We Are The Champions, My Friend!

I love a parade!  I remember going to a parade this past Christmas to see one of my granddaughters participate in it.  She belongs to a dance group and they were the cutest bunch of littles, ages 4 and 5.

Jesus loves a parade too.  Look at what 2 Corinthians 2:14a says, “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession.” Triumphal procession, that my friends is a parade.

How does Christ always lead us in triumphal procession?  Because he has made a way for us to always triumph.  The apostle Paul called it walking in the spirit.

When you accept Christ as savior you are reborn or born again.  You receive the Holy Spirit and he becomes one with your spirit.  This is what scripture says in 1 Corinthians 6:17 “But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.”

So how do you walk in the spirit? Let’s look for a minute at the perfection of God. There are multiple verses that talk about it. These are just a few:

Deuteronomy 32:4 ESV “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.”  Perfect here means complete, full, undefiled.

Psalm 18:30 ESV “This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.”  Perfect here means blameless, complete, full.

Matthew 5:48 NIV “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”  Perfect here means complete.

There should be no doubt in our minds that our triune God (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) is perfect, complete, needing nothing.  Here’s the kicker, because your spirit is joined with his perfect spirit, your spirit is also perfect!

Colossians 2:9-10 (NKJV) “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 10 and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.”  That’s right, YOU are complete in Him.  All the fullness of God’s substance dwells in Christ bodily.  And where are you?  If you’re born again YOU ARE IN CHRIST. So what does this mean for you?  I’m glad you asked.  All the fullness of God’s substance dwells IN YOU, IN YOUR SPIRIT.

Read 2 Peter 1:3 TPT “Everything we could ever need for life and godliness has already been deposited in us by his divine power.”  Just to reiterate, everything we need for life and godliness we already have.  We’re not waiting for anything in our spirit.

If you feel like the guy who cleans up the horse crap after the parade rather than the victor on the parade float, where’s the disconnect?

YOU MUST RENEW YOUR MIND! Romans 8:6a “The mind of the flesh is death, but the mind of the Spirit is life and peace.”

As you spend time in the Bible, meditate on the things of God, and have fellowship with God, you are renewing your mind, getting rid of your old ways of thinking.  And for goodness sake stop trying to use logic and reason when reading the word, your old way of thinking will talk you right out of it.  God is supernatural and so is his word.  It is accomplishing a supernatural work within you.

One of my good friends, when she was mentoring another woman told her, “Just keep reading.”  That’s great advice.  The Holy Spirit will begin to transform your way of thinking and the way you live your life. Spiritual knowledge, understanding, and wisdom begin to enlighten you, you start thinking God thoughts.  And thoughts lead to actions. That’s walking in the spirit.

Just as a baby takes small teetering steps, look for progress in your own life. You will begin to notice different speech coming out of you, responses that are not the same as they once were, actions that align with the love of God for others.

I love small victories, all part of my parade. We all have choices to make every day.  God doesn’t force anything on you.  When you hear the spirit prompt you to call someone, do it.  When the idea to bless someone with a gift comes up, do it.  When you think it would be so nice to have those couples over for dinner, do it.  The enemy will say to you, “You don’t have time.  You don’t have the money.  You don’t really want to go to all that trouble.”  Don’t let him steal your victories. Before you know it you have gone from baby steps to full-fledged walking and onto running your race.

In Christ we are winners!  We are more than conquerors!  We are overcomers!

Let’s go!  I hear the band warming up.  The parade is about to begin!