Faith is the Victory
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The day after the Rutgers’ women’s basketball team reached the NCAA finals radio talk show host Don Imus made some derogatory comments about the team members and their coach. The coach, C. Vivian Stringer, called radio talk show host Don Imus’ comments, “despicable, abominable, and unconscionable.” The team overcame much adversity to reach the championship finals – Coach Stringer overcame much as well. In reply to Imus’ degrading remarks, Coach Stringer gave what I saw as a powerful, inspired sermon during a national news conference held in the Rutgers’ gym. She gave thanks to the Lord who brought the team and herself to a place of victory. |
In her 20 years as a coach she described the many trials that God had brought her through. Such as being the first black cheerleader in her school, the disability of her daughter, the sudden death of her husband, and many other obstacles through which the Lord gave her victory.
Victory results from overcoming. I recently heard a pastor say, “Victory is more than a word on a church sign.” We must be victorious in our personal lives. Have you noticed how often David referred to VICTORY? “The Lord is my strength and song; he has given victory. Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly” (Psalm 118:14-15 NLT). “You have given me your shield of victory” (Psalm 18:35 NLT).
There is a shield of victory for the godly. “And this is the victory that overcomes the world – our faith” (I John 5:4 NASB). Our shield of victory is faith in the promises of God; (Psalm 18:30 NLT); the authority of the Lord (Psalm 118:10; Matthew 28:18-20 NLT). The finished work of Christ, “And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony and they did not love their life even to death” (Revelation 12:11 NASB).
We must use our shield of faith (Ephesians 6:16) to live a victorious life. Then with the psalmist David we can proclaim, “I will not die, instead, I will live to tell what the Lord has done” (Psalm 118:17 NLT).
by: Cliff Sanders