He Gives Us The Victory

July 28

As any contest proves, there will always be a winner and there will always be a loser in a competition. Whether we’re talking about a classroom spelling bee or a championship play-off game in sports, someone will walk away wearing the winner’s crown and someone will slump away with his head bowed in defeat.

Few of us have the athletic prowess to enable us to compete in professional sports. We aren’t going to be among the trained, toned athletes who win the Super Bowl or the Stanley Cup. We won’t be among the wealthy horse breeders whose champions vie for the Triple Crown.

But we can indeed all be winners— eternal winners who succeed in attaining the one prize that assures our place in the ultimate winners’ circle. We can be like Paul who expressed his determination to attain the victory when he said in his letter to the Philippians 3:14, “I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

The one prize that is for every individual who was ever born is the salvation that was purchased by Jesus for all mankind at Calvary. By simply receiving His free gift, each of us becomes the recipient of the crown that entitles us to rule and reign with Him (see II Timothy 2:11, 12). We can then exclaim with Paul, “Thanks be to God for He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!” (I Corinthians 15:57)