If I quoted the first half of an old phrase, could you finish it? “The thrill of victory…..” If you answered, “and the agony of defeat,” you answered correctly. We have all been acquainted with both the agony of defeat and the joy (thrill) of victory. We all have been so close only to fall short of winning. We all have felt the pain associated with loss. In this article, it is not my aim to focus on those losses and the agony of losing, but rather, I aim to encourage us to experience the thrill of victory in our relationships with others as brethren. To accomplish such, let us momentarily go back into history. In 1747, musician and composer Charles Wesley composed a poem entitled ‘Whole Armour of God.’ This poem would quickly become a motivational hymnal known as ‘Soldiers of Christ, arise (1749).’ It’s an inspirational song that stems from Ephesians chapter 6 and the physical abuse at the hands of men. In the poem, Charles encouraged his Methodist followers to arm themselves for battle. The reason is that, during their lifetime, Charles and his brother John (founders of the Methodist belief) and their followers suffered many things due to their beliefs. Separating from the Church of England and going about to establish their own beliefs, the Anglican Church persecuted them. These persecutions included their homes being vandalized and, even worse, being stoned, beaten, and threatened. Facing these things, Charles then writes a poem full of resilience and strength to fight the spiritual battle.
Like Charles and his followers, as Christians, we are engaged in warfare. We are soldiers (Phil. 2:25; Phile. 1:2) called to arm ourselves for battle (Eph.6). The battle we fight is not a physical one but rather a spiritual one (Eph.6:10-20). As soldiers, armed for battle, fighting the same enemy, we are to stand unified! This is not a war we can afford to fight on our own. We must depend on each other to be successful, and therefore, God has equipped us with one another. Since this is the case, we must not allow pride to divide us.
According to the proverb writer, disunity comes from pride (Pro.13:10). It’s by pride comes fighting. That five-letter word with I at its very core. Pride, which says I am better than you. Pride, which says look at me. Pride, which says it’s my way or the highway. Pride, which says you serve me. Friends, this is no way to maintain unity. We need to look at what God has to say rather than Pride. God says serve. Jesus taught His disciples to wash other’s feet and not to have their feet washed. Serving is how you keep unity. That said, it makes sense why Paul would write what he wrote to the Philippians. There was tension, fighting, and division among two of the Lord’s children: Euodias and Syntyche. And Paul wrote to them: “If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, Fulfill ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Phil.2:1-8).”In essence, Paul writes, for you to have unity, you MUST have the mind of Christ (Vs.1-4)
1. Don’t behave out of anger (vs.3a)
2. Count others more significant than self (vs.3b)
3. Seek other’s interests above your own (vs.4)
After establishing that one must have the mind of Christ to maintain unity, Paul then proceeded to tell how to have the mind of Christ. How do you have the mind of Christ? You serve (Vs.5-8). Christ, being God, showed humility in lowering Himself to the Father and serving. If we are going to have unity, then we must first display humility as did Christ, and we are going to have to serve.
In conclusion, as brethren, the thrill of victory can be ours! We can have unity! It comes through humility and servitude. Accept the call to servitude and experience the thrill of victory!
Howard Odom
