By: Hanny Lynn Stearns

Fish N Loaves Ministries, Inc.

“Multiplying God’s Word Around The Globe”

 August 5, 2016

       He Gives US The Victory    

1 Corinthians 15:57

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Today is the end of a great and victorious week for me and I am so excited to share my testimony with you. God is a good God and He has been so good to me. This week was a challenging one. It started off with symptoms in my body and I had to keep stating out loud that by Jesus stripes I am healed. I put faith in His word and thanked Him that it was already done. I didn’t look at the symptoms – I looked at His promises.

This morning, as I went outside to walk our sweet puppy, I looked up and discovered a beautiful rainbow. Every time I see the rainbow, I am reminded that God keeps His promises. This week He certainly did for me! He has told us in His word that He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. This week I have seen this promise come to pass in my life, so I need to give away what I have received so freely  and wonderfully from our God and King.

I was tempted several times with food this week, but as the Lord taught me through those circumstances to watch and pray, I came out on top of the enemy's devices. The devil even tried to set me up for this coming Sunday when Denny and  I go out to eat after church. He put the thought in my mind, “Why don’t you make that a splurge meal?” I grabbed a hold of that thought and took it to the Lord. I said to the Lord that I really didn’t think that thought was coming from Him.

As I got into my shower (the Lord can speak to us anywhere, LOL!) He reminded me that not only was this a set up, but that I had a plan to have one day a month where I eat other than my normal diet, but it is a planned thing, not a result of the tempter’s suggestion. I was so grateful and thanked the Lord for showing me this. I have made my plan for when we will be out of town. I can choose some fun things to eat and get right back to my plan the next day, and it will not be a result of caving in to temptation. It will be a planned and controlled situation where I will be the one in control of what I do, not the devil! Praise God.

Today I woke early, at 5:00 am. I exercised at 5:30 and then took my shower. I was done in time to fix breakfast for my husband and pray with him before he left for work, and I feel great! I was right on track with my exercises all week. The Lord showed me in my time of prayer this morning the following verse…

James 1:2, 3, 12

My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.

I was so blessed when He showed me this as I come to the end of a victorious week in Christ Jesus, my Lord. The Father showed me that every week can be just like this, taking it one day at a time. After all, that is the only way we can live this life isn’t it? Just one day at a time. I don’t have to think about tomorrow, or deal with its issues until it gets here. I only need to live in today and be 100% in the moment I am in. In so doing, I can benefit from every single part of my day without carrying baggage from the past, or trying to bring in tomorrow’s cargo and try to carry it today. That’s victory! That’s what Jesus died and rose again to give us.

Friends, I believe I am supposed to share this with you so that you can see the word of God and a testimony of practical, lived out examples of how it works from day to day. Anyone who has struggled with addiction knows how important it is to stay close to a strong source for help each day. Well friends, our Savior is right here, ready, willing and able to come to our aid. But we have to ask. Then we have to receive. And lastly, we have to do our part. Without those three components working together, we will fail.

We are in a race in this life. And anyone who is in Christ has already been given the victory. It’s a done deal. The only thing left in the equation is for us to reach out and take it by faith. May you be blessed and encouraged as you continue to fight the good fight of faith and allow Your Savior to lead you to Your victory. It’s yours. It’s there. Its finished! Now take it in Jesus name.

God bless you!

1 Corinthians 9:24

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.