WAY OF VICTORY by MARSHA BURNS
I’ve been thinking about why we get stuck
without obtaining the victory in our lives. Originally, the subject of healing
spurred me to take a closer look, but I believe these steps can also be applied
to all areas of our lives.
The big five are:
Spiritual freedom and growth
Health
Relationships
Employment
Finances
Why do we get stuck?
If we believe the lies of the enemy and allow ourselves to be victimized by our
symptoms or circumstances, we will begin to feel sorry for ourselves. This
opens the door to a lying spirit, a spirit of fear, infirmity and heaviness as
we dump down in self-pity.
Remember that a lying spirit always goes first. When we believe the lie, the
door is open to fear, anxiety, and dread. If we stay in the position of
victimization, we become disabled and hopeless, and we will never have victory.
Think about the power the enemy has over us if he can keep us in this position!
This is the phase where we grumble and complain and wonder “why me?” If God
really loved me, He would not have let this happen … so we accuse God
inadvertently.
We might even end up believing that God will somehow rescue us, or we depend on
other people to make things better! But, here’s a flash – God answers faith,
not fear, and the strong arm of the flesh is usually only a temporary fix.
Isaiah 32:7 Also the schemes of the schemer are evil; he devises wicked plans
to destroy the poor with lying words, even when the needy speaks justice.
2 Timothy 1:7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of
love and of a sound mind.
Philippians 2:
14 Do all things without complaining and disputing,
15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in
the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights
in the world,
16 holding fast the word of life.
James 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works
is dead also.
What next?
Most of us know that Jesus made a way for us to be victorious by giving us
authority over the flesh and the devil. So, we rise up and fight, and that is a
good thing.
Luke 10:19 "Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and
scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means
hurt you.
The last time I was sick, I fought for several hours … setting my will against
the symptoms, reminding myself that the symptoms were no different than any
other that I had overcome in the past. It was the same devil with the same
intention to kill, steal and destroy.
John 10:10 "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to
destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more
abundantly.
Matthew 16:19 "And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and
whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on
earth will be loosed in heaven."
But, we can’t stay in this place of fighting forever. It doesn’t take that long
to make the devil get out. And, we can’t stop here; we have to take the next
step.
The way to complete victory is to believe God.
James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.
Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes
to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who
diligently seek Him.
Romans 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Psalms 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD
is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?
Psalms 73:26 My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
And, some of us get stuck here, knowing that we need to have faith, but still
harboring doubt and unbelief. We quote the Word, repeating it over and over
again to try to get it down where it will do the work. But, if we’re still
afraid, or still hanging on to being a victim, the Word becomes only words of
repetition.
Faith doesn’t have a question mark, or doubt, or subtle fear. It has to be
truth in our inward parts.
Psalms 51:6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden
part You will make me to know wisdom.
When faith is real, it brings the peace that passes understanding, or surpasses
what appears to be truth. Facts and truth are not always the same.
Philippians 4:7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will
guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus
The fact may be that you have a high fever, sore throat, nausea, or whatever.
But, the truth is that Jesus made a way for us to be healed, delivered, and set
free.
Isaiah 53:5 But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our
iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we
are healed.
Victimization is the devil’s part.
Warfare is our part. Faith is our part.
Victory is God’s part.
These steps are like gears of a car only closer together. It is our will
that shifts gears so we don’t get stuck in neutral.
We decide whether or not to be in self-pity, we choose to stand against the
enemy, and we deliberately believe God to transport us into victory.
2 Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in
Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
The devil has his part; we have our part; but it is God who leads us to
victory. And, in that leading, He will require us to be obedient to His leading
and to work out our faith in the natural realm.
So, where are you stuck?
What is the lie?
What are you afraid of?
Have you become a victim of your circumstances, your health, your relationships,
your employment or you lack of finances?
Do warfare. Bind and loose.
Position yourself in faith in GOD, and let Him lead you in triumph!