We have won!

And He said to them, "What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad? Luke 24:17.

To win means to obtain the advantage over the opposition; to successful achieve the goals and objectives set forth. When our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was sent to earth by His Father, His assignment was to give up His life in exchange for the salvation of all those who would believe in Him and establish a family of believes called the body of Christ who would continue carry out His message. To accomplish His mission He recruited 12 disciples who He trained and equipped to carry out His message throughout the earth after his return to His father. Though one of the disciples would betray Him which was a part of the plan He would accomplish his objectives. After His death and resurrection, He finds His disciples perplexed, sad and confused because it was the third day and they had not seen Him, thus concluding that the goal that he set forth was not accomplished. He did not rise as He said He would. Everything He taught us was not true. What are we to do now?

As they are having their pity party; Jesus Himself draws near them and begins to listen in. "Why are you so sad?" He asked. "Why are you talking so negatively?" They respond by reciting to Him what happened, how the Christ was supposed to rise after His death, but it did not happened. He then responded by rebuking them and reminding them of the scriptures and then revealing Himself to them as the risen Christ. Here it was, Jesus' disciples were walking around defeated and sad, talking negatively in unbelief, thinking they had lost when they had actually won.

Many of us may currently have the same attitude; because of what we are seeing, hearing and experiencing in the current crises we conclude it is over. I have news for you: we have won. Yes wining is an attitude, and the one what has a wining attitude will be the ultimate winner. Jesus said in John 16:33 "in this world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world, and the Psalmist said in Psalm 34:19, "Many are the afflictions of the righteous but the Lord delivers him out of them all". No matter what you are going through right now, you must maintain the attitude of a winner because a high price was paid for your victory.

Maintain a wining attitude is not easy given the fact that though we are called in scripture to live by faith many of us are continuously led by sight. We allow what we see, feel and experience to influence our state of being thus determine the outcome of our objectives.

In order to maintain a wining attitude you must to the following:

1. Focus on your relationship with the Lord - the most precious and valued asset you have is your relationship with the Lord; do not allow anything to interfere with that.

2. Keep a consistent diet of the Word of God through personal study and hearing the word - Our attitude is shaped by the information we receive, put the word of God in you through your personal devotions and hearing bible based teachings because faith comes by hearing.

3. Maintain a steady prayer life - pray without ceasing; a constant communication with your father is essential to achieving a kingdom assignment

4. Keep your eyes on the prize - Remember your ultimate reward is not here but in eternity.

5. Stay on mission - Your mission is your life, do not confuse your mission with your strategy

6. Change strategies when necessary - You must be flexible and adjust your plans based on new information and circumstances. This is not given up. You must never give up.

7. Walk by faith and not by sight - do not allow external circumstances to influence your feelings and emotions. Be direct by your internal belief and the word of God.

These seven things will keep you on the winning side every time. Remember in spite of how you feel and what you are going through, we have won. All you have to do now is execute. As you executive stay away from losers and surround yourself with other winners. A loser is someone who allows their circumstances to determine their outcome and maintains a negative and defeated attitude that is contagious while a winner is someone who has an attitude of success and knows that no matter what they have the advantage because they already won.

Copyright © 2008 Patrice Tsague

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED Scripture quotations are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.