Where Is the Victory?

Most of us know that sin is at the root of all our problems, our fear, guilt, anger, depression. We know that these rob us of spiritual courage and vitality. What we do not know is how to overcome the “sin which so easily ensnares us” (see Hebrews 12:1).

It’s one of the Bible’s great promises that victory over all our enemies comes through Jesus Christ our Lord, but how do we get the power out of his vine into our puny little branch? I love Jesus, always have, and I know that he has all power. I also know he promises me victory, but how does it happen?

I am just beginning to see a little light on this mystery. God is asking me to do the following three things in my own search for total triumph over my sin.

1.   I must learn to hunger for holiness and hate my sin. Sin pollutes me, and God cannot look upon it or condone it. The fear of God is the basis of all freedom. I can’t expect to be excused or given special privileges. My sin must be confessed and forsaken.

2.   I must be convinced that God loves me in spite of my sin! God hates my sin with a perfect hatred, while at the same time he loves me with an infinite compassion. His love will never compromise with sin, but he clings to his sinning child with one purpose in mind: to reclaim him.

3.   I must accept the loving help of my Father in resisting and overcoming. Sin is like an octopus with many tentacles trying to crush my life. Seldom do all the tentacles loosen their hold on me at once. It is one tentacle at a time, one small victory at a time. God dispatches the Holy Spirit to me with clear direction on how to fight, when to run, where to strike next.

The battle against sin, principalities and powers is the Lord’s, not mine. I am just a soldier, fighting in his war. God wants me to totally believe in him and his power over sin and death. My part is to believe that God will bring me out of the battle victoriously!