6 & 7 June 2026 (Pastoral Page) THE UNSHAKABLE POWER OF VICTORY IN CHRIST

by Ps Lai Keet Keong

“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37)

We live in an age that worships at the altar of positive thinking. Walk into any bookstore, and you will find shelves lined with guides on how to manifest success, speak victory into existence, or simply "fake it till you make it." There is nothing wrong with a hopeful attitude. However, human optimism is a fragile resource. It depends on our circumstances, our energy levels, and our willpower. When storms hit, when the diagnosis comes back grim, the marriage crumbles, or finances dry up, positive thinking often evaporates like morning mist.

But there is another way to live. It is a mindset that is not rooted in how we feel about reality, but in who God is despite reality. This is the victory that is found in Christ Jesus.

The Apostle Paul, a man who faced shipwrecks, beatings, and imprisonment, was not naive about suffering. Yet, he penned one of the most amazing declarations of victory in all of Scripture. He writes, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.” (Romans 8:37).

Notice the phrase: more than conquerors. The Greek word used here, hypernikomen, implies a super-conquest. It suggests that we do not just scrape by or just survive the trial. Through Christ, we actually take the very thing meant to destroy us and turn it into a platform for His glory.

So, how does this differ from mere positive thinking? Positive thinking asks you to look at a mountain and say, “I believe I can climb this.” Victory in Christ asks you to look at the mountain and say, “My God speaks to mountains, and they move.” (Mark 11:23).

One relies on human resolve; the other relies on resurrection power. When you adopt a mindset based on God’s Word, you are no longer burdened with the exhausting job of manufacturing hope. Instead, you anchor your soul in the finished work of the Cross.

Recall 1 John 5:4: “For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.” Your faith is not a mystical force that twists God’s arm to give you what you want. Your faith is the hand that takes hold of what Christ has already won for you.

So how do we trade anxiety for victory today?

1.    Stop rehearsing the problem and start reciting the promise.

Your mind is a battlefield. The enemy wants you to meditate on your fear until it becomes a stronghold. God wants you to meditate on His Word until He becomes your stronghold-buster. When fear whispers, “You are going to fail”, your victory mindset replies, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!” (Philippians 4:13).

2.    Acknowledge the pain, but do not worship it.

Victory in Christ is not denial. David wrote the Psalms by crying out his honest anguish. But he never ended in despair. He always pivoted to praise. During Seasons of Contrition and Lament, you can be honest about your struggle while, at the same time, declare that God is bigger than your struggle.

3.    See yourself as seated with Christ.

The most powerful shift in perspective is understanding your identity. Ephesians 2:6 tells us we are seated with Christ in the heavenly realms. From that vantage point, you are not a victim looking up at a tyrant; you are a victor looking down at a defeated foe.

My dear friends, you do not need to work up a “positive vibe” to please God. He is not looking for your performance. He is looking for your trust. The victory has been won at Calvary. The stone was rolled away. Death was swallowed up.

Today, you may feel surrounded by the enemy – whether that enemy is depression, addiction, poverty, or fear. Remember the words of the Apostle Paul: You are more than a conqueror. That means you do not just survive the battle. You come out of it with spoils. You come out with character, testimony, and a closer walk with Jesus.

When you anchor your mindset there, you will find a peace that positive thinking could never manufacture – a peace that truly passes all understanding.