There are days I do not feel like an overcomer, but it is not based on feelings. I am who God says I am…period. He is who His Word says He is period. We cannot base our lives on our feelings or emotions.

Knowing Who God Is

Firm foundation: if this is not our foundation when storms come, we will crumble every time. We cannot wait for the storms to come to get to know Him.

Do we really know Him?

Not what someone else has told us or what we have heard, but do we really know Him for ourselves?

We Find Him in His Word: The gospels show the heart of God through Jesus Christ. The Old Testament shows His faithfulness, love, justice, holiness, provision. The New Testament shows His redemption, salvation, love, and plan for our lives.

We must have it settled in our hearts that He is faithful, kind, and loving.

Time spent with Him: We can only develop a relationship with someone we spend time with.

I can pick my husband’s voice out of a crowded room because I know him and have spent time with him. When someone tells me something he has said I know if it said it or not because I know him and his character.

Faithful: If we found Him faithful the day before our storm hit, He is still faithful during the storm. His character does not change based on our situation. He is unchanging. If we get what we pray for He is faithful and if we don’t, He is still faithful.  We are the ones who dictate how much of His faithfulness we walk in. We either accept Him as faithful, partially faithful, or not faithful. He does not change, but how we view Him changes us, our heart, and our walk with Him. When we start to question Him and His character we cannot walk in His fullness.  He is the constant and we must learn to focus on and walk in His consistency. No matter what happens we must accept Him at His Word. Either we believe who He is, or we don’t. We can say that we have faith in Him, but we must make sure our actions back up our words.

Practical Application: Do you feel like God is kind and loving? Or do you see Him in a different light? If so, trace the root back and find out why you have a distorted view of God. Where did your views come from? Ask Him to show you. Once you know the root ask Him to pull it up and replace it with the truth. The only way to remove a lie is to replace it with the truth. The only place you can find the complete truth is in His Word.

Read each chapter of the Bible and write down who God shows Himself to be in each one. What characteristics are shown in each chapter?

We must allow Him to be who He says He is and not who we say He is.

Knowing Who we Are In Him

If we really know who we are in Him nothing will be able to shake us, but who we are in Him only flows from a personal relationship with Him.

We are saved, justified, sanctified, and redeemed through Jesus Christ.

Identity: Our identity is found in God alone. We don’t find it from the world, our friends, our family, our ourselves. We don’t need a personality test to tell us who we are.  

We are the creation, and He is the Creator. We are His workmanship.

Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship [His own master work, a work of art], created in Christ Jesus [reborn from above—spiritually transformed, renewed, ready to be used] for good works, which God prepared [for us] beforehand [taking paths which He set], so that we would walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us].

Psalm 139:13-16 For You formed my innermost parts; You knit me [together] in my mother’s womb. I will give thanks and praise to You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
Wonderful are Your works, And my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from You,
When I was being formed in secret. And intricately and skillfully formed [as if embroidered with many colors] in the depths of the earth. Your eyes have seen my unformed substance; And in Your book were all written The days that were appointed for me, When as yet there was not one of them [even taking shape].

When you look at a painting or any work of art you do not go up to the artwork and say who are you? What were you created for? What is your purpose?

You ask those questions of the artist and the creator. We ask what was on Your mind when you created this piece of artwork, what does it symbolize, what is its purpose?

This is the something we should do with God. We must ask Him what purpose He has created us for, what characteristics He has placed in us, and what gifts and talents He has given us.

If you do not know what gifts and talents He has given you, ask Him.

This also falls under the topic of identity:

We can get stuck in the past, trauma, and victimhood to the point of allowing it to become part of who we are and our identity.

Symptoms of Victimhood Mentality:

You feel like life just happens to you and you have no control.

You go from one crisis to the next.

You identify as a victim. It is always on your mind, you spend a lot of time thinking about the trauma, you focus on the effects of the trauma in your life, and you constantly look for other connections based on those traumas, illnesses, or other negative life experiences.

You join a ton of online groups that focus on the trauma, you talk about it all the time, you think about it all the time, and you became fixated on it. It is what you post about all the time and it takes more of your focus than anything else in your life.

When you hear the stories of things others go through your go to reaction is to one up them and you tell yourself how much worse your situation was.

Justification: You feel like no one else gets it and if they really knew what all you have been through, they would understand why you are stuck there.

Self-pity is a huge hallmark of a victimhood mentality.

Breaking the Victimhood Mentality:

Stop identifying yourself as a victim.

The situations happened to us, but it is not who we are. We are not broken or damaged. We are new creations in Jesus Christ.

Stop focusing on the past and do not let it dominate your life.

Give zero entertainment to the negative voices in your head. Do not focus on them, analyze them, or sit with them even for a moment. Kick them out.

Create your identity around who God says you are and peel off the identity of being a victim.

Close any doors to the enemy the abuse/trauma created.

Kick out any demons that are attached to your life.

Take authority over any demons that are trying to use the abuse/trauma to torment you.

Process the trauma with Jesus. Sit at His feet with the pain, ask Him to uproot it and replace it with His truth, love, and healing.

Change the way you talk about yourself. We have the power of life and death in our words. Speak life over yourself: I am more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ, I have the mind of Christ, I am a new creation in Him, etc.

If we continue to speak words about being a victim will we continue to be a victim, but if we speak words about being an overcomer we will be an over comer.  

We are not stuck in life. We all have choices. We may not like the consequences of the choices, but we still have them. We must change our perspective. Sometimes we need to get out of ourselves and out of our heads and stop focusing on ourselves, what we are going through, how bad we have and switch our focus to what is going right in our lives and on God, His Word, and His plan for our lives.

