Born To Win

Our daughter Robin signed every note, text, and email during her battle with cancer, “I win!” And indeed she did. At this very moment she stands in the presence of God a winner forever because Jesus never fails. Love never fails. She has, in Christ, everlasting life and she shared that life faithfully while she was on this earth. Through the cross we all win because, “This corruptible body puts on incorruption…. Death has lost its sting,” and we live forever in the presence of God. But until then, we are to live as faithful witnesses praying and becoming an answer to the prayers of others.

Jesus taught us to pray to our Father, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done,” right here, right now. We should live to become an answer to Jesus’ prayer in John 17. First, to be one with the Father as He is. That means we are to have a personal, intimate relationship with our Father. We presently face a dad crisis in America and throughout the world because we have an “our Father in heaven” crisis. People do not know Him. Good, godly parents point their families to the Father and they are inspired to fall in love with God as they behold Him and His matchless favor in lives committed to kingdom purpose.

Second, Jesus prayed that we would be “sanctified, perfected in truth.” He was again pointing to the truth that sets us free. His Word is truth and the truth does not divide the body of believers committed to His will, it brings us together on a rock-solid, unshakable foundation. Truth divides darkness from light and those who love evil. It is not to divide believers. We must understand that people see truth from different points of view and perspectives at different times in their lives. We are not to be pulled apart over what amounts to petty differences or even a matter of personal opinion or limited understanding. During the maturing process, we often see things differently. We must not pass judgment on one another harshly or we will find ourselves being judged. That doesn’t mean we don’t make righteous judgments about various situations and views. We should judge with discernment based upon the truth of God’s Word, but we should not pass judgment on other people’s hearts. Believe the best for them, believe in them, and help them grow in the truth and knowledge of God.

Many who profess to be Christians have been guilty of dividing into tribes, idolizing a particular point of view or teacher. God wants to deliver us from this tendency and He will do it in the power of love. If we walk in the Spirit, we’re not going to live in dissension, strife, and unnecessary division that manifests in people who are walking after the flesh. There are many people who are defending their view of truth and not recognizing that “the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” Too many people carry their Bibles without being carried by the Word and His Spirit. We need to be purified by the truth, not bludgeoned or divided by it.

Third, Jesus prayed for us to be perfected in unity so the world would know we are His disciples because of our love for one another. We have glimpsed this unity among believers a few times in history and every time we do, miraculous, positive changes take place. We desperately need another mighty outpouring of God’s love and power through His body, rightly connected and submitted to the Head – Christ.

The only answer and hope for a cure, both personally and nationally, is a supernatural spiritual awakening. If the church will come together as a family in love with the Father, one another and our neighbors, we will release the river of Christ’s transforming life on a world groping in darkness. The greater the darkness, the more obvious the light. The greater the turbulence, the higher the eagles will soar. We must be carried by supernatural power as Christ’s witnesses now because He is coming back for a church adorned in the glory of His supernatural power. We live, “looking forward to the Author and Finisher of our faith, laying aside every weight and the sin that so easily besets us. We run consistently and with patience the race that has been set before us.” We live as, “more than conquerors, as ambassadors for Christ,” filled with the Spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, faithfulness and holy boldness, enduring all things, exalting Him everywhere in every way and to Him be the Glory and honor forever and ever amen!