Victory in Christ.....series chapter 6

His Victory Mine 

For a long time I tried to gain the victory over sin, but I failed. I have since learned the reason. Instead of doing the part which God expects me to do, and which I can do, I was trying to do God's part, which He does not expect me to do, and which I cannot do. Primarily, my part is not to win the victory, but to receive the victory that has already been won for me by Jesus Christ. 

"But," you will ask, "does not the Bible speak about soldiers, and warfare, and a fight?" Yes, it certainly does. "Are we not told that we must strive to enter in?" We surely are. "Well, what, then?" Only this: that we should be sure for what we are fighting, and for what we are to strive. 

Christ as a man fought the battle of life, and conquered. As my personal representative He won this victory for me, and so His word to me is "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). I can therefore say with deep gratitude, "Thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Corinthians 15:57). My difficulty was due to this: that I did not give heed to the fact that victory is a gift, already won, and ready to be bestowed upon all who are willing to receive it. I assumed the responsibility of trying to win what He had already won for me. This led me into failure. 

This victory is inseparable from Christ Himself, and when I learned how to receive Christ as my victory through union with Him, I entered upon a new experience. I do not mean to say that I have not had any conflicts, and that I have not made any mistakes. Far from it. But my conflicts have been when influences were brought to bear upon me to induce me to lose my confidence in Christ as my personal Savior, and to separate from Him. My mistakes have been made when I have allowed something to come between me and Him to prevent me from looking into His blessed face with the look of faith.When I fix my eyes upon the enemy, or upon the difficulties, or upon myself and my past failures, I lose heart, and fail to receive the victory. Therefore, "looking unto Jesus" is my motto (Hebrews 12:2).

The fight that I am to fight is "the good fight of faith" (1 Timothy 6:12), but the weapons of this warfare are not of the flesh. I do not believe in myself, and therefore I have no confidence in my own power to overcome evil. I hear Him saying to me, "My strength is made perfect in weakness" (2 Corinthians 12:9), and so I surrender my whole being to be under His control, allowing Him to work in me "both to will and to do" (Philippians 2:13), and when I act upon the faith that He will do this in the way of victory, He does not disappoint me. By living His life of victory in me, He gives me the victory. This means that I offer my body a living sacrifice; that I must not willfully choose the way of disobedience; and that I will not consent to any known sin. Such a course, which is the life of faith, makes it possible for Him to impart to me the victory that He has won for me.

His victory is my victory. Have you taken Him as your victory 

"O glorious victory, that overcomes the world!" 

 

Victory in Christ...series chapter 5

His Righteousness is Mine 

Jesus, the Son of God who became the Son of Man, bestows His righteousness upon me as an absolutely free gift. As I meditate upon this, I know not how to express in a worthy manner the thoughts that throng my mind. Without flaw, without defect, His righteousness is perfect. He is the only man of whom this can be said. And He wove this beautiful robe of righteousness that He might clothe me with it. This is the wedding garment that the King furnishes for every guest. When thus clothed, I can go in "with Him to the marriage feast" (Matthew 25:10). 

My own garments are defiled with sin, and my own righteousness is as filthy rag. He provides for me the white raiment, that the shame of my nakedness may not appear. At infinite cost to Himself, but "without money and without price" (Isaiah 55:1), He imparts to me the riches of heaven, the most precious treasure in the universe, His own righteousness. this He does by giving Himself to me. He Himself becomes my righteousness. His righteousness, His life, and Himself, are inseparable. This increases my joyful wonder. He does not divest Himself of what He bestows upon me. He Himself is the gift. He asks me to give myself to Him in order that He may give Himself to me. 

The righteousness of Jesus is not a theological creed, but a living experience. It not only changes my standing with God. But it also determines my conduct. The gift of His righteousness is not an entry on the credit side of my ledger account in the books of heaven to balance a troublesome account, a transaction entirely devoid of any personal touch with me. It has to do with my inmost being. It purifies the current of my life, and sweetens my thinking, my speaking, and my doing. It makes me a new creature in Christ Jesus. 

