Victory

Victory is a concept that involves overcoming; it's a competitive concept, and we can think about how God desires for us to compete effectively over those spiritual forces that can defeat us.  Hebrews 12
offers this insight:
1 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us,
2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

There are threats that we encounter consistently that would derail us in our walk with Christ.  Victory is not a challenge-free life, no, it's how we respond to and meet those challenges that determines our level of victoriousness.  The trials will come and we can allow God to be in control to the extent that He enables us to effectively navigate what comes our way.  And, when we fail, when we sin, we can confess our sins and walk in His sweet forgiveness.

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With the Olympic Games in progress, there is much emphasis on winning and losing, on attaining
medals and athletic success. In Christ, the Christian has an opportunity to experience true spiritual victory. 2nd Corinthians 2 says:
14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
15 For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

Victory takes a lot of different forms.  For the Olympians who compete day and night, they are aspiring for greatness in their respective fields of endeavor.  But, there are some Olympians who have experienced victory in a variety of ways and have seen God's hand in profound ways.

Alexa and Chris Knierim are figure skaters who have been married since 2016. Christianity Today reports that "Not long after their wedding, Alexa underwent three surgeries for a life-threatening abdominal illness."

But, as the story relates, Alexa was back out practicing not long after that third surgery.  Sure, her endurance was limited, but she kept at it.  The article states: 

"I may have lost a lot of faith in myself, but I grew with my faith in God,” Alexa says. “I have some insecurities now that I didn’t have before, but I’m able to work on it and move forward because I’ve shifted my focus and my attention to my faith instead of myself.”

A ReligionNews.com story on the couple states:

Her Christian faith was “the reason I was able to get back on the ice,” she told People.

“I stopped worrying and stopped trying to control life, because I couldn’t. In the moment, you know, I was so sick and didn’t really know where things were going to go for me, whether it was skating or life in general. So I finally just threw my hands up and said like, ‘You lead the way,’ and it’s my testimony and I stay true to it.”

That faith plays a big role in the pair’s lives, she said. The two take part in a group prayer before competitions and meet regularly with other Christian athletes in Colorado, where they now live, according to People.

For Alexa, victory is more than just recognition on the ice; it means seeing God's control in her life, even in the midst of trial.

Katie Uhlaender is trying for an Olympic medal in her fourth appearance in the Winter Games.  She competes in the skeleton, which is essentially downhill sledding - very fast.  She narrowly missed out on a medal in Sochi, losing out to a Russian who was later disqualified, but then reinstated.  So she had to deal with that. The Gospel Coalition website highlighted another form of adversity in her life - the loss of her father...

...Uhlaender, who lost her famous father—former MLB outfielder Ted Uhlaender—to a heart attack in 2009, has tenacity and perseverance, in large part because of her faith.

“Quitting is never an option, so why would I quit on God?” she said. “He guides me and gives me the strength to keep going.”

That quote is from a Christian Sports Journal interview, in which Katie also said, " Adversity helped mold me and my successes gave me confidence. But my family and the people that I’ve met have taught me more than I can say through their support and love."

In 2012, Seun Adigun was a track and field competitor for her home country of Nigeria.  Christianity Today said:

Former Summer Olympian Seun Adigun represented Nigeria in track and field during the 2012 Summer Olympics, but confesses that she “stunk it up.” Hungry for athletic “redemption,” she then switched to bobsledding, building her own training sled from scratch.

In addition to learning a new Olympic sport and doing the necessary training, she has completed a doctorate of chiropractic degree and master's in exercise and health sciences, according to the TMC.edu website.  Asked how she accomplished all that, she responded:

I honestly only have the one answer: God. I do not know how I made it through the last three years, other than a lot of prayer, very little sleep and just a lot of support from all the people that have been involved from TCC and UH-Clear Lake.

She also said: "When you ride on faith, you’re able to live in that element of selflessness. You’re able to live in that moment of fearlessness. I don’t attribute any type of individual success to myself, but more so to God’s will to put me in places to allow things to flourish or opportunities to present themselves."

For the Christian, victory doesn't mean freedom from adversity; it involves seeing God show up in the midst of our adversity.  Spiritual victory isn't necessarily related to winning on an athletic field or achieving in your profession, although if you are dependent on the Lord and functioning in Your calling, He will produce excellence.  Alexa struggled with health challenges, Katie with the loss of a father, Seun with failure in an athletic endeavor and then the issues of time management.

We also recognize that spiritual victory results from how well we deal with the sinful impulses and actions that we encounter in the flesh.  Paul spoke of bringing his body under submission, as an athlete does. The Bible highlights the struggle, but reminds us of the spiritual resources available to enable us to overcome the power of sin in our lives.

Finally, victory involves surrendering control to Someone who is much more qualified to be in control of your life than you are.   Playing off what Seun said, faith enables you to "live in that element of selflessness" and "live in that moment of fearlessness."  Faith involves a recognition of who is in control, losing ourselves so that we may be found in Him, discovering that He has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and a sound mind.