“Triumph In Christ”

II Corinthians 2:14-17

14) Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.

15) For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

16) To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

17) For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.

Preface

O

ne has been the victim of bad teaching if one believes that God will "change" something if we just "stay in His face." This is not so. All that He intends to do, He has already gone. Therefore, anything that we are without, we do not have because of not believing Him.

It is important that we always remember that all human beings are lost. This is important not only to remind us of the work that still must be done, but also, that we might remember that we can never go back to this way of thinking or living.

Despite the "discovery" of the blessings and provision of God, Jesus came for one thing only: to save us from sin and to deliver us from bondage to sin.

Main Thought

The purpose of today's message is to let us know that we are already triumphant because our "victory" is "in heavenly places." In this, we are immeasurably blessed, for because of being "in Him," we are covered by Him and nothing confronts what belongs to Him for which He does not already have a solution. It stands to reason, then, that when we do not have a "solution," it is simply because we have not asked!

It cannot be overemphasized that all is already done "in the Spirit." It also cannot be overlooked that most who call themselves "belonging to" Him, still "go without." How, then, are we to benefit from His provision?

First of all, we must know how to access what we need. When it comes to blessings, we must understand that in that blessings are spiritual, in order to get them, we, too, must be spiritual. In other words, blessings are not to those who live in the flesh, but rather, to those who serve Him.

The Lord has such untapped "wealth" to give to those who belong to Him, but all too often, we are "stuck" in the "tangible," and therefore, remain without the "fullness" of what we could have, "We" are usually who is "cheating" us because of our unwillingness to deny ourselves.

For most of our lives, we have looked at "triumph" as the result of something that we do, when the truth is that the Lord gives us victory by leading us into triumph. Yet, even the granting of victory is not for our sakes, but rather, the Lord's. Entirely too much that happens becomes a concern to us rather than a means to show the glory of God.

Verse 15 of our text refers to us as "...a sweet savour of Christ…," meaning that we are to be a "pleasing fragrance." That which is "sweet" we find to be "pleasant,;' while what is not sweet we find to be unpleasant. In God's "environment," we are what is to be "sweet" and of a pleasant fragrance. If we accept that we are not "our own," we would have no problem with whatever comes to us, for then we would realize that "it" has nothing to do with us. Only in this way is one able to remain "pleasant."

Last week we explained our being "swallowed up" by the Lord by using the analogy of a drop of water being "swallowed" by the sea. Therefore, anything "targeting" that sea could only be targeting the larger body, much like lightening strikes what is "tallest" (that which stands out the most).

It would be easier for the Lord if He could simply "pick" His representatives "at random" and be assured an accurate representation of Himself. The fact is, however, that He can only be "seen" (that is, His power is only evidenced) through those who yield to Him.

Frequently (because of our tendency to rationalize as human beings), we feel that there are some "rights" that we are free to exercise with regard to "self- rule" (or, "autonomy"). You know, because "I am” therefore, I have a "right" to choose my path and determine my destiny. The fact though, is this: we cannot belong to the Lord and to ourselves at the same time. If we belong to Him, then we will rest in Him.

When Jesus said "It is finished," He was actually saying that "everything I came here to do has been done." He needed to do nothing for Himself, so every lash He took and every insult He suffered was to purchase "freedom" for us. Now, it is impossible for us to understand any such sacrifice because Man will never be selfless. So, the Lord "fixes it" so that we are not required to understand it—only accept it. The minute we attempt to understand anything about blessings –how to get them or how to keep them—we "mess up." How so? Because at that moment, we "leave" faith, and doing so automatically shows a lack of faith.

There is no "secret formula" for inheriting blessings. Whatever it is we need, we have instructions on how to "get." This means that if it is financial blessings

that we need, then we need to "follow the instructions" and plant that seed! Anything that we find ourselves "without" or involved in because of lack of trust in God will be solved only by trust in God! He must know that we trust Him!

He did not suffer all that He did just to turn around and leave us "confounded." He has established all that we might never be ashamed for having trusted Him! However, our concern must not be for what we can see, but rather, what is in Heaven. This, and only this, is important in our lives.

You see, once we accept salvation (which is beyond merely accepting the baptism and the infilling) our lives are lived by what emanates from Heaven. Since Heaven (and all that occupies it) is the Source of power, we must occupy it—and this can only be done if we are spiritual beings. Therefore, not being human (that is, not living a life bound by what constitutes "humanity") is what is going to gain us power—and of all the blessings available from the Lord, this is the greatest and that which will allow us to "triumph in Christ."