New Life in Christ — Stand Strong in Victory
Through the atonement and blood of Christ we are raised from a life of sin and are elevated to a place where we may sit with Him in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:17-21; 2:6-9).
Once we learn to sit with Christ, we must learn to walk.
- We were told to walk worthy of the calling to which we were called, (Ephesians 4:1-2).
- We must stop walking like the world and learn to walk renewed in the spirit of our mind, (Ephesians 4:17, 23; Romans 8:1-5).
- We must walk as God’s children, (Ephesians 5:1).
- We are instructed to walk in love, even as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, (Ephesians 5:2).
- We must walk as children of light, proving what is well-pleasing to the Lord, (Ephesians 5:8-10)
- Walk in wisdom, (Ephesians 5:17).
After we learn to walk with Christ, we must learn to stand in the strength of His might and in His victory, (Ephesians 6:10-18).
Standing is a definitive action of taking and using Christ’s strength and victory against all of the wiles of the devil. To accomplish this, we must be clothed with the whole armor of God.
Ephesians 6:10–11 NKJV Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Ephesians 6:12 NKJV For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Ephesians 6:13 NKJV Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
In Christ, we can stand in evil days and perilous times even when the adversary of our soul is against us.
After we have found the benefit of sitting with Christ and have learned to walk with Him, we must be strengthened in the power of His might so we are able to stand. To successfully stand when the adversary assaults, we must have absolute trust and rest in Christ. To successfully stand, we must be strengthened in the might of Christ’s strength by the power of the Holy Spirit within. The evil forces that are waged against us can ignore us if we are lacking in His strength and power. Without Christ’s finished work and the Holy Spirit’s help, we cannot know the reality of Christ’s victory in our lives. God has planned and provided His Own strength and conquering power through Christ for the Church.
This strength in the Lord is more than a possibility.
Ephesians 6:10 NKJV Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
When Christ was raised from the dead and was seated at the Father’s right hand, He ascended to a position of honor and power that is far above all principality, power, might, and dominion, (Ephesians 1:20-21). Not only is every name that is named far below Him, the Lord Jesus Christ has put the adversary under His feet. God the Father did this for you, through Christ’s victory.
Ephesians 1:22–23 NKJV He (the Father) put all things under His (Christ’s) feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.
Why do we need to be strong if God has put all things under Christ’s feet?
Most of us have faced the relentless attack of an adversary who comes against us in every conceivable way.
1 Peter 5:8 NKJV Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him steadfast in the faith…
Ephesians 6:12 told us that we are not just contending with physical opponents and difficulties.
We are actually standing up against and resisting principalities, powers, rulers of the darkness of this age, and spiritual hosts of wickedness.
What is the greatest problem that you are facing?
Are you struggling with your own physical weaknesses and health? Are you engaged situations that are taking your peace of mind? Is your family going through difficulties that seem to be ripping them apart? Whatever you are striving against, you need to know that according to this word, we are involved in a battle that is of cosmic proportions. Every principality, power, world-ruler of the darkness, and spiritual hosts of wickedness are in conflict against God Almighty and everyone that takes the name of Jesus.
Two kingdoms are in a war.
How can we be strong when we are fighting against spiritual forces of evil and Satan’s kingdom? Satan does not want God’s will to be done on earth as it is in heaven, and as a result, he is God’s archenemy.
1 Peter 5:9 says: “Resist him, steadfast in the faith…”
This word “resist” means to stand your ground in the faith being rooted, established, strong and immoveable in Christ.
The ground you are fighting for is more than a political or religious position.
We are contending for the faith and everything that Christ has achieved and provided for us.
We have been raised with Christ and have been made to sit with Him in the heavenly places and we are learning to walk with Him before the world and before God almighty.
God has made it possible for you to stand strong even against the wiles of the devil.
