Weekday Devotionals
Devotional 8-19-21 - Written by Raquel Simmons
Victorious
Verse: Revelation 3:21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Thoughts: God’s desire for us is for us to be conquerors – to be victorious. We are victorious when we are Jesus in this world. How is it possible to be Jesus to the world? I am not Jesus! No, you are not Jesus, and neither am I. But the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you and me if we believe the message of the Gospel. The moment we believe, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. With this gift comes more gifts! Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control are the fruits or the byproducts of living a life led by the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23) These words are beautiful. However, they can be hard to live out. The good news is we have someone to help us with this, a Helper.
As Christians, we are not called to live an average life. We are called to live victoriously. We should stand out! We should be different from the world around us. Different in the way we speak to our loved ones, our children and spouse. Different in the way we handle stress and inconveniences in our lives. Different in the way we handle tragedy and heartbreak. Different in how we treat others who do wrong to us, betray us, and abandon us. ‘Average’ looks like hurting the person who hurt me to even the score. ‘Victorious’ looks like forgiving the person who hurt me, because the reason they hurt others is from their own brokenness and unhealed parts of their soul. ‘Average’ looks like participating in the gossip that finds it’s way through church, work, or among friends. ‘Victorious’ looks like speaking life giving words of encouragement and love to our enemies, even if they don’t deserve that from us. ‘Average’ looks like unmanageable fear, panic, doubt, and hopelessness when tragedy occurs. ‘Victorious’ looks like remaining faithful to our God because He is always faithful to us. Choosing joy and peace in the darkest moments.
Recently, I went through a very difficult time with my health. Several nights, as I lay there in bed in the middle of the night, fear and panic would take over with thoughts that I was going to die. The panic attacks would come full force and I felt paralyzed by them. It took everything in me to fight back by putting on worship music, praising God through the pain, and reading Scripture. Falling to my knees repeatedly to pray “God you are good. You are all I need. You are faithful to me. I will remain faithful to you.” I could have chosen ‘average’ in those moments… I could have cursed God and doubted His goodness. I could have walked away believing that He did not answer prayers. Believing that I was forgotten, and that God did not see my pain. I chose to be ‘victorious’ just as God calls us to do. Not in denial of my pain and fear, but in recognition of He who was and is with me. He holds me in the palm of His hand. He who knows how many hairs ware on my head. He who knows my very thoughts before I even think them. He sees me, knows me, and loves me more than I could ever fathom.
Application: To be victorious, is when Christ’s character and my character are the same. A character of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. This is possible through the Holy Spirit that is alive in us! Life on Earth is not easy, but we can be conquerors through Him. Today and every day, let’s surrender to the Holy Spirit and live a life of victory.
- Raquel
Victorious
Verse: Revelation 3:21 To the one who is victorious, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22 Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”
Thoughts: God’s desire for us is for us to be conquerors – to be victorious. We are victorious when we are Jesus in this world. How is it possible to be Jesus to the world? I am not Jesus! No, you are not Jesus, and neither am I. But the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you and me if we believe the message of the Gospel. The moment we believe, we are given the gift of the Holy Spirit. With this gift comes more gifts! Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control are the fruits or the byproducts of living a life led by the Holy Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-23) These words are beautiful. However, they can be hard to live out. The good news is we have someone to help us with this, a Helper.
As Christians, we are not called to live an average life. We are called to live victoriously. We should stand out! We should be different from the world around us. Different in the way we speak to our loved ones, our children and spouse. Different in the way we handle stress and inconveniences in our lives. Different in the way we handle tragedy and heartbreak. Different in how we treat others who do wrong to us, betray us, and abandon us. ‘Average’ looks like hurting the person who hurt me to even the score. ‘Victorious’ looks like forgiving the person who hurt me, because the reason they hurt others is from their own brokenness and unhealed parts of their soul. ‘Average’ looks like participating in the gossip that finds it’s way through church, work, or among friends. ‘Victorious’ looks like speaking life giving words of encouragement and love to our enemies, even if they don’t deserve that from us. ‘Average’ looks like unmanageable fear, panic, doubt, and hopelessness when tragedy occurs. ‘Victorious’ looks like remaining faithful to our God because He is always faithful to us. Choosing joy and peace in the darkest moments.
Recently, I went through a very difficult time with my health. Several nights, as I lay there in bed in the middle of the night, fear and panic would take over with thoughts that I was going to die. The panic attacks would come full force and I felt paralyzed by them. It took everything in me to fight back by putting on worship music, praising God through the pain, and reading Scripture. Falling to my knees repeatedly to pray “God you are good. You are all I need. You are faithful to me. I will remain faithful to you.” I could have chosen ‘average’ in those moments… I could have cursed God and doubted His goodness. I could have walked away believing that He did not answer prayers. Believing that I was forgotten, and that God did not see my pain. I chose to be ‘victorious’ just as God calls us to do. Not in denial of my pain and fear, but in recognition of He who was and is with me. He holds me in the palm of His hand. He who knows how many hairs ware on my head. He who knows my very thoughts before I even think them. He sees me, knows me, and loves me more than I could ever fathom.
Application: To be victorious, is when Christ’s character and my character are the same. A character of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-control. This is possible through the Holy Spirit that is alive in us! Life on Earth is not easy, but we can be conquerors through Him. Today and every day, let’s surrender to the Holy Spirit and live a life of victory.
- Raquel
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