How Revelation Defines “Victorious”

Written by Brian Jennings, Posted in Blog, Lead Yourself, Your Church

I often hear how Christians are to live a life of victory. This is true, but it’s crucial to define the term. Some equate a victorious life with health, wealth and comfort, but that view minimizes the real kind of victory God desires for you.

Jesus addresses seven churches in Revelation 2-3. He follows a rhythmic pattern with each letter, concluding with a promise to the one who is victorious.

The word for victorious is also translated triumphant one, conqueror and overcomer. So how do these people become victorious?

“They overcame him [Satan] by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death” (Revelation 12:11).

We overcome, not because of our own efforts, but because Jesus died for us. His death gives power to our words, and empowers us to remain faithful to Christ until our last breath – even if our last breath is inhaled in the fires of persecution.

Jesus saw the suffering of the Christians in the seven churches, and he promised great reward to those who loved him more than death. The victorious ones will sit with him on the throne (Revelation 3:21), and the second death won’t touch them (Revelation 2:11).

The Kingdom of God brings us infinitely more than earthly riches ever could: God’s incomparable power (Ephesians 1:19), incomprable grace (Ephesians 2:7; 2 Corinthians 9:14), and incomparable knowledge (Ephesians 3:19).*

What’s your greatest trial? What’s your greatest obstacle? What’s your greatest temptation? The Bible doesn’t promise to make every trial go away, but we can find victory that no amount of earthly struggle can steal.

So live victoriously, my friends.

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*The same Greek word to describe the greatness of God’s power, grace and knowledge is used in Ephesians 1, 2 and 3. It can be translated incomparable, surpassing, or above and beyond. God’s gifts to us are beyond the human capacity to produce.