Have you ever heard the song "We Have Overcome" by Israel Houghton?
Well, it's an incredible reminder of the VICTORY we are to walk in at all times!
Here's a link: "We Have Overcome" Israel Houghton
Not only is it catchy, but it underlines very important elements of our faith that we sometimes forget.
The first lyric "Thanks be to God who ALWAYS causes us to TRIUMPH in His name!!!"
- always. That's a bold statement. Always causes us to triumph?
Why, yes He does. Always.
The Bible never says we won't go through trials and tribulations, in fact it says we'll definitely face them when we're walking in righteousness with our Lord Jesus Christ.
But as the song says... we have OVERCOME!! HALLELUJAH!!!! By the POWER of Your Name!!! Jesus You're the One!!!
The One who made a WAY for us to TRIUMPH in His Name!!!
HERE is a great website with verses about trials and tribulations... but guess what! Jesus already fought EVERY battle we'll ever face, and if you notice in these verses... they always end with VICTORY, PEACE, LOVE, and HOPE! We don't have to worry no MATTER how big the mountain SEEMS! God is BIGGER than our problems! Our problems only seem bigger when we let them and don't take those thoughts captive and surrender the situation to the PEACEMAKER!
John 16:33 says it so well...
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
-The world? That means the WHOLE world, and everyONE and everyTHING in it.
-Your problem is NO match for God.
But my most favorite part is honestly the WOAHHHHHH's that come in the bridge.
-There's something SO freeing about just screaming WOAHHH at the top of your lungs! God said lift a joyful noise up to Him!
-Even if you aren't the best singer, God wants us to sing our hearts out to Him and worship Him!!!
-When we sing something as simple as woah, at least for me, it allows me to link to God in a way where I don't have to worry about the words, and can just praise Him!!! And God definitely wants us to praise and edify His name!!! (Psalm 30:4)
On another note... I was meditating in Sparkling Gems, the devotional by Rick Renner this morning and flipped to November 29th. Even though today is definitely December 6th. Haha, I love when God leads me somewhere "random." In which the "randomness" has a totally exact purpose. Hehe ;)
It was talking all about how we should be ELATED for Jesus' return and again, the POWER that Jesus has over the enemy.
With the basis of 2 Thessalonians 2:8 which reads:
"And then shall that Wiked be revealed,
whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth,
and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming."
This verse is SO powerful. Without just saying word for word what this incredibly revelatory 2 pages said, I will highlight a few of the words Pastor Rick highlights and shows us what mean in the GREEK (the original language which the new testament was written).
the word "consume" is anairo, which means to kill, to murder, to slay, to slaughter, to do away with, or to abolish.
-aka, when the Lord comes, He will obliterate the antichrist. He will wipe him out and permanently do way with him. AMEN!!! How's that for victory!?
-How will He consume? With the spirit of his mouth, which [spirit] is the Greek word pneuma, which means that even through Satan energizes the antichrist with all the power he posesses, this evil leader doesn't stand a chance in the Presence of Jesus.
-mouth in the Greek stomos, which describes (along with the word spirit) that the Lord will open his mouth and speak - and when He does, so much power will be released that it will permanently remove the antichrist from the world scene. Hallelujah!
Paul says this final encounter with the Lord will "destroy" this evil leader.
-Destroy in the Greek is the word katargeo, which means to bring to nothing, to reduce to waste, to render inactive; to abolish, to put out of commission.
Wow! That's powerful!
Lastly, Renner describes how although it's fantastic to hold true that this power is coming to conquer the devil, we also can latch on to this power of God NOW! When we serve Jesus Christ, we have JOINED the GREATEST CHAMPION in the universe. There is no power that can equal or surpass His power! We are joint heirs with Christ!!! Everything He possesses - including His power and His victory - becomes OURS!!!!! Woo!
Jesus has given us His Mighty Power to use in this life too!!!
So if some kind of evil is resisting us right now in some area of our life, we are to open our mouths and let the power of God be released to OBLITERATE that attack!
"Shock the devil with a sudden manifestation of God's power that permanently immobilizes him in every area of your life!" <-- What a great statement Pastor Renner! IMMOBILIZE! Great word.
So walk in VICTORY today because You have it as a child of God!!! :)
You can do ALL things through Christ, who STRENGTHENS you!!!
Merry Christmas and good luck on finals students!!!
Megs <3
