Living Like Winners

For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. — 1John 5:4-5

In last week’s post I touched on the theme of overcoming. If you think about your favorite movies and stories, I bet you’ll find a common theme of a character overcoming some major obstacle or hurdle in their life, even possibly death.

As Christians, we have a unique perspective of the greatest “Overcomer” in history. Jesus overcame the greatest battle over sin and through his death, we have the opportunity to live victorious lives.

But what does that mean, what does it look like, and how do we do it? This past Sunday, my pastor spoke about 1 John 5:1-5. What leapt out at me were verses four and five. John tells us flat out that everyone born of God overcomes the world. He even goes on to define who that person is, one who believes Jesus is the Son of God.

That’s you and me. Or if you’re still sitting on the fence about who Jesus is, take a leap of faith and accept who he is. God will affirm you in amazing ways!

But these verses hold a truth and a promise that’s ours for the taking:

1. Everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is our promise from God. No matter what we face or how difficult it might get or how hopeless things might seem at the moment, we’re already winners. Death and sin have been defeated. Our eternity is secure. It’s a promise. So, do we live in fear of what might be or do we go forward, knowing exactly what WILL be? We know our future and ultimate destination. We’ve won, so let’s live like winners. He who is in us is greater than he who is in the world (1John 4:4). The enemy would like nothing better than to convince us we can’t overcome the hardship and challenges in this life and in our spiritually mismatched marriages. If he can convince us we’re defeated, he destroys our testimony to our spouse too, but it’s a big fat lie.
   
   
2. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. This is our truth. It’s a fact. The moment we accept Jesus, we are born of God. That makes us overcomers. We WILL overcome the world because God’s Word says we will. This doesn’t mean life will be smooth sailing, but it does mean we can face each battle with the reassurance that we don’t fight alone and that God equips us with everything we need to overcome and win. The thing we have to remember is that sometimes victory may not look so great. Look at Christ…he died and even the disciples thought they’d lost. But that wasn’t true, was it? They won the greatest victory of all time—eternity with their precious Lord Jesus. So just because it may look like you lost to the world, seek God’s perspective. You’ll find the deeper prize hidden beneath the outward appearance.

As I continue my search for how to live victoriously in Jesus, I keep finding the same truth over and over again. It all boils down to trust and focus. Who are we trusting? (I mean really trusting…it can’t be ourselves.) And where is our focus? (On our circumstances or on God?)

I haven’t figured it all out yet. There are a couple areas in my life that I continue to struggle with and some days, wind up feeling like a failure because of them. But God’s working on me, working to replace the lies with his truth.

What does living victoriously look like to you? Hope you’ll join me the rest of this month as I search for more clues in God’s Word to living in victory through Jesus.

Praying and believing,
Dineen

No Fear

I have the honor of joining a wonderful writing team over at Laced with Grace. I hope you'll pop over and read my debut post, No Fear.


“I will not fear my future when it’s in God’s hands.” — Dineen Miller, a divine seed of a thought planted by God.

Lately I’ve sensed God preparing me for a change...

The Root of Trust

I'm blogging today over at Laced with Grace. I hope you'll stop by and read "The Root of Trust." So often our faith struggles start right here, and we wind up trying to take control. Don't we?



*The winner of Havah is Lisa! Congratulations! Send me your info, girl. It's a great book!

The Call to Fight

In my journey through the Bible, God’s showing me a constant thread of struggle and perseverance. From Jacob to Joseph to Moses and the Israelites.

In Genesis 32, Jacob is faced with a potential disaster. His brother Esau is coming with 400 men, and Jacob fears the worst. He even prepares for the confrontation by dividing his people and possessions into two camps. In verses 9-12 he revisits God’s promise of prosperity.

Then Jacob prayed, “O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O LORD, who said to me, ‘Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,’ I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant. I had only my staff when I crossed this Jordan, but now I have become two groups. Save me, I pray, from the hand of my brother Esau, for I am afraid he will come and attack me, and also the mothers with their children. But you have said, ‘I will surely make you prosper and will make your descendants like the sand of the sea, which cannot be counted.’”

Jacob has struggled with God enough in the past to stop this time and remember God’s promise before reacting. He even reminds God of it. Back in Genesis 28 Jacob reached a turning point by claiming his faith as his own (see verses 20-22). And now, by revisiting God’s promise, Jacob’s faith is re-enforced.

Then there’s Joseph.

Read the rest at S.U.M.