Elevate To The Next Level: "Living Victoriously”

Elevate to the Next Level

“Living Victoriously”

Revelation 12:7-12

Watch on our YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GY4R0o2vZq4

I’m kind of taking a different approach to our study. Today, we’ll be looking at this subject of living victoriously from the standpoint of how a group of people, those who are believers in Christ, lived their life victoriously in the midst of great trials and tribulation and are in the presence of God in heaven because of how they lived their lives on earth.

In the sports world, there’s a saying that a good offense begins with a good defense, and it’s defense that wins the game. And while this seems to be the case in sports, what I have found is quite the opposite, especially in the spiritual realm.

Let me explain. In sports I don’t care how great the defense is, if they’re not putting points up on the board, then they will lose.  And, spiritually speaking, if we’re not seeing people saved and the gates of hell being pushed back, then we’re losing.

If all we are doing is playing and praying defensively, then we’ll never gain any ground or see victory over the forces of evil that assail our lives.

Now, I thought of calling today’s message, “Living Offensively,” but that could be taken in a completely different way, and let me just say that there are a few too many offensive Christians, but that’s not what we’re talking about.

This is why today’s message is entitled “Living Victoriously.”

As I began thinking about this message, I realized that while our victory is in Jesus Christ and what he did upon the cross, that is, taking our place and dying the death we all deserve, what I found is that most messages deal with our victory over Satan and this present world. And, while there is nothing wrong with that, in fact, that’s a good thing, but I don’t think a lot of people realize the real victory we have.

Our victory is not so much over the trials and tribulations that we have to endure, which is why Jesus said that in this world we will have trials and tribulations, but then He gives us this hope, that since He had victory over this world, so can we, and in this we can rejoice.

Jesus said, “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 16:33)

Therefore, today’s study is about how we can live victorious lives because Jesus overcame this world, and the goal is more than merely our victory over this present world, but it is also for our future in eternity.

In our study on living intentionally, we saw our need to identify God’s eternal values, that is, those things that are truly important. And the main one is that of salvation and an eternity in heaven through faith in Jesus Christ. This is the value we need to invest in daily if we’re ever going to have the victory.

Some time ago I read a Ugandan bishop’s account of an execution back in 1973 of three men from the bishop’s diocese.

He begins by saying; “February 10 began as a sad day for us. People were commanded to come to the stadium and witness the execution. Death permeated the atmosphere. A crowd of about three thousand watched silently. I had permission to speak to the men before they died, and two of my fellow ministers were with me. They brought the men in a truck and unloaded them. They were handcuffed and their feet were chained. The firing squad stood at attention.”

“As we walked into the center of the stadium, I was wondering what to say. How do you give the gospel to doomed men who are probably seething with rage? We approached them from behind, and as they turned to look at us, what a sight! Their faces were all light with an unmistakable grow and radiance.”

“Before we could say anything, one of them burst out: ‘Bishop, thank you for coming! I wanted to tell you. The day I was arrested, in my prison cell, I asked the Lord Jesus to come into my heart. He came in and forgave me all my sins! Heaven is now open, and there is nothing between me and my God!”

“The other two men told similar stories. I felt that what I needed to do was to talk to the soldiers, not to the condemned. So, I translated what the men had said into a language the soldiers understood. They were standing with their guns cocked and bewilderment on their faces. They were so dumbfounded that they forgot to put the hoods over the men’s faces!”