What Does Victory Look Like?

This morning I was standing in church for the first time in a while (it’s difficult to stand or sit for long periods of time since the accident) and as I usually do, I was reflecting on the lyrics I was singing. Every song spoke of hope. Lyrics such as “you are stronger” encouraged my weary heart. Sometimes it’s hard to hold on to that truth, especially when the evidence of that strength seems to be lacking in our lives or in the lives of those we love.

So many people I cherish are going through pain. Physical, mental, spiritual, financial . . . I and many others are praying for them and some of the prayers have not yet been answered. This morning I thought, “how I can look at them in their moment of crises and sing, ‘He is stronger?'” They already know it. They have been some of the strongest, most faithful examples of faith to me, always encouraging ME in my mini trials to trust in God.

The tragic passing of Rick Warren’s son and the recent passing of a beautiful 24-year-old woman who was the daughter of missionaries are examples of faithful families whose faith has been tested beyond comprehension. Both families have given their whole life to serving Christ and his people. Yet something terrible happened. How does one address such a situation? What does a song like “Stronger” meant to them in their darkest hour? How can I encourage my friend, who suffers daily from previous cancer treatments and whose precious daughter passed away from brain cancer, to hold on to her faith? She has given her all to Christ, too. Her whole family spends their time ministering to those in need. If God IS stronger why hasn’t he broken through in her situation? Why wasn’t her daughter healed? Why has my friend continued to suffer?

We have been promised victory through Christ. Because of his death and resurrection we no longer need to live in fear of the past, present, or future. He has promised to be with us always. But how do we hold on to our belief that God really is stronger when everything happening in our lives seems to tell us the opposite? When the world seems to be winning, when our children seem to be wandering, when society continues to stray farther and farther away from the reality of God . . . how do we trust he is stronger? What does victory really look like?

As I was thinking and praying about these things I was suddently reminded: 400 years. That’s how long Israel waited for deliverance from slavery. 400 years! God’s precious people, the seed of Abraham, suffered cruelly. GENERATIONS DIED before their rescue came.

That’s OT, right? Now that Jesus has come things are different? Wrong! Hebrews says their example is what we must cling to and learn from as we await the return of our Messiah.

There was a reason for this reminder: the people of faith in the NT do not differ from the OT in regards to suffering. They faced persecution and imprisonment, some were thrown to lions to be mauled to death for sport. The apostle John was exiled until his death. Peter was crucified upside down. Paul was imprisoned, beaten multiple times, then finally beheaded. No, my friends, we who believe in Christ are not exempt from crises.

“These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth.” Hebrews 11:13 ESV

The truth is that God IS faithful, he IS stronger, he IS in the midst of every crises his people face. Tragedies happen, even to the most faithful in our midst. Sometimes the enemy DOES seem to win. . . but we still have the victory. Victory by faith. Faith in the promises of God. Just as Abraham’s descendents held on (and some have continued to hold on) we must hold on, regardless of what is going on all around us or even in our own bodies.

“Thanks be to God who gives us the victory.”  -Paul (beaten, imprisoned, executed). What is victory?

Victory is holding on to hope even when everything around you points you to despair

Victory is believing that God is and that he rewards those who seek him even when every circumstance in your life calls his very existence in your life into question.

Victory is praying and not losing heart.

Victory is truly understanding that God WILL break through and answer every prayer for healing, etc.  whether in this life or the next.

Victory is understanding that this life is not our life.

Our home is with God, the eternal is real.

Keep the faith, dear friends, regardless of your present circumstance. You are not alone. There are many who have gone before you and many are suffering with you, even now, all around the world. We’re in this race together! Keep singing…

“For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” Romans 8:24-25 ESV

“For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.” Hebrews 11:14-16 ESV

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:31-39

“For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.” Romans 15:4 ESV

“Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” Hebrews 11:1 ESV

“And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two,they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

“And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.” Hebrews 11:12-39 ESV

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. . . . our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself.” Philippians 3:14-21 ESV

He is stronger.