God's Strategy for Victory I

God’s Strategy for Victory I

1Cor. 10:1-14

Struggling with re-occurring sins? Feeling like you are trapped in habits and patterns that have become progressively worse? Have you ever said, "That will never happen to me!"? All of these questions point to some struggle with temptations! We need a way to win the battles against temptations. Without exception trials and temptations are welded to the human experience. Whether we are saved or lost the same holds true. Everyone on the planet is facing some sort of test at one time or another. All of us know what it means to feeling enticed by something forbidden, illegal, or unholy. We all have acutely felt the invitations of evil and have believed the false promises of satisfaction, thrills, or significance. Every one of us can also testify to the fact that the devil does not tell us everything up front nor in the heat of the moment. After we have failed and sinned comes the seemingly endless waves of guilt, remorse, sorrow, pain, disappointment, questions, disillusionment, and on the lists of regrets and consequences continue.

We need a way to win these battles with our temptations. Whether “temptation” means a certain person at the office, church, or in the community, we desperately need a way to beat temptations. Whether “temptation” is a long grueling trial in our family, walk with the Lord, physical body, Internet life, or a relationship, we need a means of enduring without failing the Lord or ourselves. The good news is God has made provision for Christians to experience real victory in our battles with temptations. What then is God’s winning strategy for reoccurring temptations?  How can we break the chains of defeats and become victorious? Actually, part of a sound strategy for overcoming temptations consists of refusing an overconfident attitude about our ability to handle them. God’s strategy for victory over temptations involves listening to His warnings, adopting His perspective, and trusting Him to supply power and grace to continue in righteous victory.

A CAUTION: Listen to God’s Warnings to Avoid Overconfidence While Facing Temptations (1Cor. 10:11-12).

Never let your guard down because of overconfidence in the face of temptation or never embrace a false sense of security. Sometimes we place too much stock in our privileges, situation, or perceived advantages, and fail to meet each battle with full strength. Such missed placed confidence manifests itself as overconfidence and we are blindsided by the magnitude of a test or enticement to do evil. There are three lessons we must learn in this connection.

Great Privileges Do Not Necessarily Provide an Impregnable Defense Against Temptations (1Cor. 10:1-5). Correctly Harold Willmington wrote,

The ancient Israelites enjoyed God's supernatural signs and spiritual blessings, but all to no avail, for their hearts were not right before him (10:1-5). The tragedies that befell them were recorded as object lessons and warnings to us, lest we also fall (10:6-11). We should always be on guard against temptation, trusting God to help us resist it (10:12-13).

Great opportunities, benefits, and promise do not guarantee great outcomes (10:1-4). Israel had received numerous blessings of God’s grace and witnessed many miracles performed before their very eyes. But they still failed!

Spiritual privileges do not prevent us from falling into sin.  Yes, we are saved; yes, we have some strength in the Lord. Yes, we belong to a Bible preaching church. Yes, we have viable ministries to introduce people to Christ. Yes, we have a well-equip ministry staff of great experience in Christian service. Yes, we habitually walk in the truth of God’s Word, but none of these eliminate the possibility of falling into sin. While it is true such privileges will make us less vulnerable to temptation and sin, nothing eradicates the possibility.  In fact our pride about our privileges can be the very thing the devil uses to drag us down into great sin!

Adam and Eve had splendid privileges as perfect human being living in perfect harmony with God, but still she fell into temptation and they sinned! While we want to use whatever advantages the Lord affords us to become strong against temptations, we must also recognize their limitations and our persistent vulnerabilities.

The Failures of Others Should Serve As Examples And Warnings To Us (1Cor. 10:6-11).

Yes, Israel gave in to temptation and fell into sin Repeatedly (1Cor 10:6-12). They were guilty of “lusting,” idolatry (Ex 32), fornication (Numb. 25), tempting God (Numb. 21:4-6), and complaining (Numb. 14 & 16). These forms of rebellion and sin are serious and God does indeed judge them. Some of these rebels died immediately (see 1 Cor. 11:29-31), and others were not permitted to enter the Promised Land. They were saved from Egypt but lost the privilege to claim their rich inheritance. There are consequences of enslavement to sin and entrenchment to wicked lifestyles as a result of repeatedly giving in to certain allurements. 

