In Judges chapter 5 we see the importance of celebration. The people of Israel have been living under oppression for 20 years, and yet they pause in Judges 5 to celebrate.

Do you know why? It is because life is hard! Hardship doesn’t discriminate. Pain comes for all people, and none of us escape life without at least a little difficulty.

In Judges 5 the people of Israel have taken on unbelievable odds against 900 chariots, and become victorious. Yes, they experience peace in the land for 40 years, but eventually there are new hardships, new challenges, and new struggles.

I can tell you sometimes in my life I am hesitant to celebrate God’s provisions, because I think, “Well, tomorrow everything might change?” Yes, today our church family is doing well, but tomorrow there might be something difficult. Yes, the Lord is providing healing today, but tomorrow it might come back.

I can’t express the importance of seeing God’s goodness in your life today, and celebrating His goodness in your life today. You are alive today. We are gathering today. We have the risen Christ today. We are indwelled with the Spirit today.

Yes, there will be struggle, there will be failure, and every day will be a fight, but it is all taking place under the umbrellas of God’s grace made available in Jesus Christ today!

The biggest reason we need to celebrate is because our greatest victory is in Jesus Christ. In Judges 5 Deborah and Barak are leading the people of Israel to rejoice and sing at the defeat of oppression in their lives, but in Jesus there is a greater victory that lasts much longer than 40 years.

Yes, we will see injustice in corporations in how they treat employees. We will see injustice in countries in how they treat citizens. We will see injustice in the local church in the abuse of spiritual authority, and we will see injustice in our own souls.

We must be clear. The injustice we see in the world isn’t just out there. The injustice is in all of humanity. We have all sinned. We have all fallen short, and your evil might not look like an evil tyrant like Sisera, or killing people in battles like the people of Israel, but all of humanity in thought, word, and deed have participated, and are participating in the injustice we see in our world, and it is only in Jesus that we see injustice will not go on forever and it is because there is victory in Jesus.

The victory in Jesus is promised in Genesis 3, established at the cross and fulfilled at His return. One day Jesus will return. One day all the injustice of the world will be held accountable. One day the land will be bursting forth with brightness, and glowing with glory, and for those who are in Christ we can live every day with that view of victory in mind.

Are you walking in His victory today? Are you living with the future victory in Jesus Christ today? His victory is coming. His victory is not far.

We can pray for that day His justice falls upon all of creation. We can live in faith that His justice will soon come, and we can live as though it is here because one day it will happen.