By Pastor Steve Nickodemus

The End of a Long War

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“But thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
1 Corinthians 15:57 New International Version

It was the seventh year of the long, long war.  This fledgling country of the United States of America had been in a terrible struggle to gain their independence from England.  General George Washington and his troops had endured every kind of hardship and discouragement and setback.  Again and again the British had defeated the Americans amidst much suffering and loss.  There were bright spots here and there along the way, but the decisive victory that the Americans so desperately needed had eluded them.

Yorktown

And then came Yorktown.  In a bold move Washington and his French allies moved their armies into Virginia and surrounded Cornwallis’ army at Yorktown on the York river.  The trapped British army surrendered after a brutal siege and here in this field the British army laid down their arms and became prisoners of the Americans.  Washington had won a stunning victory and soon the war would be over.

Does your Christian walk feel like a long, long war with many discouragements and defeats?  Do you often feel that sin and the devil are beating you down and you are losing battle after battle in your struggle to defeat them?  Do you feel that you are stuck in a never ending cycle of sinful habits and struggle with your sinful nature?

Do not be discouraged.  Hear Paul’s words, “… thanks be to God!  He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”  In Jesus Christ we have the victory over sin and death and the devil.  In Jesus Christ there is forgiveness of our sins and freedom from sin’s curse.  In Jesus Christ there is daily strengthening and new courage to stay the course and finish the fight.

Our strength and our hope are not in ourselves but in Jesus Christ our Lord.  In Him we have victory over every evil foe.  In Him we live and trust and conquer all that is not of God.  Our victory is in Jesus Christ alone!  Amen.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church Colorado Springs, Colorado