The viewpoint of a worker for God must not be as near the highest as he can get, it must be the highest. Be careful to maintain strenuously God's point of view, it has to be done every day, bit by bit; don't think on the finite. No outside power can touch the viewpoint.

The viewpoint to maintain is that we are here for one purpose only, viz., to be captives in the train of Christ's triumphs. We are not in God's showroom, we are here to exhibit one thing - the absolute captivity of our lives to Jesus Christ. How small the other points of view are - I am standing alone battling for Jesus; I have to maintain the cause of Christ and hold this fort for Him. Paul says - I am in the train of a conqueror, and it does not matter what the difficulties are, I am always led in triumph. Is this idea being worked out practically in us? Paul's secret joy was that God took him, a red-handed rebel against Jesus Christ, and made him a captive, and now that is all he is here for. Paul's joy was to be a captive of the Lord, he had no other interest in heaven or in earth. It is a shameful thing for a Christian to talk about getting the victory. The Victor ought to have got us so completely that it is His victory all the time, and we are more than conquerors through Him.

"For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ." We are enwheeled with the odour of Jesus, and wherever we go we are a wonderful refreshment to God.

This is more than victory. This is a triumph so complete that we not only have escaped defeat and destruction but also have destroyed our enemies and won plunder so rich and valuable that we can actually thank God for the battle.

How can we be “more than conquerors”? We can receive from the conflict a spiritual discipline that will greatly strengthen our faith and establish our spiritual character.

Temptation is necessary to establish and ground us in our spiritual life. It is like the fierce winds that cause the mighty cedars on the mountainside to sink their roots more deeply into the soil.

Our spiritual conflicts are among our most wonderful blessings, and the Adversary is used to train us for his own ultimate defeat.

The ancient Phrygians of Asia Minor had a legend that every time they conquered an enemy, they absorbed the physical strength of their victims and added to their own strength and bravery.

And in truth, meeting temptation victoriously doubles our spiritual strength and weaponry.

Therefore it is possible not only to defeat our enemy but also to capture him and make him fight in our ranks.

The prophet Isaiah tells of “fly[ing] upon the shoulders of the Philistines” (Isaiah 11:14 KJV). These Philistines were their deadly foes, but this passage suggests that they would be able not only to conquer the Philistines but also to ride on their backs to further triumphs.

Just as a skilled sailor can use a head wind to carry him forward, by using its impelling power to follow a zigzag course, it is possible for us in our spiritual life, through the victorious grace of God, to turn completely around the things that seem most unfriendly and unfavorable.

Then we will be able to say continually, “What has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel” (Philippians 1:12).

Early sailors believed the coral-building animals instinctively built up the great reefs of the Atoll Islands in order to protect themselves in the inner waterway.

He has shown these organisms can only live and thrive facing the open ocean in the highly oxygenated foam of the combative waves.

It is commonly thought that a protected and easy life is the best way to live.

Yet the lives of all the noblest and strongest people prove exactly the opposite and that the endurance of hardship is the making of the person.

It is the factor that distinguishes between merely existing and living a vigorous life.

Hardship builds character.

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him (2 Corinthians 2:14).

How prone we are to lose sight of this, and to imagine, because we see only our little corner in the conflict, that the battle is ours!

If the battle is the Lord’s, then the responsibilities for planning belong to Him.

Everything connected with the line of attack, the method of defense, must belong to Him. We need not be anxious as to the enemy’s subtlety, activity, or power.

“As commander of the army of the Lord I have now come” (Joshua 5:14).

He has a full view of the enemy’s movements and a perfect knowledge of the enemy’s devices. He has anticipated all the enemy’s wiles. It is impossible for Him to be deceived or to be taken by surprise. It is His glory that is at stake, the honor of His name that is being assailed. He is able to withstand the mightiest foe!

If the battle is the Lord’s, the supplies will be all-sufficient. No one knows how much is wanted in the day of battle like that General who has been through many campaigns. We shall lack nothing to make us victorious warriors.

The Victory is certain! The Captain on whose side we are has never known defeat. He goes forth conquering and to conquer. The enemy may apparently gain temporary advantage at different points of the battle, but victory over Christ by Satan is simply impossible!

But He expects us to rest in His wisdom. In the thick of the fight, in the midst of the smoke and din of battle, we may fail to see the wisdom of all God’s ways. When we cannot see, it is then that we must rest in His wisdom. Let us have confidence in His power, and be obedient to His commands.

I will not fear the battle, if Thou art by my side.

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us . . . in Christ’s triumphal procession” (2 Corinthians 2:14).

Queen Victoria said, “We are not interested in the possibilities of defeat. They do not exist!”

God wins His greatest victories through apparent defeats. Very often the enemy seems to triumph for a season, and God allows it. But then He comes in and upsets the work of the enemy, overthrows the apparent victory, and as the Bible says, “frustrates the ways of the wicked” (Psalm 146:9). Consequently, He gives us a much greater victory than we would have known had He not allowed the enemy seemingly to triumph in the first place.

The story of the three Hebrew young men who were thrown into the fiery furnace is a familiar one. There was an apparent victory for the enemy. It looked as if the servants of the living God were going to suffer a terrible defeat. We have all been in situations where it seemed as though we were defeated, and the enemy rejoiced. We can only imagine what a complete defeat this appeared to be for Daniel’s friends. They were thrown into the terrible flames while their enemies watched to see them burn. Yet the enemy was greatly astonished to see them walking around in the fire, enjoying themselves. Then King Nebuchadnezzar told them to come out of the fire. The enemy “crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them . . . for no other god can save in this way” (Daniel 3:27, 29).

This apparent defeat resulted in a miraculous victory.

Suppose these three men had lost their faith and courage and had complained, saying, “Why didn’t God keep us out of the furnace?” They would have been burned, and God would not have been glorified. If there is a great trial in your life today, do not acknowledge it as a defeat. Instead, continue by faith to claim the victory through Him who is able to make you “more than conquerors” (Romans 8:37), and a glorious victory will soon be apparent. May we learn that in all the difficult places God takes us, He is giving us opportunities to exercise our faith in Him that will bring about blessed results and greatly glorify His name.

Defeat may serve as well as victory To shake the soul and let the glory out. When the great oak is straining in the wind, The limbs drink in new beauty, and the trunk Sends down a deeper root on the windward side. Only the soul that knows the mighty grief Can know the mighty rapture. Sorrows come To stretch out spaces in the heart for joy.

Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.

Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O most Mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously . . . Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.

Thou spakest in vision to thy Holy One, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty.

The man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts.

Behold, God, is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Thanks be unto God, which always causes us to triumph in Christ.

Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever.