257. Victory and Defeat

Being driven by God’s Spirit results in victory, but being driven by our carnal lusts results in defeat. Christ is faithful; He was victorious, and He will give us victory. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? His love toward us stands firm, and He has shown Himself to be faithful in tribulation, distress, persecution, famine, nakedness, peril, and sword. Should we then be exposed to such things, we will be more than conquerors through Him who loved us. Rom. 8:35-37.

“Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it.” 1 Cor. 9:24. How many are running in the race today? We know the way; it goes through the veil, His flesh. It is a race in self denial. In a natural race, an athlete is temperate in all things in order to win the prize. They do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. Paul did not run with uncertainty; he did not fight as one who beats the air. But he brought his body into subjection and was temperate in all things.

Those who were standing by the sea of glass had overcome the beast. One beast after another proceeds out of the earth; one spiritual “wind” follows another; yet everyone who keeps the testimony of Jesus and allows himself to be led by the Spirit and the Word will overcome by the power of the blood of the Lamb. Rev. 15:2, 14:4-5.

It is a person’s spirit that makes him what he is. The Spirit of God gives divine power, but a man’s spirit on its own is cowardly and groveling; so without the power of God’s Spirit, we cannot make any progress.

The angel in the church in Pergamos had some who held the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. The angel of the church did not overcome in this matter and was therefore exhorted to repent. Rev. 2:14-16. To have personal victory as part of “the field” is one thing, but to overcome as God’s co-worker is another matter entirely.

The angel of the church in Thyatira had works, love, service, faith, and patience. But at the same time he allowed the woman Jezebel to rule, she who called herself a prophetess. She taught and seduced the servants of the Lord to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols. Here he should have forcefully intervened and put a stop to it, but he was too cowardly. Thus he came under God’s judgment himself.

From this we can see that it is no easy matter to have victory. As a servant of the Lord, we are not only to have victory in our own matters, but also in all situations that affect the church. We must make sure that we keep all impure elements away and that those who bring strange doctrines are kept outside. That is why the reward for victory is so incredibly great. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, will be a pillar in the temple of God, will sit with Jesus on His throne, will eat of the hidden manna, and will have power over the nations.

Had it been impossible to overcome, Jesus would never have said, “He who overcomes!” And He would never have given such glorious promises to those who do so.

In order to be an overcomer, it is advantageous to have good counselors. “King Joash did what was right in the sight of the Lord all the days in which Jehoiada the priest instructed him.” 2 Kings 12:2. Joash was very zealous to restore the house of God. He collected a lot of money and found foremen to oversee the work. He hired stonecutters, carpenters, and masons to repair the damage of the house of the Lord, and they restored the house of God to its original condition and reinforced it.

The years went by, and Jehoiada the priest grew old and full of days. He was one hundred and thirty years old when he died. And they buried him in the City of David among the kings, because he had done good in Israel, both toward God and His house. 2 Chr. 24:15-16.

Now after the death of Jehoiada the leaders of Judah came and bowed down to the king and made requests to perform idolatry. And the king could not resist these flatterers, so he yielded to them.

Jehoiada had kept the leaders of Judah in their place during his lifetime. They had this same mind all the time, but they had not been able to get power, because Jehoiada had resisted them. But now that Jehoiada was gone, Joash couldn’t resist these ungodly leaders as he should have. He permitted idolatry, which he had previously resisted. Consequently, they forsook the house of the Lord God of their fathers, that which the king himself had restored, and served wooden images and idols.

Because of their trespasses God’s wrath then came upon Israel. The Lord sent prophets to them who testified about their sin, but they would not listen. Then the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada. He stood above the people and said to them, “Thus says God: ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the Lord, so that you cannot prosper? Because you have forsaken the Lord, He also has forsaken you.’” Verse 20.

So they conspired against him, and at the command of the king they stoned him. King Joash was gripped by a strange spirit. He would not even show mercy to the son of Jehoiada, the priest who had shown him so much good. But as Zechariah died he said, “The Lord look on it, and repay!” And did the Lord repay? Yes, in the spring of that year the Syrians came up with a small company to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the leaders of the people from among them, those that desired to serve idols, and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. And they executed punishment over Joash, leaving him severely wounded. Then the king’s servants conspired against him and killed him on his bed, in revenge for the blood of the sons of Jehoiada the priest. And they buried him in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings.

Joash did not overcome: He was too cowardly. The leaders used Joash’s desire to please them to turn him from God’s commandments and from the house of God to idols. In doing so he destroyed both himself and others. He brought defeat over the people of God, and he is portrayed in the Scriptures as a weak person who we are not to imitate in any way.

From this we learn that we must hold unshakably fast and not give in to flattery. Do not seek esteem from people, but seek esteem from God and hold Him in fear above anything else.

There are also people among us who have a strong tendency toward idolatry. In other words, they have a tendency toward worldly greatness, respect of persons, etc. They thrive and flourish among the haughty. Take note of such people and keep them at a good distance, because in them is a source of corruption. Let them keep that corruption to themselves. Keep yourself pure. Rather let the flock be reduced in number and remain in purity rather than increase and allow impurity. Be like Jehoiada the priest who restrained the leaders in Judah, together with all their lusts to idolatry, all the days of his life. Oh, that we might always abide in the good pleasure that God expressed over His Son: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”