Bitter Sweet Victory

"But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord." 1 Corinthians 15:57-58

Earthly victories in life are always bitter sweet. Who really wins in a divorce, a war, a legal battle, etc? Victory from God through our Lord Jesus Christ however, is always sweet; because we need not fight the battle, our Savior has already done so on our behalf and He has been victorious.

In 1 Corinthians 15:57-58 Paul highlights three encouraging actions which are now associated with appropriating this victory in our lives and living victoriously in and through Jesus Christ:

1. "Be ye steadfast" - We need to stand firm in our faith, holding fast the profession of our faith without wavering and ever trusting in our never failing God; believing that He sent His one and only Son to set us free for all eternity and that it is impossible for Him to lie.

2. "Be ye unmovable" - We must let nothing move us - disasters, personal tragedies, those who would lie in wait to deceive us, etc. Trials and tribulations may all be very tough to endure, but we should not let them move us from our stand in Christ. Many times people who face these kinds of challenges forsake the faith and God. But, let us not be so. Let us be unmovable as we echo the words of Job, who said, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him: but I will maintain mine own ways before him".

3. "Always abounding in the work of the Lord" - We need to give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord. This doesn’t mean we must give up our day job, go into the ministry or be a missionary, it just means, who are you living for, Yourself or God?; and does it show in your actions, in your ambitions and purpose, in your whole life?

The irony is that most of us spend our whole lives laboring to win in our careers, for our retirement, for our reputation, for our children, for our status, for the building up of our possessions, etc; abounding much in the work of trying to achieve an earthly victory rather than living in a spiritual one.

Oh how easily we forget that living in victory in Christ is in no way associated with financial well being, personal reputation or human achievement. Rather, living in victory is all about the battle which Jesus Christ has already fought and won on our behalf. We now need just enter into the fullness of this victorious life, committed and dedicated to wholly serving our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ; in and through all circumstances in life.

Living in victory is allowing the joy of our salvation to be a real thing in our lives through His grace, which is sufficient for us in all things, and by His strength, which is made perfect in our weakness; that the power of Christ may rest upon us, that the Excellency of the power of this victorious life we now live may be of God, and not of us.

- as posted by Mr. Will Ravilob in the PHIAA e-group