“But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Apostle Paul’s praise for victory in 1 Corinthians 15:57 is the expression of divine deliverance given by God through our Lord Jesus Christ who fought against sin when He came to earth, overcome the world and defeated the devil to offer as many as come to Him by faith the same victory over sin, the world and the devil.

The primary aim of Christ coming to earth is not for us to celebrate His birth every year, but to give victory to the dejected, rejected, ejected human race. The ejection of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden was the beginning of sorrow, crime, hard labour etc. Man became a slave to sin, susceptible to satanic attacks. Man became a servant to satan and unsatisfied with every labour of his hand in the world. Man began to toil without getting his desires met (Genesis 3:16-19, 23, 24)

Out of compassion, God promised to send a deliverer, the Lamb of God who will contend with the ills holding man captive and set him free (Matthew 1:21; Romans 6:23; John 3:16). Jesus came in human form, lived and died and then rose from death to incapacitate and invalidate the power of sin and the power of Satan holding the human race to ransom. That was why Jesus told Pilate about His life, “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself” (John 10:18) to set men free.

Since sin could not take Him captive, the world could not control Him and Satan cannot contend with Him, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.” (Hebrews 7:25-27).

The victory Jesus promised was prophesied by Prophet Isaiah “Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.” (Isaiah 49:24, 25)

Apostle Paul, like every other beneficiaries of genuine salvation can now say, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Victory from the constant crisis of sin in the world by the devil through Christ’s Conquest over sin, the world and the devil. The victory only meant for those who are connected to Christ to conquer sin, the world and the devil.

1.        Constant Crisis of Sin in the World by the Devil

1 Corinthians 15:57; Genesis 3:1-19; Proverbs 13:21; 5:22-23; Romans 7:8, 14-24; 6:16; John 8:33-35, 44; 2 Peter 2:14-19; 1 John 2:16; James 4:1-4; Acts 13:10; 2Timothy 2:26; 1John 3:8

The constant desire of every nation, people and individuals, male or female is to rid their world of evil but every effort is always futile because only Christ have the ability to do so, “For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;”  (Hebrews 7:26).

The world is labelled as “present evil world” (Galatians 1:4), while the devil is called “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). Sin is the common language of the world. The world modernizes sin to suit their laws since no law could eradicate sin. The devil always mastermind new sinful inventions for the world to admit, master and tolerate. The nature of sin is inborn in humans and satan uses that as a bait. Through sin, the devil captivates men and women, boys and girls, old and young to suffer the consequences of their sins. There is no culture, colour or community where sin is not found in the world that is why Jesus called the world “...An evil and adulterous generation…” (Matthew 12:39).

The crisis sin produces are: DEFEAT (Joshua 7:11, 12), DESTRUCTION (Genesis 18:20; 19:24,25; Luke 17:28-30), DEATH (Romans 5:12, 13, 17), DAMNATION (Genesis 5:5-13), DELUGE (Genesis 6:5-7; 7:10-12, 17-24; Matthew 24:37-39), DEPRIVATION (Ephesians 2:12), DOMINION OF SATAN (2 Timothy 2:26).

2.        Christ Conquest over Sin, the World and the Devil

1 Corinthians 15:57; 1 Peter 3:18-20, 22; 1 John 3:8; Ephesians 4:6-10; Galatians 1:4; Romans 7:24, 25; Colossians 2:13-15; 1:20-22; Hebrews 9:11,12; Romans 6:12, 22; John 19:30; 3:14-18

Christ’s birth initiates the defeat of the devil and the conquest over the world, “… For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). His life was a preliminary of His final conquest at Calvary. He “went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil” (Acts 10:38). To finish up, He went to Calvary, suffered, bled and died to complete the victory over sin, the world and the devil. (Philippians 2:7-11).

Christ conquest was a gateway for the sinful man to escape the consequence of sin, the crisis in the world and to rescue man from the detention of the devil. Jesus opened up the way to victory so that anyone who runs in will be saved. As simple as it may sound, Christ really fought for the redemption of mankind (Colossians 2:13-15). Anyone who have tasted salvation and eventually returns to sin is ignoring the harrowing experience Christ went through at Calvary, “seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame” (Hebrews 6:6). But the door is open to everyone who wish to come in and enjoy Christ’s conquest over sin, the world and the devil (Proverbs 18:10; Isaiah 45:12; John 3:14-18).

3.        Our Connection to Conquer Sin, the World and the Devil

1 Corinthians 15:57; Matthew 11:28-30; John 9:39-41; Proverbs 28:13; Romans 10:8-11; Acts 19:18-20

The first step to this divine connection is to accept our sinfulness, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” (Isaiah 64:6), then come in boldly by faith through Jesus, who gives us the victory, who is the way, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6), confessing and promising to forsake all known sins and to forsake the world to follow Christ as well as renounce every evil work of darkness of the devil.

We must get connected to Christ to escape the doom and damnation of sin. The world will get worse but coming to Christ will keep us safe, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33), “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” (1 John 5:4). Victory will be determine by the decision you make. Managing will increase the devil’s chances for more torment, choosing the world will make one remain a slave to satan, continuing in sin will prolong the suffering under satan. Connect to Jesus today and obtain the victory to be free indeed, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36)