Do You Want To Be Victorious In This Life?

1 Corinthians 15:53-57 - For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.  "O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?"  The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.  NASU 

• The Apostle Paul Mocks Death 

Paul is informing us that two things are going to happen to us as a Christian person when we physically die. First, we are going to physically go through a change. As of right now we have a body that is "perishable." The Greek word for "perishable" means capable of decaying. I am sure you won't get any argument from anyone 35 years old or older about the effects of aging.
 
We are decaying, or in other words, we are not able to do what we did when we were 18 or 21 years of age and that is a fact. But we have a body that is coming that will allow us to never decay, age or lose our vitality.
 
Second, we are going to become immortal. This means we will never die again. The Greek word for immortal is "athanasia" which means "no death or deathlessness." You may recognize the word "euthanasia" which means "a good death."
 
The word "eu" in Greek means "good or well" and is used as a prefix in many English words. Another word is "eulogy" or good words spoken about a person at a funeral.
 
Paul is able to mock death because he views death as a defeated enemy. You and I can mock death if we will have the faith in Jesus Christ. 

• How Do We Acquire This Victory Over Death? 

Paul did not want us to be ignorant about this victory and states very plainly how we can acquire this victory over death when he says, "but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."
 
We can receive this "victory" by being "in Christ." The Greek word for "victory" is a very popular word and one I am sure you'll recognize. It is the word "Nike."  The shoe manufacturer's name means "victory or victorious."
 
When Nike started their company they saw themselves as being "victorious" in business.
 
My question for you is this, "How do you see yourself when you will meet death face to face?"
 
Do you see yourself getting the "Nike" or "Victory"?
 
If you have faith in Jesus Christ you can be as assured as the Apostle Paul that when you meet death "face to face" the "Nike" will be yours. 

• The Apostle John Gives Us Assurance

You and I can be assured of a victory over death. John says, in 1 Jn 5:4-5 - For whatever is born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? NASU
 
Have you been "born of God" or been "born again"?
 
John 3:3-7 - Jesus answered and said to him, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born, can he?"  
 
Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.  "That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.  "Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' NASU
 
I was born again March 2, 1975 when I went down into a watery grave (aka- baptism) and was resurrected to walk in newness of life.  Baptism is a transliterated word from the Greek. The translation of this Greek word is "immerse".
 
I hope you will be "victorious" in this life by being able to defeat death when you meet it face to face. You can be "Nike".
 
Think On This:
 
The only thing worse than growing old is to be denied the privilege.

Stay Pumped, 

Gary A. Serago
 
Minister of God's Word

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