Abiding (The Secret Weapon to Victory)
"I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing."
John 15:5
I spent last weekend at Lake Martin at the Triumph of Hope Warrior Men's Retreat alongside over 100 men who gathered with one shared purpose to seek God, strip away everything that competes with Him, and walk away ready to "Battle and Build" for His Kingdom. You can learn more about this ministry at Triumph of Hope. The timing was perfect for me as we head into the last week of 21 days of prayer at Church of the Highlands. I am in full preparation mode as I get suited up with the Armor of God for one of the most significant and full seasons of ministry and Kingdom work. This weekend was God's way of making sure I entered that season in the right posture, fully surrendered, filled with the Holy Spirit, prayed up, and renewed in my commitment and calling with the secret weapon that changes everything: Abiding in Christ.
The theme of this year's retreat was Battle and Build. I love that combination because it reflects the reality of the life every leader in our Abide and Lead community is living. We are building our businesses, families, ministries, and legacies while, at the same time, we are battling against the enemy of our soul that often manifests through sin, distractions, complacency, idols, and the list goes on… The question is not whether we are in a battle. The question is whether we are fighting from the right posture with the right weapons. I was reminded once again at the "Warrior Retreat, that we have victory in Christ by remaining in Him and pressing in deeper to our relationships with Jesus. This is the secret weapon that all believers can access, but we must take the initiative to show up and prioritize our time with Jesus in the secret place each and every day.
Three Keys to Walking in Victory:
Victory Begins with Surrender. Here is the great paradox of the Kingdom of God: the pathway to victory runs directly through surrender. Not partial surrender. Not surrender in the areas that feel comfortable and safe. Total, daily, wholehearted surrender of our lives, our plans, our ambitions, and our identities to Jesus Christ as Lord. I gave a talk at the retreat this weekend on this very theme, and as I prepared it, I was struck again by how countercultural this truth really is. The world tells leaders to take control, assert dominance, and never show weakness. Jesus tells us the opposite. He says unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone, but if it dies it bears much fruit. The most fruitful seasons of my life have always followed seasons of genuine surrender. Letting go of my agenda, my timeline, and my need to control outcomes and simply saying, " Yes, Lord as He leads me in areas of pruning. Your will, not mine. Surrender is not a one-time event. It is a daily discipline. Every morning we wake up with the option to take the wheel ourselves or hand it back to God. Victory belongs to the man who has learned to hand it back consistently and trust that God's plans are infinitely better than his own. "Whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it" Matthew 16:25.
Victory Is Rooted in Identity. One of the most powerful and consistent attacks the enemy launches against us is the attack on our identity. He knows that a man who does not know who he is in Christ is a man who can be manipulated, discouraged, and rendered ineffective. If he can keep us confused about our true identity, he can keep us from our destiny. This weekend I was reminded again of the most important truth I know about myself: I am a son of the Most High God. Not because of what I have built or what I have accomplished. Not because of my title at Founders or my role in Abide & Lead. Simply because of what Jesus did on the cross and the identity He has given me as His son. That identity is unshakeable. It cannot be taken away by a mistake, a ministry setback, a family struggle, or the opinion of others. As I reflected on my own heart this weekend, I was reminded of who I am in Christ and the reality that I am God's Boy! I am set apart as His son and made in His image to do great things in His name for His Glory. I am redeemed, restored, renewed, reconciled, and resurrected in Christ. As His son, I am a co-heir to His Kingdom, and I have access to the same supernatural powers that He has. This is so powerful: when we are secure in who we are in Christ, we can live in victory. "The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by Him, we cry "Abba Father"!" Romans 8:15.
Victory Is Sustained Through Daily Abiding. Here, the secret weapon comes into full view. Our identity and power to overcome flow from one source and one source only. Our daily abiding connection with Jesus Christ. I love John 15:5 because it is so simple and clear. Apart from Him, we can do nothing. But when we remain in Him, we bear much fruit. Abiding is simply making Jesus the priority of every day, giving Him the first fruits of our time, our attention, and our hearts before the demands of leadership, business, and ministry crowd in. It is spending time in His word, in prayer, and in worship not out of religious obligation but out of a genuine hunger for connection with the One who is the source of everything we need. Over 25 years of walking with Jesus, I have tested and proven this principle thousands of times, and it has never failed. When I prioritize my connection with Jesus, I live in victory and bear much fruit. It is just that simple. This is the secret weapon that every believer needs to access, especially Kingdom Leaders. Too often I find that our brothers in Christ are not prioritizing their daily connection with Jesus and thus are struggling and wondering why. There is no better or more clever strategy than simply spending time with Jesus and making it "the priority" in your life. Just a deeper and more consistent daily connection with Jesus, the vine, the source, the One who makes all true victory possible. "But seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well" Matthew 6:33.
As I move into this next season, I am doing so with a renewed conviction about what actually produces victory. It is not my plans or my efforts, as important as those are. It is my daily surrender to Jesus, my settled identity as His son, and my unwavering commitment to abide in Him as the first and highest priority of every single day and to remain connected to Him throughout the day. That is the battle strategy that wins every time. That is the secret weapon that changes everything. And it is available to every one of us "today". "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty" Psalm 91:1.
Challenge Question: Are you fighting the battles of your life and leadership from a place of genuine daily abiding in Christ, or are you trying to produce victory in your own strength? What is one practical step you can take this week to deepen your daily connection with Jesus and make Him the true priority of your life?
Prayer: Father, thank You for the gift of victory that is already ours through Jesus Christ. Forgive us for the times we have tried to win in our own strength rather than abiding in You as our source. Search our hearts and reveal anything that has quietly taken Your place on the throne. Restore our identity as Your sons and daughters and give us the daily discipline to seek You first above everything else. As we enter this next season of battle and building, may every step we take flow from a deep and unbroken connection with You, the vine. In Jesus' name, Amen.
The secret weapon was never a strategy or a system. It has always been Jesus. Abide in Him first, fight from that place, and watch what He builds through your surrendered life. Have a victorious week in Christ Jesus!