Daily Devotions based on the Sermon Series: “Thoroughly Equipped”
Week 3 of 4: “Faith that Defines Us!”
Full Sunday message: CONTEMPORARY or TRADITIONAL
THIS WEEK: Five Blessings of Faith!
It’s easy to be a victim or feel like a victim.
When we are a victim, it is easy to feel like we have no power over anything in our lives. Our company downsizes or closes and we lose our job. Our school has an increase in COVID-19 cases and we have to learn from home. Our political candidate loses and we have to accept the results.
We can legitimately be a victim when we are unjustly wronged by heinous crimes of abuse, murder, blackmail, etc. Hopefully justice will be done to prevent the injury from coming to another person.
However, in any circumstance real or felt or both, we don’t have to live as a victim.
Living as a victim allows the events in our life to define us as not worth anything, a failure, or fear people are just out to get us. Living as a victim can turn into blaming God for our circumstances and questioning his love for me.
We may not have had control over a certain event in our lives, but we don’t have to live as victims.
We can live as victors…no matter what has happened to us.
Why? Look at what Paul writes:
Ephesians 1:18 I pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know … his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is like the working of his mighty strength, 20 which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, 21 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come. 22 And God placed all things under his feet and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.
Faith connects us to a source of power unlike any other. Faith connects us to the power of God, the same power that raised Jesus from the dead and then put him over EVERY other power!
When everything else seems to render you powerless in the world around you, DO NOT forget that faith connects you to the Power at work over all over the world. This power, our Lord Jesus Christ is at work for you.
You are not a victim…you are a victor!
If I am a victim to the abuse of another…in Christ, I am a victor with a Savior who loves me.
If I am a victim to loss of income or job…in Christ, I am a victor in possession of the treasures of heaven.
If I am a victim to governing officials and policy…in Christ, I am a victor as a citizen of the kingdom of heaven that supersedes any temporal government.
If I am a victim to a relationship that is broken, in Christ, I am a victor to be included in the family of God.
If I am feeling a victim to my sin and guilt, in Christ, I have the victory over sin and death!
Never think you are powerless. Faith has connected you to the power of the Almighty God!
1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Apply: What area of your life do you feel like a victim or have been a victim? What promise and power of God will help to turn that area of life from victim to victor?
Prayer: Lord, while I may fall victim to evil and its results in this world, remind me always that I have a connection to your power by faith…which always makes me the victor!