How To Have Victory

How to Have Victory

1 John 5:1-4

Often people have the mistaken idea that when one becomes a believer instantaneously all struggles and problems cease. The first time they encounter difficulty or stumble in their Christian walk they become depressed and feel defeated. When Christ comes into our heart, He creates a new life - a new nature within us. This new nature does not obliterate the old. Daily we struggle against the old nature, called the flesh, the world – the inordinate thinking, philosophy, desires, and appetites of life outside of God, and the devil. But scripture is abundantly clear that we can experience victory when maintain a right relationship, the right desire, listen to the right advice, and exercise the right faith.

I. Have a Right Relationship

A. 1 John 5:4 “For whatsoever is born of God overcomes the world: and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.

B. "Whatsoever," or, as the Greek is "Everything which is begotten of God," meaning to affirm, undoubtedly, that "in every instance" where one is truly regenerated; there is this victory over the world. – Barnes

C. The victory became ours by faith when we believed in Jesus as the Christ, the Son of God. When an individual gives his or her heart to Christ and is regenerated by the Holy Spirit they have a new and secure relationship with God which has secured for them the ultimate victory of the three enemies which war against our souls – the world, the flesh, and the devil.

D. The Lord Jesus conquered the world, not for himself only, but for his followers; and they must study to be partakers of his victory.

E. John 16:33 “In the world you shall have tribulation. But be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

F. We need to realize that as our faith grows we gain spiritual strength and the world loses its power and influence in us.

G. 2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ”

H. As Christians we are engaged in a spiritual warfare but understand that our battle against Satan is not for victory; Christ already won the victory. Satan while he cannot win the war seeks to hinder God’s work in our lives by removing victory from our minds and distracting us from the Lord’s work that He has given to every believer.

I. Ephesians 6:10-11 (ESV) “Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the Devil’s schemes.”

J. Hebrews 12:1-2 “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

II. Have the Right Desire

A. Many Christians live defeated Christian lives because they have the wrong mindset.

B. Colossians 3:2 “Set your affection (mind) on things above, not on things on the earth.

C. One problem with many professed believers is that their minds are preoccupied with everything but the things of God. There is no time or place for God.

D. This is illustrated in the late Roland Q. Leavell’s book, Evangelism: Christ's Imperative Commission, where he states that of all the reported Church members:

• 5 per cent do not exist,

• 10 per cent cannot be found,

• 20 per cent never pray,

• 25 per cent never read the Bible,

• 30 per cent never attend Church services,

• 40 per cent never give any money to the church,

• 50 per cent never go to Sunday School,

• 60 per cent never attend Sunday evening,

• 70 per cent never give to missions,

• 80 per cent never go to prayer meeting,

• 90 per cent never have family worship, and

• 95 per cent never witness - Copied

E. Psalm 10:4 “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts.”

F. "Be as much in earnest for heavenly and eternal things, as ye formerly were for those that are earthly and perishing." – Adam Clarke

G. "Birds," says Manton, "are seldom taken in their flight; the more we are upon the wing of heavenly thoughts the more we escape snares." Oh that we would remember this, and never tarry long on the ground lest the fowler ensnare us. We need to be much taken up with Divine things, rising in thought above these temporal matters, or else the world will entangle us, and we shall be like birds held with limed twigs, or encompassed in a net – Charles Haddon Spurgeon