"True Victory"

WARNING: This blog post is not funny in any way, but a transparent look at what God is doing in my personal heart!

We all love a good victory and we love to talk about it long after it is over. My boys all returned home wet from watching the Auburn Tigers play football in the rain. They came home early celebrating Auburn's impending victory. To quote Joshua "We were creaming them so we came on home." We all love to boast in our victories. I love the word "victory" but recently God has been changing the way I view the victories in my life.   Matt and I had the privilege of attending Lakeview's preaching class reunion this weekend. We look forward to this each year because it is such a sweet time of blessing and refreshing for us. Each year the ladies (all ministry wives) have a special time of sharing and praying for one another. In years past I have shared with them some of the things I have struggled with such as fear, church struggles,  health and worry. This year I was happy to provide a praise report that 2008-2009 has been a year of victories for us in so many areas. I have been reading Jerry Bridges book Pursuit of Holiness and last night I became very convicted about my praise report of victories. I realized that "I" was becoming conceited about the victories. I was more concerned about becoming victorious in these areas than I ever was about grieving over the fact that these were sins in my life. Victories come out of obedience to God. I never saw it that way before. I was "waiting" to be free from these things in my life that had me bound and I was "waiting" on God to take them away, when all the while He was waiting on me to be obedient. As we are obedient to God and His word in thought, actions, spirit and in words, we do become victorious over sins, but it is to His glory. It is my prayer that I will be more concerned about the fact that I am grieving the heart of God by sinning than I am about "gaining" these victories in my life. I want to walk in obedience to Him thus winning the victory over sin, but for His glory not for my book of victories. May we all walk victorious lives as we obey Him all the way, right a way and with a happy heart.

I Corinthians 15:55-58 "Where, o death is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that you labor in the Lord is not in vain."