Category Archives: Victory

Leather armchair with blanket and plaid cushion beside a window
Bible, Devil, Enemies, Hebrews, Satan, Scripture, Victors, Victory

A GOOD OTTOMAN

HEBREWS 1:13

“But to which of the angels has He ever said, ‘SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET’?”

I love how Jesus stumped the Pharisees using this same verse from Psalm 110:1. In Matthew 22:41-46 we read, “41 Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: 42 ‘What do you think about the Christ? Whose son is He?’ They said to Him, ‘The son of David.’ 43 He said to them, ‘Then how does David in the Spirit call Him “Lord,” saying, 44 “THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD, SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND, UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES UNDER YOUR FEET”? 45 Therefore, if David calls Him “Lord,” how is He his son?’ 46 No one was able to offer Him a word in answer, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him any more questions.”

The writer of Hebrews uses the same argument here in today’s verse to state Christ’s supremacy over the angels. God never said to any angel, “Sit at My right hand.” That was a place of honor and authority. Do you remember when James and John asked Jesus about sitting next to Him in heaven? In Mark 10:35-40 they posed that question to Him. Of course, Jesus was not the One to decide that. His Father was. No one sits to the right of the Father except His Son, Jesus Christ.

ASK QUESTIONS (Command to Obey, Promise to claim, Sin to avoid, Application to make, Something new about God)

Once again, I see Something new about God. Don’t you just love the imagery of our enemies being our footstool? I love a good ottoman or footstool. I love even better a good recliner. Did I tell you I have a power recliner? That chair has the ability to recline and lift my feet so I can rest. That’s the image here. We can rest because our enemies have been defeated. Christ defeated death and the grave and thereby defeated the evil one and all his minions.

The Greek word for “footstool” literally means “a footstool used by a conquering king, to place his foot on the neck of the conquered” (Souter) – i.e. those under his total dominion.” (HELPS Word-studies) Some kings would force their conquered enemies to kneel and be used as a footstool on which they could step to mount their horse. They used it as a means of humiliation. Christ isn’t trying to humiliate His enemies. He is establishing His dominance. A defeated enemy does not need to be humbled.

I want to ask you to also see an Application to make. Because Christ has defeated His enemies, our enemies are also defeated. We do not have to fight these battles against the evil one alone. Jesus fights for us. Stop trying to do this by yourself. Stand firm and resist, of course. And then allow our conquering King remind Satan that he is a defeated foe and has no right to you. Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Thank You, Father, for defeating the enemies of Christ and establishing Him at Your right hand.

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Wooden sign with the word 'FAILURE' on a rural dirt path
Bible, Failures, Gentiles, Israel, Romans, Scripture, Victors, Victory

FAILURE

ROMANS 11:12

“Now if their wrongdoing proves to be riches for the world, and their failure, riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their fulfillment be!” 

When we lose a loved one to death, we often will say, “Our loss is heaven’s gain.” That does not diminish the agony of grief, but we know where our loved is and will be reunited with them, if we too are followers of Christ. The same could be said of Christ’s death on the cross. What the world may have seen as a failure was actually a victory. Christ suffered for us, so that we may have redemption and life everlasting with the Father.

In today’s verse, Paul continues his discussion about the Jewish nation’s rejection of Jesus and the inclusion of the Gentiles into God’s promises. I love how this one source describes this verse.

“Paul contrasts Israel’s present héttéma (failure) with its promised ‘fullness.’ Their stumbling becomes the unexpected means by which Gentiles receive salvation, revealing God’s sovereignty over apparent losses. The verse invites expectancy: if God can turn a national failure into global blessing, He will surely bring surpassing glory when Israel’s fullness arrives.” (Topical Lexicon)

APPLICATION

The Greek word héttéma only occurs once more in the New Testament. In 1 Corinthians 6:7 it is used to describe the failure we, as followers of Jesus, exhibit by taking each other to court instead of settling conflicts biblically. We’ve lost from the very beginning. We are setting a poor example of what it means to trust the Lord. This lawsuit craze isn’t new. In the Roman culture, legal victories meant power.

So, how do we apply this verse and this idea of “failure” to our Christian walk? We are going to have failures in life. No one is victorious all the time. I have friends who struggle with certain aspects of their life. They do well for a while and then slip back into old patterns of sinful behavior. But God’s grace is sufficient and can return us to victorious living if we will allow His will to be our will.

Can I ask you a personal question? When was your last spiritual failure? Last week? Yesterday? This morning? Do not let the devil rob you of your victory in Christ. I read a quote from Oswald Chambers yesterday that applies here, I believe. “If the devil can hinder us from taking the supreme climb and getting rid of our wrong traditional beliefs about God, he will do so.” Don’t let him. When you do fail, let God raise you up. He stands ready. He has not abandoned you. Call to Him. He is waiting.

Forgive me, Father, when I fail You. Lift me up and place me back on high ground.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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Woman with party hat at table under 'Pity Party' sign with sad face cupcakes and balloons
1 Kings, Alone, Bible, Faithfulness, Fear, Promises, Romans, Scripture, Victory

WOE IS ME!

ROMANS 11:3

“Lord, ‘THEY HAVE KILLED YOUR PROPHETS, THEY HAVE TORN DOWN YOUR ALTARS, AND I ALONE AM LEFT, AND THEY ARE SEEKING MY LIFE.’”

Have you ever felt that it was you against the world? Maybe you have had a run of bad luck, or a friend has turned against you. It is so easy to start a pity party. The problem with those parties is that you are usually the only one that shows up. We all know who wants to keep us feeling that way, don’t we? The devil may not be able to rob you of your salvation, but he is happy just taking you out of the fight. Don’t let that happen.

Paul recounts the story of Elijah in today’s verse. Do you remember the context of this story? Go back and read 1 Kings 18. Elijah had just had a tremendous victory over the prophets of Baal. He should have been on cloud nine, but instead, he flees from Jezebel who sought his life. He complains to God that only he was left alone to serve him. Boy, was he mistaken! We’ll see God’s answer to him in tomorrow’s verse. But let this verse sink in today. Are you feeling like Elijah, all alone and vulnerable?

APPLICATION

The passage Paul quotes is taken from 1 Kings 19:10. Let’s back up to verse 9 to get the full picture. “9 Then he came there to a cave and spent the night there; and behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and He said to him, ‘What are you doing here, Elijah?’ 10 And he said, ‘I have been very zealous for the LORD, the God of armies; for the sons of Israel have abandoned Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. And I alone am left; and they have sought to take my life.’” Man, Elijah was in a bad way. He was hiding in a cave from Jezebel right after God had given him a tremendous demonstration of His power and might over the false god Baal.

You may not be hiding in a cave, but you may be hiding in your bedroom. You may be in a pit of depression. Is that where the Lord wants you? Of course not! To use Paul’s expression which we saw earlier, “May it never be!” Don’t allow Satan to rob you of your joy. Don’t let him pull you down. As followers of Christ, we walk in victory. Jesus defeated death and the grave and has given us authority over the devil. Claim that and walk in it.

I have had my own moments of doubt when I went through a dark time. People abandoned me. People betrayed me. Others may not have sought my life, but they sure wanted to tear me down. Some even spoke lies against me. But God was and still is faithful. We will see tomorrow how God woke Elijah up and gave him a renewed purpose. Let Him do the same for you. Stand up, shake it off and reclaim your victorious walk with Him. You are not alone!

Thank You, Father, for never abandoning me. You are always right there.

If the Lord should lead you to support our ministry, check out our ministry page at Trans World Radio (www.twr.org/carl-willis). 

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