1st John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
This passage of scripture is not given the due consideration it deserves, for it is important that we understand the nature of the victory that needs to be accomplished in our lives, in our various battles with sin and self. The passage clearly states that the victory which overcomes the world is faith, so the next question is how does faith in God translate into victorious living, as it pertains to uprooting the evil tendencies that are deeply entrenched in our nature? The answer to this vital question begins with Christ, who lived a perfect life, and died so that we might once again be restored to fellowship with God, as it was in the beginning. The fact that Christ's righteousness has now become ours in actuality and in practice is a theme we should often dwell upon, for by so doing we would be kept from the fatal error of looking to our own efforts in recovery from sin.
In addition to this, it is very good that God has set up the plan of salvation in this manner, where Jesus is the center of everything pertaining to our redemption, for when we look closely at our own lives, we see some disturbing patterns of thoughts and actions, which could drive us to despair, were it not for the perfection of character that is imputed and imparted to us daily from Christ. Furthermore, if we were to judge ourselves by our performance of that which we know to be right, we will come up with an "F" grade every time, for under close scrutiny it is found that all our righteousness is as filthy rags, and therefore we are in desperate need of a perfect substitute which is found only in Jesus.
Here is where essential faith for living victoriously comes in, for even though we know and see powerful propensities to evil in our lives, yet we do not allow them to intimidate us in our efforts and desire to gain the victory, for God has promised to carry forward from one stage to another, the work He has begun in our lives, and we therefore are to rest confidently in His promises, knowing that He is able to perform that which He has covenanted to do. Thus our focus is on Christ, His character, and His ability to deliver on His promise, instead of us now focusing on our own feeble efforts at saving ourselves. This promise of God to complete that which He has begun in us is given via a sacred covenant in the scriptures, with the hope that Christ will be the center of our lives, our thoughts, our righteousness, our purposes, and our actions. Let's read:
Philippians 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make" ..... "after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people: 11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. 12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
Our youngest son used to insist that he put on his own shoes and tie his own laces when he was much younger, and try as we might to help him he would resist our input in the matter. So one day before we left home, he quietly put his shoes and laces on in his room, and came out brimming with a confident smile, to show us that he had done it without our help. His efforts at helping himself were indeed commendable, but there was only one problem, the left shoe was on the right foot and the right shoe was on the left foot, yet he stood before us, smiling and very confident of his own achievement.
The same thing takes place with us as Christians when we attempt to do what only God can do for ourselves, for although we are commanded to work out our own salvation with fear and trembling, yet we must never lose sight of the fact that it is God who works within us, to will and to do of His good pleasure. A good understanding and application of this fundamental and sacred truth will enable us to exercise that essential faith for victorious living, which has Christ at the front and center of everything that pertains to righteousness and our salvation. It will also keep us from becoming discouraged and disappointed in ourselves when we stumble and commit sins that were previously unknown to us.
We therefore end with a passage of scripture which reminds us that God is the one who instituted the plan of salvation through Christ, and He is the only one who can see the entire process through to its final completion in our lives. Let's read:
Ephesians 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, 5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ" .... 6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: 7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9 Not of works, lest any man should boast.
May The Lord add His blessing to the study and practice of His every word. God bless!