Forward

 

     The subject of the victorious Christian life is frequently discussed today. We are called to be victorious in our Christian walk without any definition of the concept and without any clarification of the requirements the Lord makes of those who are the family of God. Hence, no intelligent decision can be made concerning this important issue, and many are confused about their relationship to Jesus Christ.

     In this series of studies, Kelvin has attempted to build a biblical doctrine of the victorious Christian life, showing that to experience victory, one must receive knowledge of divine truth, believe the person presenting the truth, and then completely commit himself to the one presented. He then seeks to show the requirements the Lord Jesus lays upon those who become His disciples so they may live in the victory He intended.

     Since Jesus came to present God’s truth to men, to offer Himself to them as Saviour and Lord, and to call them to complete commitment to Him, the subject of victorious Christian living is vitally important if we would understand His person, His call, and His challenge. This book is an attempt to give balance to some thoughts floating around the Christian world today between “the God who does” and “the we who will to let Him.”

     May the Lord Jesus Christ, who lives in believers, be pleased to speak through these pages to bring many to a knowledge of His indwelling presence and power so that they might ”wage the good warfare” (1Tim. 1:18) and “put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness” (Eph. 4:24).

 

Dr. Roy W. Lawson

 

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Introduction

 

     Have you ever had the experience where you have read a book only to have its content and message evaporate from your thoughts days after finishing it? Have you ever listened with good intentions to a sermon and then had someone ask you a few days later “Hey, what did your pastor speak on last Sunday?” and all you can do is respond with a blank look on your face?

     The fact is, very few things in life leave indelible imprints upon our minds. Living in the information age enhances this reality. We’re consistently bombarded with facts and figures. Newspapers, magazines, television, i-pods, i-phones and i-pads are just a few of the ways information funnels endlessly into our lives. We just cannot possibly absorb and retain it all! So the question you’re probably asking is, “then why write another book that only adds to the vast, overwhelming reservoir of literature that is already saturating our world?” I’m so glad that you asked!

     Throughout this book, I want to take you on a very important journey. It’s my purpose to communicate a crucial biblical principle that I trust you will never, ever forget. In fact, it’s so radically life-changing, I’m convinced it will transform your entire life.

     To accomplish this I have written with both spiritual passion and simplicity. I want you to be able to read this book, walk away from it, and days, weeks, months, and yes, even years later be able to summarize in an instant the primary truth found in its pages.  I’m confident of this anticipated outcome because what I want to share with you is foundational to your very existence on earth. It’s at the very core of why you’re here. This vital truth is not going to provide a quick fix for the problems of life, nor is it a formula to guarantee happiness, health, or wealth. But it does, I believe, hold the key to victorious Christian living.

     So what is the secret to a victorious Christian life? How can we experience consistent victory? Haven’t we asked these questions a million times in the Christian community? So, who has the right answer? Depression, anxiety, bitterness, tragedy, and injustice: these are just a few of life’s multifarious vices that inevitably seem to invade our lives. The imperfection of the world plagues us and often refuses to loosen its despairing grip. So, what can we do? Is there a failsafe way to live that can give us present security and a future hope?

     Yes, there is! We must go vertical. You say, “What? That’s it? Go vertical? What is that, anyway? Whatever it is, it really can’t be that simple, can it? It’s got to be more complex than following one simple little imperative. After all, hasn’t there been a plethora of books written on how to live the victorious Christian life, exploring the topic from seemingly hundreds of different angles?”

     Yes, that’s true. But I’m convinced the answer is found in something so basic that we’ve missed it. What I want to share with you is both easily understood and solidly biblical. It’s a way of looking at Scripture that, once understood and applied literally, causes everything within the Bible to open up with mew meaning and significance.

     This book, therefore, will be a journey of discovery, exploring why we must go vertical and how we can do this, no matter what may come into our lives. We will examine the lives of Bible characters who had a tremendous impact on their culture because they chose to go vertical in the most excruciating experiences of their lives.

     So, let’s embark on this spiritual voyage that will change the way we look at life forever. And you know what’s really exciting? What we are about to learn will enable us to successfully live out the very reason God has made us - to bring glory to His name.