NO DEFEAT

I Peter 1:23
Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the living and abiding word of God.

How evidently true can such a scripture be as it relates to our lives and to bring it home…as it relates to your life. Why is the apostle Peter reminding us about our birth? To what end is he reminding us about it
Apparently, it must have something to do with his idea that it was necessary for him to keep reminding us of what we already know so that we do not let them slip and thus, we ourselves should slip.

The Apostle Paul said in 1Co 1:26 For consider your calling, brethren, that there are not many wise according to flesh, not many powerful, not many high-born. Worthy of note is the phrase “according to the flesh” as used by Paul in this verse of scripture. Paul is pointing us to a certain way of being born and Peter refers also to another which is the birth by the word

Peter speaks of the other type and also shows us our origin in that verse of scripture in I Pet 1:23. This clearly shows us that we are born of God. We originate from God. We are sons of God “for there is neither male nor female ...” how did this come to be? It’s by the reason of Gods word. Has it ever been said that God gave birth? If he did, what would his sons be like have you taken time to brood over this?
Having thought about this? I found that from scriptures his(Gods) sons look like him.

This is in the simplest term. lets take a good look at Gen 1:26 “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the heavens, and over the cattle, and over the whole earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth on the earth."
Vs 28a And God created Man in his image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.

We are born in the likeness and image of the father. Inherently, we are born of incorruptible seed…a seed that cannot be corrupted, a seed that cannot be defeated, a seed that cannot be conquered, an invincible seed. This seed is incorruptible. Oh! What great quality of seed that we have been born out of. We were created and fashioned out of such a seed.
The seed carried in itself the indestructible life and nature of the father (Jehovah).
Hence, we received at birth that self same life of God …ZOE that flows through the loins of the father (God)
You know John the beloved says in 1 John 5:4 that 'For all that has been begotten of God gets the victory over the world; and this is the victory which has gotten the victory over the world, our faith.' Vs 5 Who is he that gets the victory over the world, but he that believes that Jesus is the Son of God?. This talks about our birth in a different light.
We can take a look at vs 1 of 1 john 5 vs 1 “whosoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God…” WOW! Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ? then you’ve been born of God. You are Gods child. You belong to God and you belong in God. Your origin is God. Your source is now God. Paul talked about this in 2 cor 5 vs 13 and 17 too.

This in itself is wonderful…. To be born of God. To be born in the image of the invincible God who is a creator makes us creators of or circumstances in life... hence we are not bound to fate. To be born in the likeness of the victorious one makes us victorious folks too in the affairs of life, small wonder I cor 15 vs 57 says “...but thanks to God, who gives us the victory by our Lord Jesus Christ.” This requires due diligence in the place of meditation from us.
As sons of God, born of victorious seed, our victory in life is a done deal. We aren’t talking about a victorious life after we pass on from here as some people are led to believe but a victorious lifestyle here on earth. The seed that constitutes our make up ha already won the victory.
Are you faced with any issue right now, depression, sickness, are you discouraged, battered and marred by life’s grueling storms? Hmmm….does it seem like a fairy tale when you hear that God in Christ Jesus gave birth to you and thus you have victory in this life? Dearheart, we have a father that loves and cares for us and loves us so much. so don’t lose heart and think there is no hope.
Nothing else can be more true than what your father tells you concerning how you were born and how he wants your life to go

Think abut this God himself said “ I will never leave you nor forsake you” he himself said “I am your shield and your exceedingly great reward” he is still I AM in you life as much as he was in the days of Abraham your father of faith. However, we must truly understand this as Abraham did. Your father also said “ he that is born of God has overcome the world. Can we say it this way without mincing words “he that is born of God cannot be overcome by the world and its ways and system, much more than the system of the world, we cannot be overcome by the storms of life” hence we must build our house on the rock.

Even if disappointment has knocked on your door today and depression is stirring its head through your window, if failure has called on your name lately, here is a great hope that is against all earthly hope for you my dear. It’s the fact that your loving father is calling you to walk in the victory that he has won for you. We aint talking here about a victory you are seeking for but a victory that is your present tense eternal possession. A victory in which you live in so you enjoy it NOW! did I hear you say so…if its mine, then how do I enjoy it?

Lets start out in this victorious way of life by giving thanks to God together for it. Firstly just like Paul did in I cor 15:57 “ … thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory in Christ Jesus”
We’d continue from here next week.

