The struggles of life on earth will remain. Sin. Fear. Doubt. Brokenness. Death. They aren’t going away. However, Jesus promised LIFE… ABUNDANT life; life to the FULL (see John 10:10)! There are no three easy steps to an easy Christian life. But there are solutions to the problems that keep us from Living a Victorious Christian Life.
Advice that changed my life
I was devastated. Hurting. Feeling lost. It was the summer of 1996. May 1 Jesus saved me. It was amazing. Drug addiction was gone. Hope was restored. My life was being transformed. I just didn’t want pain to be part of it. But it was.
For three months “G” and I dated. We were “in love.” It seemed perfect. But I sensed God speaking to me and gently nudging me to end the relationship so I could focus on growing my relationship with Him. I had so much to learn. So much spiritual formation needed in my life.
My mentor at the time, Steve Wilkins, encouraged me through it. He shared with me that God often takes the things dearest to us to test our faith. And then He often gives them back. I believed Steve and trusted God. So I ended the relationship! Ouch!
The pain I felt was more than I imagined it would be. One night I was out with Steve and his wife. They were trying to help me get my mind off of “G.” I began weeping in the back seat of their car feeling lost in it all. The advice they shared with me changed my life forever.
“Ed, keep your eyes on Jesus.” That quote from Hebrews 12:2 became my life verse. In the days that followed Steve shared that if I focus on my relationship with Jesus, He will begin changing my want-tos.
Are you struggling with heartbreak, sin, a bad habit, a negative feeling?
START HERE: focus your attention on Jesus. Talk to Him morning, noon, and night. Tell Him how you feel. And expect that as you seek Him FIRST (Matt 6:33), He will shape your heart and your want-tos according to His will.
THE PROBLEM
The problem with living a victorious Christian life is obvious. SIN! We struggle with the sin that comes from our own hearts, and the sin that affects us from others. As I wrote in a previous post (Why We Struggle With Sin), there are three sources of conflict…
The flesh – Gal 5:17
Our flesh pulls us away from the Spirit. James says it this way,
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; 14 but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. 15 Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death. (James 1:13-15)
The world
The devil
THE SOLUTION
There’s no easy solution to the problems the flesh, the world, and the devil present. However, living a victorious Christian life is possible.
In Ephesians 4-6 the Apostle Paul lays out the process and secret to the victorious Christian life.
First, based on the blessings of Ephesians 1-3, we have put OFF the OLD person and put ON the NEW person.
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off [having put off] your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on [having put on] the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24)
Second, we are BEING renewed in the spirit of our minds.
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off [having put off] your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; 23 to be made new [being made new] in the attitude of your minds; 24 and to put on [having put on] the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:22-24)
Third, we need the POWER of the HOLY SPIRIT
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)
Fourth, we need one another.
Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:21)
The Victorious Christian Life happens as we activate three things in our lives:
1. We renew our minds in truth (Eph 4:23)
2. We surrender to the Holy Spirit (Eph 5:18)
3. We invite others into our priorities. (Eph 5:21ff)
This is just a brief overview. For a more in-depth resource I highly recommend the book How People Change