Victorious

Can you imagine the fear, seeing Jesus go to his death? The disciples didn't understand this, didn't know what was going to happen. Jesus had been trying to tell them over and over again that he must die so that something better would come...that they would endure trials, but he would overcome...but their hearts/eyes were blinded.  Now, we have been revealed all the mysteries of the good news Jesus has brought about. We have a more sure word of prophecy...His complete Word... and the Holy Spirit to be our guide.  And in His word we are given everything we need to live out the abundant and victorious life He came to give...yet, we get so scared, defeated, and unsure. I think about this as I watch the battle scene of Narnia...how defeated and scared Lucy and her siblings must have felt when Aslan was slain and it seemed as if the enemy had won....just as the disciples felt...just as we feel at times. They had to have tremendous faith to know that all things were working for the good and that this wasn't it...couldn't be it. Maybe this is why Jesus asks if he'll find faith here on the Earth when he returns? We are told over and over again that the enemy IS out to get us, the world WILL bring us trouble, we WILL experience persecution, trials, and tribulations. But, we are also told that Jesus has WON! He rose from the dead, defeating sin--ALL sin, past, present, and future--and death, and the enemy. So why do we lose hope...lose the will to fight...believe the lies of defeat and doubt?  We get to fight, knowing that we WIN! Oh, it's so hard to live it out...the victorious life. But this is why we must stay in the Word. As long as we keep renewing our minds each and every day, w/ the promises, the hope, the tools we need to fight this fight, we'll be much stronger soldiers for Christ. We are so weak. We, like Peter who denies, like Judas who betrays, like the disciples who couldn't stay awake to pray at Jesus' most trying time in his life (failure), like the nation of Israel who whined and didn't obey wholeheartedly (causing more trouble for themselves)....we NEED God's strength to fight this fight and continue in our faith. We have to surrender and give complete trust to His sovereign will. We have to know that He loves us and wants best for us. He wasn't just going to die on the cross and that be the end of it. He doesn't just send us into battle w/ no weapons. We have to remember that the outcome is always in our favor! Just as all of the battles you see in the Old Testament, where the nation of Israel looked like the weaker team but triumphed miraculously through their obedience to and faith in their God, we have to approach every day w/ the same mentality. Pray,  'Lord, whatever I face today, help me to know there is victory as long as I have faith in You and Your sovereign will.'  I pray that I will have that kind of faith each and every day...to set aside all selfish feelings that my heart and mind want to give into b/c of my flesh...and just allow the Holy Spirit to lead.