Thank you for your willingness to participate in what God is doing! Above all, please be Spirit-led as you fast. Please note that this is the designated time frame set forth by the Shine Empowerment Network. You are invited- but not required- to join us in any way that you can. If you have a medical condition that prevents a complete fast, then please look for another way to participate. Use wisdom and follow the Holy Spirit.
Recently my hubby and I were on our way back from a ministry trip to Houston, TX. As we drove back home from the airport, late at night, we were praying and praising the Lord, like we often do in the car. A series of worship songs came on the radio. They all painted a picture of victory. One in particular was Darlene Zshech’s “Victor’s Crown” off her Revealing Jesus cd. As we worshipped, the presence of the King, permeated the car. I knew that we not alone and that we had the attention of the Master. He instructed me to research and write about the Victor’s Crown.
Let me first share with you the words to the powerful song that touched me.
“You are always fighting for us, Heaven’s angels all around
My delight is found in knowing that You wear the Victor’s crown
You’re my help and my defender, You’re my Saviour and my friend
By Your grace I live and breathe To worship You
At the mention of Your greatness,
In Your Name I will bow down, In Your presence fear is silent
For You wear the Victor’s crown, Let your glory fill this temple
Let Your power overflow, By Your grace I live and breathe
To worship You
Hallelujah, You have overcome, You have overcome
Hallelujah, Jesus You have overcome the world
You are ever interceding, As the lost become the found
You can never be defeated, For You wear the Victor’s crown
Bridge
Every high thing must come down Every stronghold shall be broken
You wear the Victor’s Crown
You overcome – You overcome
At the cross the work was finished You were buried in the ground
But the grave could not contain You For You wear the Victor’s crown”
I am reminded of an image I saw recently on Facebook. It has a picture of a woman on it with the words, “My dentist says I need a crown. I was like, “I know! Right?!’” As humorous as this is, we as Christians are called to run a race and told that there are prizes or crowns to be given as consolations. We have hope that our efforts to a sacrificial life as saints are achievable and rewarded because of THE finisher of our faith- Jesus Christ.
Many of us have been looking at one point or another in our lives for someone to save us, rescue us, or bring us out feeling that we can’t run anymore. We may have found ourselves in positions that were inescapable in our own power. Depression, financial bondage, rejection, or betrayal, all products of living in a sinful, fallen world, but there has been made a way of escape. You are called to be an overcomer, not a victim, but without a fight, there can be no victory. If these things listed have been an enemy to you at some point or any other situation, heads up- A VICTOR HAS ARRIVED!
In the Scriptures, there are two types of crowns mentioned in the NT, στέφανος [stephanos] and διάδημα [diadēma]. Most discussions of these two words indicate that the stephanos is a victor’s crown, whereas the diadēma is a royal crown. The Greek word used for crown in the following passages: (Matthew 27:29; Mark 15:17; John 19:2,5) all describe Jesus’ crown of thorns as: stephanos – the Victor’s crown. Jesus’ crown of thorns that the soldiers rammed down onto his head was, in fact, “The Victor’s Crown.”
Let’s take a look at what the Greek word meant when they used it to describe this crown. In ancient Greece, victors in the Olympic games were praised as “wearers of the wreath.” The stephanos was the usual crown of exaltation for victors of games, achievements in war, and places of honor at feasts. Each Victor Crown has it category of rules to be obeyed in order to win the crown. A specific stephanos wreath or crown was given to the victors of each of the four Greek games [Olympian, Nemean, Pythian, and Isthmian]. Paul used the Greek word stephanos for the four Victor Crowns that are available to all church age believers who are willing to engage in the angelic conflict and play according to the rules ascribed to each crown. So we conclude that stephanos refers to the crown worn by a winning athlete. It symbolizes victory. It will be worn by all church believers who compete in specific categories of the angelic conflict and play according to its rules and win (2Timothy2:5).
The Bible mentions five crowns that are available and will be presented. All are victor’s crowns but in different areas. They deal with different aspects of the Christian life. The crowns reflect levels of maturity in regards to a believers growth and accomplishments of service to the Lord. They are placed here in a possible list in the order that they could be obtained by the believer. They are as follows:
- Incorruptible Crown for mastery over the sin nature.
- Crown of Righteousness for living righteously in this world.
- Crown of Life for enduring trials while proceeding in God’s plan.
- Crown of Joy for leading others to Christ and in righteousness.
- Crown of Glory for fulfilling your calling and finishing the work assigned.
Let’s look at each crown for further examination.
1. Incorruptible Crown (1 Cor. 9:25) – this crown would be the first level a believer would attain to. This crown indicates mastery over the sin nature. The Corinthians are being urged to run the Christian life in such a way as to receive the reward in the end. Here the emphasis is in self-control.
“They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. . . I beat my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.”
Paul is focusing the believers on running the race or living the life God has given them to compete in. Just as each life has a race, each life has a reward available. Only those who run the race and run it according to the rules will get a prize. The crown or stephanos would wither and sometimes was withered either of pine or celery at the time of the victory but it meant fame, prestige and fortune. The symbol of victory would fade but the fame was more enduring. Paul does not run aimlessly (9:26), meaning he does not live his Christian life without purpose or direction. Nor should we if we want to achieve what has been made available to us. Consider someone who enters a race not knowing the distance or direction.
