The line between victory and defeat can be quite slim. Did the winning shot leave his hands before the buzzer sounded? Did the goalie deflect the ball early enough or did it slip across the line? Relieved victors often say “a win is a win,” but they realize the contest could have gone either way.

Aren’t you glad that our God always wins decisively? He doesn’t just squeak by His opponents—He obliterates them. Look at His resumé:

Egypt. God didn’t sneak Israel out in the middle of the night. He delivered His children in broad daylight, enticed the Egyptian army to follow, then drowned them “beneath the waves” (Isaiah 43:17).

Jericho. God collapsed the walls of this enemy city and “completely destroyed everything in it” (Joshua 6:21).

The Philistines. With God on his side, David took down Goliath and routed the Philistine army (1 Samuel 17:32-51).

Baal. God won this one big-time! He allowed the false prophets to embarrass themselves, then sent down fire from heaven and consumed Elijah’s water-soaked sacrifice (1 Kings 18:1-40).

Sin, Death, and Satan. God sent Jesus to defeat decisively His strongest opponents: sin, death, and Satan. Jesus didn’t merely slip past the devil. “He disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross” (Colossians 2:15). Jesus bore our sin and death on the cross, and when He arose He left them in the dust.

What sin are you battling? Thank God for small victories, but don’t be content just to muddle by. You serve a big God who is used to blowout wins. He promises, “I—yes, I alone—will blot out your sins . . . and will never think of them again” (Isaiah 43:25). You’re totally and decisively forgiven. What a great God!

NLT 365-day reading plan passage for today: 1 Kings 19:1-21