Already Not Yet Victory: How to Falter and Still Win

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.  1 John 5:4 ESV

Sometimes I wonder if John really gets it. I mean there are days when my faith is strong and I feel and see the victory that comes from my faith. Other days my faith seems more like a pipe dream. I don’t act like I have faith at all. I scratch and cling to what I want or how I want it. I fail to overcome anything.

But John doesn’t say strong faith is the victory that has overcome the world. No, he says our faith. Our faith in the finished work of Jesus is what has overcome the world. And our faith is a gift from God.

My victory over this world is secure because of Jesus’ work on the cross, but it isn’t complete yet. This side of Jesus’ second coming we live in the already and not yet of His victory. One day sin and death and pain will be completely overcome. Until that day we struggle against sin, we falter in our walk with Jesus, and we get up again in the power of the Holy Spirit.

So when we falter God is not there to condemn us. No, in Christ there is no condemnation for those who believe. He isn’t waiting to strike us with lightning. Will He let us experience consequences? Sure. But He can never love us more than He already does. And through the faith He gave us we overcome this world. We get up again, scraped, scarred, and we walk knowing Jesus won the victory.

What a day that will be when our faith (our victory) will be sight.