“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. 2 Corinthians 2:14 NKJV
Every time we face a challenge, God has our victory in mind; his ultimate goal is to guide us to triumph. Victory is good, but triumphing is better. Achieving victory implies overcoming obstacles. Triumph, otherwise, is a big jump from victory. It comes with inner satisfaction and moments of jubilation. It’s like being made whole rather than just being healed.
Do you know that not many warriors live to enjoy the victory they’ve long fought for? A long war depletes their strength. So, it makes sense when the Apostle Paul uses the term “triumph.” He is showing us that God’s knowledge should permeate our lives. A life beyond battles—more than just victories—but also full of seasons of celebration and jubilation. Can you see what God is thinking right now? That means that God will turn every problem to our advantage. Every attack has a benefit for us.
God wants us to triumph over every problem, every difficulty, every temptation, and every human or demonic attack. You see, many Christians like to talk about how long they’ve been in difficult situations. They believed having problems for so long gave glory to God, or rather made them stronger and more experienced in their faith. No, it does not. In fact, God doesn’t get any glory from your pain or defeat. It is also tiring; it wears you out. When you are faced with the same problem for so long that everybody around you can easily identify you with it, that doesn’t bring any glory to the cross. God wants to bring you out and end that battle as quickly as possible, so you can enter your season of celebration.
So, why do battles drag on and victories take longer than expected? Let me share these four reasons that will help us make the necessary adjustments.
- Some people assume that an unending fight over their health, problems, and life difficulties is a hallmark of a good Christian experience. That is the enemy’s deception. An overcomer’s life is the hallmark of a Christian’s life. The Bible tells us, “But you are of God, little children, and have overcome them because He who is in you is greater than He who is in the world.”1 John 4:4 states, “But we overcome him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of our testimony.”Rev 22:11. The truth of what Jesus has done is the key to our victory. You need to lay hold of this truth and reject anything contrary to God’s word. We must therefore enter every battle with this mindset. We are coming out victorious; we are coming out an overcomer and a winner.
- When we fail to own our own human failures and deal with our inner struggles, we will find it difficult to vanquish external forces. James 4:1–4 shows us that most of the battles we face are within. The enemy within can blind us, allowing the enemy “without” to seize control.
“Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain.” James 4:4
Let’s not pretend that we all don’t have personal struggles. We called them enemy-in-me. Some have experienced terrible childhood trauma, abuse, and toxic relationships. Some have lived a lifestyle that has opened them to demonic interference. When Satan can easily trigger in you a negative desire, a surge of anger, and a practice of malice, it will become difficult to move on to victory. Anything that weakens your desire to pray is under the enemy’s control, and Satan will use it to master you. Do you know that an ordinary mood swing, if not put in check, can subvert a beautiful relationship? The enemy doesn’t come swinging big rims to fight the believers; he plants a seed and allows it to grow. He then uses it as a self-abortive mechanism for his future agenda.
Songs of Solomon 2:15 says, “Catch us the foxes, the little foxes that spoil the vine, for our vines are tender.” Little foxes appear innocent. They look like cute puppy dogs, but they are crafty and destructive. Tender vines could represent our dreams, vision, and growing ideas. We need divine courage to confront those things in ourselves. We cannot allow them to remain. Jesus then said, The prince of this world came, and he found nothing in me. John 14:30. I don’t have his product; I’m neither his customer nor a consumer of his goods. Are you ready to deal with those little things in your life? Are you ready to starve them until they die?
3. We despise mentorship. Some battles won’t be won alone. You’ll need strong firepower. You’ll need skills and understanding. What Daniel needed after his many days of prayer was skill and understanding. Daniel 9:22. In some cases, the ability to learn from a mentor comes with understanding and skill. Someone who knows more than you. Someone who believes in your vision but walks with more grace than you do. That will require a heavy dose of humility. Someone out there is responsible for your training.
Until you are willing to step out of your comfort zone and seek mentorship, you might be in the same battle for the rest of your life. Someone has fought and won the battle you’re fighting now. When you align yourself with such a person, their grace starts to rob off on you.
The greatest gift a mentor can give you is to help you confess your filter and confront your ego. Some may hold you, while others may throw you overboard, so you’ll learn how to swim. Whichever mentorship you receive, it is always a test of character. You need to be aware that a mentor doesn’t need you; you need them. During mentorship, God will test your obedience, he will try your heart, deal with your pride, and develop your character.
4. Our weapons are not lethal enough to handle some battles. They are canal weapons that, as a result, are weak and ineffective. For a weapon to be effective and bring the enemy to its knees, it must be mighty through God.
2 Cor 10:2, 4 says, “Though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh, for the weapons of our warfare are not canals but are mighty through God.”
The key word here is “mighty through God.” God is aware of the necessary weapons for every battle. And to gain access to these weapons, James 4:7 told us to first submit to God, then resist the devil, and he will flee. Stop fighting the enemy on his ground. You can’t use the enemy’s weapons against him. It won’t work. The flesh and the world—those are the enemy’s grounds. Take the battle beyond the realm of men, and allow God to choose your weapons for you. If you can’t submit to God, you’ll stay long in your battle.
Finally, it is good to pray long prayers, and have a consistent prayer life, but remember, it is not the longer hours of praying that bring us victory; it is being willing and obedient to the voice the Holy Spirit when you pray.
]If you are in the military, the army platoon will assign you a weapon based on your position and training, not your choice. The commanding officer leading your army chooses your battle and the strategy because he alone has the intelligence about the opposition. Your failure to comply could lead to a dismissal or forceful discharge from the military, or you could become a casualty in that war. Our Lord Jesus is our commander, and he knows how to win battles. He won it on the cross. We should listen to him.
Also, we don’t focus on people during prayer; we focus on the spirit behind their actions and allow God to bring judgment on them himself if they refuse to change. Ephesian 2:12: “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.
Our greatest speed to victory is to trust Jesus and his teachings in prayer. We will tarry in battle until we are ready to employ his methods.
…. Rev Lanre Orepo