Walking In Victory
Have you ever walked off a sports field of any kind and felt like you owned the world, all because of the victory you have just had. Not many of us have had such an experience, yet this should be something that we Christians can experience every day of our lives. And it doesn't need a sports field to be the location for this to happen, it can happen anywhere, at any time, in any situation.
JESUS warned us in John 16:33 that in this world we will have tribulation, therefore the trials and struggles we are currently going through are NOT a big surprise to HIM. However, what we need to focus on are NOT the struggles HE warned us about but the statement that follows that warning.
John 16:33 KJV These things I have spoken unto you, THAT IN ME YE MIGHT HAVE PEACE. In the world ye shall have tribulation: BUT BE OF GOOD CHEER; I HAVE OVERCOME THE WORLD.
When our LORD JESUS went to the Cross a truly amazing thing happened, the whole history of the world was turned around and upside down, right on the devil's head. Whereas, right from the beginning of time, or at least from the time of the fall in the Garden of Eden, this world has been under the control of the most hideous of all tyrants, the devil. But at the Cross and through the Cross that was all turned around and upside down.
For those who are still out there in the world, unfortunately they are under the control of the devil. But for us who has made JESUS to be the LORD of our lives, we have been translated from the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of GOD's Dear SON. We are no longer in the world, (even though we might still have our residential address as a worldly one), instead we are residents of Heaven who are here on Earth doing the Caretaker role of this Planet. It's like if we own a house here in Bunbury but leave it vacant and choose to live and work in Perth.
We are residents of Heaven right now. JESUS told us that HE was going back to Heaven to prepare our Heavenly places, but be assured, for someone who created all that exists in 6 days, it doesn't take HIM 2000 years to build us our homes. NO, those mansions are already built, but we cannot live in them just yet, because, as mentioned earlier, we have a Caretaker role to play down here on Earth So those Mansions are sitting vacant there in Heaven until our role down here on Earth is completed.
What is it to walk in Victory? As JESUS walked this Earth HE walked in complete victory. Never once do we see where HE was defeated. In every last thing HE was (and still is) a conqueror. But HE tells us in ( Romans 8:37 ) that we too are more than conquerors, Romans 8:37 KJV Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. JESUS always had and still has the victory in every last thing that HE put HIS hand and HIS Mind to. In the verse above HE tells us that we too can walk like that.
So what is HIS secret? What made it possible for HIM to do it? This is something we all must take hold of if we are to do as HE did and walk in Victory. This is something that we must search the word of GOD for, that we must seek the HOLY SPIRIT for, that we must seek with all of our heart, minds and souls for. Because that is how JESUS walked. HE walked totally sold out to the will of HIS FATHER in Heaven, in Spirit, soul and body.
I know that for me the carnal things of this world can be a great distraction. Yes, they may be things we think are necessary for us to live in this world, but in light of what the LORD is showing us here I must now ask myself, are they of any value to the Kingdom of GOD? Or are they just things that will make my life a little more comfortable and maybe even more attractive? Am I really sold out for GOD?
We see in the Word of GOD (Acts 10:38) that JESUS went about doing good and healing all of the people, Acts 10:38 KJV How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him. And then we see in ( Luke 21:37, 6:12 ) where of a night JESUS would go into a lonely place and spend the night with HIS FATHER GOD. Of a day HE would do the will of HIS FATHER, then of a night HE would go into the presence of that same FATHER GOD and get HIS batteries recharged. There HE would be set aglow by the presence of the FATHER, as we see in the story of the transfiguration in
(Matthew 17:2, Luke 9:29).
Matthew 17:2 KJV And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. Luke 9:29 KJV And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering.
Then we can also see something wonderful being shown to us in the Old Testament where Moses went into the presence of GOD to seek HIM and HIS ways he too also started to shine, just as JESUS did.
Exodus 34:29 KJ2000 And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses' hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses knew not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him.
Whenever we go and spend enough time with GOD, so too will our countenance change. Maybe it won't always be a physical change, but it will always be a Spiritual one. There is something about being in the presence of GOD that makes us different from those around us. Take note, that the people's faces who were around Moses didn't shine, Joshua's face didn't shine at that time either, just the face of the one who was in the presence of GOD.
Sometimes those around us don't like it when there is a change in us, especially if that change is something they cannot understand or explain using human logic. But to us, being in the presence of the LORD is just what JESUS has shown us is the very essence of what is needed in our lives, (and I am preaching to myself at this moment).
How did JESUS walk in victory? He walked in the presence of GOD at all times.
In (John 5:30) JESUS tells us that HE came to this Earth to do the will of the FATHER. And in (John 5:17, 4:34) HE tells us that the FATHER has been doing HIS Work up until that time, and that HE was now to finish the FATHER's work. John 5:17 KJV But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. John 4:34 KJV Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.
If JESUS came to finish the work that HIS FATHER started, and in so doing HE conquered all of Hades and death, Revelation 1:18 KJV I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death. Seeing this we can now see that the works of the FATHER are finished, yet we still see sin, death and carnage all over this world in the most horrible forms, so what has happened?
When JESUS spoke those words "IT IS FINISHED" as HE hung upon that Cross it truly was all finished, but what was finished? All things were now done in the Spiritual realm that needed to be done, but as for this world, JESUS did not leave us as orphans, we had, and have a FATHER, the same one as JESUS has. But even more than that, we have all that we need so that now, because of the Work of the Cross we have been moved from darkness into light. And that is the same light that we saw upon the face of JESUS as HE entered into the presence of our FATHER GOD. That same light now lives NOT upon us as it did with Moses, but it lives WITHIN US in the Form of The HOLY SPIRIT. Our GOD has come and made HIS home within us. John 14:23 KJV Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Because of the light of GOD within us we have become a true light to the world around us, one that can be seen by all who see us. It is this light within us that enables us to carry on the work that was started and completed, at least in the Spiritual realm, by our LORD JESUS. JESUS is the head over HIS Body, which is the Church, and it is the Church that has been commanded to drive out all demonic forces that oppose the Kingdom of GOD, right here on this planet that we currently walk upon.
But how are we meant to walk upon this planet? We are to walk as JESUS walked, in the same victorious way HE walked, seeking the presence of GOD night and day. In this way we too shall do as HE did (John 14:12) and walk as HE walked. Victorious and overcoming, right to the end.
And HE shall be with us in all that we do. Amen.
Don Phillips