Thanks Be to God

I have celebrated the past 28 Thanksgivings with my husband, and every one of them has held the same traditions. That’s unusual for us because we travel so frequently. Nearly every year, we are in a different place for the holiday. But we still hold to many time-tested habits: turkey and mashed potatoes, half a dozen pies, setting the table with our best dishes, and, my favorite, testimony time. Around the feast we all share with one another a glimpse of our hearts: what we are thankful for, how God has been working in our lives, and what we have learned or been reminded of in the preceding year. The guys always try to be funny, and the girls always get a little teary. It’s a very special practice that I hope we never stop.

I will admit that some years, amid the hustle and heat of an overcrowded house, children that still need mommy’s attention, rising rolls, and apple pies boiling over in the oven, I have forgotten to think about what I am thankful for until the meal is over. We usually start with the youngest and work our way to the oldest, so that buys me some time. What am I truly thankful for, Lord? What work have you been doing in my heart recently?

It’s never hard to come up with an answer. Usually a few minutes of recollection, coupled with the tender mood of the family, has me blubbering and blowing my nose on my nicest fabric napkins.

But this year, I’m prepared. I already know my answer. Want to hear it?

I am thankful for victory through Jesus Christ.

I Corinthians 15:55-58 “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

That doesn’t sound like your average house wife’s thankful list, does it? What about family? What about God’s blessings? The church you’ve attended for ever or your closest friends that are always there for you? I’m thankful for many things, but this year, I want to focus my thoughts and attention on victory. Why? What does that even mean?

It means that life the way we know it—which is changing more rapidly than we’d like to admit—isn’t all that there is. The struggles with sin and the flesh will soon be over. God and heaven and eternity are just as real as the turkey on the table and more exciting than the pumpkin pie topped with extra whipped cream to come. We are struggling through the temporal—temptation, defeat, frustration, sorrow, pain, and loss. But there is so much more to come—pure hearts, perfect joy, no more daily struggles in the physical or spiritual realm, and eternity in the presence of our Father, Savior, and Comforter! There is much to look forward to, and it’s all better than Thanksgiving Day, Christmas morning, and your birthday bundled into one. It is heaven!

So as you and I eagerly await that final victory, God has given us His Word to direct our thoughts in these areas. Knowing and believing the gospel gives victory over four primary enemies: sin, the flesh, Satan, and death.

Victory over sin. Earlier in I Corinthians 15 (verses 3-4), we are reminded that Jesus died, was buried, and rose again the third day for our sins. That is the gospel in a nutshell. And in Him, we are granted that same power to overcome sin. Paul’s expertly written treatise explains this:

“For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of One shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 5:19-21)

Glory! In Adam we are all sinners. In Christ, every believer is a victor over sin.

Victory over the flesh and the old nature. This is part of “growing up” in Christ (Ephesians 4:15). We no longer entertain childish whims and desires, but we learn to put off the old man—that fleshly spirit with which we are born—and put on the new man—the spirit of obedience to Christ and His commands.

“That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” (Ephesians 4:22-24)

Another way to look at it is that Christ lives through me.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

It’s not up to me to be perfect. But “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” (Philippians 4:13)

Victory over Satan. Sometimes we Christians can be a bit dramatic. We envision a super-hero battle between God and Satan, with mountains being hurled as weapons and entire cities buried in mere seconds of wrath. But truth be told, Satan is just a created being. And God is his Creator. There really is no comparison in their power, wisdom, strength, or success. Satan’s cause has been lost all along, and he knows it. But he does everything he can to deceive us into thinking that he’s winning. But what does Scripture say?

When giving Saul/Paul his mission, Jesus said this: “Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee. To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me.” (Acts 26:17-18)

And in his benediction to the Romans, Paul reiterates that truth. “And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.” (Romans 16:20)

When Satan sent a “messenger” to buffet Paul, of course Paul wanted to be rid of it. But Satan’s power is so limited and weak, that God didn’t even address it. He simply said, “Take more of Me and My grace, Paul. That is all you need.” And it was! Paul testifies that Christ’s grace was sufficient for him.

And when God’s timing is right and His purposes have all been fulfilled upon the earth, He has a plan for Satan, too.

“And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony…” (Revelation 12:7-11a)

And finally, victory over death. Most of us spend our adult lives trying to avoid death. We eat healthy. We exercise. We avoid driving at excessive speeds in the ice and snow. When we find out that we have an illness, we spend our fortunes on doctors and medicines and procedures and even experimental treatments—anything to live another day.

But if we looked at death through the lens of the Word, we might not work so hard to stay on this cursed earth in our cursed bodies. The Psalmist had a right perspective:

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for Thou art with me, Thy rod and Thy staff they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)

“For this God is our God for ever and ever: He will be our guide even unto death.” (Psalm 49:14)

“Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints.” (Psalm 116:15)

Death really has no hold on the Christian. God promises to be with us every day, right up to and all the way through the gates of death. But what is on the other side? Only His presence, His light, and perfect fellowship with Him. And He has promised this:

“[God] will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth: for the Lord hath spoken it.” (Isaiah 25:8)

Oh my friends, what hope resounds from these verses penned by Paul!

• Death is only temporary!

• Satan’s strongholds have already been defeated by Jesus!

• Sin and sickness will be no longer!

• Heaven—God’s presence—is already ours!

What greater promise do we need?

So today, I am thankful for victory. I can live each day knowing that I am in God’s care, under His sovereign control, and satisfied with His love for me. Everything we are seeing and experiencing on earth today will be gone like the mist of the morning, and will be replaced with eternity with God.

What a day that will be! Thanks be to God!