VICTORIOUS LIVING

By Jay Pearson

But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
(1 Corinthians 15:57)

Today we are bombarded with facts and fiction that we are living in or headed for a less than victorious life. Victorious living is not in material abundance, it is living in Christ. Victorious living is in faith, believing, and trusting our Lord. Trusting that what he said is happening and will happen according to the will of God.

Romans 10:9
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Philippians 2:13
For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.

What can we do to do his good pleasure as he works within us?

I want to cover three topics: Faith, Believing, and Trust. Let us check them out in a dictionary.

Faith in relation to God: The conviction that God exists and is the creator and ruler of all things, the provider and bestower of eternal salvation through Christ.

2 Peter 1:1
Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:

Beleving: To think to be true, to be persuaded of, to credit, place confidence in.

John 20:29
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.

Trust: to have confidence, be confident

Psalm 56:3
What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee.

EXPANDED TOPICS:
FAITH

There are two faiths spoken of in the bible. The faith of Jesus Christ and your faith. The faith of Jesus Christ is perfect and precious. It is resident in you as a born-again Christian via the Holy Spirit in you.

Colossians 1:27
To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

Romans 1:12
That is, that I may be comforted together with you by the mutual faith both of you and me.

Galatians 3:22
But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

The second faith I’m referring to is your faith. It may fluctuate. It depends on what you believe to be true at that time and what you have confidence in.

Luke 8:25
And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

1 Thessalonians 3:5-6
5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.
6 But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you:

We are given at salvation the faith of Jesus Christ making us righteous before God through Jesus Christ via the Holy Spirit. Victorious living is a gift. How we realize the gift hear and now is through our faith, our believing, and trust in Christ Jesus the Lord.

BELIEVING

John 14:1
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

Jesus told his disciples to believe in him. That exhortation is to us today. Jesus made that possible through his gift of the Holy Ghost he has sent. Between, John 14:1 and John 14:17 are the promise of everything you need for Victorious Living.

2 Peter 1:1-4
1 Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:
2 Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,
3 According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:
4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

Another way Jesus said to let not your heart be troubled is found in Philippians chapter four.

Philippians 4:6-7
6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.
7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

If we believe in Jesus Christ we have the peace of God. We trust not in our own understanding, but trust in the Lord that He has it under control and will take care of us.

1 Peter 5:6-7
6 Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:
7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.

TRUST

How can we trust Jesus? My answer is this: How can we NOT trust him? When we remember all the time as a youth God was working in our life. It may not have looked like it then but we do know now. Much more now when we have experienced years here on earth of his stepping in and pulling us out of trouble can we not trust him. Sure people will say it was a coincidence, I say not so worldly-wise one. You and I know it was God saving us.  How can we but not trust him. We trust him for all he has proven himself to us over and over, time and time again, and year after year. God is faithful.

Psalm 63:6-8
6 When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches.
7 Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.
8 My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.

Hebrews 10:12-17
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.
14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.
15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,
16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;
17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Psalm 37:3
Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

Let’s all live victoriously in our faith, in our believing, and in our trusting our Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 15:57
But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  

 

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Presented July 28, 2024 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana