How to Have a Victorious Christian Life (Watchman Nee)

How can Christians live a victorious life? Watchman Nee, the late Chinese church leader and Christian leader, addressed this question in his book, “God’s Plan and the Overcomers”.

Our victory is based on letting Christ have the pre-eminence in all things – in allowing Him to be the Lord of all to our lives. The Old Testament tells us how the chosen people of God lived on earth. At first the tabernacles served as the centre of the twelve tribes; later it was the temple which became their center. The center of the temple was the ark. The tabernacles, the temple and the ark are all types of Christ. As long as the children of Israel maintained their proper relationship with the tabernacles or the temple they were victorious, and no nation could overcome then. Even though their enemies learned how to fight while they themselves were not familiar with fighting, the children of Israel overcame all their enemies nonetheless. But the moment they had problems with the tabernacles or the temple, they were taken into captivity. Nothing else – whether they had powerful kings or great wisdom in themselves – mattered at all; the only concern which mattered was whether or not they had offended the ark of the tabernacle or temple. If the Lord had the pre-eminence, then theirs was the victory of Christ, we also have the victory. But whenever the hair of separation is shorn, the victory is gone (cf. Judges 6:17). Except we give Christ the highest place we are not able to overcome. Unless Christ has pre-eminence in our heart we cannot overcome.