The Lord gives us four keys to unlocking the victory that belongs to us in Christ Jesus:
- the believer’s union with Christ
- the person of the Holy Spirit living within our mortal bodies
- the whole armor of God
- the power of prayer that accomplishes the work to be done
Many men lack courage; just because they are manly doesn’t mean they are courageous. A warrior’s strength must rest upon what truly makes him invincible – his perfect unity with the Warrior Himself. Because Christian men are in Christ, they are new warrior creatures; the old warrior / old nature has passed away and behold, a new Warrior (Christ Jesus) has come (2 Cor. 5:17). Our warfare is not with flesh and blood, but powers of darkness and principalities of the air (Eph. 6:12). As one might guess, only those who live in that realm can fight this war. Our part is walking in our union with Christ; His part is doing the warfare for us.
Key #2: The Person of the Holy Spirit living within our mortal bodies is essential to understanding how Christ does the warfare through us. Once we receive Christ, Acts 1:8 tells us, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you.” We have power and life because He gave us this power and life through Christ. All of our actions for daily living are to be lived out through the empowerment of the Life of Christ, who is represented in us through the Holy Spirit.
Key #3: He has given us the whole armor of God, which becomes our protection and weapons of warfare. The commandment of God is to “put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil” (Eph. 6:11). This is a call to action on our part. That is why much of this study has been focused on the practical elements of putting on our armor.
Key #4: The power of prayer that accomplishes the work is what ties the “package” together. We need to be praying with petitions in the Spirit. With this in mind, we also need to be on guard and alert with all perseverance and petition for all the fellow Christian brothers (Eph. 6:18).
We also should be asking God to give us words to make known with boldness the mystery of the Gospel. We are ambassadors proclaiming doctrines of God that are extremely offensive to the world (Eph. 6:18-20). God not only has given us the privilege to pray, but the power to pray. When we boldly (with all confidence) draw near the throne of grace, we will receive mercy and find grace to help us in times of need (Hebrews 4:16). Satan hates prayer because he knows it is through prayer that our armor is fully appropriated.
As you move forward in this study, keep in mind the four keys to success. Use them with the wisdom and insight of the Lord and He will open the doors to freedom in ways you never thought were possible.
- The Father’s Word is Sufficient to Lead You: Psalm 19:7
- The Father Will Enable You to Do Everything He Commands of You: 1 Thess. 5:24
- You are Responsible for Your Actions: Ezekiel 18:19-22
- You Will Reap What You Sow: Galatians 6:7-8
- Pathway to Peace and Joy is to Let Go of Control: 1 Peter 5:6-7
- Submit to Other Bridal Members: Ephesians 5:21
The Groom’s Bride is Protected by Authority
When Bridal Members resist authority, they become vulnerable to the ways of the enemy (Satan) and to sin itself. When we are willing to take our place under the Father’s ordained authority, we are granted the Father’s protective covering. In doing this, it releases Him to work in the lives of those in authority over us. In addition, it shows the world the Father’s order here on earth. By submitting to man, we show the Father’s right to rule over the universe. Then, Satan is actively defeated in his attempts to dethrone the Father, which seems to be a nasty habit of his.
The Father’s Fulfillment:
- True fulfillment and joy, as Bridal Members, are found through discovering why God made you and then fully embracing the part of your wifely duties.
- Just as God designed an earthly woman to be a helpmate to her husband, you are designed and called to be a helpmate to Jesus Christ, your Husband.
- Marriage and motherhood is the “norm” the Father expects out of you!
- Just as the woman is expected to be “a worker at home,” so the Bridal members of Christ are expected to be workers within Christ’s home (the temple/church).
- Just as women are expected to train other women to be lovers of their husbands and children; so are Bridal members to train other, or new, Bridal members to love Christ and new believers (children of the Father).
The Father is more interested in changing you for the purpose of His Son, than He is in solving your temporal problems to make you happy. God the Father does not exist to solve your difficult circumstances, He exists because He is! You exist because He wants a Bride for His Son. He purifies you for His own interest. It is critical that we match His glory (redemption) in order for His Son to have a glorious Bride in the end! The Father cares for you because of His Love for His Son.
IN SUMMARY
“For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him” (Colossians 1:16).
The Father’s eternal purpose is far more important than Him fulfilling our vision of life. Once you and I agree and accept why we are here, as selected Bridal Members, we then can fulfill our wifely duties. Until then – we will call out “help me, help me!”
You may have been an adulterer, a murderer, an alcoholic, a drug addict, abandoned as a child, sexually abused, or been an abuser yourself. However, if you are a Christian, you are no longer what you once were. You are a new Bridal member of the Groom. You are not the same person. You have been cleansed by the blood of the Groom, set apart for His Holiness, and declared righteous in the eyes of the Father!
Four Keys to Unlocking Our Victory Copyright © 2013 IOM America. Permission to reproduce for educational purposes. Please keep author’s name intact.
All Scriptures, unless otherwise stated, are taken from the New American Standard Bible, © Copyright 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission
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