From Victory to Victory

How many times have you found yourself struggling with stepping up and being the person that you know you have every ability to be, and finding a “win” in life?

We fight our daily battles and instead of getting closer to victory we seem closer to failure with every second. Two steps back for every step forward. Our feet are in quicksand, and the quagmire is dragging us deeper and further from our success.

This feeling of failure percolates
through our outlook and to our actions.

We struggle with doubt, confusion, feelings of inadequacies. In fact, it is known that when we have a “loser mentality” we fight illnesses of the body and mind more often. We struggle with our feelings that say we might as well give up and let go. Life always seems to be on the edge…failure just a false step away.

Sometimes, and too often, we are drawn to live like those who are not living like we want to be. The tempters wooing tells us that what we are doing is not good enough, so why even live that way. Why struggle? Just let it go and be like everyone else!

Here’s my thought today.

But if you would stop a moment from scrabbling around, take stock of your life, look at the victories and wins of tomorrow, you should realize how close you are to another victory! You’ve won in the past! Let’s have hope for tomorrow! Take on a Positive Outlook in face of all the daunting failures! Aim for Success!

There is a keyword I think we often misuse. Hope. It’s not hoping for a win, or a sunny day, rather, it’s hoping that everything you’ve been focused on doing produces a victory! It’s hoping you have all your ducks in a row, and the practice sessions that will produce a win only assures that the win is here!

Look more closely. When you have been victorious in the past, you can be so again in the future! That’s my hope! It may not be in the next challenge, but keeping Hope Alive should keep you hitting for the wall! (Dave Niehaus, My Oh My, I don’t believe it! Baseball term! Home Run!)

But with all the negativity slamming our position, how do we live today so that victory comes tomorrow? You have the possibility to move from yesterday’s Victory to tomorrow’s Victories, but it doesn’t happen by accident! Notice what I said. Victories! Plural… Not just a single victory but ongoing future victories one after another!

Here’s what Hope does. It helps to remind you of your past successes! And with a better focus on your outlook, future victories are definitely in the spotlight! Hope presents us with the possibility that victory is right there in the grasp of our hand. We just have to remind ourselves of where we are, and where we are going! Affirm that you can arrive!

Think about how the Apostle Paul encouraged the church in Ephesus from a long distance away. Miracles had occurred. Spiritual assistance was provided. Victory after Victory had been theirs. But he still felt the need to write and encourage them to Be Strong!

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.”  Ephesians 6:10 (KJV)

Notice something here… Be Strong IN The Power of HIS might!

Live it! Be it! But know this fact. It’s not YOUR power! It’s HIS!

Think about it for a moment. It’s in your hands to acquire and use God’s power for perseverance and victory sake! Paul goes on to tell the church to use God’s armor so they could stand, and doing all they know to do, simply stand and withstand against the enemy of victory! (Ephesians 6:11-20)

What is the whole armor of God? Remember, it’s not yours! It’s Gods!

• It’s His Truth that encircles our Loins – And we reproduce according to HIS truth, and not our FEELINGS. Jesus tells his followers they shall know the truth and it will make them free! (John 8:31-32) What truth? His truth! (John 14:25-27)
• We wear His breastplate of Righteousness! Why? Our righteousness is as filthy rags! (Isaiah 64:6)
• Our Feet are shod with the gospel of Peace! He left us His Peace, and not the Worlds Peace (John 14:27)
• Pick up that shield of Faith! According to your faith be it unto you! (Matthew 9:29)
• Wear that helmet of Salvation! Salvation not only protects your heart with all the other items, but it has the power to protect your mind! (Acts 4:12)
• Use that Sword of the Spirit! It’s the Word of God! It’s His Sword of the Spirit – it’s not to fight people, rather, it addresses Sin! (Hebrews 4:12)

Now. You are equipped for sustainability. That will get you from today, and through all your tomorrows. So. Let’s move on to Victory.

For most of us we strive to become equipped, but just having the training or tools doesn’t mean we are moving toward accomplishment. More is required! You can simply stand, armed with everything as promised, and find the success many are satisfied with – Standing and Withstanding. But the person who is looking forward to Victory you now find you are equipped to move forward. So. Let’s go!

Paul continues his instruction by telling Ephesus, “Here’s what you do next!”

…praying always with all prayer and supplication
in the Spirit,
being watchful to this end
with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—
(Ephesians 6:18 NKJV)

It’s your act of Praying, true, but it’s the Prayer of the Spirit and supplication. Intercession. The Message translation says it like this:

In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare.
Pray hard and long.
Pray for your brothers and sisters.
Keep your eyes open.
Keep each other’s spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out. 

That act of intercession of your lips is the Key to Victory! Keep Praying. Keep your focus. Watch over each other. Victory is not just for you, but rather it’s for everyone!

Let’s take this deeper. Paul tells us in his letter to Rome, that it is the Spirit that helps us and intercedes for us! (Romans 8:26) Through our own sacrifice in this interceding prayer, we find the help we need to be victorious, and help others find their own victory! But it is the Spirit that does the act of intercession.

What is Spiritual Praying? It’s a prayer that proceeds from a Spiritual Focus. You are not senselessly praying for things you understand with your own mind, but allowing the Spirit to pray through you for the needs you may not even know about. It’s you being watchful (Matthew 26:38), but it’s the Prayer that proceeds from a life of spiritual praying.

And it was Peter with his keys to the kingdom (Matthew 16:17-19) that expands what he learned and then taught by combining the watchful attention to prayer (1 Peter 4:7)

Can you grasp what I’m trying to share with you?

Equipped with God’s armor, you are already in a PLACE of Victory, now it’s time to move forward to your future victories! The Apostle John describes the focus that identifies through our Faith we know we are loved, and we turn around and extend that love outward (1 John 5:1-5)

This expression of love is what overcomes the World!

See? If you are Born of God, and you Keep His Commandments, and you are robed with His Armor, then His Love is within you overcomes the world! Victory is in the hand of the Believer, the Follower, the one who has love in his heart! Victory comes from robing yourself properly with the things Paul teaches, but they are each based on what Jesus teaches and expressed by all those disciples we find in the New Testament.

Are you ready to live a life of victory?

One last thought…

Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Indeed the hour is coming, yes, has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own, and will leave Me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
(John 16:31-33 NKJV)

Too often we feel alone in our battle for victory. But Jesus just gave you the key. You are not alone! You may be scattered and far from other believers, but you need to realize the “present tense” statement he just made.

I have overcome the world!
It’s done. I’ve won.
Hence. You have victory!