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Victory in Jesus!
by Pastor Jim Feeney, Ph.D.
Summary: This brief devotional will remind you of the victory — not defeat! — that is the privilege of those who serve Jesus Christ.
The theme of this short study is victory in Jesus. As a follower of the Lord, you don’t have to go through life downtrodden and defeated. Come see what it means to be on the winning side!
1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
There are four thoughts in this verse that will encourage you.
•• (1) “Victory” is yours. God has no intention of allowing you to lose the battles of life.
•• (2) This victory is something that God “gives” us. We don’t have to earn it. No! Like salvation, victory is a free gift of God’s grace.
•• (3) As is true of so many of the things of God, victory is given us by God “through our Lord Jesus Christ”.
• 2 Corinthians 1:20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ.
• So we may boldly proclaim “victory in Jesus!”
•• (4) Ongoing victory in this fallen, hostile world is something for which to give “thanks...to God”.
Romans 8:37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
This verse repeats some of the themes of the previous verse and adds some insights.
•• (5) Once again, victory (conquering our obstacles) comes “through him [Jesus]”. Remember Christ’s words:
• John 16:33b In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.
•• (6) Against all foes, the Lord makes you “more than conquerors”.
•• (7) This victory in Jesus, this conquering, is broad-based and pervasive — “...in all these things ... conquerors”.
•• (8) And this empowerment, this enabling to conquer, is an expression of Jesus’ love for us (vs. 35 — “the love of Christ”).
2 Corinthians 2:14, KJV Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ...
This final verse, like the previous two, has some uplifting, encouraging promises.
•• (9) Again, the promised triumph is “in Christ”. A daily, close walk with Jesus is a source of great victory against the world, the flesh, and the devil.
•• (10) This provision of God-given victory to us is worthy of much “thanks ... unto God”. Don’t take it for granted. Thank God daily for making you a conqueror.
•• (11) Earlier we saw words such as “victory” and “conquerors”. In this verse we see another synonym — “triumph”. By now the pattern is clear. Victory, conquering, triumph — these are God’s plan for those who receive and follow His Son, Jesus Christ.
•• (12) How often can we expect God to give us victory in Jesus? “Always!” The Scripture promises us that God will “always cause us to triumph in Christ”.
Summary:
• God gives us the victory.
• He makes us more than conquerors.
• He causes us to triumph.
• He brings us these victories through Jesus Christ.
• Victory in Jesus is a free gift of God. We don’t have to earn it.
• This God-given victory is broad-based (“in all these things”).
• Ours is an “always” victory. It is not hit-or-miss.
• We are made victorious because of Jesus’ love for us.
• Remember to thank God for choosing you to be on the winning side!
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All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of the Zondervan Corporation. All rights reserved.
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©2010, James H. Feeney, All rights reserved.
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