True victory is not based on daily outcomes, but on an eternal relationship

3 min read

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  – I Corinthians 15:57

If you’re in the middle of something that’s testing your mettle, this post is for you…

Psalm 124 reads like a victory speech. Written by David, it describes his experience of being rescued from what seemed like a hopeless situation. It is unclear what exactly the problem was, but David used a trio of metaphors to describe what it felt like: a raging flood, a fanged beast, and a trap.

It was a contest between two opposing sides and things weren’t going well for the underdog. At one point, David thought all was lost. The adversary was too big, too strong.

Can you relate?

But just as the flood of adversity reached chin level, God intervened. He graciously plucked David and his people from the crisis. They had been losing badly, but they emerged alive and victorious.

So with an attitude of gratitude and praise, David thanked God for what He had done for them:

“If it had not been the Lord who was on our side, when men rose up against us, then they would have swallowed us alive, when their wrath was kindled against us; then the waters would have overwhelmed us, the stream would have gone over our soul… The snare is broken, and we have escaped.” Psalm 125:2-4, 7

Like David, we sometimes feel overwhelmed by the odds against us. Trials of all kinds threaten to beat us down and destroy our hope for the future. Instead of a victory speech, we’re writing our resignation speech.

But like the old hymn declares, there is still victory in Jesus.

“They had been losing badly, but they emerged alive and victorious.”

It may be hard to believe it right now, but God is with you and for you.

Not only has He saved you from the domination and despair of sin through His cross, the Lord also stands with you on a daily basis to help you dodge bullets, win battles, and get safely to the other side of difficult circumstances.

You’re not done yet. It may feel like it, but you’re not. Like David, soon enough you will be telling your own “If it hadn’t been for the Lord…” story.

Oh, the glory.

It’s a new day with God. Run with it.