BOOK REVIEW - VICTORY OVER THE DARKNESS

In “Victory over the darkness”, Neil T. Anderson uses his extensive experience in Christian counselling to tackle a key issue preventing many Christians from living life victoriously. Anderson identifies that many Christians have not embraced their identity in Christ. When we are born again, we are born into are adopted into God’s family.

As an adopted child we have access to our good, good Father, we have the comradery of our precious saviour Jesus Christ and we have the constant guidance and power of the Holy Spirit. As an adopted child of God, we are dearly loved and highly favoured. As an adopted child of God, our position as God’s child is final. All we need to do is embrace all that He offers us, all of who He is and all of who we are through the finished work of the cross.

The Good Shepherd

In the parable of the Good Shepherd Jesus reveals His mission and His intentions towards His elect very clear. He is actively engaged in calling and protecting His own, God’s children. The passage ends with a warning and an assurance: “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” – John 10:10.

Not only does Jesus keep His sheep safe, but He leads and teaches them how to live life to the full. How many Christians read those words, “have it to the full” with a sense of yearning in their hearts. How many Christians see a disconnect between these words and their lives…wondering where they missed the boat. They may rationalise away the disconnect, assuming that they are expecting too much, assuming that the statement refers only to heaven. Anderson unpacks this statement through His book, by comprehensively addressing the various key aspects of positioning ourselves to live life victoriously.

BE A GOOD SHEEP

John 10:4 says, “When he has brought out all his own, he goes on ahead of them, and his sheep follow him because they know his voice.” As Christians we struggle when we do not appreciate all that it means to be a sheep in the Shepherd’s flock (our identity in Christ). We struggle when our attention to the World produces so much noise that we battle to hear our Shepherd’s voice. We end up wandering away, following some other voice. We struggle when we question our Shepherd’s leadership and so do not follow His lead. We struggle when we are fooled into thinking we can fend for ourselves and do not need the Shepherd’s lead. The secret to life as a happy sheep begins with knowing our place as sheep, knowing and trusting our Shepherd and surrendering to His lead. As Anderson notes, “the greatest determinant of mental and spiritual freedom is a true understanding of God and a right relationship with Him.”

KNOWING OUR SHEPHERD

We need to appreciate all of who God is, His capabilities and His good intentions towards us.  Only then can we internalise who God says we are and trust in His leadership. He is the Creator God, the sovereign king of the universe who takes delight us. God is immutable, that’s what makes Him eminently trustworthy. Anderson argues that, “This eternal consistency is why God is faithful and why we can put our trust in Him.” While He is absolutely holy and just, He also loves to show mercy. He is the epitome of love. 

Jesus revealed the heart of God to the World. When the Word became flesh, God became personal and relational. God proved Himself to be the good, good Father. His love for us was so absolute that He willing paid the ultimate price for our good. In John 10:11 Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep”.

o we even fully appreciate the full significance of the work of the empty tomb? Does the absolute blessing of the Kingdom of God fully register with us? What is preventing our ever-present joyous celebration in the victory of the cross?

A NEW FOUND FREEDOM

Before we were saved, we did not have any other option but sin. Once we were born again, we were freed from sin. We are free, but we do we live free? Are we are still tied to our old sinful nature? Do we struggle against our bonds to break free from our sinful selves to no avail; not realising that those bonds have already been broken? Not only do we remain in bondage to sin, but our constant failure to overcome sin robs us of our self-worth, leaving us feeling incompetent and deflated. All that is required of us is to live in our freedom, live in our victory over sin. 

WE BECOME OUR SELF-TALK – THE MOST POWERFUL VOICE WE HEAR

According to Anderson, “Understanding your identity in Christ is essential for living the Christian life. People cannot consistently behave in ways that are inconsistent with the way they perceive themselves. You don’t change yourself by your perceptions. You change your perception of yourself by believing the truth.” When we see ourselves as saints, we act like saints. When we see ourselves as sinners, we act like sinners.

This is, in effect, the Pygmalion Effect in action. According to the Pygmalion Effect, when we repeatedly receive a similar message about ourselves from significant others, we will assimilate it as a true reflection of who we are. As Christians we have complete liberty to choose which inner-voice we will listen to. While being free to choose, we are not free from the consequences of our choices. As His sheep we intentionally choose to follow our Shepherd’s voice. The only person who can prevent us from being the person God intended us to be, is ourselves.

When we repeatedly affirm our freedom in Christ, we walk in that freedom. Anderson concurs by saying, “The more you affirm who you are in Christ, the more your behaviour will reflect your true identity.” We need to repeatedly meet with the Lord and allow Him to affirm His unfailing love for us and His capacity and willingness to guard and guide us. We need to keep our communication with Jesus well-oiled through regular use.

FINDING OUR SHEPHERD’S VOICE AMIDST ALL THE NOISE

We need to be aware of how easy it is to start following the wrong voices. We can either follow the voice of our flesh, the lies of Satan or the voice of our Shepherd. The first two will result in feelings of shame, worthlessness and confusion; the latter will result in peace, joy and a sound-mind. It is this choice that causes many Christians stagnate. 

Following the flesh is based on independence from Jesus, following the Shepherd is based on dependence on Jesus. Following the flesh seems like an easier option. Its focus is on our own needs and desires, on our right to instant happiness. The flesh says our instant happiness and self-worth is found in money, in objects, in pleasurable experiences, in our sense of self-importance, in our own sense of competency and achievement.

Most notably, following the flesh drains our spirit. When the happiness from the flesh wears off, we are left with one or more side-effects: inferiority, inadequacy, guilt, doubt, obsessive thoughts, sinful thoughts, tension, anxiety or depression.

As children of God, as His sheep, the only voice we follow is Jesus, the Shepherd: our leader, our guide, our protector, our provider. We keep tuned to His voice by communicating with Him daily, through prayer, through worship and through His Word. As we spend time with Jesus He affirms our worth and confirms His good intentions for us. Through Jesus we feel safe, secure, accepted and competent. Spending time with Jesus produces the fruit of the spirit in us. Following our Shepherd means we are positioned to be blessed and be used powerfully for God’s kingdom.

There is a draw-back of following the Shepherd. We stop following the flesh. Satan has made following the flesh look so wonderful, that it is so easy to be lured in. However, when we realise that the flesh offers fleeting happiness at a high price, it is worth turning our backs.

FOLLOW THE SHEPHERD

Too many Christians try in vain to have the best of both worlds, they toss between following the flesh and following the Shepherd. Their beliefs are inconsistent, so their emotions are inconsistent and so their behaviour is inconsistent. As a result, they never access life as God intended, they never quite overcome the world victoriously and never quite experience love and joy and peace in midst of a fallen world.

This is why the Bible repeatedly calls us to make the kingdom of God our first priority. When we are all in for Jesus, 100% committed, He responds with joy indescribable and love unfathomable and a life lived victoriously through every storm and fire.

​Title:        Victory over the darkness – realising the power of your identity in Christ.

Author:    Neil T. Anderson

Publisher: Regal Books, 2000                                 ISBN:       0-8307-2564-4