Stand in the Victory

There comes a time in everyone’s walk with the Lord where we are faced with the choice to succumb to defeat or stand in victory. I have had the privilege of mentoring several women since I’ve been walking with the Lord and in that mentoring I have found a common theme – choice. Everything in our lives comes down to a choice – Will we choose the Advocate or will we choose the Adversary? It’s really that simple. Unfortunately, we human beings make this Christian walk much more complicated than it really is. Christianity isn’t about feelings, it’s about choice. I’m not saying we don’t experience feelings, but we don’t have to be fueled by them, we choose to be. If Jesus had been led by His feelings, I don’t think He would have faithfully sat at that table with the disciples for His last supper. He knew He was going to be betrayed. He knew He was going to be crucified. And He still showed up to that last supper being exactly who He was intended to be, our Savior. If you knew you were about to be crucified, tortured, mocked, spit on and persecuted by the very people we broke bread with, would you have the courage to show up to that event? I can’t honestly sit here and tell you that I would have the supernatural courage to show up to that event. There would be a kind of fear that would encompass me and probably hinder me from that situation, if left to my own feelings. But when I made the decision to ask Jesus into my heart, I committed myself to Him – 100%. That commitment comes with a price and I’m going to share that price with you.

2 Corinthians 4:3-12 says this, “But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them. For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed – always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. So then death is working in us, but life in you.”

I have found myself crying out to God, asking Him “WHY?” for many different reasons. He finally answered me with this passage above, which tells me that the Lord shines brightest through those who have been broken AND have given themselves to His use. By giving thanks for God’s comfort in affliction, God’s glory shines in suffering. The comfort is far more than a passing relief or any sympathy any human being could provide me. It tells me that God, who is the Father of Jesus Christ, will comfort me in the midst of all adversity and this comfort will serve me in a powerful way when God uses me to comfort others. 2 Timothy 2:10 says, “Therefore I endure all things for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”

Do you see where I am going with all this? Salvation didn’t promise me a bed of roses, it promised me trouble. But the hope of Christ lives in me and the gift of Salvation promises me eternal life. All the trials I encounter are to be expected and as James 1:2-3 says, I’m to count them all joy because as my faith is tested I am receiving a beautiful promised gift of the Spirit – patience. So what happened when I received a cancer diagnosis two weeks before my wedding? Yep, you guessed it – I counted it all joy. I stood in the victory instead of the defeat. How? I didn’t declare “healing in the Name of Jesus” because I stood in the victory that “to live is Christ, and to die is gain,” (Philippians 1:21). Like Paul, I know any kind of suffering is happening for a reason, and that reason is to further the message of Christ.

No matter the attempt of the enemy, no matter how it ever seems, in Christ we can confidently stand firm knowing that we always, in ALL situations, in the fullness of it all, as we stand in Christ who has overcome, we always stand in victory, we always remain in victory – not our own victory but in His victory. In knowing this truth, we can be encouraged and in a place of celebration, which I now know as a place of peace. Nothing the enemy tries will be able to shake our faith. Nothing the enemy tries will be able to take our focus off the goodness of God and in all the good things He has done and will do. John 16:33 tells us “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.” This passage gives us all the reason to stand in victory of any situation we encounter, look past the lies and into the truth and confidently say “No, we have overcome by the blood of the Lamb! Look at what the Lord has done!”

“Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, ‘Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death,” (Revelation 12:10-11). As Christians, as followers of Jesus, we are called to look past the illusion of defeat that the enemy tries to lead us to and focus on the truth of the victory that we have in Christ. When we celebrate the things that Jesus has done and let that overpower everything the enemy attempts to steal, kill and destroy in us, we can only stand firm in knowing that we are more than conquerors through Christ who loves us (Romans 8:37). We are not meant to dwell in a place of defeat. We are meant to breathe and dwell and celebrate always in a place of victory and peace. Defeat belongs to the enemy, victory belongs to us.

And as I stand in victory, I am so very thankful to share with you that I am cancer free. Is my health perfect? Far from it, but I still celebrate victory over defeat. No matter what comes my way I know that the battle has already been won by the blood Jesus spilt on Calvary. I promise you one thing, in Christ all things are possible. My wedding day was more than I could have ever hoped for. And I am so very grateful that I didn’t let a cancer diagnosis rob me or my husband or my family and friends of the joy we all got to experience that special day (August 29, 2020).

I hope this brings peace to anyone going through a tough time. Celebrate those tough times. Stand in the victory (Jesus Christ) and don’t let the enemy defeat you. May the Lord’s favor be upon you at all times and may His face shine upon you daily!