What is a winner? Have you ever felt like a loser, and yet dreamed about being a winner? Many people have felt like losers all their life. We need to start with what does it take to be a winner. What is your definition. Is it success and wealth? Is it power, influence, or prestige? Is it popularity, beauty, or fame, or great accomplishments of some kind. There are people mentioned in scripture that we think of as successful, or as winners. I think of Abraham, David, Moses, Daniel, etc. pay close attention to these verses in Hebrews 11 and see God’s perspective of a winner, or a successful person.
Heb. 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please God…
17 By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; 18 it was he to whom it was said, “In Isaac your [n]descendants shall be called.” 19 [o]He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back [p]as a type. 20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau, even regarding things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, as he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff. 22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones.
23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. 24 By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 considering the reproach of [q]Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen. 28 By faith he [r]kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. 29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were [s]drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. 31 By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies [t]in peace.
32 And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, 33 who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. 35 Women received back their dead by resurrection; and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; 36 and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated 38 (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.
39 And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, 40 because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.
I put all theses verses here because I wanted you to see what God said about all these famous people, and then what He said said about the OTHERS He begins to refer to in verse 36. They were simple people who were famous to God. They were just as successful as anyone who ever lived. They were winners, simply because they walked in faith. Faith is surrendered a act of love. Gal. 5:6 says, ” faith works through love.” When we truly love someone who we know loves us, we trust them. If we trust them, we surrender to them, and adore them in the moment. This is a true Winner. Someone who loves God in surrendered faith in whatever you are called to do, big and small, throughout each day. That is success, anybody can do it. It has nothing to do with looks, wealth, power, position, or prestige. The poorest person, the most feeble person, the most physically scared person in the world can be a winner, if he or she will simply love and trust Him in the moment. A real ‘Player’ in this world, a real ‘Winner’ is someone who plays the strings of His heart.