God's Cure: Devotions From Time of GraceSample

We won already

Life is a struggle. There is no way around it. Life is hard, full of setbacks, and acquaints everyone on earth with pain. Take a walk through a nursing home, a prison pod, a neonatal intensive care unit, a homeless shelter, or a mental health wing. I can’t blame you if some days it looks to you as if we are all just a collection of the walking wounded. Satan whispers that you are a loser.

Actually, you aren’t. In fact, you have won already. Christ has overcome sin, Satan, death, grave, and hell. Through faith in him you have too. Yes--now. Already. “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them [i.e., false prophets and evil spirits], because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). You can rise above your pain and setbacks because they are temporary. They are part of life that is sliding by and will soon pass away.

Christ’s cross changes the Father’s “Guilty!” verdict upon you to “Not Guilty!” Christ’s resurrection enables him to promise that whoever believes in him will never perish.

Christ indwells you. You are bonded to him--you are part of his body. And even if it drives Satan into a rage, you can start your victory dance now, so certain is the outcome. Since the One who is in you (Christ) is greater than the one who is in the world (Satan), you are too.