Recently, I mentioned reading Crystal Ratcliff’s “It’s Time”. (If you haven’t picked up your copy, I highly recommend it!) In the final chapter, Mrs. Crystal states this regarding Victorious Christianity: “It’s the life God desires for us, designed for us, and for that very reason we know there’s going to be resistance.” (Ratcliff, page 94)

Beloved, those words flew off the page at me. They perfectly encapsulated a thought I was struggling to piece together for this blog. When I surrendered to the Lord’s call on my life, about twenty years ago, I was completely unprepared for the opposition that would come my way. At this time, it wasn’t my salvation I was struggling to settle; instead, I found myself unsure of God’s will for my life. How could this possibly be His good and perfect will when the opposition was so heavy! I struggled with understanding how resistance fit into the idea of a plan meant for my good and His glory. (Romans 8:28) It took me over a decade to realize that God didn’t call me to a simple life; He called me to a victorious one. Webster’s 1828 defines victory, in part, like this: “conquest; the defeat of an enemy in battle, or of an antagonist in contest”. Well said, Mr. Noah Webster. You see, beloved, to have a victory, you must have an opponent. And that we do, and might I add, he’s an enemy that doesn’t fight fairly. (I wish I had understood that sooner!) I hope to offer affirmation and maybe even some exhortation to the lady stepping out in faith today. Make no mistake, dear one, the road is not easy, but it is ever so worth it!

This portion of my story begins about the time the Lord got hold of our hearts for ministry. The Lord was so merciful and longsuffering during those backslidden early years; I knew I needed to surrender our testimony to Him, because He would not waste any of it! I also knew I was supposed to write. As I’ve mentioned before, I’d already seen God work through personal testimony and sharing our journey with others. With all that in mind, I began keeping a blog on an online platform. (I am fairly certain FB wasn’t even a thing at the time). I shared everything from personal testimony to cooking and decorating “hacks” and motherhood. Along the way, social media platforms grew and so did my online presence. As a result, I was given opportunities to speak at ladies’ meetings and family conferences. God was blessing my obedience! But much to my surprise, not everyone was happy about this, and the naysayers were plentiful. Unfortunately, they were also very close to us, which was not only an obstacle I was not prepared for, but a source of hurt I found almost unbearable.

I can only suppose how God would have blessed a steadfast spirit and a heavy dose of courage, but unfortunately those were not my responses. What I chose to do instead was retreat. I began journaling and writing studies from the comfort of my home, teaching in the upper room of a tiny church with just a few children. It was very different from where I had been serving and felt the Lord had truly called me. Let me be clear, none of those things were bad; they just weren’t fully obedient. I was right back to being Jonah, and I didn’t even realize it!

You see, although I may have appeared to be serving well to the casual observer, partial obedience is still disobedience. The Lord had asked me to do something, and my lack of courage led me down a very slippery slope. I progressed from doubt to discouragement, then to disobedience. But God was faithful. He chastened me and grew me all along the way. He taught me that all of this is just the result of a weak faith. That was so convicting; I knew deep down inside that without faith it was impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6), and that even if I felt attacked or ill-equipped, He was able! (1 John 4:4; Ephesians 3:20) Why had I not believed a God who had shown me so much?

Here are the questions I wish I had asked my twenty-something-year-old self:

1. Whose approval am I after? “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.” (Galatians 1:10)
2. What does God’s Word say? “Faithful is He that calleth you, who also will do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24)
3. What will happen if I don’t follow through? “Thou shalt also consider in thine heart, that, as a man chasteneth his son, so the LORD thy God chasteneth thee.” (Deuteronomy 8:5)
4. Is the victory worth the battle? “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory” (2 Corinthians 4:17)

Maybe today you’re like Jonah … and me. Can I offer you some encouragement? Settle in your mind these truths and fully surrender to whatever the Lord has asked of you. Oh sure, He’ll use whatever you give Him. But wouldn’t you like to know you didn’t hold anything back and live in the blessing of those victories?

I have to admit that thought has driven me to total surrender time and again. My greatest fear is no longer the battle we are promised, but the possibility of standing before my Saviour and realizing I missed out on something He had for me! I yearn to know that I did exactly what He asked of me, for His glory, and to step into eternity hearing those cherished words: “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” While I wait for that day, I choose to walk in victory today.

Might we all have the faith and courage to walk steadfastly in that victory, being unmovable, and always abounding in the work of the Lord!