Dear Friends,
Do you ever get weary of the battle with sin, with evil, with the world (defined by John Stott as “Fallen humanity, hostile to God”)? I certainly do. In this season of the “already, not yet,” we know the battle is won; Jesus defeated sin and death on the cross. But we still await the day when evil and temptation will be no more. Here’s encouragement as we wait.
More than Conquerors
The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. Revelation 21:7
Many years ago, when I played league tennis, I competed in a doubles match our team had already won. One of the opposing players showed up thirty minutes late, so their team had to forfeit the match. But all four of us still wanted the practice, so we played the match even though we had secured the victory. My partner and I found that we performed better than we usually did, likely because the pressure was off. We still battled hard for each point, but we could relax. We were already the victors.
The Battle We Face
Scripture tells us we are engaged in a spiritual battle, a battle that will rage until the day Christ returns to bring us to the new heavens and the new earth. But like the tennis match I played, the victory is already decided, because Christ has already won the battle. Christ cried from the cross, “It is finished,” (John 19:6) marking the beginning of the end of sin and death, and now in the closing chapters of Scripture, we hear the cry again, “It is done!” (Revelation 21:6). The future is certain.
How does Christ’s victory affect us? We are united to Christ by faith in him. Therefore, we are conquerors, we are over-comers, we are victors. We live the so-called victorious Christian life only because Christ has already won the victory. Through the Holy Spirit that dwells in us, Christ is even now growing our obedience, even now giving us the power to overcome temptation, even now making us more like him. We are fighting the battle as conquerors. There’s no doubt about the outcome.
What Are We Waiting For?
What are we waiting for? We are waiting for the day when sin, evil, and the world will no longer be able to tempt and trouble us. We are waiting for the day of no more Ethiopian martyrs on the beach, of no more vandalism of Christian ministry offices, of no more struggles (and failures) with temptation. We are waiting for the day we will gather with all of the persevering saints because Christ persevered in us. We are waiting for the day when we will receive our full inheritance as children of the Father, living in our forever home.
How Do We Wait?
How then do we wait? We wait confidently, knowing Christ has already won the battle. We wait courageously, entering the battle as those united to Christ through the atoning blood of the Lamb (Revelation 12:11). We wait prepared, primed for the attack to come, decking ourselves out in every piece of armor Jesus has given us, equipping our tongues with the Word’s two-edged sword. We wait defiantly, refusing to allow the evil one to accuse us, knowing that Satan has been defeated and that we have an advocate in heaven who says “no more.”
Dear friends, the day is coming when we will live forever as God’s children, in the kingdom of shalom. Let us wait in hope, for our victory is sure.
Prayer
Christ our Victor,
Thank you for giving your life to win the battle against evil and death for us. Because you did, our Father has granted us a lovely inheritance, a joyful, peaceful kingdom, where we will live forever. In the meantime, we trust in you for all of the victory we need in the daily battles we face.
In your overcoming name. Amen.
Further Encouragement
Read John 16:33; 1 John 5:4-5; Revelation 2:7; 2:26; 3:12; 5:5.
Listen to “More than Conquerors” by Steven Curtis Chapman.
For Reflection
Please share your thoughts in the comments or by hitting reply.
Have you ever felt that it is up to you to live a “victorious Christian life”? How does knowing Christ defeated sin and is united to you give you courage to face the struggle with sin in your life?