THE DANGER
Simply put, complacency can be described as spiritual sleep often disguised as “well-deserved rest”.
The rich fool in Luke 12:16-20 epitomizes this danger. Success arrived, barns overflowed, he relaxed — “Soul, take your ease …”, he said. That same night, death came calling on him.
Complacency in victory can happen when we drop our guard during moments of celebration. That is, when we’re carried away by the comfort arising from the battle that seems won and mistake God’s provision for guaranteed security…
The rich fool thought that abundance meant safety. He celebrated provision as he became unaware of his environment (and the provider).
For every believer, celebrating after victory isn’t the problem, but careless celebration is.
VICTORY CAN INTOXICATE
Everyone longs for moments of victory, particularly following a period of protracted trial or examination. Oh, what a great feeling it is to relish in the euphoria of success!
Believers must be careful not to be carried away by celebrations that intoxicate us, causing us to throw caution to the wind and lose awareness of ourselves and our environment. Such celebration can sometimes give birth to carelessness.
Like the rich fool, we feast on our provision while forgetting to stay spiritually alert. We toast to the fullness of our barns while leaving the gates of our lives unguarded.
Beloved, victory celebrations aren’t wrong. But spiritual negligence during such times can be costly. One unguarded moment can open doors you spent years securing.
APPLY CAUTION
Below are a few tips to help us guard against complacency during victory celebrations:
- Remember: The Enemy Never Sleeps. 1 Peter 5:8 states that “he prowls like a roaring lion …”. His silence is not inactivity; it is strategy. He waits for the perfect moment to strike.
- Stay Alert in Your Seasons of Victory: Matthew 13:25 reminds us: “while men slept, the enemy came…” Our physical and spiritual senses must remain alert even while we celebrate our successes.
- Keep Your Prayer Altar Burning: Prayer gives birth to spiritual vigilance. Your prayer life determines your level of spiritual alertness
Beloved, victory celebrations demand increased vigilance, not decreased watchfulness. Be sober. Be vigilant. Do not become complacent in victory.
