God desires for all of His children to live victorious lives.

First John 5:4-5 reads, “For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.  Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (NKJV)

When we believe in Jesus, we are born again of God. Then we must learn how to fight our battles from a position of victory in Christ.

The Lord equipped us to live victorious lives. How? By our faith.

What is faith? The Amplified Bible defines faith in Christ as “the leaning of the entire human personality on God in absolute trust and confidence in His power, wisdom, goodness, and in His Word” (Colossians 2:5).

As believers in Christ, we have been granted the power to operate in the authority of Christ. Jesus said that whoever believes in him will do the works He did but even greater works because He went to the Father (see John 14:12).

The Word of God is alive and powerful (see Heb 4:12). Yet there is no power available to us when do not open the Bibles on our end tables or the Bible apps on our devices.

To know how to operate in the authority of the Word of God, we need to know the Word. Therefore, we must spend time reading, meditating, studying, and listening to the Word of God in order to know who God is and to have “absolute trust and confidence” in Him.

Then by faith, we activate His power. Where does the power come from?

When we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we receive the Holy Spirit. Before Jesus’ resurrection He promised us that He would send the Holy Spirit who will clothe us with power from on high (Luke 24:49). And after Jesus’ ascension, the disciples with others waited in the upper room for the Holy Spirit. When the Holy Spirit came upon them, they had power! (see Acts 1:8)

After my son was sent to prison, I fell into deep despair. One afternoon while lying on my son’s bed weeping for him, I looked across the room and saw that the floor lamp was unplugged. A question pop into my thoughts, “Does that lamp have any power?”

I thought, “No, it’s unplugged.”

Then I heard, “You’re like that lamp. Unplugged.”

I allowed depression to disconnect me from the power source I have in Christ. I decided at that moment to plug into the power of God. When we feel weak, we can ask for the Holy Spirit to fill us with His power.

We are equipped for victory with the power of the Holy Spirit who prompts us with the Scripture needed for the situation we face.

Though we are equipped for victory with the Word of God and the power of the Holy Spirit, we do not always feel victorious.

I’m sure you’ve heard it said or read it somewhere that “faith is not a feeling.” Let’s ponder for a moment about Jesus. Do you think Jesus felt like going to the cross?

Just before his arrest, Jesus prayed three times, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39 NKJV).

Jesus did not feel like going to the cross as He asked His Father to take it from Him, but He desired to fulfill the will of His Father more. So by faith, He took our penalty on the cross and gave us victory.

Today, I ask you to join me by faith, that is making a choice in spite of your feelings, to equip yourself to live victoriously by operating in the authority of His Word and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Let’s pray:

Father God, I thank You that Jesus chose to operate in the authority of Your Word and the power of the Holy Spirit. By faith, He made the sacrifice and shed His blood for me to have life and to be equipped to live in victory. Today I choose by faith, in spite of my feelings, to live a victorious life by the authority You have given to me in Your word and by the filling of the Holy Spirit so that I am empowered to do Your will. In Jesus name, Amen.

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To stir up your faith and learn more about how to live in victory, be sure to check out this new book.

In Appeal to the Courtroom of Heaven: Petitions for Prisoners and Prison Families I share my unexpected prison family journey testimony. I also point out how the Lord redeemed the worst-of-the-worst offenders found in the pages of the Bible and explain an effective prayer strategy I learned from this experience.

I pray my transparency and vulnerability points to the source of HOPE for those who lost hope in the midst of despair.

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