Abiding victory

You win some, you lose some, so the saying goes.

But when you belong to God, through Christ, He tells us otherwise.

He promises to always lead us in triumph; in life, in spiritual battles, in all the ways we need to in order to glorify Him.

Question is, are we following Him? 

The promise is not a given, as if it magically happen.  We have our part to play, too.

He leads us into victory, but we have to follow His lead. If we trust in our own wits, we lose.  Why?  Because the battle belongs to the Lord, not us.  

I read somewhere (I wish I made note of the reference, but I didn't) that we have abiding victory in Christ.  That means that it is always with us.

But we must be tapped into it.  How to we disconnect from this Source?

Acting from the flesh instead of the Spirit, that's how! Once we "cross over" into flesh territory (reasoning, our own strength, depending on self instead of Christ), we are no longer following Christ.  Ergo, we lose the victory because in that moment we are not following Him.

So of course, as always, when we lose a spiritual battle, it is not God's fault but ours.  

Maybe you've been there.  You've been frustrated, bound, feeling like you "can't" win the fight - the battle is too fierce.

You are correct!  You can't win in and of yourself! 

When we believe the lies of the enemy, we are no longer in that abiding place of victory.  

is it possible in these earthly bodies of ours to always live triumphantly?  Though the Source is always there, none of us will live 100% in victory.  Not being a downer here!  But speaking from experience as well as what I have witnessed in the lives of other Christians. Even the apostle Paul confessed that he didn't always do the things he should!

We need to accept this about our lives.  We will win some and we will lose some.  The only one who perfectly walked in victory over the world, sin, and the devil is Jesus Christ.

His Holy Spirit lives in us providing the same power to overcome.  But we still have the sin nature in us warring, which Jesus did not have to contend with.

So what's a girl to do?

Don't ever give up!  Accept that we will fail at times.  But God lifts us right back up.  He restores us.  He never shames or condemns us.  He knows just how fierce the battles are, kids!

So we can and should count on Jesus to lead us into triumph.  But we also know that we will not flawlessly follow each and every time!  This is not a cop out.  Nor is it an "out" for us to not keep at it.

Let us be thankful that we can have any victory at all!  For our foe is powerful but his only real weapon is lying to us.  So we are to drench ourselves - our minds, our wills, our lives - in God's Word, for it is our power against the devil.  Jesus quoted Scripture to the devil when he lied to Jesus in the wilderness.  

So if even our dear Lord was tempted (lied to), then we can expect the same.  The devil knew who he was dealing with when he went after Jesus: God Almighty in the flesh.  Yet he still went after Him!  Now, he comes after us because we also carry in us the Spirit of Almighty God.  

So don't you dare give up, kids!  Trust God for the victory.  And when you fall, get right back up.  God is not berating you, so you have no place doing so, either.  He forgives.  He restores.  He teaches.  Now get up and walk with Him!