Faith Is the Victory

For whoever has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith.“—1 John 5:4 NASB

The tombstone of John Henry Yates, located in Batavia, New York, features these words: “Faith is the victory! Oh, glorious victory that overcomes the world.” The tombstone was a tribute friends paid to this poet-preacher who died in 1900. He discovered a key to the overcoming Christian life that he summarized in a hymn called “Faith Is the Victory.”

Yates said that we are Christian soldiers with no reason to be timid. Armed with faith, we can be aggressive and bold. We know we can be victorious as we live by faith, trusting Jesus.

Confident that “His banner over us is love,” we can take up our sword, which is God’s Word. We can learn from saints from the past that faith “is still our shining shield.”

We face a strong enemy and “on every hand,” we find them “drawn up in dread array.” Yates warned that we must be serious and not at ease. But wearing the helmet of salvation and girded with truth, we can know “the earth shall tremble ’neath our tread, and echo with our shout.”

Yates reminds us of God’s promise that we will “vanquish” all our adversaries in Jesus’ name.

No matter what you face, don’t be discouraged. Don’t give up in the face of opposition or uncertainty. And don’t be robbed of the victory God has prepared for you! Move forward in faith. Believe Him for victory.

Reflection Question: Reflect on the most recent time faith secured your victory.