It was back in May of 2003 that one of the defining moments of the Iraq War was freeze-framed in our minds. It didn't take place on the battlefields of Iraq, but in the public relations trenches agonizingly fought over for each minute of potential gain on the nightly news.

The commander in chief of the United States came roaring through the sky on a Navy S-3B Viking marked "Navy 1" and onto the flight deck of the USS Abraham Lincoln for a challenging tail-hook landing. He jumped out with a full flight suit and offered a crisp salute to the sailors on board. Tom Cruise—step back!

This was a macho moment of the nation's man-in-charge taking center stage for the "mother of all photo-ops." Nothing could be better!

And, to top it off, right behind him on the ship's main tower was a sprawling banner declaring "Mission Accomplished." This was supposed to be the "cherry on top" of the supposedly dazzlingly quick victory over the forces of an evil tyrant who had thumbed his nose at the world and butchered his own people.

People debate what mission was accomplished by that time, but no one disputes the fact that, four years later, the greater mission in Iraq is far from complete. American troops remain deeply entrenched.

Some thought that the primary challenge was deposing Saddam Hussein, after which the majority of Iraqis would eagerly cooperate in setting up a democracy in the heart of the Islamic theocracies and dictatorships. But then reality set in and any naïveté was swept away. America and its allies discovered again that the evil wasn't quarantined to one man.

How do we define victory?

Since that day on the USS Lincoln, politicians, pundits and talk show veterans have tried to explain what that banner really meant. It meant this. It meant that. My favorite diagnosis is, "It doesn't really mean what it seems to mean." Oh, we've heard all the chatter.

But the big question for readers of this column is: Do we know when the "Mission Accomplished" banner will come out and stay out in God's plan for humanity?

Why is that important for us to know? One of the pivotal lessons to internalize from this ongoing conflict and from this particular incident is to be careful how and when we define victory, because we may have to live with it for a long time.

Understanding and having the same finish line as the Captain of our salvation is crucial in effective service toward God. The Christian calling has been likened to warfare as well as to a race. False starts and early exits can thwart any notion of victory, be it on the battlefield, track or our own race of faith.

Allow me to share a few thoughts about how God defines victory in His action plan. It's found in the Bible from beginning to end.

Did you realize the first prophecy in Scripture was uttered in the Garden of Eden? Upon Adam and Eve's rejection of God's way of life, the Creator plainly stated how He defined victory. In the first hope-filled messianic prophecy offered to mankind, God said to the serpent, "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel" (Genesis 3:15).

The reality implied by the "bruising of the heel" is that there would be setbacks for the hopes of mankind, including the death of the Savior. But He didn't stay dead, and our hope continues. The clear picture implied by the "bruising of the head," though, is that there would be a vital deathblow delivered to the kingdom of Satan. Crushing a snake right on its head denotes certain destruction.

The epistle of Jude offers insight that some even before the time of Noah's Flood knew this reality of complete victory. Jude shares oral tradition as he describes how "Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men also, saying, 'Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of His saints, to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly'" (verses 14-15).

This vision and reality was not lost on the apostle Paul, who offered this encouragement to embattled believers: "The God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly" (Romans 16:20). Suntribo, the Greek word for "crush," is defined by Strong's as "to crush completely," "to shatter," "break (in pieces)" and "bruise." The Bible does not offer politically correct terminology as to how God is going to deal harshly and victoriously over a spiritual dictator who cloaks himself in being misunderstood.

"The gates of hell shall not prevail"

The Church gained such confidence from Jesus' own words in Matthew 16:18: "I will build My church, and the gates of Hades [the grave] shall not prevail against it." This simple statement proclaims that nothing can thwart the advancement of the Kingdom of God or claim victory over those who belong to God.

Jesus was throwing down the gauntlet and declaring henceforth from that time till He returned to this earth that the people of God would prevail, even with incredible human odds stacked against them.

But, even with this good news, Jesus also realized that many would plant their own flag of victory and lose sight of the goal. Some would tire of the challenge. Some would sincerely want to follow Him (Luke 9:57-62), but would wind up being "sunshine patriots."

False starts and early exits serve no one, then or now—including you and me.

Jesus realized some would kidnap His message for their own gain and attempt to redefine the terms of times, places and victory. In Matthew 24:23 He warned, "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect."

Some great church organizations have proclaimed that Christ is victorious and, yes, "Mission Accomplished," merely because of the establishment of His Church on this earth under the rule of a man. Other preachers have planted the flag of victory and proclaimed the gospel has been preached, and now we wait and wait and, yes...wait.

Even to the end of this age

But how does the Bible itself define "Mission Accomplished"? Jesus gives us the breadth of the mission in some of His last recorded words on earth in Matthew 28:18-20. He states, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

At first read, doesn't it sound like we are supposed to be about our "Father's business" till the "end of the age"? It doesn't sound like we do this only till a church is set up or a man says our part in this commission is complete or you tire of the challenge and decide to redeploy yourself out of harm's way.

And that's what some do not fully recognize—that the Christian walk is a contact sport in every sense of the phrase, with personal responsibility not to be given away to another.

When does the banner come out?

Scripture clearly defines when the "Mission Accomplished" banner comes out in the future. Let's take a look at four sets of verses to help us remain focused in the fog of spiritual warfare down here below.

Revelation 19:11-16 offers some needful parameters. "Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war...And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron... And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: King of Kings and Lord of Lords."

Has this occurred yet? No! Thus, neither God nor we are done yet!

Paul vividly describes how "the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord" (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18).

Has this occurred yet? No! Thus, neither God nor we are done yet!

Zechariah 14:4 spells out exactly where our victorious spiritual champion touches down when it describes, "And in that day His feet will stand on the Mount of Olives, which faces Jerusalem on the east."

Has this occurred yet? No! Thus, neither God nor we are done yet!

But ultimately "Mission Accomplished" is realized in a set of verses in Revelation 21 in which God describes the ultimate product of Christ's sacrifice at His first coming and His earth-rescuing second coming.

"And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. Then He who sat on the throne said, 'Behold, I make all things new.' And He said to me, 'Write for these words are true and faithful'" (Revelation 21:4-5).

Yes, it is then, and only then, that Christ alone has the privilege of bringing out the "Mission Accomplished" banner and stretching it across this earth.

Running the race of endurance

Until then, as people of God, we have been granted a calling to "run with endurance the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1). At times it is very human to view this world and its ills or, to look closer to home, our own human frailties, and simply define victory on our own terms, plant our own homemade flag of victory and withdraw.

At times, the world around us and that world that spins around inside our heads can seem like quagmires. But that's why God offers prophetic understanding to help us grasp that a better world, the real world of God, is coming our way. And God knows exactly when, where, how and why He is doing exactly what He is doing.

Until then, before we have any future notions of planting flags of victory or unfurling banners of "Mission Accomplished," perhaps we can best learn the lesson of "This is the way, walk in it" (Isaiah 30:21) from the inimitable wisdom of Yogi Berra. The famous American baseball catcher put it this way: "It ain't over, till it's over."

Until then, Christ's words in Matthew 24:13 remain in place, "But he who endures to the end shall be saved."

We just need to make sure God's end and our end are found on the same page.