Sunday, September 16, 2018

The Joy That Comes With Victory

The kingdom of darkness often uses distractions to detour us from our God-given purpose. Distractions are meant to get us involved in anything other than what God wants us to do. The devil's aim is to distract us from God's way of life.

Paul warns believers in Second Corinthians 2:11 about the dangers of the devil's devices: "so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes" (NAS).

The things that try to distract me from what God has called me to do may never be a temptation to you. What's important is that we recognize the things that demand our attention for what they are: distractions.

Jesus never took His eyes off of His God-given purpose. Though the devil tried many times, not once was he successful in drawing Jesus off course. When the Holy Spirit led Jesus into the wilderness, the Bible gives us a record of three temptations the devil presented to Jesus. These temptations were an effort to lure Jesus away from the purpose and plan God had for His life.

With each temptation, however, Jesus resisted the enemy with three power-packed words: "...it is written..." (see Luke1:1-9). Jesus didn't focus on the hardship that lay before Him; instead, He focused on the end result: the joy that accompanies victory.

Notice what Hebrews 12:2 says, "He, for the joy [of obtaining the prize] that was set before Him, endured the cross and ignoring the shame, and is now seated at the right hand of the throne of God" (AMP).

In the same way, we must focus on the calling and purpose for our lives. Second Timothy 2:4 states, "No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier" (NAS).

Think about the men and women who serve their country in active military duty. They must remain focused on their mission because any distraction could result in the loss of lives. In the same way, we cannot afford to become entangled with the worldly affairs of life. Jesus lived in this world but never became entangled with it—we can live the same way.

Jesus kept His focus on God's plan for His life by looking beyond the immediate situations He faced and remained fixed on His purpose. John 4:34 says, "Jesus said to them, My food (nourishment) is to do the will (pleasure) of Him Who sent Me and to accomplish and completely finish His work" (AMP).

Doing the will of God nourished Jesus. In other words, it gave Him the energy and sustaining power to do whatever God required of Him. It has the power to do the same for us.

2 Corinthians Chapter 2

King James Version (KJV)

2 But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness.

2 For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me?

3 And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all.

4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.

5 But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all.

6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many.

7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow.

8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him.

9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things.

10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ;

11 Lest Satan should get an advantage of us: for we are not ignorant of his devices.

12 Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ's gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord,

13 I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia.

14 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

15 For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

16 To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

17 For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.