Holy People of Victory

Silent Reading Time: 7 minutes

A Simple Clip Art Vision

About a week before Christmas 2023 I woke up in the middle of the night and saw an image of Santa’s happy face. I had recently asked the Lord to increase visions in my life because it had been a while since I had experienced even a simple image. So when this happened I didn’t dismiss it. The first thing I thought of was that Santa gives gifts. I went back to sleep and when I woke up in the morning I saw an old fashioned image of Santa’s sleigh tilted slightly upward as if flying in the sky. That’s when I thought about how Santa distributes gifts around the world.

I looked up the words Santa and Claus or Nicholas. Together the words create the phrase, “holy people of victory.” That is who we are in Christ! Praise the Lord!

St. Nicholas

According to ancient writings, in the 4th century there was a man named Nicholas who secretly gave money to the poor, was used by God in miracles and wonders for the sake of the oppressed and was persecuted for sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ.

Jesus used parables and stories to teach God’s truth. He still speaks to us in fun and interesting ways, inviting us into relationship with Him and His Word. When I saw Santa’s face I thought of Nicholas and his generosity that inspired others to create the tradition of Santa Claus, centuries after his death.

Nicholas’ name suited him well. Though he inherited wealth, he lived victoriously over the sins of selfishness and greed. Nicholas gave because he knew the giver of eternal life– Jesus Christ!

What Do You Love?

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 1 Timothy 6:10 NKJV

The love of money can lead us into all kinds of evil but the love of God leads to all kinds of generosity! A Christian can fall into greed and other sin when they don’t understand where they have been seated with Christ. They don’t believe they are fully loved, accepted and have everything they need. So they live from the earthly realm of “lack” instead of from the heavenly realms of love and provision.

She Loved Jesus

People criticized a woman for pouring a very expensive jar of perfume on Jesus’ head. They scolded her saying she could have sold it and given it to the poor. But Jesus saw her heart. She was pouring out everything she had loved– on Jesus– because it didn’t matter anymore. This woman was willing to be ridiculed just to worship Jesus and express her love for God. Jesus defended her and told her opponents that she was preparing His body for burial. Their deeds would be forgotten in history, but what she did would be remembered as long as the Good News of Jesus is told! Her treasure was Jesus! Mark 14:3-11

Judas Loved Money

Right after the woman poured her perfume on Jesus’ head, Judas, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, secretly went to the chief priests to negotiate the betrayal of Jesus. Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Matthew 26:14-16

The woman sacrificed everything for Jesus and I can imagine that God made sure she had plenty of money to give to the poor for the rest of her life. Judas had lived with Jesus for three years and experienced His love, but the love of money deceived him. After Jesus was sentenced to be crucified, Judas regretted his evil act, threw the 30 pieces of silver into the temple and hung himself. Matthew 27:1-10

Holy People of Victory Give Because They Love

I believe the love of money is one of the biggest deceptions in these end times. But if we keep our relationship with the Holy Spirit fresh, God will reveal who we are as His children and we will flourish in His love. By the power of the Holy Spirit we are “holy people of victory.” God’s supernatural agape love is the key! May we pour out our love and our lives upon Jesus!

In Christ, everything that matters has been taken care of. Your soul doesn’t have to strive to be loved anymore. No matter what people do to you on earth, you are loved by God and your brothers and sisters in Christ who have learned to be seated with God. You can live victoriously over the love of money and become generous to others just like your Father in Heaven! The Lord will meet your needs.

God’s Treasures

The Bible tells us that if we believe in Jesus Christ, we have been given incomparable riches of grace. Those riches include forgiveness of sin, healing, deliverance, protection, provision and so on. God, our Father, loves to give and bless people! When we realize that we have hearts like our Father through the Holy Spirit, all kinds of blessings will begin to flow from us to others.

Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Matthew 6:19-21 NLT

The riches of God’s grace are given to us to share with others. But all forms of generosity begin with God’s amazing love that lives in us by His Spirit.

What Motivates Us to Give?

But when you do your giving, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your gift may be in secret. And your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you. Matthew 6:3-4 NET

God sees the motives of our hearts. If we give to be seen or to get something in return we will not receive the reward our Father has for us. But if our motives come from the unselfish love of God’s Spirit, then we’re storing up treasures in Heaven. People are God’s treasures! God loves us all so much and wants us to live victoriously as givers of His love!

Just to clarify: Jesus did wonderful things for people in private and in public. He also instructed His disciples to do good deeds in public.

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. Matthew 10:8 AMP

So God does not forbid us to express His love in public. In many cases the opposite is true. But we must keep a good watch on our hearts and stay humble, especially when it comes to giving money. When we do have the special privilege of giving in secret it blesses the heart of God!

If you help the poor, you are lending to the Lord— and he will repay you! Proverbs 19:17 NLT

Holy People of Victory Stay Close to the Father’s Heart

Our Father wants us to stay close to His heart. When we do that, we don’t care if anyone notices the good that we do. What’s happening at the Table in the heavenly realms is the only thing that matters! The gifts we give from that Table will last forever.

So share the Good News all over the world: Jesus was born so we could be born again! Give from hearts full of the Father’s love because the riches of God’s grace will never run out. And like St. Nicholas, give expecting nothing in return! This is how we live as “holy people of victory!”

Thank you for reading! I pray you have a Merry 2023 Christmas celebrating the birth of our Savior, and a very blessed 2024 knowing our Immanuel is always with us! God bless you!