The Key To Victory

The Lord Jesus was known to draw Himself away from the crowds, including His disciples, to be alone with His Father. In Luke 6:12-13, we read about a day where Jesus went out to a mountainside to spend the night praying to God. When morning came, he returned and called His disciples to Himself, choosing the twelve who were designated apostles.

After hearing of the tragic death of His cousin John the Baptist, Jesus withdrew by boat privately to a solitary place. When He landed and saw the large crowd that had followed Him, despite His grief, He had compassion on them, healed their sick and proceeded to feed over five thousand men, women and children with only five loaves of bread and two fish (Matthew 14:13-21). Directly after this miraculous event, Jesus sent His disciples ahead of Him and again went up on a mountainside by Himself to pray (Matthew 22-23). And Luke 5:16 tells us that Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray.

Out of time alone with His Father, Jesus chose His leadership team, processed deep grief and healed, fed and taught the people who came to Him. In the garden and on the cross, where even His closest friends deserted Him, Jesus was empowered to navigate through deep overwhelming sorrow of soul, obediently submitting to His Father’s perfect will for His life.

Although often lonely in His ministry, Jesus knew that He was never alone and, therefore, was never distracted or overcome by the false comforts and temptations of this world.

He didn’t suffer under addictions, carried no offence in His heart, was never jealous of His friends, wasn’t concerned about what or when He would eat, had no self-worth issues, never tried to control anyone, didn’t fear man and, although He died a death meant to shame and humiliate its victim, He never walked with His eyes anywhere but upward. The key to Jesus’ victory on earth was the intimacy He had with His Father, which granted Him Kingdom vision.

With Kingdom vision, we recognise the schemes of the enemy, accept, receive and freely extend God’s forgiveness to others and ourselves and then, like Jesus, we discern what is truly at stake here on this earth; God’s precious children! When we take time to be alone with the Father, we are empowered, given revelation, wisdom, understanding and eyes to see as the Father sees. We'll be supernaturally sustained through sickness, pain, sorrow and even death, and we’ll grasp deep within that the Father is no longer only Jesus’ Father, but also ours through the cross (John 20:17). Kingdom vision is beyond the mind and wisdom of man and available today through faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God who loves you enough to die so that you can live and personally know His Father!

Prayer: Oh my Father! Forgive me for choosing the things of the world over time alone with You. I fear that I won’t hear, or see or really know You. I fear that You are angry and disappointed with me. I fear that I may be angry and disappointed with You. I pray today that You would reveal Yourself to me as Father. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.