Got Victory?

by Pastor Eddie Hughes

May 22, 2004

With even a cursory study of the New Testament, there should remain no doubt within the Christian’s mind, that God’s plan for his or her life is nothing less than a steady stream of victory. Yet, if you were to ask a large number of Christians how they are getting along, I doubt if a significant percentage would describe their lives as did the apostle Paul --- ‘one continual triumph’. Usually, it’s more like, “Well, I'm getting by, I suppose.” You might even get an earful of woes and troubles, followed at best by a feeble, “Praise the Lord anyhow”.

More people seem to want to relate to Job and his negative philosophic response to his trials; than to Paul, who discovered the powerful results of rejoicing in the face of his.

Job was truly upright in character and extremely patient. But he was found seriously wanting in the faith department. His concept of God was as distorted as that of many Christians today, through ignorance of the immeasurable goodness of the Lord. Job’s patience did eventually help him to see the end of his trial, but only after 32 chapters worth of wallowing in self pity and never once calling on the Lord for help. Thankfully, his patience helped him to endure until the man, Elihu, brought the word Job needed. Elihu’s message, though, was one of serious correction, both of Job’s attitude and his faulty concept of the character of God. The bottom line of this lengthy rebuke was that instead of thinking of God as his problem and whining about it, Job should have relied more upon God’s goodness and faithfulness to deliver him from his catastrophic situation.

For six chapters (Job 32 -37) Elihu essentially tells Job, God is not your problem... He does not afflict the righteous, He delivers them. He chastises with His word, not tribulation... And He would have delivered you a long time ago, if you would have not been so quick and persistent in justifying yourself rather than God.

Job received Elihu’s message and then immediately got hit with 4 more chapters worth of a rebuke directly from the Lord Himself. Chapters 38 through 42 was God’s chastisement of Job for his complaining and uttering so many ‘words without knowledge’. In other words, the Lord basically said, Job, who do you think you are? Then he followed up with as vivid description as words can convey of the majesty of God’s true character and ability. This left Job repenting in sack cloth and ashes... And God delivered him, abundantly restoring his loss, giving him twice as much as he had before.

The apostle Paul is the New Testament’s example of a life full of trial and tribulation. In fact, Paul suffered more for the sake of the gospel than anyone. In his summary of these trials, which were brought on by a messenger of the same devil who afflicted Job, he lists the times he was flogged, beaten with rods, stoned, starved, shipwrecked, etc. This ‘messenger of Satan’, who Paul referred to as his “thorn in the flesh”; constantly bombarded him with trials --- and all because of Paul’s ‘abundance of revelation’.

What’s more, it became evident that God allowed this attack to continue, lest Paul be lifted up with pride. After all, Jesus had previously explained, “The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you” (John I 5:20)

If Job had reason to complain, Paul had even more. And he did complain --- but not nearly as long as Job did. He also went a step further and asked God for help. That help came in the form of a direct answer from the Lord Jesus...

“My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9)

Paul understood the answer to mean simply that God’s abundance of grace, which had already been supplied in Christ, is all one needs in the face of any trial... That the strength of the Lord comes to the surface and is made known during the times of our weakness. Therefore, as Paul went on to explain, our trials and tribulations should be met not with complaints but rather with rejoicing in God and in His power to save.

The abundance of revelation which attracted the devil’s attacks, also provided Paul with plenty of reason to rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.

Instead of wallowing in the knowledge of his tribulation, Paul began glorying in the knowledge of his union with Christ... In the fact that Jesus Christ was in him and greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world. He became ‘a fool in glorying’ in the vital and explosive truth that he had been crucified with Christ --- raised and seated with Him in heavenly places far above all [trial producing] principalities and powers above all spiritual wickedness --- and certainly above all of the weak and beggarly elements of this world with all its woes.

The attacks of the devil kept coming. But unlike Job, Paul saw God’s delivering power manifested along with every single trial. And instead of cursing the day he was born (as Job did) Paul continuously gave thanks to God for being blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places in Christ (Eph. 1) --- for being more than conquerors in Christ (Rom. 8:37) --- and for being the recipient of continuous victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor. I 5:57).

God is no respecter of persons, as the scripture says, and His grace is just as sufficient for you and me, as it was for Paul. If your life, up until now, has presented a picture of something other than a victorious overcomer; may I humbly suggest that you take your eyes off your circumstances (real, as they are). . . And begin to focus once again on the Greater One who lives within. Begin to rejoice in Him and all He accomplished for you at Calvary... And make it a habit to praise Him daily thanking Him for leading you in one continual triumph, in Christ.

You may be surprised how quickly your circumstances will change, either through a sovereign, miraculous act of God; or through His wisdom being made available to you for any decisions or changes you may need to make. In either case, the Lord Jesus Christ is the source of your victory, and rejoicing in Him, your key to the triumphant life.

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Cor. 15:57 NKJV)