When the Israelites were getting ready to start conquering the land of Canaan, Joshua talked with the commander of the Lord’s army. Joshua asked him “What message does my Lord have for His servant?” And this is what it says in Joshua 6:1-2
“Now the gates of Jericho were securely barred because of the Israelites. No one went out and no one came in. Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.”
Now as Joshua was standing there, the city was not yet defeated. In fact, it looked anything but defeated. Strong walls, securely locked down, fighting men on the inside. But God was saying “Hey, are you seeing what I’m seeing? The battle is over and we won. I have delivered Jericho into your hands. You’re welcome.” Joshua just needed to stop looking at what was right in front of him, and see things the way that God saw them.
In our day to day, are we looking at what’s right in front of us, or are we seeing what God has already done in the future? When we the world is pressing us with problems, know that Jesus has overcome the world (John 16:33). When we see all of the sin in our lives, know that Christ has defeated sin (Romans 5:19). When we see Satan prowling like a lion, know that he has already been cast into the lake of fire (Rev 20:10). It is already a done deal even if it may not be done yet.
When we feel defeated, know that Christ stands beside us and says “See, I have already made you victorious” (Rom 8:37). We just need to see things the way that Christ sees them.