1John 5:4-5 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

FIRST: FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN FOLLOWING AS I HAVE BEEN WRITING ON ALMOST A DAILY BASIS, YOU HAVE NOTICED THAT I HAVEN’T POSTED MANY ARTICLES LATELY. I APOLOGIZE. THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS HAVE INVOLVED BIG PROJECTS, LONG DAYS, AND A TIRED PREACHER. BUT I AM COMMITTED TO THIS AND YOU WILL BE SEEING REGULAR POSTS AGAIN SOON.

Most of us feel less than victorious at times in our lives. In fact, many of us may be feeling the agony of defeat at this very moment. We long to experience victory in our lives and pray for it on a regular basis. We wait, we long, we hope for the day of victory. But the pressures, temptations, and challenges of daily living in the real world push in and press down and we feel defeated.

Notice what John says: If you have been born of God, born again, born from above, you OVERCOME THE WORLD. This is and should be the present reality of every born again follower of Jesus Christ. Victory IS ours. We don’t have to wait until some unknown future appearing to experience it. We have the necessary ingredient to experience it NOW. How? By trusting in Jesus Christ, not only for salvation, but for daily living. We have the victory, but may not be experiencing victory, because we may be feeling defeated. TELL YOURSELF THE TRUTH! You are not defeated and you cannot be defeated, if you place your faith, your trust, in Christ. The feeling of defeat is an illusion of the enemy, who seeks a means to keep you from realizing the victory you have in Christ.

Now, I am not saying that you do nothing but sit back and enjoy victory. If you were to wander just a little farther in Scripture and read chapters 2 and 3 in the book of Revelation, you would discover that at the end of each message to a particular church, Jesus gives encouragement TO OVERCOME. He makes a promise to the ones who OVERCOME. We HAVE the victory. But we must APPLY the RESOURCES we have been given in order to experience this victory in our lives. Simply TRUST in Christ, the Victorious One, to lead you to victory. Simply TRUST the resources He has provided for the victory. Simply TRUST God’s battle plan and equipment (Ephesians 6) to provide victory. Because of Christ, you’ve got this. It’s simple. It may NOT be easy. But victory is ours, if we can just wrench it from the jaws of defeat. Do not allow the enemy to steal the victory you have in Christ Jesus.