It’s football season, and schools across the country are gearing up for the battles that will occur on the playing field each week. Months of hard work and practice will be put to the test. No Friday night football game experience would be complete without cheerleaders urging family and friends to root for their respective teams. Although I am sure much has changed since my junior high cheerleading days, I am quite certain the premise behind cheerleading remains the same—cheering our team on to victory! I can still remember one of our “go-to” cheers: “V-I-C-T-O-R-Y; that’s the Warrior battle cry!” I’m sure there was more to it, but unfortunately this is all I can remember!
The word “victory” is one we hear often in Christian circles. Do these verses sound familiar?
But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ; therefore, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding the in the word of the Lord, knowing that your toil is not in vain in the Lord. Colossians 3: 23-24
For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. I John 5:4
O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. I Corinthians 5:55-57
Without question, victory is obtainable for the Christian because of Jesus. Why, then, is it so difficult for many of us to live victorious Christian lives? Why is it so many Christians walk through life feeling defeated, discouraged, disillusioned, angry, and indifferent?
I certainly don’t pretend to know the reasons, but I do know God’s Word tells us that the earth is Satan’s playground.
We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under the control of the evil one.” I John 5:19
When speaking with his disciples, Jesus called Satan the ruler of this world.
I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. John 14:30-31
Jesus prayed that God would protect the disciples from the evil one (John 17:15). He knew there were great battles ahead. Those same battles rage on today; Satan is not done fighting. Make no mistake. Satan desires for all of us to live defeated lives. The last thing he wants is for others to see the love, peace, joy, and victory that comes from knowing Christ.
Satan is sneaky. I sometimes think he engages us in battles that catch us off guard, and we often don’t recognize it until we are knee deep in trouble. When you think about it, we always seem to be in some sort of battle—a battle for our time, our money, our priorities, our hopes, our thoughts. If you are a Christian educator choosing to obediently follow Christ, you will be in a battle.
So what can we do? It can be tough out there. Somewhere along the way we have bought into the lie that we can’t live out our faith in the workplace, that we have to close our doors, keep quiet, and operate under the radar. It’s as if we have retreated, refusing to fight the battle. However, all of us know this is not how it is supposed to be. Here are few actions we can take to remain victorious during our battles.
· Remember. Remember God’s faithfulness in the past. There are so many verses in the Bible about God’s faithfulness. Meditating on his Word and recalling how He has blessed and delivered us in the past gives us encouragement to face our uncertain future.
· Acknowledge. Acknowledge that nothing is possible without God. Remember that He is the vine, and we are the branches. Apart from Him we can do nothing (John 15). We can’t be victorious without Him.
· Pray. It is through this time with God that we receive guidance and discernment. Many battles are won on our knees.
· Trust. God’s Word can be a source of power for us. Choose a verse you can hold onto for your particular circumstance. Say the verse aloud, speak the verse in prayer, and use the verse to fight your battle. One of my favorites is 2 Corinthians 12:9: My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.
· Obey. There is no victory without obedience. Jesus said in Luke 11:28: Blessed are those who hear the word of God and obey it.
· Thank. We have so much to be thankful for. A heart of thanksgiving changes how we approach the battle. We may be a bit bruised and beat up, but remembering His blessings keeps us in the march toward victory.
One of the reasons I started Victorious Educator Ministries was to create a forum where Christian educators could spur one another on! We need to support, empower, and encourage each other to live out our Christian faith in the workplace. Let’s not shy away from the battle but fight it together. The impact of one Godly teacher on the next generation is immeasurable.
“V-I-C-T-O-R-Y; that’s the Christian battle cry!”
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Ephesians 3:20-21
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