THE PRIZE OF VICTORY
The
price to pay for victory paves way for the prize of victory. We cannot access
life as the prize of victory if we have not paid the price for victory. There
is no victory in a battle without a fight. There is no success without passing though
failures. There is no overcoming without passing through ups and down. There is
no victory therefore without a price. In reality, many people want to be
victorious in life, but not everybody wants to pay the price. Are
you willing to pay the price in order to access the prize?
There is no doubt that nobody wants
to associate with failure. An athlete in a race does not run for nothing, he
runs with the mindset of winning the crown. A warrior preparing for battle will
nurse nothing else but victory. A student preparing for exams will expect
nothing else but the best. Everyone desires to get success as an end result but
only few know that there is something that needs to be done in order to access this
success. There is a goal for us to reach, are you running focus-ly towards it
or you are walking aimlessly towards it? For Apostle Paul, he said, “I
run toward the goal, so that I can win the prize of being called to heaven.
This is the prize that God offers because of what Christ Jesus has done.” (Philippians
3:14). When you have not acknowledged that there is a crown for you to
win, it will be dicey to get access to the crown.
“Surely you know that many runners take part in a race, but only
one of them wins the prize. Run, then, in such a way as to win the prize. Every
athlete in training submits to strict discipline, in order to be crowned with a
wreath that will not last; but we do it for one that will last forever.” (1
Cor. 9:24-26) Apostle Paul uses a victory crown for
winning a race as a parallel to running and winning the race of life. The crown
and wreath are used to describe the prize, but how long would the victory crown
of a winning athlete remain fresh and green? Not for very long. This is because
it would soon shrivel and thereafter lost its value/worth. BUT, the prize of
victory I am driving at in this write up is eternal. It is based on Gods own
eternal word. The question is, what is
your crown? What do you want to be
successful at? Is it at riches, fame,
wealth, material possessions, etc. all will soon fade in glory? There is a
victory crown which can last forever, will
you be ready to pay the price to access it?
Many years ago, a crown was placed
on Jesus’ head by the soldiers shortly before the crucifixion. That crown was
the ‘victory
crown of thorns’ which many
say is the most unusual victory crown of all time. Many people at that time
most especially the soldiers mocked Jesus and believed that the battle is over
and that Jesus has lost. Three (3) days later after His crucifixion, Jesus won
many victories by fulfilling the prophecies concerning His life, accomplishing His
mission/purpose for which he was sent to this world, and he also defeated
death. Oh dear reader, for this reason, I am positively green/sure that Jesus
will come back again to take those who are faithful to Him. He is at the right
hand side of the father with a wear of a heavenly crown which the enemies could
not have stopped. Are you ready for his
coming? Are you living with heaven in view? If he comes today, will you follow
him? These are questions you must unearth as you journey through life to
eternity.
The Christian race is not without
its suffering and ups and down, yet God expects us to be faithful to the end.
There would be a testing period which I often refer to as the wilderness
experience period. Remember that this wilderness experience period won’t
last long; it is just for a while. There will be trials and temptations,
challenges and tribulations on the way, but you need to be faithful to God even
to the point of death. If this prize of victory will cost you your life, please
never quit and never fear the suffering you will pass through before being crowned
by the righteous judge “at that day” (day of judgement). The bible says “Don't
be afraid of anything you are about to suffer. Listen! The Devil will put you
to the test by having some of you thrown into prison, and your troubles will
last ten days. Be faithful to me, even if it means death, and I will give you
life as your prize of victory. (Revelation 2:10)
What
actually is this prize of victory and to whom would it be given to? From
Revelation 2:10 quoted earlier, the prize of victory is the crown of life.
It will interest you to know that the believers
are eternally rewarded by Jesus at the judgement seat of Christ with rewards
for being faithful to the end and a reward for loving Jesus to the end. These crowns
and rewards
are the “crown of righteousness (loved the Lord’s appearing), incorruptible
crown (disciplined bodies/self control), crown of life (endure patiently
through trials), crown of glory (godly leaders who were examples to flock), and
crown of rejoicing (soul winners)”. How you live your life here on
earth determines the reward you will get on that
day. There is a reward for those who
win the race. There is a reward for the overcomers. My dear readers note that Jesus
will surely award us with the crown of righteousness if we run this race
successfully to the end. Please, don’t give up so soon.
If you are not aware of these
crowns, you may get tired of suffering for the Lord. There is crown if only we
wait patiently to the end. The phrase ‘The devil will throw some of you into
prison to test you. You will suffer ten days…” (Rev. 2:10) simply
suggests that there will be a time where you might think you are in a prison
for living a righteous life, but just know that it is for a short moment as
signified from the phrase ‘ten days’
which clarifies how short the testing moment would be. Please endure patiently
for James
1:12 says “Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has
stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to
those who love him” How much love do you have for God? A
question you must not leave unanswered as you journey to eternity.
How
then can you live your life in such a way as to be given life as the prize of
victory? The first step in reality is by being born again. There is possibility of accessing life as the prize of
victory by accepting Jesus as your Lord and personal savior through repentance.
In our generation, we have many people who claim to be born again; yet, their
lives don’t show forth the life of Christ. Being born again is not an
improvement of your character or morality; it is a new life that Christ Himself
gives. Do you know what the new birth experience really means? The bible says “This
means that ANYONE who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life
is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). Dear reader, do
you have the new birth experience? If no, today is an opportunity for you to
accept Jesus as you Lord and personal savior. Jesus has actually paid the price for your
salvation on the cross of Calvary. “You were bought with a price (purchased
with a preciousness and paid for by Christ); then do not yield yourselves up to
become (in your own estimation) slaves to men (but consider yourselves slaves
to Christ) (1 Cor. 7:23). Jesus is waiting for your response. To
access life as the prize of victory, you must remain faithful even when facing
death. To ensure victory, you must exercise self control, practice self
discipline, fix your eyes on Jesus, focus on the race’s end and run with endurance,
never grow weary in waiting for Jesus’ return, loving God with the whole of your
heart, and then keeping His commandments.
Eternal life in itself is a victory
crown, and that death loses its victory in Christ. For the faithful, even death
brings life; thus, do not be afraid of suffering for Christ. Jesus suffered
death so that we might live eternally. “There is a blessing on the man who
undergoes testing; because, if he has God's approval, he will be given the
crown of life, which the Lord has said he will give to those who have love for
him.” (James 1:12) Jesus is our salvation. We must not get tired persevering
for the Lord and we must not get tired loving Jesus. If we don’ get tired, victory
is sure in the end. As the hymn rightly puts it, “O victory in Jesus, my
saviour forever. He sought me, and bought me, with His redeeming blood.” That’s
it…so we could have overcome the world. So we could rejoice forever with crowns
that do not fade.” In want
to conclude with what Apostle Paul said many years ago, “I have fought the good fight. I have finished the race. I have served
the Lord faithfully. Now, a prize is waiting for me - the crown that will show
I am right with God. The
Lord, the judge who judges rightly, will give it to me on that Day. Yes, he
will give it to me and to everyone else who is eagerly looking forward to his
coming.” (2 Tim. 4:7-8). May God grant us help us to run this race in such a
way as to receive these crowns at the end of our race in Jesus name, Amen.
“If
we who are [abiding] in Christ have hope only in this life and that is all, then
we are of all people most miserable and to be pitied.”
(Apostle
Paul from 1 Corinthians 15:19)
