Stop Striving, Start Standing
The Secret to a Victorious Life
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
Hello everyone, Pastor Ras here.
I don't know about you, but I have had seasons where I feel completely worn out by life. It feels like I am in a constant, wearying battle. Maybe you can relate. You pray, you fight negative thoughts, you try to do the right thing, but it can feel like you are just swinging in the dark, never quite landing the knockout punch. You are fighting hard, but you are not seeing the breakthrough.
Text graphic from All Nations Community Church reading: You are not fighting for victory; you are fighting from it. The war has already been won. Encouragement from Pastor Ras reminding believers to stop striving and start standing in what Christ has already accomplished, from Week 1 of the Victory Mindset series.
If that is you, I want to share a truth that changed everything for me. It is this: You are not fighting for victory. You are fighting from it.
Let that sink in for a moment.
The most exhausting thing we can do is spend our energy striving for a win that has already been declared. When Jesus said "It is finished" on the cross, He meant it. He did not just give you a fighting chance. He secured your overwhelming, undeniable victory over sin, fear, shame, and every form of defeat. The battle has been won. The outcome is settled.
Think of it like this. Imagine your team has already won the cup final. The whistle has blown, the score is final. Now you are walking out onto the pitch for a victory lap. You are not running around desperately trying to score another goal. You are celebrating the win that is already yours. Your posture is different. You are not striving. You are standing in confidence.
This is what it means to be "more than a conqueror." It is not about mustering up enough strength to barely scrape through. It is about living from a place of settled triumph because of what Jesus has done.
So what does this look like on a tough Tuesday? It means when anxiety whispers that you cannot cope, you do not pray, "God, please give me victory over this fear." Instead, you stand firm and declare, "Thank you, God, that your perfect love has already given me victory over fear. I stand in that truth right now."
Your posture changes from leaning forward, straining to see a win, to standing firm with your feet on the solid ground of Christ's finished work. You stop trying to achieve victory and start applying it. You rest in the fact that because He has won, you cannot lose.
So today, my friend, take a deep breath. Let the pressure fall away. You are not fighting for victory. You are fighting from it. Now, stand.
Prayer of the Day:
Heavenly Father, thank you that the victory is already won. Help me to stop striving today and to simply stand in the triumph Jesus secured for me. When I feel weak, remind me that I am strong in you. When I feel afraid, remind me that I am more than a conqueror through your love. In Jesus' name, Amen.