Victory Song

Matthew 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.




I had a song come in my head last night about ‘victory’. It was there when I woke this morning, so I looked to see what scripture was related to victory and found this one (of many) in Matthew. The Lord is quoted in this scripture in Matthew and it contains an important principle which I think we sometimes tend to overlook. Many believe and even teach that if someone acquires much material prosperity, then God has surely given them favor, and that if someone is undergoing extreme trial, it must be because they have sinned or that they lack faith. But the Lord says that the sun rises and the rain falls on both the righteous and the unrighteous alike. A life of good circumstances does not necessarily mean that God is with us. And likewise, a life of trial and suffering does not mean that God is not with us!

⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

If we base our lives on our circumstances, we are no different than people without God. What makes us different from the world is that we have something far greater than our circumstances! We can live victoriously both in want and in plenty because we have a relationship with the living God! Note, however, we are instructed to ‘love…and pray for our enemies’ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. This is what shows we are His children, not material wealth. I’d rather be a child of the Living God in a tent than a godless wealthy person in an earthly mansion. Regardless of where I lay my head each night, the sun will rise and the rain will fall on my little tent and that mansion. The key is the love and prayer that you may be children of your Father in heaven.

⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?

This part of the scripture is probably the hardest part to walk out. It is so easy to love those that love us and our own family – our own kind - that we are connected to but the real test of this scripture is to love and pray for our enemies. I do not think it coincidence that the Spirit prompted me to pray for someone stirring up grief and conflict in our family while that little ditty about victory was flying around my head, do you? The Lord speaks to us in many ways; rare is the time you will get a clap of thunder and bolt of lightning or a burning bush. The prompting to pray for that person sure wasn’t my idea! The song was dropped into my head and spirit, I didn’t create it. Yet there they were at the same time. Hmmmmm

There is nothing wrong with rejoicing through the good times but we need to rejoice through the bad as well! If you’re going through some hard times, choose to rejoice in the Lord today! We have a greater treasure and a more amazing victory when our lives are centered upon Him at all times!