But thanks be to God, who gives us the
victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57 ESV)
[The
writer of Hebrews applies this Psalm to the authority of Christ Jesus] My heart overflows with a pleasing theme; I address
my verses to the king; my tongue is like the pen of a ready scribe. You are the
most handsome of the sons of men; grace is poured upon your lips; therefore God
has blessed you forever. Gird your sword on your thigh, O mighty one, in your
splendor and majesty! In your majesty ride out victoriously for the cause of
truth and meekness and righteousness; let your right hand teach you awesome
deeds! Your arrows are sharp in the heart of the king's enemies; the peoples
fall under you. Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your
kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; you have loved righteousness and hated
wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness
beyond your companions; your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and
cassia. From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad. (Psalm 45:1-8
ESV)
There are
two important terms connected to faith in God – victory and triumph. This
article gives attention to victory, the next to triumph.
Much of my writing
is done using Microsoft Word, which is able to detect misspelled words.
Whenever a spelling is incorrect, the word is underlined in red and, by the push
of a button, the software provides a list of correctly spelt words.
Having a
mental lapse, I wanted the word “embarrassed” but wrote “embaraced.” Receiving
the error indicator the program gave the suggestion “embraced.” I tried other
spellings, hoping to produce the right word but nothing helped. I ended up asking
my wife, an excellent speller, and was steered in the right direction.
How do you
spell victory? May I suggest some are having a mental block and live as a
victim instead of in victory? Using the two words as acrostics, they show the
difference between two distinct ways of living.
Living as a “victim”
V – vacillate, meaning to “waver,
totter, stagger, fluctuate.” Victims fluctuate up and down spiritually. Their
life is an emotional roller coaster. People never know what to expect when
approaching them. Many times they are avoided, leading to hurt feelings and greater
confusion.
I – immature. They are big crybabies,
upset when not getting their way. A friend served on a committee with highly
successful leaders. One member became impassionate about their opinion and
angry with the group. No one person had exclusive rights to the final outcome; everyone
was asked to cooperate. The sulking person was eventually sent a box of
disposable diapers. The illustrated message registered. Do you need a box sent
to you?
C – complain. Nothing is right,
everything is wrong. When asked what the problem is they respond, “Nothing!” yet
moan and groan to others in the absence of leaders. They are not honest enough
to acknowledge a problem exists to the appropriate parties.
T – turmoil. They focus on trouble and
end up living a tumultuous life. Some are not happy unless something is wrong.
No trouble is troublesome to them. They search for anything that hints of being
a problem and make a bigger difficulty out of it. They seem miserable when
things go smoothly and act like things work best in a constant state of
tension.
I – information. They have no peace of
mind without complete information. If issues are not understood to their
satisfaction, if circumstances appear unjust or unfair, the uncertainty festers
in their soul.
“Why do
good things happen to bad people?
“Why do bad
things happen to good people?
“Why does
God allow wicked people to exist at all?”
“Why
doesn’t God heal me (or a loved one or friend)?”
“Why
doesn’t God intervene in my situation?”
Without suitable
answers they do not allow themselves peace of mind. Some things in life have no
satisfactory explanations.
M – murmuring. Grumbling and gossip are
a chronic way of life. Do you give an audience or create an environment where
they can continue committing this wrong? You may need to confront them instead.
These serve
as clues of someone living a victim
lifestyle.
Walking in “victory”
V – vision. They see Jesus in the midst
of life’s storms. They embrace the Scriptural promise that everything works
together for good to those loving God and living a purposeful life.
I – intimacy. They have an intimate
relationship with God. They treasure Scripture reading, prayer, worship and
gathering with other believers. They recognize these activities are blessings that
develop a closer walk with Jesus.
C – confession. They readily
acknowledge personal sin and quickly ask for forgiveness. They seek from God a
fresh washing from sin and a cleansing from all unrighteousness. They do not justify
their foolishness to others and see every wayward act as a relationship barrier.
They do not defend stupidity and humbly depend on grace.
T – thoughts. They regularly mediate on
Scripture and spiritual truths. Great themes of the Bible captivate them: The
love of God, the grace of God, the mercy of God, the goodness of God, the
kindness of God and the holiness of God. Another word that applies to “T” is “trust.”
They trust Jesus and other believers, regardless of circumstances.
O – offerings. They faithfully and
joyfully give tithes and offerings. They live with an understanding that their
assets belong to the Lord. They see personal possessions as stewardship.
R – ready. They avoid living selfishly
and readily look for the second coming of the Lord. They anticipate His imminent
return and live accordingly.
Y – yielded. They yield to the workings
of the Holy Spirit. With an ambition to be led by the Spirit, walk in the
Spirit and live in the Spirit, they come to God daily for a fresh infilling of
His Spirit. The fruit and gifts of the Spirit are clearly evident, reflecting
the image of the Savior.
How are you spelling “victory?”
