Today we are going to take a closer look at what the Bible says about Christians and their blood-bought victory over the world system. John, earlier on in his first epistle, simply says to love not the world or the things thereof (1 John 2:15-17). James likens a Christian who loves the world to an unfaithful spouse in a marriage (James 4:4).
However, if all we do is focus on how powerful and deceptive the world is, we are apt to forget the incredible resources that Christ has purchased for us on the cross. As followers of Jesus Christ, we have the Spirit of God dwelling within us (1Corinthians 3:16;Ephesians1:13-14).We also are told that it is Jesus Christ Himself who strengthens us to walk in victory over the world (1 John 4:4).
Beloved, in our desire to walk closer to Jesus and “fight the good fight of faith” (1 Timothy 6:12), we often overlook the passages of Scripture that declare how Jesus Christ always causes us to triumph (2 Corinthians 2:14). Even when the worst in life happens, you and I in Christ are “more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:35-37)
We cannot be passive in overcoming the world. As Paul writes in Ephesians 6, it is a real battle against a real enemy, but God promises us real victory as well (Ephesians 6:10-16). We may indeed fall along the way (1 John 1:9), and we may indeed have setbacks that are Satanic in origin (1 Thessalonians 2:18), but never are we defeated! Whenever we find ourselves face to face with the things of the world and we choose to exercise our faith in Christ as believers, we experience victory (1 John 4:4).
“Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” (James 4:7) “Submit” is a military word that means to line up under the authority of another. How do we line up under the authority of God? By aligning our lives with His word. Cultivate your relationship with Jesus Christ by reading His word and purposing to obey it. Live a life of communion with God through prayer, and remain in fellowship with other believers in Christ (Acts 2:42- 47). No retreat, no defeat; victory in Jesus, my Savior forever!
