Imagine what it was like—7:05 Eastern Standard Time, many polling places still open in the state, and the major networks declare your opponent the winner. There are no election returns in, but exit polls suggest your opponent has defeated you.

    In reality, this is exactly what happened to Robert Smith. His opponent, Dick Swett, was declared the victor in the race for U.S. Senator from New Hampshire. For over an hour, each of the four major television networks talked about his defeat and the significance this had for the balance of power in the U.S. Senate. Several of the respected anchors for the networks even spoke disparagingly of Smith, openly elated at his defeat. Even as election returns came trickling in, showing Smith with a significant lead, the networks stuck by their predictions.

    It wasn’t until 10:00 P.M. EST that they began to question their prediction and mark the race undecided. By the time the evening was over, Robert Smith had actually won by 3 percentage points over Dick Swett. In fact, he had never trailed in the election tally the whole evening. The exit polls were wrong. Robert Smith was the victor. The networks and the pollsters were the big losers.

    One of Satan’s biggest tactics is to try to convince Christians they are losers. Of course there is usually ample worldly evidence rolled out to support this. When there is no evidence, ridicule is poured out through typecasting in movies and sitcoms. Atrocities committed by a few in the name of Christ are recited as condemnation for the bankruptcy of Christianity, while ignoring the fact that much of the world’s charity, medical care, food, orphanages, and indigent care have been done by Christian organizations.

    Christians have usually been a minority culture. Those who control power and information, politics and the media, in nearly every age have tried to discredit them. The intellectual elite have often tried to make them appear dumb or out of touch, or part of some extreme or radical “wing” of some kind. None of this is new and dates all the way back to the first centry. But through the ages, Christians have outlasted governments, educational institutions, and political systems. Where they have gone, so has education, improved health, and better economic situations. So a little criticism and rewriting of history, a few hard times and bumps in the road are not going to derail or discourage the faithful.

    Rather than giving up in times of difficulty and discouragement, Christians press on. We know that just before the final gun sounds and the “fat lady sings” our Lord is returning to sweep us to victory. But when we get to view things from his perspective, I’ve got a feeling we’re going to realize we were never really behind at all, it’s just that those giving the election returns were basing their judgments on false exit polls! When the final tally comes in, just as the book of Revelation reminds us, Christians will find out they win.

“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1 Peter 1:8-9)