Walking in Victory - or not.
I’m becoming slowly convinced that Christians (self included) aren’t walking in the fullness of the victory that Christ won for us on the cross.
If Jesus disarmed principalities and powers, made a public spectacle of them and triumphed over them on the cross (Col. 3:15) - and if we are seated in heavenly places with Him (Eph. 2:6) - and we’ve been delivered from the kingdom of darkness (Col. 2:13) - and we have power over all the power of the enemy (Luke 10:19) - and we’re endued with power from on high (Luke 24:49) -
WHY are Christians sick, sad, sorry slaves to sin, circumstance, and the devil?
I think it’s because we’re convinced of our own powerlessness, and we’re not CONVINCED of Christ’s victory. We give intellectual assent to salvation - Jesus paid for my sins, that means that I don’t have to and I’ll go to heaven when I die - without fully understanding what that means in the here and now. We’re not convinced of His glory or His supremacy. Oh, sure, we SAY we are (and to say otherwise would be blasphemy, right?). But do we live like we’re convinced?
Here is my prayer for today…
“…that He would grant you (and me), according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height — to know the love of Christ which passes all knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:16-19)
I keep coming back to this passage in my devotional time because I don’t think I’ve gotten it yet (which is different from not having it - if that makes sense!).
The width. The length. The depth. The height. Knowing the love. Filled with all the fullness.
The victory.
September 2nd, 2008 at 10:03 am
Amen to the Victory in Christ! I will definitely have to meditate on that a bit more often, and stand my ground in Christ Jesus!
September 2nd, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Great post. We walk not as we should. We ask not because afraid the answer maybe what God wants and we don’t. run away instead to. Want the big miracles, but ignore the little ones on the way
September 2nd, 2008 at 4:47 pm
Is it that we don’t get it?
Or is it that God uses these trials to forge us into what we are supposed to be?
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:29 am
Thats it Mark
The journey of struggle is the part of the plan IMO
September 3rd, 2008 at 12:30 am
oh prolly meant to say “struggle & victory” - goes together.
September 3rd, 2008 at 5:58 am
Or is it lessons learn to help others to make the journey without the pain
September 3rd, 2008 at 4:12 pm
Why YES Rev
And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, Indeed Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail, and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” Luke 22.31
September 4th, 2008 at 4:53 am
We must remember at all times, that life will throw road blocks in our path, question is do we recognize them to dodge them
September 4th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
I don’t know.
I’m not saying that walking in victory will keep us from having problems. Three now-famous young men once had a problem - the king wanted to be worshiped and they wouldn’t do it, so they were thrown into a fiery furnace. Jesus met them there.
I don’t think that God will deliver us out of every possible problem - but He *will* deliver us in spite of them. If we let Him.
September 4th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
Good post there Kathi. remember if he brings you to it, he will bring you through it and will never put more on you than you can handle