Living In Victory

I John 4:4-6

Do you remember in the movie Aladdin, he asks Genie what he would wish for. Genie says that he would wish for his freedom. He describes his existence as "Phenomenal cosmic power, itty bitty living space". While it seemed that he had all the power in the universe, he was helpless to free himself from the bondage of the lamp. He was still a slave the the person who controlled the three wishes. Even then, there were rules that prevented him from doing certain things.

1. He couldn't kill

2. He couldn't bring back the dead

3. He couldn't make anyone fall in love with another person

Genie had a lot of power, but he was not all powerful.

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 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

I John 4:4-6

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John tells his readers that we are overcomers. We have overcome the world. We have overcome the evil systems of the world. We have overcome the evil people of the world. We have overcome the ruler of this world. What a difference it would make in how we approach life if we grasped that reality. It is not that we will be overcomers (future), but rather that we are overcomes (present). Our victory has already been declared, but we often live in defeat.

The reason for our victory is because of who is in us. John said, "He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world". Unlike Genie, God is ALL powerful. There are no limitations on His power. Unlike Genie, God teaches us to live like He loves. Unlike Genie, God has the power to take lives (Deuteronomy 32:39). He also has the power to bring back the dead (John 11:25). What if we REALLY understood this truth as well? Not only do we live in victory, but the ALL powerful God lives within us. This is why Paul told the Philippian believers, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13).

The world listens to other people who are of the world because they are united in their disbelief. They may not agree on everything, but they can work together to fight against their common enemy, Jesus. This is why it often feels like it is us against the world. It Is! At the same time, we know that God hears us because we are of Him. His Spirit lives within us, and that is the testimony or witness we need to remind us that we are in Christ. The victory is ours. They are defeated, they simply do not know it yet.

When we know that we have defeated the enemy, we can rejoice in that fact. That means that we do not fear what this world can do to us. No matter, what, we have won. Since we are rejoicing, we will also worship and praise God. Our victory motivates our worship. The more we meditate on this fact, the more we understand we are living already victorious lives, the more we will want to praise God and know Him. The only thing that will change is the level of intimacy we feel with God. He is worthy of our worship, praise, and adoration.

Father, thank You for allowing us to live in the victory that Your Son earned on the cross of Calvary. Help us to remember that You are all powerful. There is no one or nothing that is even close to being Your rival or equal.