When a gift of such infinite value is offered to me, what am I to do? Accept it, of course. Yes, but how? There are four simple steps: First, I must admit my lost and helpless condition, and my need of more than human help; second, I must fully submit my will to God's will; third, I must commit my life entirely into God's hands; fourth, I must permit him to reveal His righteousness, not only to me, but also in me. Admit, submit, commit, permit- these are the steps, and they must be taken anew every day. 

The real experience of a Biblical faith covers this whole ground. By that kind of believing which takes God at His word and acts accordingly, I enter into the full possession of "the righteousness which is of God by faith" (Philippians 3:9). How God does His part, I cannot explain. How I can do my part, I know, and so do you. "Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts" (Hebrews 4:7). 

"My hope is built on nothing lessThan Jesus' blood and righteousness." 

Admit 

Submit

Commit

Permit

Victory in Christ ....series chapter 4

This book was such a blessing that I wanted to share it with you. 

He Saves Me 

Jesus loved me and died for me. Jesus was raised from the dead, ascended to heaven, and now lives as my personal Savior. In Him I have redemption, even the forgiveness of my sins. With Him I have fellowship day by day, as I live with Him and walk with Him. I recognize His presence with me, and I depend upon Him to keep me from doing anything contrary to His blessed will. I have surrendered to Him; I have definitely accepted His will in all things; and He fulfills His promises to me. In the joy and comfort of His love I go forward from day to day. 

This is what I mean when I say that He saves me. I have not reached heaven yet, and it depends upon my daily choice whether or not I ever enter in through the gates into the city; but I know that I enjoy the blessing of present salvation through y acceptance of Jesus as the Lord of my life, and I trust Him moment by moment. 

"Not for world would I exchange it, 

This sweet faith in Thee! 

Earthly treasure cannot equal 

All Thou art to me." 

I have found that "it is not enough to believe about Him; you must believe in Him." The difference may seem small- a mere change in a word- but it is vital. I can believe about Christ with my mind, but to be saved by Him, I must believe in Him with my whole heart. I am fully assured that what He has promised, He is able also to perform, and I yield myself that He may perform in me the good thing that He has promised. This is the basis of my Christian experience. 

My effort is directed, not toward doing things myself, but toward not hindering Jesus from doing. My only fear is lest I should in some way lose my personally fellowship with Him, for I know that as long as that is fully maintained, He will take care of the rest. He will work in me "both to will and to do" (Philippians 2:13). if I say to Him from the depths of my heart, "Thy will be done." This is not a sentimental religion. This is not a life of selfish ease and enjoyment. This means complete devotion, and going about doing good; but it is no longer I that live, "but Christ liveth in me" (Galatians 2:20). 

And so Jesus loved me, and died for me, and saves me. He loved you and died for you. Does He save you? 

   

Victory in Christ...series...chapter 3

This week we will look at chapter 3 of our book Victory in Christ. May you be blessed as I have been blessed by this book.
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He Died For Me 

Jesus Himself has told me this. He has put this assurance in my mind and heart: He "loved me, and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). My iniquity was laid upon Him. He bore my sin. He died in my place. He laid down His life for me, as if I were the only one to be redeemed. 

"That He should leave His place on high, 

And come for sinful man to die, 

You count it strange?~ So do not I, 

Since I have known my Savior. 

"Nay, had there been in all this wide, 

Wide world no other should beside, 

But only mine, then He had died, 

That He might be its Savior/ 

"Yea, living, dying, let me bring

My strength, my solace, from this spring, 

That He who lives to be my Kind, 

Once died to be my Savior." 

I have found that "it is not enough to believe about Him; you must believe in Him."  The difference may seem small- a mere change in a word- but it is viral. I can believe about Christ with my mind, but to be saved by Him. I must believe in Him with my whole heart. I am fully assured that what He has promised, He is able also to perform, and I yield myself that He may perform in me the good thing that He has promised. this is the basis of my Christian experience. 

My effort is directed, not toward doing things myself, but toward not hindering Jesus from doing. My other fear is lest I should in some way lose my personal fellowship with Him, for I know that as long as that is fully maintained, He will take care of the rest. He will work in me "both to will and to do"(Philippians 2:13), if I say to Him from the depths of my heart, "thy will be done." This is not a sentimental religion. This is not a life of selfish ease and enjoyment. This means complete devotion, and going about doing good; but it is no longer I that live, "But Christ liveth in me" (Galatians 2:20). 

