A Victorious Life
“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Philippians 4:8 NASBS
Dear Christian, do not let your spirit be weighed down by the immense challenges you face each day. The enemy seeks to undermine your testimony for Christ and to convince you that you are a defeated adversary. He is the accuser of the brethren, consistently reminding you of your faults and failures. From the very beginning, in the garden, he corrupted God’s word when humanity fell through Adam, and his tactics remain unchanged today. Beware of the enticing lures of Satan, for he aims to destroy the life of every Christian by exploiting their weaknesses in order to deceive and lead them to ruin.
The apostle Paul addressed the sinful nature of humanity in his letter to the Roman church, stating, “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned(For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come.”
Therefore, Christian do not be surprised when you are vexed by the outward temptations of this world. Instead, cling firmly to your faith, which is “much more precious than gold that perishes.” Understand, your faith is comparable to the refining of metal in the heat of fire before it is utilized, so that at the revelation of Jesus Christ, your faith may be revealed to bring glory and honor to God. “Though you do not see Him now, yet believing, you rejoice with a joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, as you receive the outcome of your faith—the salvation of your souls.”
The scriptures clearly state that as long as we have the breath of air in our lungs we are engaged in a spiritual battle. To live a victorious life in Christ, we must lift our minds toward heaven while bending our knees in humble prayer. Our hearts should be deliberately focused on the Lord Jesus Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection. We must continually remind ourselves that we were once lost, children of wrath, ensnared by our own lustful desires. However, Jesus has redeemed us, giving us a new heart filled with new affections and desires—desires to flee from sin and recognize its hellish nature, which seeks to oppose our magnificent Savior, Jesus Christ.
Paul cautions the Christians in Colossae, and we too must heed this warning: “If you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on earthly things. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, you also will appear with Him in glory. Therefore, put to death what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.”
“Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, dwell on these things.” Whatever you do, in word or deed, do all for the glory of Jesus Christ, giving thanks to God our Father for His abounding love. Let His word permeate your mind and captivate you toward holiness. Do not become ensnared by the affairs of this world like Samson of old, whose eyes were gouged out, but instead, flee from immorality like Joseph, who escaped from Potiphar’s wife during temptation. May Joseph’s obedience serve as the example that guides your life. May the grace of God be with you.