Jesus' Victory Makes Us Bold

What makes us bold as believers? It’s not something you or I can come up with our produce in ourselves. It’s the victory God gives us THROUGH Jesus!

Paul gives us a powerful reason- Jesus didn’t stay dead on the cross. He is alive! God gives us victory over sin & death today through Jesus’ resurrection. This victory empowers us to be bold. 

Paul gives us 3 things we can do to serve God boldly. in 1 Corinthians 15:57-58:

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

It is such great news that we don’t have to produce a victory over our struggle with sin through our own strength or good deeds! God gives you victory today through what Jesus did on the cross. God gives you victory for eternity through Jesus rising from the dead. These verses promise believers that we are guaranteed an amazing, joyous ending.  Death is defeated in Jesus, immortal bodies are promised, and all of the bad things that we deal with in this life will be no more. Let’s thank God for this victory he gives us through Jesus!

The power of victory through Jesus propels boldness in us. 

Paul is calling us to do three things:

1. “Be Steadfast, Immovable.”

What kind of believer are you going to be? We are being called to persevere in our Christian walk. Yes, it will be challenging at times, but the mark of a Christian is that a Christian overcomes through Christ (see also Rev 27:17).

2. “Always abound in the work of the Lord.”

What abounds from your life? This is a call to direct our lives to the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom (see also Matthew 6:10). Christians are not people who merely coast through life, unconcerned with their great God’s commands and calls. We get to actively look for opportunities to work, which may include evangelism, serving the church, providing for the needs of others, representing Christ well in our responsibilities, and more.

3. “[Know] that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”

What are you confident in when it comes to serving the Lord boldly? If you are serving the Lord boldly by HIS strength and not your own, it does not go to waste. You can be confident that when you faithfully serve God and leave the results to Him, it will always result in success in His eyes. What matters is that your labor is “in the Lord...” not “in your own strength.” Be encouraged!

If I’m honest, there are days where I fall short. During those times, I can choose to remember the victory I have through Jesus and get right back in the mission with my great God. You can too! Jesus is so worthy of boldly serving him with every day of our lives.

How can you serve God boldly this week?

This week, I’d love to challenge you to consider how you can apply these three challenges to your life! Are you a person who is steadfast, persevering in the Christian walk? If not, this is the week to get back on track! Ask Jesus to forgive you for straying and let his Word and Spirit empower you to serve God boldly every day. 

Are you always abounding in the work of the Lord? Because this is a challenging season of life where many of us are suffering because of Coronavirus, it can be easy to forget about God’s Kingdom in our quest to endure our own troubles. Who is one person you can reach out to this week to pray for or share your hope in Christ with? 

Maybe you are diligently serving the Lord boldly right now. Have you lost heart that your work is in vain? If you are serving the Lord in his strength, be confident in your labor is not in vain. 

I encourage you to remember the victory God has given you through Jesus. Let’s look for ways to serve God boldly this week! Have a great week.

-Heather Barnes