Immovable In Victory
“57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 15:57-58 NKJV
Paul is reminding us to always have a heart of thankfulness to God, regardless of what we might be facing in life because He has already provided the victory for us. In fact, the word that Paul uses is “gives”. God gives us the victory in Jesus. The impression we are left with is that the victory is not something that is yet it to come, it already exists. Jesus has seen your needs before you were even aware of the need yourself. In fact, Jesus saw all your needs before you were even born and He provided for every one of those needs. He has provided and gives it to us as we receive those victories in faith.
Your victories are not something yet to come that must be petitioned and lobbied for. He already has the victory for you in every single thing that you will face today. If you believe that then it is should be easy to have a heart and attitude of thankfulness to Him.
Then in verse 58, we see that because you are His and in His love, you are told to be steadfast and immovable in that confidence. It doesn’t matter if you see the victory at this moment. You know from His Word and from previous experience that He has already provided the victory and gives it to you freely. It is done and ready to be received. Don’t let the enemy who is already defeated knock you off your position of receiving His victory. Remain in a position to receive, praise Him and be steadfast in that praise regardless of immediate appearances and receive your victory in Him. Receive in faith demonstrated through your thankful heart and words, the victory that God has already prepared for you in Jesus.
Part of your being steadfast means that you continue in your service to Him. We often get frustrated when we don’t see things happening in our life as quickly as we would like, and it causes us to doubt whether He will really deliver us to a place of victory this time. It is when we give into that uncertainty in Him that we begin to serve self and no longer listen and obey. This is when we think more about ourselves and the situations we are facing then we are focused on Him. This is when it gets hard to hear His voice and we feel even more desperate. Remember the simple instruction that will always lead forward to the position where we can receive His victory. That instruction is to have thanks in our hearts to God for the victory that is already prepared in Jesus and that He gives us freely. It is already given and I am just waiting for delivery. I receive that delivery with a heart that is thankful despite appearances.
No matter what things look like today, thank Him for your victory in Jesus and keep focused on Him and your daily service to Him. Soon enough you will find yourself in the position of receiving His victory in your life.
J Todd Hostetler