There’s one thing that you and I can be sure of, and it is the reality that God is preparing us through whatever we’re dealing with today for what comes next. God became one of us and dwelt among us on earth to teach and show us the way. John 1:14(NLT) tells us, “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son.” It was not only important, but necessary that you and I see—take in—perceive and digest the fullness of God’s glory through Christ. We had to do this in order to always keep our hope built on something more than our eyes can see. How should this affect the challenges we’re dealing with right now?
Romans 8:37 tells us that we are more than conquerors through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. A conqueror is someone who wins a battle, and not just any battle, but one in which something of great value is at stake. It suggests to us that we must be poised to overcome obstacles and adversities using the weaponry we’ve received, and we must also be positioned to take this thing of great value by force. Let this sink in your brain cells for a minute. When you do, it will shed further light on how wonderful your prize will be, and how crucial it is that you possess it.
Your prize is the victory that Christ has won for you. His victory means that we can have a life that is abundant and replete with good health, prosperity, and fulfilling relationships. Colossians 2:10 tells us that we are complete in Christ, who is the head of ALL principality and power. Because of him and what he’s accomplished for us, we have access to everything that he has. We’re joint-heirs with him. Because of this, we need to understand that our faith battles on earth are securing rewards that were stolen when we didn’t know the Lord. God has given them to us through Christ. They are ours already, but they’re in a territory that is under evil dominion.
If you’re like me, you want it all back! But wanting and getting are two completely different things. The truth about life is that it gives us exactly what we’re willing to fight for. When someone has told you what is available and how to get it, the degree of your desire is measured by what you decide to do in order to secure what is available. You have options. You can do nothing. You can talk about what you want and neglect to take actions; or you can roll up your sleeves like a conqueror and use your Christ authority to get yours.
You need not think you’ll bypass a battle. Earth is not your home, and make no mistake, it is indeed a battleground. There’s some stuff here that belongs to you, but the use of those things is not permanent. Only the spiritual is permanent. So the situation is this, you need that stuff to be the ambassador on earth that God’s called you to be. But we must always remember that heaven is our home. We’re citizens there, but we’re ambassadors here.
I’m reminded of a sister who had a dream that she walked into a room full of treasures. As she looked more closely at the contents in the room, it contained many of the things she had once held dear but lost in her life. There were labels on some of the treasures and as she reached out to touch them, chains would appear around them. One by one, she reached out to things that were precious to her at every stage of life, and became extremely sad because she could not secure anything in the room. She saw this dream as permission to be depressed about her plight. I saw it as her wake-up call to learn to take back what had been stolen.
Faith is the measure of you rolling up your sleeves like a conqueror and taking back your stuff. We’re not taking it back just for ourselves. We’re taking it back to prove that God’s Word is true, and that His promises are real. We taking it back to be the lights He’s called us to be, so that others will see our good works and glorify Him in heaven.
Romans 8:11(NLT) tells us, “The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.” We must never forget that the conquering, resurrection power of the Holy Spirit is also ours through Christ. We’ve been transformed from death to life through Holy Spirit power! And now we’re continuing to be transformed into the conquerors Christ has made us. John 1:14 tells us that God’s Word became human through Christ, and just as he became the Word, we become God’s Word through faith, by standing on and living out His promises every moment of each day. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
Scripture taken from The Message. Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group
“Rolling Up Your Sleeves Like a Conqueror” written by Reverend Fran Mack, edited by Kim Times for Sundie Morning Sistas ©2018. All rights reserved. All done to the glory of God through Jesus Christ, our Lord! SMS is dedicated to inspiring and encouraging Christian Women through the Word of God.