2 minute read.
Daily Reading: Zechariah 1:1-21 ESV, Revelation 12:1-17 ESV, Psalm 140:1-13 ESV, Proverbs 30:17 ESV
Daily Verse: “And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars.” (Revelation 12:1 ESV)
STEPHANOS (4735): “Primarily, “that which surrounds, as a wall or crowd” (from stepho, “to encircle”) denotes of triumph Rev 12:1.”[1]
Denotes triumph.
John’s vision of a woman clothed with the sun wearing a crown denotes triumph over the evil of this world. God does win the battle, even though it might not seem so from our perspective.
Sometimes, the tragedies of this earth make me wonder why God doesn’t stop them. War, famine, natural disasters, untimely deaths, heartache after heartache, the world chugging along on its eternal course. Pain, the universal language we all share.
But in the end, God wins. No matter what the storyline, Jesus wears the crown of victory, overcoming the world with the greatest act of love known to man.
Cross vision.
Keeping our eyes on the cross, where Jesus wore the crown of thorns on His way to victory over death, gives us hope. Amid our heartache, Christ’s beaten, and bloody body reminds us this, too, shall end. One day, we will enter paradise with Jesus.
Until then, God’s Spirit resides within us, strengthening us for the battle.
“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.” (John 14:16-17 ESV)
God crowns us in victory when we place our faith in Jesus, allowing the Holy Spirit to reside in us. Tapping into divine strength happens when we connect with God. In our darkest hour, God will carry us through, one way or the other.
Gaze upon the cross today, remembering the battle Jesus won for you. Imagine the empty grave; Christ made new as He overcame death. When the devil attacks, remind him of the truth, he loses every time.
Victory comes through Jesus!
[1] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (pp. 233-4) Thomas Nelson
