While I attended Bible School back in 1996-98, my roommate had a morning ritual that involved him running into the living room, which was my bedroom (long story for another time), and yelling, “Do you have the victory this morning?!” Then running back to his room. Depending on my mood on any given morning, is how you could imagine I felt with his explosive expression of intrusion! But I want to ask you the same question today, without the yelling of course, do you have the victory today? Your response is critical to the time and season we live in.
The phrase “possession is 9/10 of the law” is a familiar legal term. Although it is not truly a law, it holds different contexts and meanings depending on the situation. For instance, actual possession means one has custody and control of an item. The shoes you are wearing are presumed to be owned by you simply because you possess them. Constructive possession means an item may not be in hand, but there is knowledge and ability of the item that brings proof of ownership. If I lend you my car, you have possession of my car, but are not the owner.
Possession also carries the idea that there is an intent and ability to use or distribute.
When Jesus Christ became flesh, He entered the natural realm. He became a human to live for the sole purpose of revealing, restoring, and reinstating mankind to its God-given position and condition as God’s children. Through Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection, and ascension to the right hand of the Father, the possession of rights, privileges, and inheritance was placed fully back into the hands of each believer and the church at large.
We have custody, control, and knowledge through the Holy Spirit, and the ability through the finished work of Christ to live above the reproach of the enemy. If the devil could kill you, he already would have. If he could completely take you out of God’s assignment, he would have done it long ago. We give too much attention and words to the opposition that the devil uses to hinder our purpose and potential. There needs to be more conversation about the purchased possession that we have in Christ and all that it involves, rather than a focus on the lies and ploys of the enemy.
Jesus did not take all power and authority from the devil to keep and hoard (Matthew 28:18; Colossians 2:15). Instead, it was stripped forcefully from the enemy to place in your possession. 1 John 4:17b reads, “…as He is, so are we in this world.” The enemy does not have full reign or control in this world, but you do. The church is the restraining order against the tactics of the enemy.
Through a religious spirit and oppression, Satan wants to dimmish and undervalue what you possess.
The devil wants to inundate you with resistance, so you lose sight of what really matters. The weather (Mark 4:37), sickness (Luke 9:1), lack (John 6:5-12), and criticism (John 5:18) are all weak distractions of the devil intended to sidetrack you from the truth so that you don’t rise up and bring order to the chaos.
2 Corinthians 4:7-9 TPT reads, “We are like common clay jars that carry this glorious treasure within, so that this immeasurable power will be seen as God’s, not ours. Though we experience every kind of pressure, we’re not crushed. At times we don’t know what to do, but quitting is not an option. We are persecuted by others, but God has not forsaken us. We may be knocked down, but not out.” We are not crushed, not quitting, not forsaken, and not out! Verse 18 continues, “Because we don’t focus our attention on what is seen but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but the unseen realm is eternal.”
Don’t lose sight of the assignment at this time. The gates of hell that are set up to restrict and restrain you cannot prevail! 1 Corinthians 15:57 (NKJV) says, “But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Victory is not something we are believing for or working towards, rather it is our purchased possession now! We have victory over death, hell and the grave. 1 Corinthians 15:57 in the (MSG) says, “But now in a single victorious stroke of Life, all three –sin, guilt, death- are gone, the gift of our Master, Jesus Christ! Thank God!”
You must solidify in your heart how very real your victory is in every area of life. We have been brought into the kingdom for such a time as this. As one preacher said, “We are not here to take sides, we are here to take over!” There is too much to do right before the taking away of the church and Christ’s return for us to be sitting in the corner comparing scares and stories of hard times and difficulties. The orders of the Master for the church are simple: assemble, unify, preach, and push back the darkness of deception until the horn is blown!
I’ve said this a lot over the years in these letters and I will continue to declare it, DON’T QUIT! We need you! Don’t quit believing, speaking, praying, laying hands on, and supporting all that affects the lives of those Christ died for. The Lord has more for you to do where He has called you to and gifted you to accomplish. Don’t draw back. Don’t get cynical or complacent. Stay expectant, fervent, and steadfast in the victory that is yours and that is to be enforced!