And The Winner Is . . .

Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly. The strong right arm of the LORD has done glorious things! The strong right arm of the LORD is raised in triumph. The strong right arm of the LORD has done glorious things!

Psalm 118:15-16

God always comes out the winner. And he promises to give us victory when we are following him and doing the work he has called and empowered us to do.

Try to imagine a scenario that leaves God the loser. Is there any situation in which he would be unprepared for that turn of events? Might he ever be unable to set his plans in motion or position his people strategically? Every failing or sin has already been factored into his purpose. Victory belongs to the Lord. And we are on the winning side.

We prepare for what God calls on us to do, but the victory comes from him. “The horse is prepared for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the LORD” (Proverbs 21:31).

How does God define victory? That is the question. His victory is in winning hearts to him and in forging character in us. Are our hearts aligned with the victory he has in mind? The circumstances in which he is winning this victory may sometimes look like failure from earth’s point of view. But we aren’t to live our lives governed by earth’s point of view. The very thing that might seem like failure in the moment turns out to be the victory in the end.

Lord, I know that the victory is yours, and I stand by faith in what you are working in my life.

The eternal world will come alive to us the moment we reckon upon its reality. O God, quicken to life every power within me, that I may lay hold on eternal things. Open my eyes that I may see; give me acute spiritual perception; enable me to taste Thee and know that Thou art good. Make heaven more real to me than any earthly thing has ever been.

A. W. Tozer(1897–1963), American preacher and author