Vicotry Out Of Defeat

VICTORY OUT OF DEFEAT

INTRODUCTION

Each and every Christian is involved in a warfare situation. We have an enemy called Satan or the devil. He is the opposition and he is very subtle and very clever, but the Lord Jesus Christ is on our side.

It is difficult for us to realize that our God is not the God of this world. He is Lord of all the earth, but Satan is the god of this world. It should not be so difficult because we can see from so many of the terrible and ugly things that happen that our God of love could not be responsible for them.

2 Corinthians 4:4 Because the god of this world has made blind the minds of those who have not faith, so that the light of the good news of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, might not be shining on them. (Modern King James Version)

STAND YOUR GROUND

As a bible believer you have to learn to stand your ground. You must believe what you believe from the Word of God and then do something about it. Far too many of us are being pushed about by the world, the flesh and the devil. We look like the loser of a boxing match with Mike Tyson. It is as if we are under the control of those forces. But we are not supposed to be.

The devil is actually terrified of what would happen if we learned the truth of who we are in Christ and what we could do with the Lord’s strength. One of his biggest challenges is to deceive us into believing that we are little nobodies without any power.

Jesus set aside natural laws so as to bless God’s people. And he made sure that we would not need to surrender to the enemy by providing us with what we need to overcome. We will talk of these things a little later.

Remember that the Lord is not going to oppose Himself, or be divided against Himself. But He certainly opposes the devil and his ways:

Mark 3:24-26 If there is division in a kingdom, that kingdom will come to destruction; And if there is division in a house, that house will come to destruction; And if Satan is at war with himself, and there is division in him, he will not keep his place but will come to an end. (Modern King James Version)

JESUS HIMSELF SAID IT: A KINGDOM DIVIDED AGAINST ITSELF CANNOT STAND!

The works and the activities of the Lord Jesus are very easily contrasted with those of our enemy the devil:

John 10:10 The thief comes only to take the sheep and to put them to death: he comes for their destruction: I have come so that they may have life and have it in greater measure. (Modern King James Version)

The Lord Jesus told us why He came to this earth:

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. (KJV)

His main mission was to go to Calvary so that He could replace our empty existence with the resurrection life of God.

Her also said:

John 9:4 I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. (KJV)

When you look at the activity of Jesus you see the works of God. He said that He only did what the father told Him, and thus He fulfilled the perfect will of His father:

John 14:9b-10 he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. (KJV)

When you look at and meditate on the Word of God, if you give it the time, and if you trust God, then it will help you to renew your thinking.

Notice that God says that it is always your responsibility to renew or change your mind; God will not do it for you. No matter how much you ask Him, you must do it for yourself. You need to almost command your mind to line up with the Word of God. It is a matter of self-discipline. You have to deliberately think the right thoughts rather than let your mind wander all over the place.

Whatever you are thinking stop and ask yourself, “Is this what I should be thinking?” and, “What does the Word of God say?”