The Triumphant Life Part 2

BLJ: We continue looking at the works of J. M. Hames on the triumphant life. We can live the abundant life today, but we can't do it eating a steady diet of anger, hatred, worry and evil speaking. Instead of following the world, follow Jesus Christ.

The disciples received this overflowing, uncontainable blessing and from the moment they left the upper room with this mighty, fiery baptism, nothing could stop them, neither men nor devils, kings, armies, or dungeons. They plowed hell up by the roots and turned the world upside down. (See Acts 17:6). The Wesleys and the early Methodist preachers had this and mob violence and public ridicule could do nothing to turn them aside. So long as the Methodists taught and retained this blessing nothing could stop this blood and fire movement. Its advance was like the tread of a victorious army.

To be a little more particular, let us notice what it means to have a triumphant life.

I. It means victory in our own hearts. Before we can have victory over circumstances, we must be conquered and subdued in every part of our being. No man can be victor over others until he has been a self-conqueror. "He that ruleth his own spirit is greater than he that taketh a city." Unless we are cured to the core, when injustice is done us, it will be natural to fight back. But when God conquers us it is easy to forgive and return blessings for curses.

Dr. A. B. Simpson says, "It is a great blessing to be able to forgive and forget. Unforgiveness is one of the unpardonable sins. And when the enemy succeeds in causing some one to do you wrong, the sting which he inserts in your heart, in your hate, and vindictiveness, is far more poisonous than the outward blow by which he seeks to do you wrong.

"There is no battle harder than a battle with our sensitiveness and our sense of wrong. Many of us have found it the very turning point of life. Some cruel wrong or some injury that the natural heart could never forgive, has ranked there until we felt we would lose our souls if we did not gain the victory."

The beauty of being sanctified, is the "old man" is slain and the heart is flooded with perfect love. It is easy with the Christlike spirit enthroned within, to forgive.

II. It means victory over all enemies. No amount of holiness will relieve us of enemies. Stephen with a heart full of perfect love and heaven in his face, had men gnashing their teeth upon him in a perfect fury. The holy Wesley, a saint of the most .high God, had on his tracks the bloodhounds of .hell persecuted by many who were high in ecclesiastical position and the religious world.

The question is how do our enemies affect us. Some sour and grow bitter under opposition, while others make it a means of grace. The very same loser trails sorrows and persecution that make one's life better, will make another sweet, tender, and Christlike. The promise in the 'Bible is that God has an experience for us which will deliver us from "the hand of our enemies." Notice it does not say that we shall be delivered from their presence and attacks, but from their "hand."

We gather from the Scriptures that the word "hand" stands for power. So the promise is that we shall be delivered from their power. When Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, he prophesied, saying, .... The oath which God swore to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him with our fear, in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life." St. Luke 1:73-74.

This wonderful promise is made to us in connection with the blessing of holiness. "The blessing of holiness is a glorious escape and deliverance from both satanic and human foes. There is a grace God gives the soul. When we do not need that a single enemy shall be laid away in the cemetery in order that we shall have perfect liberty and victory. We can and shall by this new experience be delivered from their hand and power. Not only can God put the soul where the tongue of detraction and slander shall loose its bitter force on the heart of the victim, but He can take care of falsehood or slander. God can in some indescribable way cast the curtains of His pavilion about the soul, so to hide it from the wrath and pride of man and from the strife of tongue." He places the soul in the secret of His presence (the Holy of Holies) and where the arrows of hate cannot find it.

Under this blessing the Spirit-filled preacher is delivered from man fear, the "hand" of the high officials and the carnal church board.

There is a blessing promised by Almighty God to His people Israel, where "There stood not a man of all their enemies before them. The Lord delivered all of their enemies into their hand." Joshua 21. What a deliverance! What a Victory!

It is God's plan for us to have such a victor as to bring actual benefit out of the battle and make it tributary to our own good. It is possible, figuratively speaking, to take our enemies prisoners and make them fight in our ranks. The Bible is full of this fact. When a man's way pleases God, He can and will make everything in earth, heaven and hell work for our good and His glory. This is victory.

III. It means new victories and new territory. It was one thing for the Jews to cross the Jordan into Canaan, and another thing to take new territory and possess the land. After Joshua had conquered thirty-one kingdoms, and had overrun a good portion of Canaan, yet God cried out and said, "There remaineth yet much land to be possessed." There were lofty hills and mountains which they had not explored.