The meaning of Israel’s failures is not limited to their historical value (10:11). They are warnings to us who are living in this gospel age (10:11). “Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall” (1 Cor. 10:12). Possibly you view trivial fleshly indulgences as of little consequence. A little complaining here, a tiny bit of ingratitude there, and a slight measure of lusting every now and again never hurt anyone…right? Perhaps you feel you can dabble with self-gratification and not be affected by it. Maybe you have convinced yourself that you can handle high living, lax attitudes about self-control, pleasure mongering, and self-indulgence. Such deceived individuals are in the greatest danger of falling into sin.

The Bible is filled with examples of the dangers of overconfidence. Sennacherib, king of Assyria (Isa. 36-38), was enjoying tremendous victory as he conquered the nations and kingdoms of the Middle East. Standing outside Jerusalem’s walls, his general Rabshakeh taunted Israel with the boast that her God could no more save her than the idol gods of other lands had saved them. A short time later, the Angel of the Lord was dispatched to strike down 185,000 troops in the camp of the Assyrians. When the surviving members of the camp awakened early the next morning, they found dead soldiers strewn everywhere. A few days after, this same defeated king returned to Nineveh, Assyria, where he was assassinated by two of his sons and succeeded on the throne by a third (Isa. 37:36–38). He was prideful, arrogant, blasphemous, self-sufficient, and he placed too much stock in his military might. If we are wise, we will learn from the failures of others and not pretend that we are better than they just because we have not falling into sin. Lusting/coveting, premarital sex, bitter complaining, pride, defying/daring God, deifying celebrities, revering sports figures, worshipping high-powered leaders, and loving/trusting money are serious sins in the eyes of Almighty God. Such behaviors are not only prevalent in society, but even ‘Christians’ are sanctioning many of these blatant violations of God perfect standard! The failures of others are not opportunities to gloat, but promptings to take serious inventory of our condition instead!

These Warnings Instruct Us To Avoid Overconfidence When Facing Temptations (1Cor. 10:12). One of the surest ways to fall into temptation and sin is to become overconfident.

Each Christian must be careful to avoid becoming Cocky and Overoptimistic by Overestimating our strength against sin (10:11-12). We can become too sure of ourselves, almost prideful. If Israel fell into idolatry, so could we. Many believers feel themselves perfectly secure in their Christian lives believing that they have arrived. They are saved, baptized, well taught, part of a Bible preaching church, and presumably mature. They think they are strong enough to freely associate with lost friends in their social activities and not be affected morally or spiritually, as long as they don’t participate in outright immorality or sin.

Temptations are common to everyone, even mature Christians. The noblest souls are often the ones most tempted. It seems that Satan assaults Christians in positions of leadership with his strongest weapons. Therefore, we must all be on our constant spiritual guard (Wiersbe).  There are dangers to maturity as well as to immaturity, and one of them is overconfidence. When we think we are strong, we discover that we are weak. The strong believer who assumes he has enough experience to handle anything may find himself struggling with an enemy who is too strong for him (Wiersbe).

No human being is ever beyond temptation while he or she is on this earth. We are warned to not let down our guard. Those most liable to fall are those who think they will not. “O, that will never happen to me,” they say! We cannot live long on the far edge of risk without falling into sin. When a Christian becomes so confident of his strength that he thinks he can handle any situation, he is in great danger of falling. The danger is not of falling from salvation but of falling from holiness and from usefulness in service. It is a serious danger and the Lord does not take it lightly. Therefore, He warns us!

Peter discovered that he was extremely weak in the very area he thought himself strong! Satan will not seduce some of us in our areas of weaknesses; he will come by way of our strengths to destroy us. Peter was most vulnerable in an area of strength, not weakness! He assured Jesus, “Lord, I am ready to go with Thee, both into prison, and to death!” But, as Jesus then predicted, before dawn Peter denied three times that he even knew The Lord (Luke 22:33–34, 54–62). We all tend to be overconfident in the areas we feel are our strengths…beware.

We should also strenuously avoid the deceptive game of “comparison pride.” Unfortunately most of us can list people who are moral, ethical, and spiritual “failures.” We may become proud of ourselves as Believers who have “stood strong” by comparison. This is a dangerous game to play:

·         We ought to take their failures as sober warnings of our own vulnerability to sin.

·         Such comparisons fail to demonstrate compassion for others who have failed.

·         Such prideful comparisons evidence NO respect or concern for the dangers of false confidence.

·         We must place our confidence in God rather than in our personal record or efforts.

