I heard an old, old story,
How a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary
To save a wretch like me;
I heard about His groaning,
Of His precious blood's atoning,
Then I repented of my sins
And won the victory.
E. M. Bartlett
E. M. Bartlett
We who have believed in Christ as Saviour are promised by Him that we will be victorious in our life with Him. It is a promise that guarantees us happy victorious Christian living if we will sell out to Him. He gives us the strength necessary to overcome all that fights against us in our walk with Him. Look in Ephesians 6 where He shows us the equipment we have at our disposal.
Verse 13 – “Take the whole armour of god.”
Verse 14 – “Loins girt about with truth, … the breastplate of righteousness.”
Verse 15 – “Feet shod with … the gospel of peace.”
Verse 16 – “The shield of faith.”
Verse 17 – “The helmet of salvation ... the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
Verse 18 – “Praying always.”
We definitely have the equipment we need – we have the support from on high – we have the Spirit within us to guide and direct us to victory. That victory demonstrates itself in several wonderful aspects.
First, we have victory over sin. Here in 1 John, “that disciple whom Jesus loved” tells us in verse 1, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” Our salvation is assured. Christ tells us in John 10:10, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” We have abundant life. Again He says in John 5:24, “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life.” We have eternal life. Not a bad trifecta. Paul tells us in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” And because of this sin, he cries out in Romans 7:24, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me?” He answers the question in the next verse, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The very next verse, Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation.” In verse 2, he continues that his faith in Christ “hath made me free from the law of sin.”
Next, we have victory over the world. It’s a fact of Scripture that the world system and its teachings are diametrically opposed to Christ and His teachings. John warns us in 1 John 2:15, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.” Paul tells us in Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world.” In Christ prayer of intercession in John 17, He asks God not to take His disciples (that’s us) out of the world, but to protect us from the world. Then in John 16:33, Christ tells us, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” And if He has already overcome the world, then that is a guarantee that we also shall overcome the world.
That’s all we have space for this time, but we’ll continue the thought tomorrow.
Quote – "See, here is victory! Thou shalt have thy triumph. Palm, and crown, and white robes shall be thy recompense; thou shalt be treated as a conqueror, and owned as such by the Lord Himself." – CH Spurgeon
First, we have victory over sin. Here in 1 John, “that disciple whom Jesus loved” tells us in verse 1, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” Our salvation is assured. Christ tells us in John 10:10, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” We have abundant life. Again He says in John 5:24, “He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life.” We have eternal life. Not a bad trifecta. Paul tells us in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” And because of this sin, he cries out in Romans 7:24, “O wretched man that I am! Who shall deliver me?” He answers the question in the next verse, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” The very next verse, Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation.” In verse 2, he continues that his faith in Christ “hath made me free from the law of sin.”
Next, we have victory over the world. It’s a fact of Scripture that the world system and its teachings are diametrically opposed to Christ and His teachings. John warns us in 1 John 2:15, “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world.” Paul tells us in Romans 12:2, “And be not conformed to this world.” In Christ prayer of intercession in John 17, He asks God not to take His disciples (that’s us) out of the world, but to protect us from the world. Then in John 16:33, Christ tells us, “In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.” And if He has already overcome the world, then that is a guarantee that we also shall overcome the world.
That’s all we have space for this time, but we’ll continue the thought tomorrow.
Quote – "See, here is victory! Thou shalt have thy triumph. Palm, and crown, and white robes shall be thy recompense; thou shalt be treated as a conqueror, and owned as such by the Lord Himself." – CH Spurgeon