No Defeat 2

We saw that the will of God for us is to give thanks in all things. Hence, we give thanks to God for the victory that we have achieved in God through Christ Jesus. This victory is a glorious one and transcends the ephemeral things we see or experience. WOW! We therefore with joy celebrate and rejoice in Jehovah. We have victory in three worlds.

This truth ought to get us ecstatic and we do rejoice greatly in the hope of Gods glory. This victory is our present tense eternal possession and a look at 1 John 5:4 shows us that '...this is the victory that overcometh the world the world, even our faith'

I had to ask myself a question as it relates to this scripture 'does this scripture mean faith is the victory?' Evidently from this scripture, faith can be said to be my victory. So, if faith is my victory and I see clearly from I cor 15:57 that I already have victory, it must mean that I already have faith.
dearheart, faith is a receiver and if we already have faith, as seen in Rom 12:7 , then we have the capacity, the ability to walk in victory.

Our faith knows NO DEFEAT. WHY? it is our victory. Our faith knows no failure. Why? For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world. Jesus also said something that’s failure proof to us. He said in Mark 11:23
Verily I say to you, that whosoever shall say to this mountain, Be thou taken away and cast into the sea, and shall not doubt in his heart, but believe that what he says takes place, whatever he shall say shall come to pass for him.

I strongly believe this is the reason why John in 1 John 2:1 says 'I write unto you young men....' we are all overcomers for there is neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female. We are invincible.

However, its notable enough that the lives of many believers does not portray that we have victory, it does not portray that we already posses world overcoming faith. Several claim to have victory in the life to come, but the word declares that we reign both in this life and the one to come. If indeed we already possess this faith, if indeed we already posses this victory, then ...Our lives ought to showcase the victory of Christ.

The above thought has prompted me to evaluate the source of our victory, to look critically at the quality of victory we have in Christ. Hence, the quality of faith that we possess. hmmmm...Is it the same victory that Jesus had when he walked the face of this earth? Is it the same faith with which he defeated the whole army of hell?

Mark 11:22b says "...have faith in God.." Some other renderings say "have the faith of God" or "have the God kind of faith". This in itself is AWESOME! Jesus instructed his disciples to have the faith of God. This was before the death burial and resurrection of our savior and no one could have that faith then. He went ahead in the next few verses to show them how that faith of God operates. Little wonder, God cannot fail or be defeated because his faith knows NO DEFEAT.

Rom 12:3 says
"For I say, through the grace which has been given to me, to every one that is among you, not to have high thoughts above what he should think; but to think so as to be wise, as God has dealt to each a measure of faith.”

God has in this time and day given unto us a measure of faith. The life and ministry of Jesus shows us that Jesus walked in victory on earth. he was invincible. How? By this selfsame FAITH. We posses this faith. THE FAITH WE POSSES IS OF THE SAME QUALITY AS THAT OF OUR FATHER (GOD). Its got the same ability and victorious power in it.

This is good news and its also shouting news for me. WOW! I’m so so delighted because this faith is my victory. It is your victory. It is our victory. Wow! we can face life's challenges with renewed hope and vigor. New strength and courage as well. We can confidently say that nations will be turned to Christ, men will be saved and hope shall be given to the hopeless.

The truth of Gods word that we already possess victory is plain to us. Yet it does not mean, life will be all rosy for us. it does not mean we wont come face to face with issues. Abraham was promised a child, by faith he received Isaac. By faith he offered up Isaac and by faith he received Isaac back alive. That must have been a great challenge naturally for Abraham.

However, his faith spoke volumes by his obedience to God. Faith, victory, and obedience cannot be separated. It is our obedience to the word that makes us walk in the victory that we already possess. This makes me consider the parable spoken of by Jesus. Two men built houses, the wise man built, likewise the foolish. The wise man experienced victory when life storms came. It was the same storm that affected both the foolish and the wise. That’s why the scriptures say nothing has happened to you such as is not common.

The difference between both men was the obedience clause. The wise and victorious man is a man that exercised faith in God and obeyed his word. The other man did not walk in victory because he did not obey the word.
Our obedience to Gods word is a conscious decision that we make. It’s acting on the word by the faith of God that we carry. This faith that knows NO DEFEAT.

As we choose to hold on to the Word, and be doers of the word as James 1:25 calls it, we walk in that victory that cannot fail. Because we have the self same faith that God has... THE FAITH OF God. I commend you to make a decision to walk in obedience to the word. Hence walk in victory.
Glory to God we have a world-overcoming faith! Keep rejoicing!!!

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in the Christ, and makes manifest the odour of his knowledge through us in every place. (2 cor 2:14)