Jesus won the victory for us on the cross of Calvary. The war is over and victory has been won. We must believe it! Back in chapter 5, verses 1 & 2, Paul reminded us “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” The phrase in this verse I want to focus on is “the grace in which we stand.” In Ephesians chapter 6, Paul explains the Spiritual armor that every believer needs to “stand” against the strategies of the enemy. He says repeatedly how important it is for us “to stand.” We are not to surrender ground for any reason. Please notice that our stance is in “the Grace” of God. It’s not in our strength or our intellect or our will power or in a procedure, a process, or a principle; instead it is God’s grace demonstrated on our behalf on Calvary. How do we occupy this land called “grace.” There’s only one way to get there. There is only one way to occupy this land. It is the same way for both. The road leading to and the way to maintain our victory through God’s Grace is Faith! Faith is the channel that opens God’s grace to us in spite of all our sin and weakness and failures that lead us to frustration, confusion, defeat, discouragement and despair.

The Old Testament always associates victory with the power of God. It’s his omnipotent hand that gave David and the Israelites the victory. He is the God of power and glory and majesty who is in full control of his creation. Some of my favorite verses are in chapter 29 and verse 11. You’ve heard me quote Jeremiah 29:11 frequently. It says, “I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord: Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” 1 Chronicles 29:11 says, “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, and you are exalted as head above all.”

He gives us that victory! It belongs to all believers! This is one of the major themes of the book of Hebrews as all the saints of old are considered as victors even amidst trials, persecution and even martyrdom. But even more clearly, the Apostle John, says, in his first Epistle, Chapter 5, verses 4 and 5, “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” Through the channel of faith, Christians know the victory because of what God has done in Jesus Christ. We can look without fear at the complete vanquishing of sin and death! We are the champions!