Victory!!! Don’t you just love that word? Just the sound of it sends a rush of excitement! It brings flashbacks of the band playing as the final score is displayed in lights, and half of the crowd is deliriously cheering the winning team. Victory announces the triumph at the end of the battle. It is what makes the endurance worthwhile.
Losing a battle doesn’t mean you have lost the war. Losing one game doesn’t mean you lost the championship. The road to triumph includes both losses and failures. But remember, it isn’t over until the bell rings and the clock stops ticking. Victory is sweet because it meets defeat head-on. Triumph defies defeat through perseverance.
Romans 8:37
“We are more than conquerors through Him that loved us.”
Practical Application and Assignments;
Jesus had two disciples who failed miserably. Both were filled with remorse. Judas ended his life in defeat. Peter repented and victoriously overcame his failure.
- Keep victory in perspective. Victorious living includes the manner in which you handle defeat. If you let the fear of striking out keep you from playing in the game, you will never hit a home run. My son, Blake, was disappointed when his team lost a football game. They were ahead the whole first half, 16-0, but lost in the final score. My dad said, “Look at it this way; you won the first half.”
- Don’t give up! There is no victory without a fight. Grandpa Mefford used to say, “Keep that Mefford chin up.” He was a Golden Glove Boxer and knew the winner always gets back up.
- Believe you can be victorious. Actions follow what you believe. You can’t think your way into success, but success begins with thinking right thoughts.
- Be your own cheerleader. Look defeat in the face and tell it, “I can do this! I am victorious! V-I-C-T-O-R-Y!!”
“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” I Corinthians 15:57
