In Touch - April 23, 2005

In Touch Daily Devotional 
by Dr. Charles Stanley

Saturday April 23, 2005
The Secret of Being an Overcomer

2 Corinthians 12:9-10

Paul learned the secret of being an overcomer: Maintain God's perspective on the ups and downs of life, and access His power. The apostle was firmly convinced that having the person of the Holy Spirit living in him meant that God's power was likewise available within him.

We, too, can learn to be at peace while the storms of life rage around us. The first step is believing that the power of God is within us through the presence of Christ's Spirit. We then must accept that God's priority for us is transformation into Christ's image, and not necessarily comfortable circumstances. Diligently seeking to maintain Jesus' perspective on trials (John 16:33) is also important. Until we settle these matters of faith, true contentment will evade us.

Having embraced these truths, we can learn to use the divine power of the risen Christ. The key is submitting our will to His. Then, instead of reacting to life based on our own weaknesses and desires, we will switch to responding on the basis of God’s will and the fact that we belong to Christ. We will be able to consciously surrender ourselves to the Lord and His pattern for living. Yielding control to the Holy Spirit allows God’s will to be done and enables us to accept it. When we can say, "Lord, whatever You choose to send will be all right with me," then we will experience the inner peace promised to us. (John 14:27)

Firm faith, divine perspective, and surrender—these are the ingredients for the victorious life. Now you know the secret too.

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