When I was a kid my Aunt and Uncle would take me to an Independent Baptist Church every week. I grew up in that church. We sang out of a hymnal each week. I still remember many of the songs from that hymnal. When I am going through a struggle or difficult situation I will occassionally hear the song Victory in Jesus playing in my head. It was written in 1939 by Eugene M. Barleltt, Sr. The chorus goes like this,
O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood.
If you've never heard the song before I encourage you to google the lyrics and read them. Sweet and passionate words of what our Savior did for us. It has the kind of lyrics that penetrate the heart--they are still etched on mine.
Victory is defined as having success in a struggle against difficulties or an obstacle. God gave us victory through the blood of Jesus Christ. Deuteronomy 20:4 says, For the Lord your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.” and He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, Proverbs 2:7 My first thought after reading that--I'm definitely not blameless but, through the blood of Jesus Christ I can walk blameless.
So, knowing that Jesus is my Savior and that God promises victory why do I feel so defeated at the end of the day? I spend many days fighting my own battles rather than trusting in God to fight my battles for me. I must submit to God's authority and allow Him to work. I delay victory when don't trust God during the difficulties and struggles. As we trust (there's that word again) God with all areas of our lives He will give us victory. What we must understanding is that there will always be struggles in this world. The difference in putting our trust in Him is that we ultimately have victory and He will help us according to Psalm 28:7. "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song."
When I am struggling or going through a difficult situation I only need to remember that God is with me and will see me through. You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great. Psalm 18:35