And so Jesus loved me, and died for me, and saves me. He loved you and died for you. Does He save you? 

Victory in Christ...series...chapter 2

Chapter 2 of our great book - Victory in Christ - which was originally written about 100 years ago or more. Be blessed 

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He Lived For Me 

Jesus took the same flesh that I have. He met the same temptations that I meet. He voluntarily made Himself just as defendant upon a power outside Himself as I am, in resisting temptation. He demonstrated that it is possible for one as weak as I am, to be obedient to God's holy will, through the grace provided.  

He was cruelly misunderstood, yet He refused to approve the least departure from a strictly upright course. Against the dark background of selfishness and sin, of hypocrisy and self- righteousness, which characterized His time, He set forth, in His personal conduct, the law of self-denial and of self-sacrificing love. He was what He taught.

He lived a truly human life. He became weary, just as I do. He became thirsty when walking in the heat of the day, just as I do. He required sleep to refresh His physical frame after a day of toil, just as I do. He required food for His body, just as I do. He differed in no way from me in all these respects. He was my brother in the flesh. 

And yet He was the Son of God, one with the Father from eternity, through whom the worlds were created, and in whom all things cohere. Before He visited this world as the Son of Man, cherubim and seraphim were His willing servants, and angels were the ministers of His will. He was with God, and He was Go. He was at home in the majestic, glory of heaven. 

What is the explanation of these apparent contradictions of His being? It is found in the simple fact that He lived for me. Only one who is more than a man could become the representative man, the epitome of the race, and could not only assume human nature, but could gather up into Himself every individual member of the human family, and could become my personal representative, and live a life which could be set down to my account as if I had lived it myself, if I accept my place in Him. 

This is the true meaning of justification by faith, or being accounted righteous by the acceptance of the life lived by another. It is not a mere theological doctrine, an article of the creed. It is an actual transaction, by virtue of which a life of righteousness is substituted for a life of sin in response to faith. "If you give yourself to Him, and accept Him as your Savior, then, sinful as your life may have been, for His sake you are accounted righteous. Christ's character stands in place of your character, and you are accepted before God just as if you had not sinned." 

I shall not try to explain this wondrous provision, which furnishes such a ground of confidence for my personal salvation, further than to say that in it "mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other" (Psalm 85:10) . 

I have accepted the life that Jesus live for me. He satisfies my need. Have you accepted His life? 

"O that my Savior were your Savior too!" 

Victory in Christ...series... chapter 1

Week 1 of our series. I hope that this book blesses you as it has me!! 

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He Loved Me 

This is what touches my heart. It has always been easy for me to believe that God loves the world, and that Jesus loves His Church, but I could never see any reason why He should love me. I have found, however, that there is no reason, so far as I am concerned. That explanation is simple enough when I look to Him and not to myself. He is love. Love is the very essence of His being. Love is His life. Love is the atmosphere in which He lives. he loves because He lives. His love does not speak out the worthy, but the unworthy. Therefor He loves me. 

Jesus deals with us as individuals. His heart is large enough, His love is great enough, and His knowledge is comprehensive enough, for the personal touch with each one. He knows me by name, just as He calls all the infinite number of stars by their names. He knows my experiences. He sympathizes with me in my trials and temptations. He loves me as if I were the only object of His love. He cares for me as if He had no other to care for. I can tell Him of my troubles, and He listens as if I were the only one who came to Him for help. He meets my every need as if I were the only one who felt any need. He is mine and if I had exclusive rights in Him.  

And this intimate, personal relationship does not interfere in any way with my perfect freedom of choice and action. Each morning I choose to accept His love. Each morning I choose to love and work for Him. Each morning I say to Him, "Thy love has found me and drawn me, and I am Thine." I am at liberty to leave Him at any moment, but I am held by bonds that do not chafe- the silken cords of love. I do not wish to go where He cannot go with me. I do not wish to do anything in which I cannot cooperate with Him. He rules me with a rod of love, and life's joy and sweetness are found in the closest association with Him. 

Do you know that He loves you? You are missing the best thing in life if your heart is not the shrine of His love. Remember, He loves you as He loves me. 

"Wonderful things in the Bible I see; 

This is the dearest- that Jesus loves me."