Image Therapy

Repeat this three times “I am NOT a victim”  Go on!

“I am NOT a victim, I am NOT a victim, I am NOT a victim”

That’s what I do when I start feeling sorry for myself, and what I tell my kids to do when I see that they are starting to let pressures and lies of the enemy get through to them.  Allowing yourself to, even for a moment, think you’re a victim is dangerous.  Once you start entertaining these thoughts you become dissatisfied with your situation or current place in life. You’ll start to look at what others are doing or have, and soon many of the things you were once longing for and were so thankful and grateful for become garbage in your mind. You may even perceive them as a curse.  Think I’m wrong?  How many people that were once happy with their jobs, now grumble every morning when they get to go to work.  How many people who scrimped and saved and worked hard to get into a nice house, now complain and say their mortgage is a curse.  Do I even need to touch upon marriages?  No, you see my point.

“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,  Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Romans 8:35-40

Are conquerors victims? No, the Bible tells us that we are more than conquerors through Christ (Romans 4:37).  Are many of us going through trying times right now? Yes, but the Word gives us comfort and hope when He says “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33)

“Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” 1 Peter 5:8

You see, every day we are presented with many opportunities to take offense, feel pressures and be exposed to lies and attacks of the enemy.  It is in these times we need to hold our thoughts and feelings up to the truth of God’s Word (as 2 Corinthians 10:3-5 instructs us to.)  Sure it may not be easy; you may not even really want to.  It will take work.  Remember, you are in a fight for your thoughts, your happiness, and your prosperity.  Your enemy, the devil, hates you and wants you wallowing in self pity, so you will be miserable, ineffective in sharing God’s love and, if you really get feeling sorry for yourself, eventually you’ll do something stupid to screw up your life (or even end it).

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds) Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;” 2 Corinthians 10:3-5

When you really compare your thoughts to what the Bible says about you then you will see that, through Christ, you are a winner, you are a conqueror and you are already victorious no matter what it may look like.  Remember a conqueror is not a victim, a conqueror is victorious, (But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Corinthians 15:57)) and an overcomer. (For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.   Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4-5))  If you are in Christ that is you, because God says so.

1 John 4:1-4 tells us that “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.”

If you would like additional encouragement in the area of seeing yourself the way God sees you you can click on the link below. Have a great week.  Go forth, conqueror.

Who you are in Christ