The enemy is trying to conquer ground that God has already given us in Christ. You are standing and fighting from His position of victory. Through Jesus Christ, Satan has already been defeated. You are taking a stand in the field of Christ’s victory. The enemy you are up against has already been defeated and you have been put in a position to keep him defeated. Satan is attempting to gain ground that is not his. You can overcome him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of your testimony.
1 John 5:4 NKJV For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
You have been made more than a conquerer through Christ. Often we do not feel that we are a conquerer or have the victory.
Remember where we get the power to walk as God wants us to walk.
We learned to walk by sitting with Christ. The strength we need to walk right comes from spending time with Christ. We gain strength and boldness by sitting with Christ in the heavenly places. Our walk in the power of the Spirit is a result of our position in Christ Jesus. Every point of Satan’s attack is against what Christ has already achieved for us and in us.
Every piece of armor that has been provided is a part of what Christ’s finished work has attained.
We have a helmet of salvation. We have tightened the belt of truth around our loins. We have a breastplate of integrity and righteousness. Our feet are shod in preparation to face the enemy with the message of the gospel of peace. We have taken up and covered ourselves with the shield of faith by which we quench every fiery dart of the wicked one. We have taken the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God.
Do you see that these things have been provided for you in Christ?
In Christ, we are already more than conquerors and have the victory. May God open your eyes to see yourself seated with Christ in a place of heavenly victory. May you see that the strength that you need to walk right comes from Christ in you and the power of the Holy Spirit. May all of our eyes be open to the fact that we have been made to sit with Christ Who has all “rule, authority, power, dominion and every name that is named under His feet.”(Ephesians 1:21)
That is how you can stand.
Philippians 2:7-8 tells us, When Jesus Christ came down to this earth, He took on the form of man and humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Hebrews 1:3 NKJV Who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,
Hebrews 1:4 NKJV having become so much better than the angels, as He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.
When the Lord Jesus Christ sat down at the right hand of the Father, the victory that He attained put all things in subjection under Him.
Jesus Christ took on all of our enemies.
Jesus did not win the victory for Himself. He did not defeat your enemies to show you that He was able to gain victory over every foe. Jesus sat down at the Father’s right hand when He vanquished, disarmed, disqualified and totally defeated every evil for you.
Consider the fact that Jesus took on all of your enemies.
Every vile and evil thing that has ever come against you has been addressed in Christ’s victory. Jesus did not do this for His Own personal gain, but so that you could live in the victory that He has gained. He did not do this so that He could wear a crown. Jesus did it so that you could wear a victor’s crown. He gained an ultimate and conclusive victory for you. Jesus addressed everything that could take you down. He took on our sin, sickness and even death. He came out of the grave with resurrection victory, power and authority.
He addressed your enemies so that you could enjoy the rewards of His victory.
Jesus defeated sin so that you can live in freedom from condemnation and experience His new life. He destroyed the power of hell and death so that you do not have to live in fear and torment.
When He came out of the grave, He made it possible for you to sit, walk and stand in His victory.
Psalms 103:2-5 “Forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crown you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things…”
We have been made to be partakers of present and eternal benefits in Christ Jesus. We are told that after Jesus led captivity captive, He gave gifts to men.
Jesus continues holding your enemies under His feet so that you may enjoy the benefits of His present victory.
God the Father wants to show you the exceeding riches of the glory of Christ’s inheritance, (Ephesians 1:17-18). His goal is not just to show you Christ’s victory, He wants to make you personally know the immeasurable greatness of His mighty power working in you. You can be brought into Christ’s victory and sit with Him in heavenly places, be enabled to walk in His strength, and stand in His victory being more than a conqueror in Christ.
Do you understand the greatness of His power toward us?
Christ has conquered so that you can raise your hands in victory. He has vanquished every foe so you can stand strong and He can lead you into His victory.
Consider the depth of what this means.
When you get to the throne of God and have to give account of yourself before God, you will be able to say: “The blood of Jesus Christ has cleansed me of all of my sins.” God will be able to tell you, “Enter into the joy of your Lord.”
