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Faith Is the Victory
A Sermon based on the
hymn by John H. Yates
Introduction
“Faith Is the Victory” is a rousing hymn of spiritual warfare and
triumph, written by John H. Yates in the late 19th century. It boldly
proclaims the conquering power of faith for every Christian engaged in
the battle against sin, temptation, and the forces of darkness. Inspired
by 1 John 5:4—“This is the victory that overcometh the world, even our
faith”—the hymn builds a picture of soldiers of Christ standing tall and
secure, not by might, but by unwavering trust in the promises of God.
The hymn calls us to
active engagement—marching forward with banners of truth, clothed in the
armor of God (Ephesians 6:10–17), wielding the sword of the Spirit, and
planting our feet on the Rock. Each stanza reinforces the urgency of the
fight and the sufficiency of faith. We are not passive recipients of
grace; we are conquerors through the One who loved us. “Faith Is the
Victory” equips our hearts with courage and points our eyes to the
eternal reward waiting beyond the battlefield.
Let us now walk
through the stanzas of this faith-filled song and draw strength from the
scriptures that inspired it.
Stanza 1
Encamped along the hills of light,
Ye Christian soldiers, rise
And press the battle ere the night
Shall veil the glowing skies;
Against the foe in vales below,
Let all our strength be hurled;
Faith is the victory, we know,
That overcomes the world.
This stanza paints
the image of a vigilant army of believers standing on a hill of divine
light, preparing for battle. It echoes Romans 13:12—“The night is far
spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of
darkness, and let us put on the armor of light.” The Christian life is a
war against evil, and our strength comes from God, not ourselves. The
final line affirms the theme from 1 John 5:4—faith overcomes the world.
Stanza 2
His banner over us is love,
Our sword the Word of God;
We tread the road the saints above
With shouts of triumph trod.
By faith they, like a whirlwind’s breath,
Swept on o’er every field;
The faith by which they conquered death
Is still our shining shield.
This stanza directly
draws from Ephesians 6 and Hebrews 11. “His banner… is love” (Song of
Solomon 2:4), and the “sword” is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17). The
“road the saints above… trod” reminds us of the faithful listed in
Hebrews 11—men and women who triumphed through trials by their belief in
God’s promises. “Faith… is still our shining shield,” parallels
Ephesians 6:16, which tells us to “take up the shield of faith,
wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.”
Stanza 3
On every hand the foe we find
Drawn up in dread array;
Let tents of ease be left behind,
And onward to the fray!
Salvation’s helmet on each head,
With truth all girt about,
The earth shall tremble ’neath our tread,
And echo with our shout.
The third stanza
emphasizes urgency and full spiritual readiness. “Let tents of ease be
left behind” calls us to abandon comfort for the battle of righteousness
(2 Timothy 2:3). “Salvation’s helmet” and being “girt about with truth”
again reflect Ephesians 6:14–17. Victory is not found in retreat but in
pressing forward with God’s full armor.
Stanza 4
To him that overcomes the foe
White raiment shall be giv’n;
Before the angels he shall know
His name confessed in heav’n.
Then onward from the hills of light,
Our hearts with love aflame;
We’ll vanquish all the hosts of night
In Jesus’ conquering name.
This final stanza
echoes Revelation 3:5—“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in
white raiment… and I will confess his name before my Father, and before
his angels.” The battle ends in eternal reward for those who remain
faithful. We do not fight in our own name, but in the name of Jesus, who
assures victory (Romans 8:37).
Chorus
Faith is the victory! Faith is the victory!
O glorious victory that overcomes the world.
The chorus repeats
and solidifies the message: victory is assured—not through riches, not
through intellect, not through strength—but through enduring faith in
the living God.
Faith Is the
Victory Sermon Outline:
Introduction
Stanza 1 –
Preparation for Battle
Stanza 2 –
Equipped by God’s Love and Word
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Song of Solomon
2:4 – His banner is love
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Ephesians 6:17 –
The sword of the Spirit is God’s Word
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Hebrews 11 –
Saints triumphed by faith
Stanza 3 –
Standing Strong in the Armor of God
Stanza 4 – The
Reward of the Faithful
Chorus – The
Anthem of Triumph
Call to Action
Faith is not a feeling—it is trust in action. It obeys when others
waver. It stands firm when others fall. Let us take up the shield of
faith, wear the helmet of salvation, and charge forward knowing Christ
leads us. This week, live like a victor. Because in Him—you already are.
Scripture
Reference List:
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1 John 5:4 –
Faith overcomes the world
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Romans 13:12 –
Put on the armor of light
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Song of Solomon
2:4 – His banner is love
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Ephesians
6:14–17 – Armor of God
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Hebrews 11 –
Hall of faith
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2 Timothy 2:3 –
Endure hardship
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Revelation 3:5 –
White raiment for the faithful
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Romans 8:37 –
More than conquerors
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Hebrews 12:1–2 –
Look to Jesus, author of faith
Song History
“Faith Is the Victory” was written by John H. Yates in 1891 and set to
music by Ira D. Sankey. Yates, a lay preacher and poet, crafted the
lyrics to inspire perseverance during trials. The hymn became a favorite
in gospel meetings, echoing the confidence that faith—rooted in
Christ—wins every battle.
Prepared by David Hersey of the church of Christ at
Granby, MO
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The
church of Christ
