Victory as an act of God

God is the source of all victory

Deuteronomy 20:1–4 KJV 1900

When thou goest out to battle against thine enemies, and seest horses, and chariots, and a people more than thou, be not afraid of them: for the Lord thy God is with thee, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And it shall be, when ye are come nigh unto the battle, that the priest shall approach and speak unto the people, And shall say unto them, Hear, O Israel, ye approach this day unto battle against your enemies: let not your hearts faint, fear not, and do not tremble, neither be ye terrified because of them; For the Lord your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

See also 2 Ch 20:15; Ps 18:35; 1 Co 15:57; 2 Co 2:14

Victory is achieved by God, not people

Psalm 20:7–8 KJV 1900

Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: But we will remember the name of the Lord our God. They are brought down and fallen: But we are risen, and stand upright.

See also 1 Sa 17:45–47; Ps 44:3–7; Ps 60:11–12; Ps 146:3; Pr 21:31

Victory should be ascribed to God

Psalm 118:15 KJV 1900

The voice of rejoicing and salvation is in the tabernacles of the righteous: The right hand of the Lord doeth valiantly.

See also Ex 15:1; Ps 21:1; 1 Co 15:57; Re 19:1–2

Victory depends on faithfulness

God grants victory to those who are faithful to him

1 Chronicles 22:13 KJV 1900

Then shalt thou prosper, if thou takest heed to fulfil the statutes and judgments which the Lord charged Moses with concerning Israel: be strong, and of good courage; dread not, nor be dismayed.

See also Ex 23:20–23; Ps 112:8; Pr 2:7

Unfaithfulness to God brings defeat

Numbers 14:41–43 KJV 1900

And Moses said, Wherefore now do ye transgress the commandment of the Lord? but it shall not prosper. Go not up, for the Lord is not among you; that ye be not smitten before your enemies. For the Amalekites and the Canaanites are there before you, and ye shall fall by the sword: because ye are turned away from the Lord, therefore the Lord will not be with you.

See also Dt 28:15; Dt 28:25; 2 Ch 24:20

Examples of God giving victory

Ex 17:8–15 to Israel over the Amalekites

To Joshua at Jericho:

Jos 6:2–5; Jos 6:20

Jdg 7:15–22 to Gideon over the Midianites; Jdg 15:12–19 to Samson over 1,000 Philistines; 1 Sa 7:7–12 to the Israelites at Mizpah; 1 Sa 17:38–50 to David over Goliath; 1 Ki 18:36–39 to Elijah at Mount Carmel; 1 Ch 11:4–9 when David conquered Jerusalem

God is able to work through defeat

Genesis 50:20 KJV 1900

But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

See also Jdg 16:24; Jdg 16:30; Ro 8:28; 2 Co 4:7–12; 2 Co 12:7–10

God is able to fulfil his purposes through the victory of unbelievers

Isaiah 44:28–45:4 KJV 1900

That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, And shall perform all my pleasure: Even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; And to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. Thus saith the Lord to his anointed, to Cyrus, Whose right hand I have holden, To subdue nations before him; And I will loose the loins of kings, To open before him the two leaved gates; And the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, And make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, And cut in sunder the bars of iron: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, And hidden riches of secret places, That thou mayest know that I, the Lord, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me.

See also Is 41:25; Is 45:13; Eze 33:27–29 This is how Ezekiel is to explain Babylon’s victory over Jerusalem; Ac 2:36; Ac 3:17–18