There is a fairly well-known hymn by Eugene Bartlett that goes: "Victory in Jesus, my savior forever. He sought me and bought me with His redeeming love. He loved 'ere (before) I knew him, and all my love is due Him. He plunged me to victory beneath the cleansing flood."
Christians use the term "victory in Jesus" as a call to arms and to comfort. When we think of victory, we are asserting that we are in some sort of competition, a deadly battle for the state of mankind's souls. Additionally, when we assert that our victory is in Jesus, we are defining the terms of victory as a measure of obedience aligning with the Lord.
The major victory that believers have in Jesus is the victory over death, which is a result of sin. Paul, in 1 Corinthians, indicates clearly that believers have been given victory over the sting and defeat of death and sin (1 Cor. 15:54-57). It is a remarkable thing for Christians to claim victory and strive to live perfect, sinless lives. Because we have this victory, we are no longer encumbered and enslaved to sin but are now slaves to righteousness, able to live life to its fullest because of the work of Christ.
Additionally, believers in Jesus are to take heart in that we have overcome the world and its snares. John, in his Gospel as well as his epistle, indicates that believers can feel secure because in siding with Jesus, they are siding with the ultimate victor (John 16:33; 1 John 4:4; 1 John 5:4-5). In many ways, this is also the focus of Revelation: that those who bet on Jesus have chosen the right horse and will win the race.
The source of our victory is Jesus, the great lover of our souls. We are more than conquerors through the Lord Jesus (Rom. 8:37). Even as nice and as widely-memorized as this verse is, living it out is something entirely different. When we assert that we have been given victory in Jesus, two things should happen: (1) we accept that the battle(s) we fight have already been won for us, and (2) we will claim that victory and live lives of victory.
Living a life that is set on an attitude of obedience to the victory that Jesus provides is not easy, to be sure. Lives of victory will be pursuing holiness and will seek earnestly to be obedient to the Lord. The beauty of claiming Jesus' victory in a personal way means that we will strive to live crucified lives that put our deepest sin natures to death so that we will live lives wholly realized in the Lord. Let us press on to claim our victory in Jesus!
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