The Life of Victory and Triumph
The lecture speaks about the spiritual life that the believer lives in continuous struggle against sin, temptations, and Satan, and that God wants every person to live a life of victory and triumph. Pope Shenouda III explains that the struggling Church on earth moves toward joining the procession of the victorious whom Christ leads, because He is the true conqueror who triumphed over sin, death, and the whole world.
He confirms that a person cannot triumph by his own strength, wisdom, or personal will, but only when he abides in Christ and lets God fight on his behalf. The true battle is “the Lord’s battle,” and the faithful person surrenders his life and struggles to God, thus receiving victory through divine grace.
He also explains that strong prayer and constant attachment to God are the secret of spiritual victory, and that whoever brings God into every trial can never be defeated. He cited examples from the Holy Bible such as David the Prophet, Jacob, Job, Abraham, and Saint Anthony, who triumphed because they depended completely on God and not on themselves.
The lecture clarifies that victory does not mean the absence of wars or tribulations, but rather the presence of God within the battle. A person enters every trial while holding the hand of God, trusting that the Lord fights for him and leads him in His triumphal procession.
It also confirms that the life of victory requires:
- Continuous prayer.
- Complete reliance on God.
- Steadfastness in Christ.
- Continuous spiritual struggle.
- Surrendering the heart and mind to God.
At the end, Pope Shenouda connects the life of victory with eternity, explaining that the victorious are those who inherit the Kingdom of God and have a share with the saints in the procession of the triumphant Christ.
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