Easter Devotional | 2019 - Day 10
Victory Is Ours!
By Kevin Batista
“When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: ‘Death has been swallowed up in victory.’ ‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”1 Corinthians 15:54-57
Do you know someone who is incredibly competitive? Someone who does not like to lose EVER? Perhaps they have said something like, “If you’re going to play, play to win!”, or “If you don’t keep score, then what’s the point of playing?”
Competition can create either feeling of excitement or dread depending on your personality. It really inspires some and can really discourage others.
Wherever you fall on the scale of loving or hating competition, I think one of the reasons some people do not like the competition is because they either don’t know the final outcome or they don’t feel confident about winning. I mean, if you really believe or know you are going to lose, what’s the point of playing? It’s totally uninspiring, because there is no hope.
It seems like competition is all around us, doesn’t it? It starts in school—in sports, grades, popularity, class placement, etc. It’s in the workplace—it affects salaries, success, and perks. It’s in our heads all the time—as we compare ourselves with others.
Isn’t it amazing to note that for Christianity, every Christian is competing already knowing the outcome? WE WIN! We are victorious because Christ defeated death, and in the end, Christ will defeat Satan himself! Christians aren’t fighting for victory. We are fighting from a place of victory!
If you know Christ, every battle you are facing, every sting of defeat you feel is only temporary. Every battle we’ve lost today will eventually pale in comparison to the ultimate victory that will be ours!
When you fight for Jesus, even a temporary setback or defeat needs to be placed in the greater context that our ultimate Ace—our Savior, JESUS CHRIST—will win out in the end. In Christ, we are all winners in the end.
What joy, strength, and peace this should bring to the heart of every believer. No matter what situation you’re facing today. Because He lives, we live. His victory is our victory.
Questions for Thought
- On a scale of 1 to 10, how competitive are you? Does knowing that Christ will win in the end bring you peace?
- Knowing that victory is yours, what areas in your life do you still need to surrender to Christ?
Daily Challenge
What action can you take today to live a life of faith, knowing that victory is already yours?
Author Bio
Kevin Batista
Kevin's parents were church planters overseas, and from an early age, he saw the life-changing impact that the Church has worldwide. He believes that the Church can help people discover and use their unique gifts to impact eternity. Outside of work, Kevin loves hanging out with family and friends at the movies, games, or concerts. He is also a frustrated guitar player. He and his wife, Kim, have three great kids.