2. Crown of Righteousness (2 Timothy 4:7-8) – The second level of crowns goes to those who live righteously in this world while they look forward to Christ’s return. They are those who are not captivated by this world, but hunger and thirst after righteousness.
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing.”
This is a crown for righteous behavior and an upright life. “Have longed” is in the perfect tense and suggests those who greatly anticipated Christ’s return in the past and continued to do so up until the moment of the rewarding. This life is describe by Paul to Titus in Titus 2:12,13: “[The grace] teaches us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” “Fought” is the word “agonizomai” and though it can refer to a military fight, it is clearly a reference to training and competing in athletics. It is the same word translated “competes in the games” in 1 Corinthians 9:25 – “make every effort” in Luke 13:24 – “struggling” in Colossians 1:29 – “wrestling” in Colossians 4:12 – “strive” in 1 Timothy 4:10 – “fight” in 1 Timothy 6:12 – “race” is the noun form in Hebrews 12:1.
The same awards awaits all who qualify. Notice the “fight” (or, the agony of training and competing) comes first, and then the successful “finish” of the race. The believer cannot think they will achieve victory without the struggle of preparing for and demonstrating righteousness.
3. Crown of Life ( James 1:12; Revelation 2:10) – The third level to attain to is to proceed in God’s plan for your life while enduring trials. The believer who moves forward in God’s call and assignment in the face of difficulty, even martyrdom, will receive this crown.
“Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”
“Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.”
Testing and trials are part of the Christian life. It should be understood that when faced with test and trials many Christians turn back and do not continue on the path God has called them to run on. Jesus said we would have trouble: “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first” (John 15:18). Paul writes to Timothy, “You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, sufferings-what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:10-12). The doorway to the next level towards fulfilling God’s plan is to endure hardships and persecution. We are called to be faithful to the Lord in the trial. The Lord is faithful to reward us for enduring the trial.
4. Crown of Joy (Philippians 4:1; 1 Thess.2:19) – This crown is for those who lead others to Christ or demonstrate fruitfulness by influencing others towards righteousness.
“Therefore, my brother, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!” “For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.”
Rewards are not just for how we live and what we do, they are also for the influence we have on how others live and what they do. It was being said in Thessalonica that Paul did not really care for the Thessalonicans, but Paul said he did, and it should be obvious, since they will result in a crown for him if they succeed. Gabriel tells Daniel in Daniel 12:3, “Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever.”
5. Crown of Glory (1 Peter 5:4) – The greatest achievement is to fulfill your calling and finish the work God gave you to do. The scripture reference is speaking to pastors who finish their work faithfully, but this crown is not ONLY for pastors. It is for anyone who finds and fulfills their assignment God has given them.
“To the elders among you, I appeal as a fellow elder. . . One who will share in the glory to be revealed: Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care. . .and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.”
Again we see the rewards being given upon Christ’s return. Here Christ is seen as the Chief Shepherd paying his workers that he contracted out labor to shepherd for him. Earthly crowns or stephanos were made of vines, etc. This crown is made out of Glory (Isaiah 28:5)! Just like Paul’s crown in 2 Timothy 4:7,8 was available to “ALL who long for Christ’s appearing,” this crown is also available to all who serve at the position and with the capacity they were given. It is not just the office of pastor, although that is the context of the verse. The application extends to all believers who become what God has created them to be and they serve him in that position.
A crown will one day be given to Jesus, according to the Book of Revelation (6:2), to showcase Him as the returning, conquering King. Loyalty to Christ may result in a crown of thorns, but it will ultimately bring a crown of glory.
Dear Friends, we are not a people without reward. Our faithfulness and service are not for nothing. Often times, we see others around us being promoted and become jealous. We all have been given assignments from the Lord and with each assignment- the promise of reward. We must remain in the race and be determined to finish well. Jesus was a marvelous example of finishing well. When confronted with death, He said “nevertheless your will, not mine.” With an attitude like that towards life, WE CAN’T LOSE!
He is our reward and our victory! One day we will all stand before Him and give an account. I plan on hearing, “Well done thy good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21-23). I don’t know about you, but I started this race to win it. I have resolved to lay hold of that which has already been purchased for me. I choose to Shine for Jesus-wherever I go, no matter the cost. The price has already been paid. I will obey and leave the consequences and rewards to Him. He is a good Savior and Victor!
I love it! What the enemy meant for harm, God turned it around and used it for good. Satan thought he had mocked Christ and won, but oh the winnings from the race that Jesus ran, had already went into effect. He had crowned Him “The Victor” instead! So, the next time, you find yourself weary, ready to quit, remind yourself, God can get the glory out of this. He wants to further His kingdom through you. Will you let Him Shine through you and get the glory. After all, THOSE crowns we are going to win, we WILL LAY AT HIS FEET! Get ready, get set, Shine. It’s all for His glory!
