Developing The Attitude Of A Victor

As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.
–Genesis 50:20

How do you develop the attitude of a victor? First of all, victors keep God’s commandments. It did not matter what situation Joseph was in, he was dedicated to keeping God’s commandments. Remember his words to Mrs. Potiphar in Genesis 39:9: “How then could I do this great evil and sin against God?” When you find yourself in a storm of adversity, when you are not sure what the next step is, one move that is always a safe move is to obey God’s commandments. When you do not know what to do, obey what you know to be true. Victors obey God’s commandments.

Second, victors glorify God in their lives. Victors are people who realize that we are here for one purpose–not to bring glory to ourselves, but to direct people’s attention toward God. It did not matter where Joseph was. Whether he was in the pit, whether he was working as a slave, whether he was in prison, or whether he was prime minister, in every situation Joseph tried to bring glory to God. Paul said in 1 Corinthians 10:31, “Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Victors glorify God with their lives.

Finally, victors trust in God’s purpose. You may feel like you have been forgotten by others, or by God Himself. But He knows exactly what is going on in your life. Romans 8:28-29 says, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son.” Everything that is going on in your life right now with your family, with your health, with your job, with your finances–God is using all of it for His purpose in your life, and that is to make you like Jesus Christ. That reminds me of the old joke about the sculptor who was asked how he could carve such a life-like lion out of a slab of marble. The sculptor said, “It’s very easy. I just chisel away everything that does not look like a lion.” That is what God is doing in your life right now. He is taking His chisel of difficult circumstances and He is removing every attitude, every action, and every affection that does not look like Jesus Christ, so that you become like Him and experience the abundant life that He experienced. That was true of Joseph. He trusted in God’s purpose. After he was promoted to prime minister, Joseph was reunited with his brothers, who years earlier had sold him into slavery. When they realized Joseph was alive, they trembled in fear, knowing that he had the authority to put them to death. But in Genesis 50:20, he said to them, “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” That is the attitude of a victor. A victor does not feel like he is a victim of adverse circumstances and adverse people. He believes in a God who is working out His purpose. Victors obey God’s commandments. Victors glorify God in their lives. Victors trust in the purpose of God.

Today’s devotion is excerpted from “Survival Tip #4: Develop A Victor, Not A Victim, Mindset” by Dr. Robert Jeffress, 2019.

Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org.