The Thrill of Victory...

For every child of God defeats this evil world by trusting Christ to give the victory...1 John 5:4 (NLT)

Growing up, one of my favorite shows to watch was ABC Sports. I can still remember the opening line — “The thrill of victory or the agony of defeat!” One of the greatest prophets of the Bible, Elijah, experienced his share of victories — but he also knew that sudden feeling of defeat. If you recall, Elijah was on Mount Carmel, the only prophet of God standing against four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal. (2 Kings 18) When it was all said and done, Elijah was absolutely victorious! But wouldn’t you know that in the next chapter, we find Elijah under a juniper tree saying — “Lord take my life!” (2 Kings 19:4). He had the victory, but was feeling the agony of defeat.

We’re so quick to forget the victories that the Lord has given us, aren’t we? There are countless examples of great men of God who struggled this way. If they can go from victory to defeat so easily, how much more are we susceptible to the same attacks of the enemy? We must remember that this is precisely what they are — attacks of the enemy upon our lives — attempting to draw our attention away from all that God has done.

If you are finding yourself in the midst of a valley — try focusing on the victories the Lord has already displayed in your life. And more importantly, focus on the power of victory you can walk with today!

Remember, "we've been made more than conquerors, overcomers in this life, we've been made victorious, thru the blood of Jesus Christ."