© 2010
But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
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In all of scripture, there is no victory shown to us like the victory that Jesus experienced on the cross. Yet, in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus clearly reveals His feelings concerning all He was about to face. There we see Jesus pleading with His Father to find another way. For He knew that what was being asked of Him was by far the most difficult experience of His earthly life and ministry. As we know Jesus request was denied. For all that needed to be accomplished, that being the total fulfilling of all the laws and just as importantly all the prophecies of the Old Testament, nothing could be altered down to the last detail. So our Father did not change the plan in any way, and Jesus obeyed. The main reason our Heavenly Father would not change His mind is because He never views what happened at the cross without also seeing the resurrection that followed. And that resurrection was nothing less than the complete confirmation of the greatest victory in all of history.
Now, what is important to see within our Lord’s triumphant victory over sin and death is that it is a direct result of His oneness with His heavenly Father. For the fact is, Jesus did absolutely everything His Heavenly Father told Him to do.
We see this clearly in the gospel of John, chapter 5. It’s where Jesus is speaking of the “how’s” and “why’s” of what He was doing.
He says:
“I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself;
He can do only what He sees his Father doing,
because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”
Therefore, to obtain the victories we desire in our life, we too must enter into a closer relationship with our God.
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Is there an example for us to follow within scripture?
Yes!
In the Old Testament we see someone who experienced many battles in his life, and with those battles – some failures – but also great victories. That being King David.
King David had an active, vibrant, abundant, intimate relationship with his Lord and God. Let’s see what David experienced because of this close relationship. Look at 2 Samuel 22 and/or Psalm 18 (one or the other for they say exactly the same thing). After reading this “Song of Praise” by David, you quickly realize that King David is the last person you would want to mess with. For the relationship David had with his God, was such that when David would cry out to his God, his God listened and acted on David’s behalf.
More importantly, let’s see what his God “gave” and “taught” and “brought to pass” within David’s life. Let’s dig out some of what this shepherd boy lived out because of the relationship he had with his One True God.
Tucked within this “Song of Praise,” we see that David was given our God’s:
“Shield of Victory.”
(The fact is, this is the very shield that each of us is after for our own life.)
Also, these scriptures say that:
“…David was made great to the point,”
that
“…he stood strong.”
that
…it was less likely for him to fall or stumble anymore.”
To
“stand strong,”
to have help so that
“…it was less likely for him to fall or stumble anymore.”
Can you see that being apart of your own life?
The reality is, this is what happens when we do what our Living God tells us to do.
What else do we see in this “Song of Praise”?
That:
“…his way was made perfect,”
that
“…he was strengthened,”
also,
“…he was trained for battle.”
It is important that we study this “Song of Praise,” for within it we see what we are after for our lives.
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And what we are after is complete
“Victory.”
Complete “Victory” does not mean that we will never be tested, tried, or temped anymore.
It means that our God has
“…trained us for battle”.
We will be trained for “Victory” in what we may face in our daily walk concerning
the world,
the flesh,
and
the Devil.
Complete “Victory” means:
Not being controlled by sin or bondage or addiction!
Complete “Victory” means:
Fully destroying all pride and unbelief within our lives.
Destroying all the lies we have believed.
Also any
fears,
shame,
condemnation,
or
rejection
that has had control over us.
This is the “Victory” our God has for us.
The “Victory” Jesus obtained for us at His cross.
What does it say in, 1 Corinthians 15:57?
…thanks be to God!
He gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.
This is the goal of our God, to “give” us this victory!
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Now, one last thought concerning David. It is in Acts 13:22 that we see David eventually became known as a man after God’s heart. For this is what our God had written about King David in Acts:
“…I have found David son of Jesse
a man after my own heart;
he will do everything I want him to do…”
This too, needs to be our goal. And we need to see that the relationship between Jesus, “the Son of Man” and His Heavenly Father was similar to that of David and His Triune God. These are the two models we are to follow. For in copying these two models, we will enter into an active, vibrant, abundant, intimate relationship with our God. Plus, with these two wonderful examples to guide us, we will learn total obedience. And we will experience the victories our hearts hunger for. What does the last line of Acts 13:22 say?
“…he will do everything I want him to do…”
This is the place of Victory.
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See yourself at the Cross of Jesus, meditate upon Jesus’ Cross and take in that “yes.” Jesus did accomplish all He set out to do there and is now seated at the right hand of our Father God. See the reality that He has a seat for you and me there. See that we are to clean ourselves up (repentance), allowing our precious Holy Spirit to dress us in our clean and white robes. Then take your seat where you belong, next to our Papa God, next to our Brother, our Lord, King and Savior Jesus and receive the Victory He wants to give to you. Do this in faith. Ignore your thoughts and feelings of shame, condemnation and self-hatred, and ignore any thoughts or any feelings of failure. Own and embrace this victory that Jesus acquired for you, for me. Now know this: Our victory always is found at the Cross of Jesus! The battle will always be breaking the power of all shame, condemnation and self-hatred. Listen for our wonderful God’s voice to you and then praise Him, worship Him! We never fight towards the Cross of Jesus. We stand at the Cross, and it is at that place where our amazing God gives us His Shield of Victory.
Is there anything else? Yes!
Well this is what all these meditations and “Our Identity as a Son” are all about. They are “just” an introduction for us to get started in “Knowing our God” and “Knowing what He did for each of us on the cross of Jesus.”
Why is these so important?
Because, as we study our God and what He did for each of us, we are doing nothing less than looking into the destiny He has for each of us.
Which is an
active,
vibrant,
abundant,
intimate
relationship
with Him.
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