Victory

The Will To Win

Not too long ago a young lady by the name of Cori Gauff had the pleasure and daunting task of playing her tennis idol Venus Williams. I imagine the nerves and the excitement for Gauff were unparalleled to anything she had ever experienced. I can only assume that Venus Williams a tennis legend stood across the tennis court and say a young black girl that probably reminded her of herself. All feelings aside neither one of those ladies were in that match to lose.

The same sentiment goes for our life, we are standing on the court of life looking at our past and envisioning our future, and I doubt we are looking at both ends of that spectrum of time with a willingness to lose. I doubt many of us after hearing the gospel, decided to give our life to Jesus Christ just to live a life that would provide us with a journey to be condemned. I’ve heard plenty of coaches, and trainers say “play to win, do not play not to lose”. I imagine you have seen it a number of times in life, in sports, and in business. We can so cautious that we let the opportunity to win slip right through our hands.

A part of winning is taking chances, a part of taking chances is walking by faith. A part of walking by faith is trusting in God when things do not seem optimal. If we are going to have the victory in Jesus, faith is a part of that process and so is being comfortable with the unknown. Beyond that, the overall goal is that we are a victorious people, the battle between Jesus and sin has been won, we just have to have a “but look at the scoreboard tho” mentality. Basically, when I was playing sports, you would always have a guy on the opposite side of the ball that even though his team was losing he was still trying to get his shine on. So he might make a big play and celebrate or talk smack, and then one of us would say “Look at the scoreboard tho”. Even though he made a big play he was still losing. Satan may make some big plays in your life, but God is still ahead on the scoreboard.

Paul deals with a number of things in this text, the burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. He deals with the fact that we can have hope in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Throughout this text he seems to be giving us the why before he tells us the what concerning our Victory in Christ Jesus. The dominion that Jesus has over this world and sin itself. As we approach the message of victory, the dangers of denying the resurrection, the spiritual irresponsibility it is to live a haphazard life, and finally the glorious body we hope to attain once this life is all over.

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Victory or superiority meaning a physical, legal or metaphorical victory. Understanding that we have the victory is hard sometimes because we do not always have a scoreboard we can look at. The victory is eternal, and it is a victory that we cannot take credit for.

Once we understand where the victory lies, then we can deal with, what we have victory over.

The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is law. Sting, anything that pierces. The everlasting sting of sin is death, especially if we are never restored according to the grace and mercy of God.

We have the victory because Jesus absorbed the sting. The victory in through Jesus because he took the punishment. He took the scourging, he took the beating, he took the crown of thorns, he took being hung on a cross. He took death, and resurrected in effort so that saints no longer have to experience any amount of time without the Son and the Father.

The danger of sin is the realization that the end of that spectrum is death. The only corrector of sin is repentance and consequences. The sin we carried was a burden that mankind could not carry on its own. Sacrifice was the direct medicine for sin, but to rid the world of it the sacrifice had to be perfect. Therefore the victory is in Jesus because he is that perfect sacrifice.

It’s one thing to win but it is a completely different victory when everyone has counted you out. This is why we have the victory in Jesus, because of what he has conquered for us and that is death.

Satan attempted to win in the wilderness, Jesus walks away victorious.

Satan attempted to win through Judas, I imagine he believed he had him down for the account once he was arrested.

Satan attempted to win through beating Jesus within an inch of his life.

Satan attempted to win by having Jesus nailed to the cross, nails in his hands and feet, a crown of thorns on his head.

Satan assumed he had won once Jesus was pierced in his side, and buried in a tomb.

But like the great commentator of basketball once said…Hand Down, Man Down. Just when Satan thought he had Jesus down for the count, Jesus defeats death by resurrecting on the 3rd day!

Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Sin is something that we all have been guilty of. Grace and mercy suggests that even though I’m not perfect and have messed up there’s a gift to help me bounce back and walk in victory like I belong to Jesus.

It’s similar to obeying traffic signals and laws. There is rarely a reward that is publicly given to you for obeying those laws, but the failure of obeying those laws can lead to death.

Understanding the rules is not victory, even abiding by the rules does not guarantee victory. What guarantees victory is the ability to stand tall in the midst of trial and tribulation and continue to do the will of God even when it does not seem worth it.

No law can save man. The law can convict us, it can define the do’s and don’ts, but the only thing that frees us from sin is the grace of God.

This victory we have in Jesus is for the whole world who is desperate need of God. Salvation comes through grace with obedience not human works.

How come the law cannot save us? According to  For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.

14 For if those who are of the law are heirs, faith is made void and the promise made of no effect, 15 because the law brings about wrath; for where there is no law there is no transgression.

No heir of Abraham was able to keep the law in its entirety except Jesus, the sacrifice had to be perfect. Therefore if the inheritance was dependent on law keeping the promise of eternal life would have no effect, because all have fallen short. Our victory is grace dependent, and according to that grace we have a chance to partake in the victory of Jesus Christ.

16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace, so that the promise might be sure to all the seed, not only to those who are of the law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all

This grace is because of the Love that God has for his Children. Love cannot be regulated, the love of God is a sacrificial unconditional love. When we realize the measures Jesus went through for a shared victory, we can realize how unworthy we truly are. Sin and Death have an end point, but Love is responsible for eternity.

Satan attempted to win in the wilderness, Jesus walks away victorious.

Satan attempted to win through Judas, I imagine he believed he had him down for the account once he was arrested.

Satan attempted to win through beating Jesus within an inch of his life.

Satan attempted to win by having Jesus nailed to the cross, nails in his hands and feet, a crown of thorns on his head.

Satan assumed he had won once Jesus was pierced in his side, and buried in a tomb.

But like the great commentator of basketball once said…Hand Down, Man Down. Just when Satan thought he had Jesus down for the count, Jesus defeats death by resurrecting on the 3rd day!

Once I realize where my victory lies, I'll never get off my game-plan. Because I know it works. God has already done his job, we have to make the adjustments if we want to win. The struggle is not obtaining the victory it's realizing that no matter how grand the victory I cannot take credit for it.

* The struggle is not obtaining the victory it's realizing that no matter how grand the victory I cannot take credit for it.

* Think of the gift that God bestows on us:

* Baptism - shared glory

* Communion - shared glory

* Giving - Shared glory

* Our resurrection - shared glory

HE GAVE US THE VICTORY! HE GAVE US THE VICTORY OVER EVERYTHING THAT STANDS IN OUR WAY! So when Satan, people or situations start to gloat in your life because of the trials you are going through, you are just going to have to tell him and anybody else, look at the scoreboard!

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

The New King James Version. (1982). (). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.