Victory: What Do You Love?

They triumphed over him 

   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 NIV

The enemy thought he had won when Christ died on the cross, shedding his blood as the perfect, spotless Lamb of God. But no, Christ triumphed over death and sin and his resurrection demonstrated The power, justice, love, grace and mercy, and authority of Christ. 

I remember my first few years walking with Christ. I remember listening to sermons and reading books about reaching victory in your walk as a Christian. Most of them focused on a second experience and then never again struggling with sin, doubt, worry or fear again. After walking with God for a while I learned that they were well meaning but misguided. We all struggle with sin and until we are in the presence of the Lord we walk by faith, day by day. Victory is in his blood, not our level of faith. Our testimony is to his faithfulness, his mercy, his grace, not our awesome spirituality. 

Here's the deal, "they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death." It's ok to enjoy the life God gave us. We should love our life in Christ. The issue is eternity. This life is temporal. This life is muddled with sin. This life end in death. Salvation, the goal of our faith, ends with eternity in God's presence. There will be no more sin or dying. We will be made whole and every tear wiped away. Life may be good, but remember, it's not the best. Heaven is yet to come.