DAILY VIDEO DEVOTIONAL
When I came to know Christ many years ago, my life changed radically. God set me free from the immorality and selfishness that had enslaved me. I was thrilled with what God had done in my life. There were many habits I longed to overcome, yet I had no power over them. But when Jesus came into my heart, I was truly set free.
Still, after several months of following Christ, I noticed one habit didn’t seem to go away. I was extremely jealous. When a guy would talk to my girlfriend, anger would rise within me. I was so enraged, I wanted to hit him. But I knew that was wrong and that these feelings were not pleasing to God. So I decided to try real hard not to be jealous. I don’t know if you’ve ever tried to stifle jealousy, but let me give you some friendly advice. Don’t try. It’s impossible!
The harder I tried, the more jealous I became. I would grit my teeth and muster all the strength I could find, but I grew even more jealous. I didn’t know what to do. I tried even harder and failed even more miserably. The harder I tried to overcome this sin, the more enslaved I became to it.
One day I learned the secret of victorious Christian living. It’s not in trying, but in trusting. It’s not in what I can do, but in what Christ has already done to acquire the victory. All I needed to do was to trust Him. He was tempted in every way that I or anyone else has been tempted, but He was without sin. In other words, He has already overcome jealousy. I just needed to trust Him. He was living in me, and He would do the same thing today that He did 2,000 years ago. I just needed to stop trying and start trusting — believing Jesus to be my victory over jealousy. The same Jesus who saved me and forgave my sins is quite capable of securing my victory over any sin that plagues me.
The next time I felt jealousy and anger rising in my heart, I whispered a prayer: “God, just as I trusted You to save me, I’m trusting You to be my victory over jealousy and anger today.” The most amazing thing happened. The feelings of insecurity and anger left. But soon after that, I was tempted again to become jealous. I simply turned again to Jesus and said, “Lord, I’m trusting You again to be my victory.” And victory followed.
Satan kept returning and tempting, but I kept trusting and looking to Jesus. After several months, I began to notice that Satan wasn’t tempting me nearly as often. He must have grown weary of having to deal with Jesus rather than me. Jesus has defeated the devil. The victory we experience over temptation, sin, and the devil comes not from trusting the power of our own flesh. Satan knows the futility of our flesh. He knows every one of our weaknesses. He knows where we are vulnerable. That’s why it’s so important to trust completely in Christ — and not in ourselves.
The victory was secured by Jesus 2,000 years ago, when He lived an absolutely perfect, sinless life. When He died on the cross, He declared, “It is finished.” He had completed the work. He was obedient completely, unto death. He made a public display of the defeat of all the forces of evil. Three days later, He arose from the grave. He overcame every enemy that we will ever face. He overcame sin, death, hell, and the devil and his demons. The victory is completely His. As we trust in Him, we simply enter into His triumph.
The greatest lesson any believer will ever learn about victorious Christian living is that we experience success not in trying, but in trusting. Trying to overcome sin in our own power will lead to utter defeat. But someone with even a small amount of faith can defeat any giant in our lives. When we trust in God, we are overwhelmingly more than conquerors through Christ who loves us. Stop trying and start trusting!
10) Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. 11) Then these men went as a group and found Daniel praying and asking God for help. 12) So they went to the king and spoke to him about his royal decree: “Did you not publish a decree that during the next thirty days anyone who prays to any god or human being except to you, Your Majesty, would be thrown into the lions’ den?” The king answered, “The decree stands—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” 13) Then they said to the king, “Daniel, who is one of the exiles from Judah, pays no attention to you, Your Majesty, or to the decree you put in writing. He still prays three times a day.” 14) When the king heard this, he was greatly distressed; he was determined to rescue Daniel and made every effort until sundown to save him. 15) Then the men went as a group to King Darius and said to him, “Remember, Your Majesty, that according to the law of the Medes and Persians no decree or edict that the king issues can be changed.” 16) So the king gave the order, and they brought Daniel and threw him into the lions’ den. The king said to Daniel, “May your God, whom you serve continually, rescue you!” 17) A stone was brought and placed over the mouth of the den, and the king sealed it with his own signet ring and with the rings of his nobles, so that Daniel’s situation might not be changed. 18) Then the king returned to his palace and spent the night without eating and without any entertainment being brought to him. And he could not sleep. 19) At the first light of dawn, the king got up and hurried to the lions’ den. 20) When he came near the den, he called to Daniel in an anguished voice, “Daniel, servant of the living God, has your God, whom you serve continually, been able to rescue you from the lions?” 21) Daniel answered, “May the king live forever! 22) My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, Your Majesty.” 23) The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
Book of the Month
Sammy Tippit told his fiancée, “I can’t promise we’ll be rich, but life won’t be boring.”
Sammy had no idea what an understatement that would become. Beginning in the bars of Baton Rouge and the nightclubs of Chicago, Tippit has shared the news of life-changing faith in Christ all over the world – including in the middle of a revolution in Romania, the aftermath of genocide in Rwanda, and war in Burundi and the Congo.
Sammy’s lifelong adventure has come at a great price. He’s been cursed, threatened, arrested, deported, and blacklisted. He’s also been personally broken, ravaged with illness, and devastated by grief.
Yet he continues to preach to in stadiums, in open fields, and via satellite technology to hundreds of thousands around the globe. For all other books…
About Sammy Tippit Ministries
STM has been providing inspiration and help around the world for nearly 50 years. Sammy Tippit, founder and president, is a world renowned counselor, teacher and evangelist with experience serving and helping people in over 80 countries. Sammy provides materials that help people tackle a broad array of social, societal, psychological and spiritual issues. He is particularly passionate about making materials accessible to other countries around the world. Sammy is married to Debara “Tex” Tippit, and they have two children and five grandchildren.
Sammy Tippit Ministries is a registered 501c3 non-profit organization.
Contact: info@sammytippit.org
All Rights Reserved