How To Keep The Victory

How To Keep The Victory

Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

Here we have both names of the apostle who was the first to preach the gospel following the birth of the church on the day of Pentecost. It is from the lips of Peter that we hear the words that define the new birth experience. We identify with Jesus's death burial and resurrection by repenting of our sin, being baptized in the Name of Jesus, and being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Peter calls himself a servant AND an apostle of Jesus Christ. In his first letter, he called himself simply an apostle. Here he adds servant. It is important to remember that no matter what position we hold in the church, no matter what title we hold or gifts we possess, we are servants of the Highest God. Although He has given us the privilege of being sons and daughters, we must follow His pattern of life. Jesus was in the form of God, yet He did not count His equality with God as something to lay hold upon. He humbled Himself and took upon Him the form of a servant. We follow Jesus's pattern. The principles of the kingdom of heaven as defined by Jesus in the sermon on the mount begin with "blessed are the poor in spirit." This is a realization that left to ourselves we are deficient to live the abundant life that God has promised. No matter what you learn, what you achieve, you still need Jesus.

The first principle of keeping the victory is remembering who you are and who you would be apart from Him. Then it is important to realize who you are in Him. Peter was an apostle. God calls us to do things and we should not be so proud that we fain humility as an excuse not to do it.

To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours:

Peter writes to those who have received faith just like the 120 in Acts 2 received. God is righteous and because of the sacrifice of the Lord on the cross, everyone can have what God is offering. It is for whosoever will!

Salvation is a gift that God already paid for. You will not be saved by your righteousness. It will never be enough. If you come to God in faith all of your unrighteousness is not enough to keep you from what He has for you. Our salvation is through the righteousness of our Gad and Savior Jesus Christ!

2 Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

The outflow of salvation is grace and peace in abundance! God is a generous God. He is not stingy. With Him, there is plenteous salvation! He delights in mercy!

Here is a word that Peter uses over and over again, "knowledge." This is not merely memorizing Scripture or understanding theology. This is the knowledge that flows from a relationship with God. God is not an object that can be studied from afar. God is the ultimate Subject. He can only be known as a Person!

The Pharisees had head knowledge and they were correct about much theologically, but they didn't recognize God when He showed up in the Person of Jesus Christ!

Seek an encounter with God as you read the Bible. Pray over what you read. Let your tears stain the pages of your Bible. Your Bible should be marked up and highlighted. The Bible is not meant to be a one-way conversation. You are in communion with the saints and prophets and the Lord Himself as you read Scripture! (Skin horse). Another aspect of keeping the victory: People whose Bibles are falling apart aren't! It is not about winning-a-theological-debate kind of knowledge. It is a knowledge of God Himself is the only way He truly can be known, in JESUS!

3 His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

When you receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, God gives you everything you need to live a godly life. It is the Spirit of God resident in us that leads us to a deeper knowledge of Jesus.

God gives us what we need, but then it is up to us to cultivate it along with Him.

We can live a godly life by knowing Him!

Remember, He called you. If you came to Him, if you decided to give your life to Him, to seek Him, it is because He called you. He called you by His own glory and goodness. He is lighting the path to Himself. He is being kind to you, even when you don't have it all right!