If you visited the Golan Heights you would see the place where, in 1967, the Israelis penetrated the Syrian defenses and secured that strategic area for themselves. From those heights Syrian guns overlooked most of the Galilee region of northern Israel and were a constant threat. The entire Golan area was closely guarded by the Syrians, except for one spot where the cliffs were so high and sheer that they seemed perfectly safe from attack. One night, however, Israeli bulldozers cut out the cliffs enough to push tanks up to the top. By morning a large contingent of tanks, followed by infantry and supported by fighter planes, completely overran the Syrian positions and secured an area that extended ten miles inland. The spot the Syrians thought to be the safest turned out to be the most vulnerable (Source Unknown).

I Want To Be A Winner

Like any honest Believer, we readily confess that we are far from perfect. Regrettably, we still sin against God, disappoint our love ones, and ourselves. Acknowledging that we are SAVED sinners and not perfect saints is helpful, but not enough. Deep inside we truly yearn for the day when sin will be something we use to do before we were glorified in Christ. For now, we fight the good fight of faith against indwelling sin. Sometimes we win these battles with our old nature while other times we are too painfully aware of our repeat failures. Our situation could deteriorate to the point where it gets harder and harder to face family, friends, and our pastor; they all desire the very best in Christ for us. We are afraid of disappointing them...again.... If we are not careful to confess and repent of sin, feelings of shame will begin to dominate our choices and lifestyle. As a result, temptations to pretend everything is alright, cover up the truth, just put on the mask, and hope no one discovers the truth will developed into a habit. Eventually, we will feel trapped in hypocrisy and afraid to trust anyone with our...real situation.... Who can you turn to? What can a Believer do to win more of these battles? Must we struggle in defeat until the Rapture? God must have designed something to help us win these battles with the flesh more consistently…right?

Actually, our wonderful all-wise Lord has made provisions for consistent spiritual victory for every Believer. The key is our identification with Jesus Christ and His death, burial, and resurrection. Christ is victorious over sin and we share in His victory by faith in Him. The procedure for translating Christ’s triumph into our personal experience is the vital objective. Converting our identification with our mighty Lord Jesus into our daily experience for continuous victory and progressive sanctification is our focus. It is one thing to know intellectually the Spirit seeks to sanctify Christians; it is quite another matter to experience God’s life-giving power transforming us from within. Such changes may be small at first, but as we depend more on the Spirit for specific spiritual needs more significant changes will occur. As we continue in this manner, our motives, ambitions, and behaviors will become more like those of Christ than those of our “old man.”

These positive developments do not unfold automatically; each believer must make the right choices, walk in the Spirit, believe God for changes, and discipline ourselves with great diligence (1 Cor. 9:24-27; Gal. 5:13-26; 2 Pet. 1:3-21). Then progressively, we will begin to realize more victories over the old lifestyle and sinful responses. Eventually our life will be more characterized by winning over indwelling sin than being defeated repeatedly and frustrated continually. It is not that we as Believers will become sinless, but we do sin less and less under the Spirit’s life-altering influence. It is as the Spirit of grace empowers us that we win these internal battles; as Christians we become winners in Christ! This is God's design and provision for you and me.

But how can we translate the life and power of the risen Christ into our personal experiences on a daily basis? Four vital attitudes of mind and action on a believer’s part should be recognized in order to experience victory continually. These Paul discussed in Romans 6:5-23 and the key actions are (a) Know (Rom. 6:3-6), (b) Reckon (Rom. 6:5-11), (c) Yield (Rom. 6:12-14), and (d) Serve (Rom. 6:15-23). It is the Spirit who does the work of sanctification, but each believer must choose, trust, cooperate, and participate in their spiritual transformation. Yes, there is a mysterious blending of the divine and human efforts to experience genuine change that will glorify God and prove good for the child of God (Phil. 2:12, 13). Consider then these four actions each Believer must learn and master.

KNOW

First we must “know” (Rom. 6:3, 6, 9, 16) the truth of victory through Christ. Yes, we presently have victory through Jesus Christ; every Believer needs to realize this truth. It has been well said, that we are not fighting for victory but from victory. Consider Wiersbe’s (1997) observation in Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament regarding what the believer needs to “know.”

