Surrounded by Victory

^NAU Titus 3:3 For we also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. ⁴ But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, ⁵ He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, ⁶ whom He poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, ⁷ so that being justified by His grace we would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. ⁸ This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. ⁹ But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless. ¹⁰ Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, ¹¹ knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.

^NAU Ephesians 1:13 In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation-- having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory.

Observation:  The Holy Spirit is the guarantee, the down payment, the assurance of my ultimate transformation.  This Spirit of the New Covenant who causes me to walk in the ways of my Savior is the assurance of an ultimate transformation and sinless existence.  The victories He brings today are a foretaste of the ultimate victory promised at the resurrection:  

1 Corinthians 15:54-58  when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.  ⁵⁵ "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?"  ⁵⁶ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;  ⁵⁷ but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  ⁵⁸ Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. 

In this passage I hear Paul saying, lay hold of the victory now, because of the victory that is coming.  On the flip side, lay hold of the victory now because of the victory that has come.  

Romans 8:33-37  ³³ Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.  ³⁴ Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.  ³⁵ Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?  ³⁶ As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."  ³⁷ Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. 

Our existence is to be a victorious one because we are surrounded by victories past and future.  The victory of the cross and the victory of the advent.  These two mighty acts of God have the power through the guarantee of His Spirit to inspire love, devotion, faithfulness, and obedience.  What an awesome, awesome, assurance.

Application/Prayer:  Jesus you are my victor.  You have conquered sin and taken me captive to righteousness.  "It has not appeared as yet what I will be.  But I know when You appear, I will be like You.  For I will see You as You are."  (1 John 3:2 personalized).  

In the mean time I will seek to be like You to the best of my fallen ability.  I choose to die to self.  To let go of my rights and embrace the freedom of Your sacred constraint in my life.  I receive Your patience.  The ability to suffer with grace and gratitude.  When my children whine, when I don't get what I want, when I'm grumpy Lord, these are the times I need Your victory in my life the most.  Take me to the cross and teach me the true meaning of self-sacrifice.  I want to find my life by loosing it.