2021 A YEAR OF TRIUMPH

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ,
and through us reveals the fragrance of the knowledge of Him in every place.

2 Corinthians 2:14 NASB

The Lord spoke to me that 2021 would be a year of TRIUMPH for those who would closely follow His lead and refuse to react hastily to circumstances happening around them. To be victorious in 2021 you must swim against the tide of natural human responses to shocking events which will be taking place in the earth. Prepare yourself to respond “super-naturally” which is allowing God’s nature to work in and through you.

The Lord gave me four scriptural keys which will be critical for our victory in 2021. The first one is the Biblical admonition found in James 1:19 –

My dearest brothers and sisters, take this to heart:
Be quick to listen, but slow to speak. And be slow to become angry…

During the year 2020 we saw the OPPOSITE of the above scripture being expressed in the lives of believers and nonbelievers alike. Many difficult events occurred in 2020 and people’s reactions to them were often harsh, and sometimes even violent. People did not listen carefully but instead reacted with a torrent of words which were often angry and hateful. As we all observed, such behavior never improved the situation. If we can apply the wisdom of James 1:19 to our lives in 2021, God will be able to lead us in triumph over any circumstance that arises during this new year.

Three other keys which the Lord showed me can be found in a single verse – 1 Corinthians 13:13.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

FAITH will be essential to your victory in 2021. When I say “faith” I am referring to an unshakable trust in God, His Word and His character. No matter what is said by worldly experts, prognosticators, news reporters or even high-ranking government officials – you must determine in your heart that you will hold fast to your trust in God and His promises. Do not let the words you hear from the media rock your world. God foresaw all the craziness that our generation would be bombarded with through the technology known as “social media.” To remain unmoved by what the world is stirred up about, you must choose to anchor yourself to the ROCK which is God Himself and to His written Word. His Word never changes, and He does not lie! You can count on His promises coming to pass. God will never be shaken by world events and if you cling to Him, you won’t be shaken either! So if everywhere you look it appears things are falling apart – CHOOSE TO BELIEVE GOD ANYWAY!

For who is God, except the Lord? And who is a rock, except our God?  Psalm 18:31

HOPE is a critical component in every victory you will ever read about in the lives of people. Victors will always tell you that they never lost hope even when faced with what seemed to be insurmountable obstacles. Hope is the “anticipation of a good outcome” in your circumstances. For a Christian, our hope is not just “wishful thinking”, it is based in our knowledge of the goodness and mercy of God. We know that regardless of what happens in the world, God is good and He will help us! But without that foundation in your spirit, you could be overcome by what you see with your eyes this year and abandon your hope.

Do you remember the story of Paul’s voyage to Rome in Acts 27? The ship encountered such a fierce storm that neither the sun nor stars were seen for many days. The Bible tells us that even the experienced sailors were in despair – “…all hope of our being saved was gradually abandoned.” What made them abandon their hope? It was the appearance of the circumstances! It is vital to guard your hope during 2021 or the appearance of difficult circumstances will defeat you. Remember - don’t focus on the problems you see – focus on the God you know is good and faithful! If everyone around you feels hopeless about the future – GET YOUR HOPES UP ANYWAY!

LOVEIf I could give you only one key to victory in 2021 – I would tell you to WALK IN LOVE (Ephesians 5:1-2) throughout this year. Love is a powerful thing that will affect every area of your life. Love can turn situations around. Loving your enemies can make them at peace with you. Showing love to unlovable souls can melt their hearts and make them desire to know the God that would inspire you to treat them so well. Jesus said, “They will know you are my disciples by your love…” Does the way you treat people convince them you are a Christian? Or does it make them doubt you are one? If you walk in love, anger will not control you. If you walk in love, you won’t demand your own way. If you walk in love, you won’t judge or criticize others. Instead, you will extend grace when you see weakness in others according to Ephesians 4:2 - Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other’s faults because of your love.

Are you trying to believe God for a certain area of your life to be changed? Then you need your faith to be operational. One often overlooked key is the necessity of walking in love in order for your faith to “work.” Galatians 5:6 tells us that “…faith works by love.” If faith is the engine that moves the vehicle of your life forward, then love is the fuel. If your life isn’t moving, then maybe you are out of fuel! Ask the Lord to show you where you have stepped “out of love” with any person in your life. You need to continually stay fueled with love for your faith to work!

If you walk in love your health will improve! Love won’t allow you to indulge in envy or jealousy and Proverbs 14:30 tells us that “…envy rots the bones.” Walking in love will keep your blood pressure under control! You won’t feel stressed if you are constantly forgiving others, never holding a grudge against anyone and refusing to be irritable. Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. (1 Cor 13:4-5 NLT) Walking in love as the Bible describes it – will change your life and ultimately transform your year! It will bring victories you cannot yet imagine! If people mistreat you in 2021 – CHOOSE TO LOVE THEM ANYWAY!

God’s desire for you in 2021 is that you allow Him to lead you in TRIUMPH in every area of your life. I believe at the end of 2021 you will be able to recount many victories God has brought to pass during the year. Then as you testify of His goodness, you will find yourself spreading that sweet “fragrance of the knowledge of Him” everywhere you go!