This is the wonderful truth of our identification with Christ. Not only did Christ die for us, but we died with Him. When the Spirit baptized us into the body of Christ, then we were buried with Him and raised to newness of life.¹

While we still grapple with indwelling sin, we also have freedom from sin’s domination because Christ broke the power of sin through His death. We need to 'know' these facts and their significance to our daily experience in Christ. Again Dr. Wiersbe (1997) said,

Read 6:1–10 again and see for yourself that the believer is dead to sin (v. 2); the old nature has been crucified (v. 6); the believer is freed from sin (v. 7). The old nature can no longer reign as king over the Christian who knows the truth, reckons on it, and yields to the Lord.²   

Paul describes the struggle that goes on in a Believer who does not “know” the truth of his identification with Christ in death and resurrection (Rom. 7:15). It is the conflict between the two natures in the person who attempts to keep the Law in the energy of the flesh in search of holiness. Harry Foster in an article entitled Toward the Mark explains:

Here was a man trying to achieve holiness by personal effort, struggling with all his might to fulfill God’s “holy and righteous and good” commandments (v.12), only to discover that the more he struggled, the worse his condition became. It was a losing battle, and no wonder, for it is not in the power of fallen human nature to conquer sin and live in holiness (MacDonald & Farstad 1995, p. 1707).³

Notice how often the first-person pronouns—I, me, my, myself appear in this passage; they occur over forty times in Romans 7:9–25! Believers grappling with the Romans Chapter Seven experiences have “taken an overdose of “Vitamin I”⁴ observed MacDonald and Farstad (1995, p. 1707) in the Believer’s Bible Commentary.  They are introspective to the core, searching for victory in self, where it cannot be found. The Believer’s Bible Commentary (MacDonald & Farstad 1995, p. 1707) also affirmed,

Sadly, most modern Christian psychological counseling focuses the counselee’s attention on himself and thus adds to the problem instead of relieving it. People need to know that they have died with Christ and have risen with Him to walk in newness of life. Then, instead of trying to improve the flesh, they will relegate it to the grave of Jesus.⁵

In describing the struggle between the two natures, Paul relates feelings of perplexity and uncertainty about what to do (Rom. 7:15). People would lightly describe him today as having a split personality, a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He was repulsed by the fact that he commonly finds himself indulging in things that he did not want to do, and practicing things that he hates.  This is the battle each believer struggles with as we attempt to clean up our act before the Lord. Again the Christian must “know” the fact of his vital union with Christ in death and resurrection!

But, what is the elemental principle of the Believer’s union with Christ?  The fundamental rule of the Believer’s union with Christ demonstrates how salvation in Christ is not partial; it is an entire and complete salvation.  Paul proves this in the key verse Romans 6:14, which says, “For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.” Thus sin shall not dominate the life of Believers, it must not be allowed.  This is because Believers are no longer under law, but now under grace.  Our union with Christ makes all the difference. As we were in Adam, so now we are in Christ.  Believers have reaped all the consequences of what Adam did; we also have reaped all the consequences of what Christ has done.  That is the parallel. Christians are joined to Christ in every respect. We are not only joined in some respects, we are united to Christ entirely; one cannot divide Christ.  That is, we have been crucified, died, buried, and raised with Christ.  Currently we are considered seated with Him in heavenly places (Eph. 2:6; 1Cor. 1:30; Col. 3:1). Through union with Christ, every believer is a winner in our spiritual position. As struggling Christians we need to 'know' this truth!

In addition, as Believers we are not under Law, but we are under grace. Under the Law, Old Testament Believers could only struggle in their own strength to live up to God’s requirements. They had not the new nature, nor the Spirit’s power. Failure is the characteristic and ultimate outcome.  But under grace the child of God can live in the energy of the Spirit enabling us to satisfy all that God requires. Under grace we are endowed with the divine nature to enable spiritual living. As Christians, we must “know” we have the position, potential, and power to live out God’s will in the Lord Jesus Christ.

RECKON

Then secondly, the believer has the responsibility to “reckon” (Rom. 6:11). This is somewhat related to the concept of accounting. While it is good to 'know' we have a new position in Christ; we must, by faith, reckon it to be true in our own individual lives. We must count this reality as true of us personally. It is much like having money directly deposited into our bank account and concluding that it is actually there on a certain date of the month. We don’t have to verify the money has been deposited, we know that it has been and simply begin to use it to conduct our business. Dr. Wiersbe (1997) noted that “reckoning is simply that step of faith that says, “What God says about me in the Bible is now true in my life. I am crucified with Christ.””⁶ Reckoning is believing God’s Word and living accordingly; it is acting on what God said by faith (Heb. 11:13-16). It is the all-important appropriation step! Remembering and reflecting on this fact about oneself. Since Christians have identified with Christ (we enjoy a complete spiritual union with Him), what is true for Him can also be true for us as well. Again “knowing” relates to our position in Christ, but “reckoning” refers to appropriating Christ into our experience. This association takes root in our minds by an act of mental accounting. We can consider ourselves dead to sin just as Christ is, and alive to God like Him also. We are to reflect on the actual fact that Christ’s death and resurrection stand between whom we were and who we are presently in Christ. The old life has ended and the new one has begun.  We have absolutely no obligations to that old life before Christ. All obligations are now toward the God we love because of His mercy and grace. On this non-pretentious basis the new life and lifestyle takes shape and issues into righteous expressions that glorify God.

