Pathway to a victorious life

A few Sundays ago, I was fortunate to have attended a service at Church for God's Glory in Dauis in Panglao.  On that bright and glorious morning, Pastor Dr. Gideon Robillos  gave an exhilarating talk on how to lead a successful and abundant life, which he aptly entitled "The Ten Keys to a Victorious Life."

Here they are along with the scriptures from which he drew his inspirations:

You have to be in the family of God.

Joining a church and becoming a member of a spiritual community is first and foremost.

Know your covenant rights.

On this, Dr. Gideon cited Hebrew 9:10-16:

The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said:

“Sacrifice and offering you did not desire,

    but a body you prepared for me;

 with burnt offerings and sin offerings

    you were not pleased.

Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll —I have come to do your will, my God.’”

First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them” —though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, and since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

The Holy Spirit also testifies to us about this. First he says:

“This is the covenant I will make with them

    after that time, says the Lord.

I will put my laws in their hearts,

    and I will write them on their minds.”

Know your responsibilities.

On this, Dr. Gideon cited Ephisians 5:15-20:

Be very careful, then, how you live —not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.  Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Maintain your spiritual health.

Dr. Gideon cited the following scriptures on this one:

Psalms 103:2-5

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:

Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with loving kindness and tender mercies; 

Who satisfieth thy mouth with good things; so that thy youth is renewed like the eagle's.

2 Timothy 1:7

For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.

1 John 4:18

There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.

Maintain control over your enemies (evil spirits, demons, Satan, etc.).

Dr. Gideon cited Luke 10:19 on this:

Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.

Maintain control over your flesh.

Dr. Gideon cited Galatians 5:16:

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Maintain control over the world.

Dr. Gideon cited the following scriptures on this one:

Roman 6:6-7

For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin —  because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.

Mark 4:35-41

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, “Let us go over to the other side.” Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped.  Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, “Teacher, don’t you care if we drown?”

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, “Quiet! Be still!” Then the wind died down and it was completely calm.

He said to his disciples, “Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?” They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

Matthew 28:18

Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.

Keep your spiritual door locked through obedience.

Matthew 12:43 was cited by Dr. Gideon on this:

“When an impure spirit comes out of a person, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it.

Stay focused on Jesus, not on your problem.

Dr. Gideon cited Matthew 14:22-31 on this one:

Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.

Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.

But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said.

Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”

Shape your day in victory.

Dr. Gideon cited Exodus 17:8-9 on this:

The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. Moses said to Joshua, “Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands.”

Since that particular Sunday, I have been rereading my notes every now and then, and contemplating on these "Ten Keys to a Victorious Life" by Pastor Dr. Gideon. And as I do, I also visualize that I am already on the end zone, so to speak, having achieved my goal.

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