone congratulating you on your victory. Beloved, if you are born again you are already a Certified Winner (CW). You are already Victorious. Hallelujah!!
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Text: “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 15:57 NIV
What is Victory?
Victory is defined as an act of defeating an opponent in a game or other competition. Victory also means a success or triumph over an enemy in a battle or War. It is the ultimate and decisive superiority in any battle or contest.
Scripture says “He gives us the victory (to utterly vanquish, triumph)…
For there to be victory it means there was a battle, it means there was an opposing agent.
WHY WAS THERE A BATTLE IN THE FIRST PLACE?
There was a battle because Adam sold His authority and privileges to satan in the beginning when he disobeyed God. God gave him power and dominion. He handed over His position of influence and power to satan.
In this particular place of scripture we see satan make some interesting statements while he was trying to tempt Jesus.
“Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” Luke 4:5-7 NKJV
It wasn’t God who gave this authority to satan, he got it from someone who had it and Adam was the only one who possessed such power and authority in the beginning. But At the Cross Jesus took back that authority and power. HALLELUJAH !!!! “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Matthew 28:18 NKJV
“In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross.” Colossians 2:15 NLT
This Victory was won on the Cross When Jesus declared “IT IS FINISHED”. John 19:30.
The statement “IT IS FINISHED” is a Victory statement…In Christ Jesus we are a New Creation.
This is the Victory Position Christ has given to us..
Every born again spirit-Lifer is called to Live the victorious life. The victorious life is a FINISHED LIFE paid for by Jesus Christ . The understanding of this fact will create a mindset that will help you see every challenge, trial, affliction, obstacle as an opportunity to express and demonstrate this victorious life in Christ.
WHY SOME ARE NOT LIVING THE VICTORIOUS LIFE
A Complacent Christian Life: A complacent person is someone who feels he doesn’t need to do anything about a situation though the situation may be uncertain or dangerous. For example you know that smoking is bad for you, you see it written on the cigarette pack “smoking is dangerous to your health” but you keep doing it.
This also happens with God’s Word. For instance a feeling that I already know what pastor will say, I have heard that before etc.
Familiarity to God’s Word (The Bible): Taking it for granted not given it first place and making it the absolute authority in your life. When you take God’s word for granted you are taking God for granted because God and His Word are One..
“I am honored all over the world. And there are people who know how to worship me all over the world, who honor me by bringing their best to me. They’re saying it everywhere: ‘God is greater, this GOD -of-the-Angel-Armies.’ “All except you. Instead of honoring me, you profane me. You profane me when you say, ‘Worship is not important, and what we bring to worship is of no account,’ and when you say, ‘I’m bored—this doesn’t do anything for me.’ You act so superior, sticking your noses in the air—act superior to me, GOD -of-the-Angel-Armies! And when you do offer something to me, it’s a hand-me-down, or broken, or useless. Do you think I’m going to accept it? This is GOD speaking to you!” Malachi 1:11-13 MSG
God notices when He is being taking for granted.
Lack knowledge of their Identity in Christ: When you don’t know who you are you are susceptible to anything.
“But to as many as did receive and welcome Him, He gave the right [the authority, the privilege] to become children of God, that is, to those who believe in (adhere to, trust in, and rely on) His name–” JOHN 1:12 AMP
“For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority.”
Colossians 2:9-10 NLT
Living life by self effort not by God’s grace: The Victorious Life is a Grace based life. Graced based living on earth through the power of Jesus working in you and through you. It’s a Life of REST.
A self effort life will NEVER produce victory, but only stress, struggle and strain. Its a lifestyle that doesn’t fully trust the ways and plans of God totally. A belief that only by Hard work will I attain success.
Self effort disappoints in the long run because man by himself is in a failed state. He is limited. He functions based on His senses alone. He only knows what he knows.
Look at what the Bible says about self effort. “…. No one will succeed by strength alone.” 1 Samuel 2:9 NLT
“No king is saved by the size of his army; no warrior escapes by his great strength. A horse is a vain hope for deliverance; despite all its great strength it cannot save.” Psalm 33:16-17 NIV
“Give us aid against the enemy, for human help is worthless.” Psalm 60:11 NIV
“Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the guards stand watch in vain.”Psalm 127:1 NIV
“Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me. “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:4-5 NIV
Self effort is trusting more in ourselves than in God.
“Thus says the LORD, “Cursed is the man who trusts in and relies on mankind, Making [weak, faulty human] flesh his strength, And whose mind and heart turn away from the LORD.” JEREMIAH 17:5 AMP
HOW DO YOU LIVE VICTORIOUSLY HERE ON EARTH?
A). Take God’s Word seriously: Change how you see it. Respect it, value it, honor it and live it out. Your success depends on it.
Job said “…I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread.” Job 23:12 NIV
David said “How sweet are Your words to my taste, Sweeter than honey to my mouth” Psalm 119:103 NIV
“Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path.” PSALM 119:103, 105 AMP
Hebrews says “For the word of God is living and active and full of power [making it operative, energizing, and effective]. It is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating as far as the division of the soul and spirit [the completeness of a person], and of both joints and marrow [the deepest parts of our nature], exposing and judging the very thoughts and intentions of the heart.” HEBREWS 4:12 AMP
Jesus said “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are Spirit, and they are life.” John 6:63 NKJV
B). Be established in who you are in Christ: Know that you are the one He loves dearly. You are the righteous, the redeemed. Walk in the Authority given to you. When you know who you are in Christ things will change for you. Lives will be transformed through your life.
“But you are the ones chosen by God, chosen for the high calling of priestly work, chosen to be a holy people, God’s instruments to do his work and speak out for him, to tell others of the night-and-day difference he made for you—from nothing to something, from rejected to accepted.” 1 Peter 2:9-10 MSG
“We know that our old self [our human nature without the Holy Spirit] was nailed to the cross with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so that we would no longer be slaves to sin. For the person who has died [with Christ] has been freed from [the power of] sin.” ROMANS 6:6-7 AMP
C). Live By GRACE: Let Him work through you. God wants you to stop trying to produce success, healing, victory. Start trusting Him, trust His love for you. Start Resting and Believing in His Grace towards you.
“Through Him we also have access by faith into this [remarkable state of] grace in which we [firmly and safely and securely] stand. Let us rejoice in our hope and the confident assurance of [experiencing and enjoying] the glory of [our great] God [the manifestation of His excellence and power].” ROMANS 5:2 AMP
D). Deepen your knowledge of God’s promises for your life through study: “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.” 2 Corinthians 1:20 NLT
God’s promises for your life is already a Yes. Your victory is sure. There is no stopping what you can do in Christ.
E). Learn to Declare the Victory in every situation you find yourself:
“But thanks be to God! For in union with Christ we are always led by God as prisoners in Christ’s victory procession. God uses us to make the knowledge about Christ spread everywhere like a sweet fragrance.” 2 Corinthians 2:14 GNT
Christ Victory has been credited to me. I have victory over poverty, over sickness and disease, over pornography, over depression, over fear and anxiety. I have victory over unemployment etc. In 2018 SpiritLifers will walk in this revelation of a victory like never before.
By God’s Grace and Witness by His Holy Spirit the year 2018 is …MY YEAR OF VICTORIOUS LIVING… ( I can’t be in Christ and Loose. Never!!)
Daughter of Jesus Christ to all Nations
Apostle Deb’rah Eunice Gordon-Osagiede
General Overseer: Spirit & Life Family Bible Church
President: Godhead Prayer Ministry World-wide