"A single victory won is always pleasant to recall. But what if we obtain a blessing which brings us constant victories over all kinds of foes and at all times. What an experience that would be. A joy made up of countless succession of joys; and all the gladness springing from perpetual victory over self and sin through the blood of Christ, as realized in the grace of sanctification.

In such a life as this, dead lions full of honey are found everywhere strewn along. Not only the days, but the hours. The soul is flushed, the heart sings, and lips shout over constant and countless triumphs in spiritual life. Walls crack and fall, seas open, rivers divide, and devils flee and fly. We are not only conquerors, but more than conquerors through Him who loves us and dwells in us. Hallelujah!

There is, thank God, a victory to our blessed Christianity. As we go deeper into the Canaan life, drink of its heavenly Spirit, and of its rich fruit, we shall go from grace to grace, from glory to glory, and from one mountain peak to another. We shall not stop at conquering thirty-one kingdoms, but shall possess the land to the going of the sun.

Some think that the taking of Jericho was one of the great victories of Canaan. This was a great victory indeed, but in reality was one of the lesser triumphs. As Israel advanced deeper into Canaan, there came another battle where the number of the enemy was greater than the Jericho army. Here God's people used no weapons such as swords and spears, but they simply played on harps and praised the beauty of holiness. The Bible tells us that panic broke out in the ranks of the enemy and they commenced destroying one another. The slaughter was so great and the victory was so overwhelming that the Israelites were three days gathering up the spoil. God not only wants to give us the victory, but that we shall gather spoil from our enemies.

Still another great victory came to them as they were confronted by a vast army. From an earthly standpoint, there were no prospects of victory. But the victory was 'even greater than any that had preceded. On this occasion they had no weapons, no swords, no spears, not even ram's horns or harps. But they were commanded to stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. The deliverance came from the skies. God rained great stones out of the heavens upon the enemy. The result was a tremendous victory for Israel.

These victories all have a rich spiritual meaning and are suggestive. The triumphs that come to us in Canaan should be greater as the years roll by and we possess new land.

 We have seen all these grades of spiritual life in Canaan from noise and a lot of trumpeting, to the quiet, restful saint. We have associated with the holiness people for nearly forty years. We are personally acquainted with Beulah Land saints who never raise their hands or open their lips in attack against their enemies or in defense of themselves. Lied about, publicly attacked, slandered and misrepresented, they kept perfectly quiet and left it all with Him who said, "Vengeance is mine, and I will repay." We have lived to see them wonderfully delivered and vindicated while their foes were put to shame. As we go deeper, we will depend less on methods such as ram's horns and musical harps, and depend more on the blessed Holy Ghost who knows no failure.

To possess the land in the general sense of the word, means a steady advancement along all spiritual lines. It means an enrichment of your sanctified personality, Christlike temper and disposition and a deeper love. It means all of the graces and fruit of the Spirit, which grew and flourished in the bosom of Jesus, maturing and ripening in the sanctified heart.

IV. To be more than conquerors means not only victory, but final triumph. We see nothing to be discouraged over. Our perfect confidence in the certainty of victory is seen in the fact that God has already described the last battle, the overthrow of sin, Satan, and the complete triumph of Christ and His bride.

The book of Revelation gives us the official bulletin of the last battle. The devil, the beast, and the false prophets are locked up in hell! sin is banished from the universe; the curse is lifted, Paradise is restored. As for the victory, it is described in figures that are gigantic and overwhelming to the mind. The Son of God is seen with many crowns on His head; His followers ride on white horses splashed with blood; the city of God is all ablaze with glory God beheld, descending from the skies; the people of God are caught up in the air to meet the Lord; the judgment throne is set; sin is banished; holiness is everywhere; heaven is open and an eternal joy unrolls before the enraptured vision.

How can hope sink and faith waver and labor cease with such a victory ahead of us?

Hear it! For the mouth of the Lord has spoken it; sin shall end, death will cease; all tears shall be wiped away; the curse shall be lifted and the earth will bloom like Eden. There shall be a new heaven and a new earth wherein dwelleth righteousness and true holiness. The kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and His Christ. Every knee shall ,bow to the man of Calvary. We shall have one grand home-coming and family reunion of the saints of all ages. The Lamb then shall lead us forth to fountains of living waters where the congregations never break up, the Sabbath never ends, and we shall join the everlasting song and crown Him Lord of all.