Winning

Just like everyone else, I want to be a winner in life.  I’m sure you do too.  “Winning” may cause you to think of the perception of you, the character of who you really are, and giving the best effort to do the best of which you are capable.  One definition of winning is to successfully accomplish goals, best competition, and generally not losing. To add to this:  American culture implies that achieving wealth, respect or fame is the summit of winning.

Many blogs and articles are written about HOW to win: developing positive habits, positive thinking, goals, planning, focus, etc. instead of the most important aspect of winning- WHAT we are trying to win.

We may be trying to win against many things: others, self, nature, circumstances or evil.    This can be overwhelming and intimidating. We simply can’t accomplish a true God win on our own merit.  This is why we allow ourselves to get so stressed out. Ephesians 6:10-18 explains who we are really competing and fighting against; our sinful nature and the enemy of our souls.  Without Christ, it is impossible to win over the flesh and sin.  This is often overlooked, forgotten or qualified by natural thinking that it can’t be that easy.  The above behaviors of doing your best and working hard are vain and worthless compared to what God’s expectations are.   The good news is that we are already winners as children of God and heirs with Jesus.

Romans 8:31-39Amplified Bible (AMP)

31 What then shall we say to [all] this? If God is for us, who [can be] against us? [Who can be our foe, if God is on our side?]

32 He who did not withhold or spare [even] His own Son but gave Him up for us all, will He not also with Him freely and graciously give us all [other] things?

33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect [when it is] God Who justifies [that is, Who puts us in right relation to Himself? Who shall come forward and accuse or impeach those whom God has chosen? Will God, Who acquits us?]

34 Who is there to condemn [us]? Will Christ Jesus (the Messiah), Who died, or rather Who was raised from the dead, Who is at the right hand of God actually pleading as He intercedes for us?

35 Who shall ever separate us from Christ’s love? Shall suffering and afflictionand tribulation? Or calamity and distress? Or persecution or hunger or destitution or peril or sword?

36 Even as it is written, For Thy sake we are put to death all the day long; we are regarded and counted as sheep for the slaughter.

37 Yet amid all these things we are more than conquerors [a]and gain a surpassing victory through Him Who loved us.

38 For I am persuaded beyond doubt (am sure) that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities, nor things impending and threatening nor things to come, nor powers,

39 Nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation will be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Because of Christ, we are able to perceive ourselves as God perceives us: as pure, children of God; endowed with gifts of the Spirit, walking in His will for us, and loved unconditionally. We have an eternal inheritance as joint heirs with Christ.   I am a winner and so are you not by human efforts but by God’s grace.