In 1993 Walter Hawkins released a gospel album titled “Love Alive III.” One of the hit tunes from the album was the praise song, “When the Battle is over.” The unforgettable chorus of the song is, “Don’t wait till the battle is over to shout now; you know in the end, you’re gonna win.”
Although it didn’t originate from the lyrics of Walter Hawkins’ hit tune, Victory Sunday has progressively become one of the most anticipated days of worship for the FBBC family. We intentionally set aside a date during the Fall Season of each year to publicly praise the Lord and rejoice in the past, present, and future victory we have through Jesus Christ. That select date in October has come to symbolize our “battle cry”. The Merriam-Webster Learner’s Dictionary defines “battle cry” as:
- A word, phrase, or sound that is shouted by soldiers in a battle: war cry
- A phrase or saying that is used to make people support an idea, a cause, etc.
Our battle cry celebrates the victory won by Jesus Christ over two thousand years ago. And although we are engaged in spiritual warfare (Eph 6:12) and struggle with day to day issues, we know in the end – we win! We have advance knowledge that no weapon formed against us shall prosper (Isaiah 54:17). “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.” (KJV) The advance knowledge and spiritual weapons (2 Cor 10:4-6) we’ve been given for warfare guarantee our success.
Have you ever walked into a room and just happen to catch the end of a movie. I’m sure you have. Brenda does it all the time and especially during the Thanksgiving and Christmas Season. She is drawn to the man and woman who have nothing in common, yet in the end, fall in love, get married and of course live happily ever after. And the one where the orphan child intrudes into the life of the rich family who think “they have it all.” There perfect world is turned upside down when this lonely little child introduces them to the things that money cannot buy.
Now for Brenda, the remainder of the Holiday Season is spent arranging her cake baking and shopping schedule around the time when those movies air again. But this second time around, she watches them fall and get back up again only to walk head first into some other life altering dilemma. Sounds a lot like our lives doesn’t it. But what if those characters knew what Brenda knows? If only she could slip them a little knowledge about the next scene? You finish the movie script from here.
Well, over two thousand years ago someone who knows everything entered the story of our lives. “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16 KJV. His Son, Jesus Christ, has given us victory over the world plus advance knowledge about our future. We not only win, we live with Him forever in a home that has already been prepared for us. Pastor Morgan provided some very simply instructions during his first messages to “The Ship”. “Come on time and be ready to worship.” Put your war clothes on and come ready to worship.
Written by Henry Hopson