Victory In Jesus

Good morning and welcome to Our Daily Walk.

Audio version at http://tinyurl.com/2llsew

It is a hard thing to say goodbye to a loved one. As a preacher I’m able to see families and friends as they struggle with the process of saying goodbye to a loved one who has passed away. Sometimes it is a time filled with hope and happiness. Other times it is a time of confusion, worry and anger. The difference in the two begins with how the deceased had lived his or her life.

Several years ago our preacher at the time died while conducting a Bible study in his office. My wife was his secretary and I was not yet in a preaching career. Felton’s death came as a shock to everyone and the funeral home was overflowing on the day of his funeral.

Emotions ran high that day as the service unfolded. Great things were said about his life and his work and a proper tribute was made for the life that he lived. Instead of playing songs over the speaker system the family had requested that the audience sing the songs congregational style. The last song to be sung that day was “Victory In Jesus.”

I’ll never forget the image of that song leader that day. The encouraging words of the song gave us comfort that we would once again see our friend. But as the song continued more and more of the audience became unable to sing due to emotions. Finally, the only voice heard on the last chorus was that of the song leader. Every time I sing that song I remember the events of that day.

E. M. Bartlett wrote this song in 1939 after suffering a debilitating stroke which left him unable to speak and paralyzed on one side. As his body weakened he focused on the healing that is offered through Jesus. While thinking on heaven he pondered the streets of gold in that city. When his pain increased he thought about the victory over pain that he would find in eternity.

Listen to the first verse and chorus of this song.

I heard an old, old story

How a Savior came from glory,

How He gave His life on Calvary

To save a wretch like me;

I heard about His groaning,

Of His precious blood’s atoning,

Then I repented of my sins

And won the victory.

O Victory in Jesus,

My Savior, forever,

He sought me and bought me

With His redeeming blood;

He loved me ere I knew Him,

And all my love is due Him,

He plunged me to victory,

Beneath the cleansing flood.

Our victory is only through Jesus. Listen to what He said in John 16:33. “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

On Our Daily Walk today, may we rest assured that we do have victory in Jesus and may we eagerly share that good news of salvation with others.

Our thought for the day: “If there were no enemies, there would be no battles; if no battles, no victory; if no victory, no crown.”

May God bless you on your daily walk.

© Our Daily Walk, Mike Baker, 2007. Permission is granted to copy these articles provided they are not sold and the author's name and copyright are included.