FIRST
STEP TO VICTORY
Romans
7:15-21
Romans
7:15: “I do not understand what I
do. For what I want to do, I do not do,
but what I hate I do.”
As Apostle Paul found, the first
step to victory is often defeat. This
doesn’t seem to make sense because defeat is the opposite of victory. But, God speak is often a paradox—a
contradiction puzzle.
Jesus’ disciples left everything to
follow Him, and Peter wondered aloud in Matthew 19:27, “What then will be there
for us?” Jesus answered him in verse 28,
“you who have followed Me will also sit on twelve
thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”
The Matthew 19:30 paradox may have
pleased Jesus’ disciples: “But many who are first will
be last, and many who are last will be first.”
Then Jesus was crucified on the
cross.
The disciples must have been
confused…until Jesus was resurrected back to life! They finally understood what was expected of
them in Matthew 28:18-20a:
“All
authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Therefore go and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
We,
just as Jesus’ original disciples, are called into a new way of living. The previous devotion, Made New, promises believers that we’re Spirit-filled new creations
after choosing to believe in Jesus. The
old self dies—the one who was governed by self-effort and self-sufficiency—the
one who failed to live a holy Christian life by human strength.
But believers find victory after
surrendering ourselves to the Spirit’s leading.
Now we’re Christ-dependent. But this new perspective often feels wrong—because
from earliest childhood—kids are taught to work hard and strive for
excellence. We’re taught to set goals
and try our best to reach them. While these
are honorable qualities, they can deceive us that human effort earns our salvation! That lie infects the human ego with, “You’re
great!”
When people believe that, their
focus shifts back from trusting God to relying on self. That always leads back to failure.
But Jesus assures Spirit-led people
in Matthew 28:20b: “And surely I am with you always to the very end of the
age.” Believers always have Jesus
by our side and God’s Spirit living within.
Take Home Nugget
The Lord sometime allows failure to
prove how totally dependent we are on Him.
And God will not allow our dependence on anything besides Him! He will allow defeat in people’s best efforts
to humble us. Victory comes when
Spirit-led living-by-faith people rely totally on God.
Failures are friends that humble
believers, pointing them back to God.
J.D.
Griffith
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