Victory in Jesus

We had been renting a log house in the village of Nenana, Alaska for several years.  It was the perfect size for not only our home, but there was plenty of room for our new church plant to meet for Sunday worship and youth group, and we were only a couple of blocks from the village school, which covered grades 1 through 12.  Then one day the owner asked if we would be interested in purchasing the house?  Without hesitation, we said, YES! What an awesome opportunity!  

Less than two weeks later, however, another buyer showed up promising cash and a quick closing on the deal.  The seller immediately terminated our verbal agreement and decided to sell the house to the new buyer because she didn’t want to wait for us to get a mortgage.  Losing hurts!

Here on earth, we may lose our home, our job, our health, and even our life. Despite these tragic and difficult losses, we can be victorious in a way that goes beyond this physical world. Revelation 17:14 tells us that this victory is possible through Jesus Christ because “he is Lord of lords and King of kings--and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”

We can be victorious because Jesus has been victorious. (See John 16:33)  Jesus said to the church in Laodicea, “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.” (Revelation 3:21)

Later in the book of Revelation, John wrote about Jesus’ victory with these words, “And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, who is worthy to open the scroll and break its seals? And no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll or to look into it, and I began to weep loudly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll or to look into it. And one of the elders said to me, weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.” (Revelation 5:2-5)  Jesus is Conqueror!

In the book of Revelation, we see how Jesus sits on a white horse and, “…he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.” (Revelation 6:2)  Likewise, through Jesus we can have overwhelming victory.  Through Jesus, we are able to overcome sin, death, and Satan himself! (See 1 Corinthians 15:55-57)

All other victories in life are meaningless if we don’t have victory in Jesus.  If you want to be victorious over sin, death, and Satan, you must first obey the gospel.  Believe in Jesus (See John 8:24), repent (See Acts 17:30), confess your faith in Christ as the Son of God (See 1 John 4:15), and be baptized for the forgiveness of your sins. (See Acts 2:38)

Though my wife and I have experienced this and other losses throughout the years, with Christ in our lives we will always be winners, and you can be too!  Regardless of the obstacles that you face, Jesus can conquer them all.