Please bear in mind this is not straining oneself to obey human rules or even commandments from the Bible in human energy. This is counting on our union and identification with Christ in crucifixion and resurrection to supply the desire and the dynamic where-with-all to live obediently to God in the power of the Spirit. That is, we count on the truth and the power of the Spirit to work through our commitments and decisions. The Spirit’s power, not human power is in view.  As such, we can refuse the domination of any sinful practice while living in triumph in Christ (Rom. 6:11, 12). Therefore, account Christ's death and resurrection as realities in your experience. 

YIELD

 The next action identified by Paul is “yield” (Rom. 6:13, 16). Yielding involves handing over control to another or giving them the final say about what should happen. It is the surrender of self and all at our disposal to God. Since Believers have been given new life by God, our bodies are to be given to Him to use for promoting righteousness. Instead of giving in to sin, we are to refuse sin’s tyrannical rule. Instead we are to wholly surrender our entire being in commitment to living for God’s glory. This in practical terms is a moment by moment presentation of ourselves to His service and will.   

It has been recognized (Wiersbe, 1997) that by yielding, believers can have victory over our fallen nature. This yielding is an act of the will, a step of conscious obedience to Christ. We must take this… step of yielding the members of our bodies to the Lord.⁷ It is submitting our will to God’s will while embracing the Spirit’s power and leadership. This is the power to dethrone sin in our lives. Yielding is releasing ourselves to explore all aspects of God’s plans. Resultantly, God literally runs—directs—our lives and decisions through His Spirit.  He is in charge in an experiential manner of our personal life, relationships, finances, priorities, problems, complications, the future, and the unknown. As Christians, you and I must yield; that is, hand over control to Him. Have enough confidence in the love, wisdom, grace, and power of God to give over control to Him. This is the only reasonable response to The God who sacrificed Himself for our eternal welfare and redemption.

SERVE

The last step to victory over indwelling sin through the believer’s union with Christ is “serve.” Clearly Paul acknowledged how all believers once served ‘Master Sin’ before conversion, but upon trusting Christ and being united to Him, we can now serve righteousness. The apostle Paul said, in Romans 6:16-19,

Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? ¹⁷ But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. ¹⁸ Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness. ¹⁹ I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.

The words “serve” and “servant” occurs repeatedly in this brief paragraph to signify this emphasis on service. The reason we Believers yield (8:13-16) the members of our bodies to God is that we may serve the Lord. Again Wierbe’s (1997) comments in Wiersbe's Expository Outlines on the New Testament are very helpful to understanding this important concept.

Before we were saved, we yielded ourselves to sin, and were the servants of sin. Consequently we received the “wages” of sin—death (v. 23). But now that we have received Christ as Savior, we have been made free from sin; that is, our new position in Christ gives us a new Master as well as a new nature. We are now the servants of righteousness instead of the servants of sin! As we yield the members of the body to Christ as his “tools” or “weapons” (“instruments,” v. 13), then He comes to control our lives, and we bear fruit unto holiness (v. 22).⁸

The answer to the problem of sin is not simply determination, discipline, reformation, legislation, or any other human endeavor. Victory comes through crucifixion and resurrection.⁹

Even though every believer is dead to sin and alive to God, and even though the life of Christ is in every believer, it does not mean that we are completely sinless and perfect. While these things are true of our redeemed spirit, which is entirely delivered from sin, it is not true of our bodies.  As spiritual beings, we are dead to sin because Christ has redeemed our spirits perfectly. Until the Rapture, our bodies remain in the struggle with indwelling sin (Rom. 6:6-18). Therefore, we must choose to live for God and yield our bodies to righteous service.  Though we are redeemed by God’s grace, our bodies still struggle with indwelling sin, which persistently attempts to drag us down.  Praise the Lord for Jesus Christ who delivers us from “the body of this death”! So, all believers can be winners instead of frustrated losers. God’s design is that we recognize our complete union/identification with Jesus Christ who died, was buried, and rose again to live in the power of resurrection life forever. Because of Jesus Christ, we should not only desire to be winners, but literally become winners continually!