1 John 5:4 (NIV) ” for everyone born of God overcomes the world.  This is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith.”

The devil has two goals for the life of every Christian.  His first goal is to keep you from finding out that you are already an overcomer.  If he is unsuccessful in accomplishing the first goal, the second one is to prevent you from enjoying the victory that overcomes the world.  The devil is after your faith.

Jesus said in John 10:10 (NIV) “The thief (the devil) comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  God’s plan for you has always been life that is filled with Him and His goodness.  If something steals, kills or destroys, it does not come from God.  If the devil can’t keep you from believing in the goodness of God, he will unleash every problem, difficulty, set-back and trap he can come up with in order to overwhelm and discourage you.  He wants you to think thoughts like, “why did this happen to me?” or “it’s just too hard to believe God!”  He wants to stop your faith.

Hebrews 11:1 (ASV) says “Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, a conviction of things not seen.”

Most of the time, people tend to focus on things that are easy to see.  Outward appearances don’t necessarily tell what is in a person’s heart.  You may be tempted to look at others who don’t seem to be struggling like you are with something and think that you must be lacking in faith or you wouldn’t have your problem.  Faith is not the absence of problems, it is believing that, based on God’s word (the Bible) you already have your answer no matter how long you have to believe before you see it.  The only way you can lose is if you stop believing!  God did not say the overcomers are the ones who’ve got it all together.  If anyone actually had it “all together” they wouldn’t need Jesus!  God said overcomers are believers!

You may have allowed the devil to convince you that you are a failure. It’s not about what happened yesterday.  Jesus blood has the power to erase the sins of your past.  Your faith in His blood redeems your history.  Your unshakeable faith in God’s word is your present and future victory.  And, if you refuse to let go of your faith, the winner is…you!