And I tell you that you are Peter and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it. (Matthew 16:18)

Jesus spoke this to Peter and His words are very much alive till this day. The church was indeed built and established through the acts of apostles like Peter and Paul, after Jesus’ ascension to heaven. Jesus says that the gates of Hades shall not overcome the Church. This means that the Church is to enjoy victory over the works of Satan and his minions.

Are we experiencing victory in our lives? Can we say that we are living victoriously, as part of God’s Church, the Church that the gates of Hades will not overcome? Or for most parts, our lives are being overrun by the ‘gates of Hades’, meaning Satan’s plans are being achieved and fulfilled in our lives?

When things go our way, does it necessarily mean that we are experiencing victory in Christ? True victory in Christ? And when things do not go our way, does the contrary apply, meaning we are not experiencing victory in Christ?

These are samplings of the issues we will explore this coming camp, A Victorious Church. The following are a few pointers on what kind of victory would be the kind of victory that God wants to see in us.

1) A Victory that is of Value to God

The kind of victory that God wants us to have is one that is of value to Him. (Tangerine says: A lot of us still struggle with how people think of us, who are we in their eyes. We based our victory on how people look at us, our achievements, the qualifications we have, the schools we came from, the school we’re in. But we’ve neglected to see this in God’s perspective that there is always a reason why I was from this secondary school, from this JC, from this university, in this caregroup. At first, I may not understand why all these things happened. But slowly, as time flies, God allow me to see why I’m here. If I’m not in this JC, I wouldnt have met great friends like sherlynn,claris and shirley. Who say SIM students CMI? SIM students can also live victoriously. It is the willingness of our heart whether we want to follow God’s will a not. It’s whether we want to slack our three years here or make use of this 3 years fruitfully) Many people attempt to be successful in life, with varying results. It is inborn in us to want to achieve, to want to be successful. However, though we may succeed, not every of our achievements may be of value to God. We need to search the Word of God to discover what are of value to God, and seek to achieve these things. God says that the things that are of no value to Him will ultimately be burned away.

Take for example, the world values material wealth or status as a common benchmark for success. But wealth and status by themselves are things that are of no value to God.

Better a little with the fear of the LORD than great wealth with turmoil. – Prov 15:16

Man is a mere phantom as he goes to and fro: He bustles about, but only in vain; he heaps up wealth, not knowing who will get it. – Ps 39:6

To the man who pleases him, God gives wisdom, knowledge and happiness, but to the sinner he gives the task of gathering and storing up wealth to hand it over to the one who pleases God. – Ecc 2:26a

Let us be wise to invest our lives in things that are of value to God.

2) A Victory that is Eternal

In the same light as the previous point about achieving victory that is of value to God, we should set about achieving victory that is eternal.

"Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. – Mat 6:19-21

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. – 1Tim 6:17-19

The things that are of value to God, that are eternal, are sometimes things which are insignificant in the sight of the world, such as being good, being generous, taking care of God’s flock. (Tangerine says: Gold and Jewellery, qualifications are significant in the sight of the world. It may seem eternal from the worldly view as all these are the benchmark on how society grade us. But, if we care a lot of the worldly view on us, we actually neglected the things that are of value to God, neglected what God sees is eternal for us. We come to this world empty-handed, with no money, no qualifications, no clothes, nothing. All that we have now is given to God. Eventually, all these will be taken back from us. )However we know that this world will pass away one day, that the things of this world are but temporal. Let us choose to invest in eternal things that will last, that is in souls of men, that is in living a right life in the sight of God.

Be shepherds of God's flock that is under your care, serving as overseers—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not greedy for money, but eager to serve; not lording it over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away. – 1 Pet 5:2-4


3) A Victory that is according to God’s Will.

“The good is the enemy of the better and the better is the enemy of the best.” This is an important saying that we can take note of. Having the kind of victory that God wants us to have is to go for God’s best, and not settle for second or third best. God’s best is what God’s Will is for us.

Having success alone is not a true measure of whether we are experiencing victory in Christ. It is to consider also whether it is what God wanted us to have. (Tangerine says: the success we see in ourselves may not be what God sees. We can be considered as successful if what we are doing/ getting things that God want us to do, want us to get, and in accordance to His plan.) Many a times we are just happy with experiencing success, but we do not ponder if it is truly what God wants for us.

Jesus had a chance to experience success, all the riches and power and authority in the world. However He turned it down as it was not going to be achieved in God’s way.

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. "All this I will give you," he said, "if you will bow down and worship me."
Jesus said to him, "Away from me, Satan! For it is written: 'Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only. – Mat 4:8-10

It is easy to be deceived when we are successful, to think that we are victorious, that we are walking right in God. Sometimes we are so desperate to justify ourselves before God, by assuring ourselves with successes in our lives. We go after these things, but some of them are in actual fact short-term gains, or the second, third best that God has for us. We fail to consider God’s Will for our lives, His best.

Jesus in contrast took the hard and painful way to achieve true victory, not the easy way which was to quickly gain all the riches of this world. He chose to do what was God's Will for Him.

Conclusion

When we go for what is eternal, lasting and valuable to God, we will sometimes receive scorn from other men, we will get deplored from men who do not understand God, His ways. However God teaches us to look not to the praises of men, as the Pharisees were prone to doing, but rather to the praises of God Himself. God also teaches that we should look forward to receiving heavenly reward from Him as well, as we continue to seek to do His Will. Hence let us learn and persevere to seek to achieve the real, true kind of victory that God wishes, that God wants us to have. Only then will we be the true victorious church of Christ.