Wednesday’s Encouraging Word – Victorious Living

Today's Endurance is Tomorrow's Victory

Living in Victory

Blessed is the man who perseveres…James 1:12 NIV

Have you ever wondered what it would take to live a victorious life? Well, let’s look at three keys to victorious living:

1) Perseverance – (Thomas Edison 1847-1941). The testimony of certain people seems to just embody a dominant characteristic. Well, Thomas Edison was one of those people.

We’ve all heard his name before. But did you know that this famous American is attributed with failing over 10,000 times before he invented a commercially viable electric lightbulb. However, what he is most famous for is that he never gave up! When asked by a newspaper reporter if he felt like a failure and if he should give up, after having gone through over 9,000 failed attempts, Edison simply stated “Why would I feel like a failure? And why would I ever give up? I now know definitely over 9,000 ways an electric lightbulb will not work. Success is almost in my grasp.”

Never Give Up! 

He is also the same person whose teachers said he was “too stupid to learn anything.” He was also fired from his first two employment positions for not being productive enough. However, Edison, through his failures, became the greatest innovator of all time with 1,093 US patents to his name. That number is in addition to the several others patents that he held the UK, and Canada. Edison is someone who refused to ever give up.

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life. (James 1:12 NIV)

 2) Purpose – Fanny Crosby (1820-1915)Fanny was an amazing hymn composer of her time, and she never let her blindness stop her from writing 8,000 Christian hymns, including “Blessed Assurance,” “Rescue the Perishing,” and “Pass Me Not, O Gentle Savior.

Her life was devoted to writing hymns. Her total interest was to bring others to Christ. She was criticized for “feminizing” church music but continued to write music, believing that her work was divinely inspired.

 Jesus said, The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve. (Mark 10:45)

Seed Sowing For Others

Let’s stop praying for a generous heart, and practice being generous. Then our hearts will fall into line with our actions. As long as we sow into the Kingdom, the Word promises that God will give us the seed (2 Corinthians 9:10).

3) PerspectiveLook at it like this……Your disappointment may turn out to be God’s appointment!

In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps. (Proverbs 16:9 NIV)

Perseverance Brings Victory

Most of us know how an oyster makes a pearl? It’s when a grain of sand gets into its shell; the oyster wraps it in layer after layer of beauty until a pearl is formed. An unknown author wrote: ‘This tale has a moral, for isn’t it grand, what an oyster can do with a morsel of sand? And what couldn’t we do, if we’d only begin, with some of the things that get under our skin.’

Have The Right Perspective

So today’s encouraging word is to check that you have the right perspective and see that God is at work in what you are walking through today! Remember, you will not remain where you are forever. Every situation has an exit, and God’s promise is that you will come out victorious and never smelling of smoke!

 

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