ODJ: decisive

April 20, 2015 

READ: Isaiah 43:14-28 

I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins for my own sake and will never think of them again (v.25).

The line between victory and defeat can be quite slim. Did the winning shot leave his hands before the buzzer sounded? Did the goalie deflect the ball early enough or did it slip across the line? Relieved victors often say “a win is a win”, but they realise the contest could have gone either way.

Aren’t you glad that our God always wins decisively? He doesn’t just squeak by His opponents—He obliterates them. Look at His CV:

Egypt. God didn’t sneak Israel out in the middle of the night. He delivered His children in broad daylight, enticed the Egyptian army to follow, then drowned them “beneath the waves” (Isaiah 43:17).

Jericho. God collapsed the walls of this enemy city and “completely destroyed everything in it” (Joshua 6:21).

The Philistines. With God on his side, David took down Goliath and routed the Philistine army (1 Samuel 17:32-51).

Baal. God won this one big-time! He allowed the false prophets to embarrass themselves, then sent down fire from heaven and consumed Elijah’s water-soaked sacrifice (1 Kings 18).

Sin, Death and Satan. God sent Jesus to defeat decisively His strongest opponents: sin, death and Satan. Jesus didn’t merely slip past the devil. “He disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross” (Colossians 2:15). Jesus bore our sin and death on the cross, and when He arose He left them in the dust.

—Mike Wittmer

365-day-plan: 1 Kings 19:1-21

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Read Daniel 3:1-30 to learn how we can confidently serve our victorious God. 
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Recount the victories God has already won for you. Where do you need to gain victory today? What prayers for help will you offer to your great God?