Triumphant

“O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”

The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:55-57

I have to qualify a thought I shared in the last devotional entitled Grace. The comment read “We, as His creations, sin.” I never meant to imply or state that He made us to sin—quite the opposite. We sin because there is sin within us, as children of Adam after the fall. Praise be to God for His sending of His son as the propitiation for our sins.

I was praying the other day while I was driving to work, and as I was seeking for new and different ways in which to convey my adoration for Him, the word “triumphant” came to me. The treasure that this beautiful word brought with it overwhelmed me, and the fact that George talked about it in our Sunday School class the other day reinforces that treasure and the fact that I’m supposed to be writing about this topic.

Friends, no matter what challenge you are facing, no matter its magnitude, potential impact, or disruption, regardless of whether you can around to its outcome, know this: it cannot defeat you. Jesus, with His magnificent sacrifice, foiled the enemy’s plan and vanquished death, and conquered the enemy, and made us victorious. Dear ones, let us stand tall in that feat, knowing that while we did not contribute one iota to the achievement itself, we benefit by the achievement. The enemy can try to make us forget the overwhelming completeness and finality of the defeat in his attempts to fell us, but let’s not let him. Let us, as Paul, James, and Peter tell us, stand steadfast against the enemy, resisting him in the process. I’m not saying it’s going to always be easy, but realizing that we don’t have to fight because the battle has already been won by Christ can change our mindset dramatically.

You, my dear, are victorious! Don’t ever let anyone tell you otherwise.

Prayer Requests

·      For our country, and government leaders at all levels

·      For first responders, to sustain them throughout the challenges they face  

·      For those who are searching for new jobs

·      For those facing life’s trials—remember, you stand victorious!

·      For us to be united in purpose and in seeking His will

Words cannot completely convey the extent of the love He has lavished upon us. May our lives constantly reflect that love to others, as we share the gospel with them.

 Quotes

“The church cannot be the salt of the earth if we keep sugar-coating the gospel.”    

“It’s time for us to rise up, get out of the rut and routine, and begin to take our Christian faith seriously.”  A.W. Tozer