The Bible says everyone who has been born of God can have a victorious Christian life (1 John 5:4-5). But some find it difficult because either they do not know what it is or the key to having it. So what is the victorious Christian life? What is needed in order to have a victorious life?

In the text I just mentioned above, John is not talking about victory in heaven but victory on earth – a daily victory that comes as a result of faith. We do not have to wait until we get to heaven before we can start living a victorious life. If 1 John 5:4-5 is not true in the life of every Christian, then something must be wrong.

Many Christians may have never heard of the victorious Christian life and continue living in sin because the enemy is working double or even triple time to keep this knowledge from them.

The Victorious Christian Life

In the same way that our salvation was a gift that we received by grace through faith in the Lord Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9), victory is also a gift we receive from God by faith. We can never attain it in our own strength; that is way too impossible.

When a person places his faith in Christ, he begins a new life in the Spirit. He then starts living a fruitful life – a life that is pleasing to God, victory over sin and a life with direction, fulfillment, and meaning. The problem is that he is unable to sustain it because he is unable to resist temptations, gets preoccupied with daily routine and spends most of his time and energy in pursuit of a career, business or family resulting in the loss of life’s meaning and direction.

Sadly, many Christians today are in this situation. They feel very close to God at one point or another but slowly drifted away. Also, many are like the foolish Galatians who tried to continue in the flesh (Galatians 3:1-3). We must never forget that victory is the work of the Savior in us, not our accomplishment in the least.

The Key to Living a Victorious Christian Life

God promised victory to everyone who comes to faith in Christ. But the key to having a victorious life is our identification with Christ. When Christ died, we also died and were buried with Him through baptism. But just as Christ was raised from the dead, we will also be raised to life (Romans 6:3-5; Galatians 2:20).

The key to a victorious Christian life is to be in total union with God, letting Him be the Lord of our lives.

Maintaining a Victorious Christian life

Psalm 1:1-3 gives us some guidelines to follow and the blessings that come as a result of our obedience to them. Although the passage talks about the nation of Israel, it can also be applied to Christians today.

1) Do not follow the advice of the wicked or stand around with sinners or join in with mockers.

Psalms 1:1

Israel was a unique and separate people; they were among the other nations but not to be contaminated by them (Exodus 19:5-6; Numbers 23:9; Deuteronomy 32:8-10; 33:28). So it is with Christians today; we are in this world but not of this world (John 17:11-17).

In the secular world, we might be tempted to join the crowd in order to “belong.” But let us be aware that friendship with the world makes us enemies with God (James 4:4). People might dislike or even hate us but we must stand our ground and stick with the Word of God (Romans 12:2). Let us not forget that if the world hated Jesus and His followers, they will also hate us because of Christ.

It can also lead to being corrupted by the world (James 1:27) and loving the world. The Bible warns us about loving the world and anything in this world because the love of the Father will not be in us. Also, because everything in this world is temporary (1 John 2:15-17). Our citizenship is in heaven; we are just pilgrims on this earth (Philippians 3:20; 1 Peter 2:1-12).

Related article: How to Set Your Mind on Things Above

2) Delight in the Law of the Lord and meditate them day and night.

Psalms 1:2

Delighting in the word and meditating on the word must go together; for whatever we enjoy, we think about and pursue. If we enjoy badmouthing other people, doing things against the will of God and watching ungodly shows, these things will be what constantly occupy our thoughts and we will keep on doing them.

Whereas, when we enjoy reading and meditating God’s word, we will live by them and enjoy a victorious life. Reading and meditating God’s word will keep our thoughts and heart guarded against sin; it also causes us to be prosperous and successful (Joshua 1:8). In other words, delighting in the word of God and meditating them day and night enables us to live the victorious Christian life.

3) He who meets the stated conditions in Psalms 1:1-2 is like a tree who is planted by the rivers of water who is prosperous in every way.

Psalms 1:3

Like a tree, the godly person is alive, beautiful, fruitful, useful and enduring. The most important part of a tree is the hidden root system that draws up water and nourishment, and the most important part of the believer’s life is the “spiritual root system” that draws on the hidden resources we have in Christ (Ephesians 3:17; Colossians 2:7).

This is known as abiding or remaining in Christ (John 15:1-9). It’s a tragedy when a believer ignores the “root system” and begins to wither. We must remember that the tree doesn’t eat the fruit, others eat it. We must also remember that fruit isn’t the same as “results,” because fruit has in it the seed for more fruit.

“Fruit comes from life, the life of God flowing in and through us.”

What is the fruit that Christians bear? The fruits that we bear include our character (the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22), our actions and decisions. Is the fruit of the Holy Spirit evident in our lives as believers? Is Christ’s character seen in us? How much fruit do you bear? Psalms 1:3 describes the tree bearing fruit “in its season.” It means regularly. Do you bear fruit occasionally or regularly?

Conclusion

If it is true that we are dead to sin in Christ, the only thing for us to do is yield, submit and offer our lives to God. We have been brought to life from death, transformed from the darkness into the light, and living on resurrection ground – on the victory side of the cross. Sin and death have no more hold over us so we should not be living in sin, fear, and worry.

Related article: What is the Significance of the Resurrection?

As Christians, we still have our own free-will. But if we choose victory, we may certainly have it as a gift from the Lord. Victory can be ours as we rest in the Lord constantly and obey all the commands of the Holy Spirit to us. But if we reject this gift of victory we will continue to live a defeated Christian life.

Let us begin today to live the victorious life that Jesus Christ has already won for us.

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