RUN LIKE A CHAMPION

“For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
More than forty years ago, an old Lutheran pastor in East Berlin put his finger in my face and said, “Young man, next year there will be 100,000 communist youth gathered here in Berlin from all over the world. I want you to pray about coming and telling them about Jesus.”
I was taken aback by the old man’s challenge. “The communists would never permit that,” I said.
He shook his head. “They’re no match for our God.” The old man had stood firm in his faith amid some of the most evil times in history. He refused to “Heil Hitler.” He would only “Heil Jesus.” When the communists took over East Germany, they wouldn’t allow him to preach. But the dear old saint refused to give up. He stood firm in the battle because he knew that victory belonged to believers, for our God is a mighty God.
I eventually took the old man’s advice. Two friends and I infiltrated the communist youth festival and proclaimed Christ. More than 200 of those hard-core atheist young people placed their faith in Christ. They were birthed into the kingdom of God, and so was born my ministry into communist-dominated countries. And deep within my heart was birthed an understanding of the nature of God. He is “Mighty God.”
Many people throughout the centuries have claimed their god is mighty. Pagan kings have fought and killed in the name of their gods. In recent years, warriors for Allah have become suicide bombers who believe their deity will bring them victory. They have become modern-day terrorists who threaten to unravel western civilization. Some of the worst atrocities in history have been done in the name of a “mighty god.” The cruelest wars have been religious wars.
So how do we know our God is the one, true, and living God? How do we know He is the Mighty God? The answer can be found in the prophecy of Isaiah. Hundreds of years before the birth of Christ, Isaiah foretold the coming Messiah. He spoke of His divine, yet human nature. One of the names ascribed to the coming Messiah was “Mighty God.” There’s only one in all of human history who has fulfilled that prophecy: Jesus.
Several character sketches of the Messiah in Isaiah’s prophecy enable us to see clearly that Jesus is “Mighty God.” First, Isaiah’s prophecy wasn’t some far-out dream from his subconscious. Isaiah spoke about a real historical person who would come to the earth. And this person would be called “Mighty God.”
Pagan religions have touted mythological characters as their mighty god. But these weren’t real people, and they can’t be found anywhere in history. Isaiah said, “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given …” His prophecy was about a real person, born in an exact moment of history. Jesus was the child born and the son given. No, we’ve not followed cunningly devised fables. Our faith lies in a historically verifiable person: Jesus.
Isaiah’s prophecy reveals Jesus as Mighty God by speaking of His miraculous birth. And His supernatural life portrays One who was no mere man. The winds obeyed the voice of Jesus. When He commanded them, the lame walked and the blind saw. By speaking a word, He brought the dead to life. He turned water to wine and fed multitudes with a handful of bread and fish. These were not the works of someone who was simply a great religious teacher. How many religious leaders have you met who have power over disease and death? These were the works of the “Mighty God.”
But there’s another characteristic found in Isaiah’s prophecy. The term “Mighty God” refers to a victorious God in all His battles. In Him there’s no defeat. The name  says He’s the hero who secures our victory — in every spiritual battle. His love overcomes men’s hate. His goodness will ultimately destroy humanity’s evil. He’s conquered every enemy man has. He’s defeated sin, hell, the devil, and all the forces of evil. That’s why the Bible says we are “more than conquerors through Christ.”
There’s no battle too big, no foe too formidable, and no enemy too ferocious. Jesus is “Mighty God.” He’s won the victory. All we have to do is trust Him.