War is a series of battles. You can win a battle (and even battles) and yet lose the war. And the opposite is also true. One can lose the battle(s) and yet end up winning the war. The secret to winning the war is to win key battles with a clear margin. Life is a war, a series of battles, but you don’t need to win all the battles to win the war of life. In fact, deliberately losing certain battles can prove to be a decisive tactic to win the war.
I learned this secret from Jesus Christ.
Under God’s instructions, Jesus deliberately handed himself to the Devil to be persecuted and crucified in order to win the war for the control of the Kingdom of God. He said, “No one can take my life from me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what my Father has commanded.” John 10:18
Though he was God Christ, in obedience to God, humbled himself and died a criminal’s death on the cross. Because of this God bestowed on him the highest possible honour by giving him the name above all other names. That in heaven and on earth and under the earth every knee should bow at the name of Jesus, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord. (Philippians 2:6-1).
Technically, Jesus won the war against the devil by deliberately losing the last crucial battle of Calvary. What Christ did on that historical Friday underlines the most important spiritual winning strategy which is this; the most precious victories in life come when one, under the instruction of God, deliberately decides to let go of the most precious thing(s) in one’s life.
Jesus said anyone that wants to gain true everlasting treasures must be willing to forsake everything in obedience to Him. Any one who deliberately decides to forsake anything in obedience to God, according to Jesus, will receive 100 times here on earth plus eternal life. (Matthew 19:29) In reading about the secrets of success I have been astonished to learn that the greatest achievers attain the greatest success after graciously losing their prized possessions. If you are planning to achieve anything of significance be prepared to part company with those things you hold dear.
I know these decisions are not easy. They are painful and at times bloody. But high achievers take them because they have an investment mentality.
Investors do make their decisions based on the potential future benefit not an immediate circumstance. Instead of focusing on the immediate price they must pay high achievers set their minds on the future prize. This is what Jesus did. The Bible says Jesus, the hero of our faith, graciously endured persecution, shame and death because he set his eyes on the precious prize that was awaiting him. (Hebrews 12:2).
Apostle Paul also says, ” everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ…” Philippians 3:8 For those of you who have suffered great loss or going through great tribulations please don’t give up on hope! When you feel weary just think of all the hostility Jesus endured from sinful people under the command of the devil. Jesus, our hero, Creator and Lord understand how you feel. He loves you and is with you. Above all remember victory of even greater proportion is imminently closer than you think.
I leave you with words of encouragement from Bishop Westcott, ” What we can do for another is the test of powers; what we can suffer for is the test of love. “
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