RUN LIKE A CHAMPION

There don’t have to be losers on Christ’s side. From the richest to the poorest, from the oldest to the youngest, and from the educated to the uneducated, we all have the same source of victory. It’s not our possessions, our wisdom, or our credentials. Victory is available to each of us because of what Christ has already done for us. It’s His victory. He won the battle. Our victory comes as we enter into His victory, and that victory can be apprehended only through faith.
If we read about the great heroes of faith, both in Bible times and in church history, we discover that each of their victories came through faith. Abel worshiped by faith. Noah worked by faith. Enoch walked by faith. Abraham traveled by faith. Moses delivered the nation by faith. David slew the giant by faith. Paul preached the gospel by faith. Luther inspired a Reformation by faith. Whitefield experienced a revival by faith. Moody shook a continent by faith. Faith always has been — and always will be — the way the victory is obtained. The sole issue regarding our personal victory is simply faith.
So it’s crucial that we understand the nature of faith. Is faith a funny feeling we get when we hear an eloquent speaker or a state of mind we achieve by the power of positive thinking? Is faith a panacea for all our problems? Can we name it and claim it? Is it possible, as some claim, to believe and never again be sick? What is faith — and where does it come from? The answer to that is the secret to victorious Christian living. But I’m afraid we’ve distorted the biblical teaching about faith. We may need another Reformation that awakens our souls to victory and once again allows the church to be the light of the world.
Faith begins with God, not ourselves. Faith isn’t when we psyche ourselves into a state of belief. It’s not a funny feeling. The Bible says, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” Faith doesn’t begin within us. It begins with God. It’s impossible to please God without faith, but it’s also impossible to have faith without God. Faith is objective. It begins with a source outside us. It begins with God speaking. It begins with the Word of God. It’s an assurance in our hearts that’s produced by our hearing the Word of God.
Faith begins with God speaking His Word to our hearts. It’s then redirected toward God through Jesus, the Christ. Genuine biblical faith is always directed toward Jesus. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Looking unto Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” Jesus initiates and maintains our faith. He is “the way, the truth and the life.” The Gospel of John refers to Jesus as the “Word of God.” Therefore, any faith that doesn’t begin and continue with Him isn’t true faith.
Many Christians find themselves defeated because they’ve trusted in themselves, their abilities, their financial holdings, or even their experience — rather than in Christ alone. Often God has to hobble us to show us His ability. He may strip us of our financial wealth in order to supply our every need through His riches in glory by Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19). Our experiences can be deceiving, but Jesus is absolute truth. Victory comes only through trusting Jesus — and Jesus alone.
Faith begins with God speaking to our hearts through His Word — and continues by our looking to Jesus to meet every need. Finally, faith works. Our works don’t produce faith, but rather the opposite. Faith produces works: the work of God in our lives. So we can’t brag about any of our abilities, resources, or achievements. We can only boast in Christ. He has become our total source of victory and achievement. If we are truly trusting in Christ, then we will know His victory.
Occasionally I’m challenged on that assertion. People will say, “Sammy, I’ve trusted in Christ, but it just didn’t help.” But as I probe them, I discover their trust was more in their own efforts and expertise than in the sufficiency and power of Christ. I have been walking with Jesus for many years now, and there’s one thing I can say with absolute conviction: I’ve failed Jesus many times, but He’s never once failed me. I’ve discovered this great truth: Victory in the Christian life comes only through faith. And faith begins by beholding God speaking to us through Jesus, the Word of God. It continues by looking to Jesus, and it concludes with victory — not ours, but His. We simply enter into the victory He’s already won. It was not that Abel, Noah, Enoch, Abraham, Moses, David, Paul, Luther, Whitefield, and Moody were so great. It was simply that they trusted in a great and mighty God. They looked to Jesus. The God of these noted men of faith is also our God. It’s not our great abilities that will usher in the victory, but simple faith in a mighty God.