This may sound harsh, but I want you to hear my heart. I am not trying to be unkind. I am trying to help you break off the victimhood mentality and walk in victory. I was stuck in being a victim for years and years. I needed real talk and a real look at myself to get me out of it. And that is exactly what the Lord did. He held a mirror up to my face and He showed me how wrong I was and how I was stuck in the identity of being a victim. That led to repentance which led to deliverance from the demons that were using the abuse to torment me.

Sometimes we have to hear those harsh words because they are the exact words that at first upset us, but eventually cause us to take a real look at ourselves and our situation. It is almost like a slap in the face that jolts us out of our comatose state. It is not fun and it does hurt, but it is exactly what we need.

Authority: We have authority against the enemy through Jesus Christ.

Luke 10:19 Listen carefully: I have given you authority [that you now possess] to tread on serpents and scorpions, and [the ability to exercise authority] over all the power of the enemy (Satan); and nothing will [in any way] harm you.

Perspective

Colossians 3:2 Set your mind and keep focused habitually on the things above [the heavenly things], not on things that are on the earth [which have only temporal value].

We must be kingdom focused and not let the things of the temporal shift our focus from the eternal. The storms of life try to pull our focus away from God, His kingdom, and our kingdom purpose, but we must not allow that to happen. Our minds are our territory and we have the authority to dictate what goes on in our mind. We are responsible for our thought life and our responses to the storms of life.

We sometimes get the idea in our minds that if we serve God, and are doing things for Him, nothing bad will happen to us, but that is not Biblical. We are told over and over in the Word that we will face difficult situations. What we are promised is that we will never walk through those times alone. A false, twisted perspective will lead to feelings of anger, bitterness, and doubt.

The Word never sugar coats it. It uses very strong language and tells us will face persecutions, tribulations, test, trials, and wilderness experiences. We were never promised easy sailing in our lives. but so many times when those situations happen the first thing we do is question God and get angry with Him. We say, why didn’t You do this or do that?

I often go back to the examples of the disciples and early followers of Jesus. Jesus is our example in life, in all things, but we can also learn a lot from His followers.

(I did not create this list, I found it online.)

Matthew: He suffered martyrdom in Ethiopia and was killed by a sword wound.

Mark: died after being dragged by horses through the streets.

Luke: hung in Greece.

John: boiled in oil, but lived, and was then sentenced to the mines on the prison island of Patmos where he wrote the book of Revelations.

Peter: crucified upside down.

James: thrown over a hundred feet down to kill him, but he survived and was then beat to death.

James the Son of Zebedee: beheaded, history says he defended his faith at his trial and right up until his death.

Bartholomew: flayed to death by a whip.

Andrew: crucified.

Thomas: stabbed.

Jude: killed with arrows.

Matthias: stoned and beheaded.

Life of Paul: tortured and then beheaded.

2 Corinthians 11:23-29 Are they [self-proclaimed] servants of Christ?—I am speaking as if I were out of my mind—I am more so [for I exceed them]; with far more labors, with far more imprisonments, beaten times without number, and often in danger of death. ²⁴ Five times I received from the Jews ^[a]thirty-nine lashes. ²⁵ Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked, a night and a day I have spent adrift on the sea; ²⁶ many times on journeys, [exposed to] danger from rivers, danger from bandits, danger from my own countrymen, danger from the Gentiles, danger in the city, danger in the wilderness, danger on the sea, danger among those posing as believers; ²⁷ in labor and hardship, often unable to sleep, in hunger and thirst, often [driven to] fasting [for lack of food], in cold and exposure [without adequate clothing]. ²⁸ Besides those external things, there is the daily [inescapable] pressure of my concern for all the churches. ²⁹ Who is weak, and I do not feel [his] weakness? Who is made to sin, and I am not on fire [with sorrow and concern]?

Paul’s response to trials:

Romans 5:3-5 And not only this, but [with joy] let us exult in our sufferings and rejoice in our hardships, knowing that hardship (distress, pressure, trouble) produces patient endurance; ⁴ and endurance, proven character (spiritual maturity); and proven character, hope and confident assurance [of eternal salvation]. ⁵ Such hope [in God’s promises] never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Other Scripture

John 16:33 I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous [be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy]; I have overcome the world.” [My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.]

James 1:2-3 Consider it nothing but joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials. Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace].

1 Peter 4:12 Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test you [that is, to test the quality of your faith], as though something strange or unusual were happening to you.

The Bible is here for us to prepare us. It is our guide for life and every situation we could ever

face. It says we will face hard times, but it also prepares us to handle those situations when

they come. We have control over our response when the difficult situations occur. Our response will either make or break our relationship with God.  

Purpose

We must ask ourselves do we seek God’s purpose for our lives or our own?

We are told in the Bible once we accept Jesus as Savior our lives are not our own (find scripture).

1 Corinthians 6:20 You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body.

Romans 12:1Therefore I urge you, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies [dedicating all of yourselves, set apart] as a living sacrifice, holy and well-pleasing to God, which is your rational (logical, intelligent) act of worship.

We are in a covenant with Jesus Christ.

Ask God what His purpose and calling is for your life.

General purpose for all of us:

Imitators of God: Ephesians 5:1-21

Therefore become imitators of God [copy Him and follow His example], as well-beloved children [imitate their father]; ² and walk continually in love [that is, value one another—practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seeking the best for others], just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and sacrifice to God [slain for you, so that it became] a sweet fragrance.

³ But sexual immorality and all [moral] impurity [indecent, offensive behavior] or greed must not even be hinted at among you, as is proper among saints [for as believers our way of life, whether in public or in private, reflects the validity of our faith]. ⁴ Let there be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse [obscene or vulgar] joking, because such things are not appropriate [for believers]; but instead speak of your thankfulness [to God]. ⁵ For be sure of this: no immoral, impure, or greedy person—for that one is [in effect] an idolater—has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God [for such a person places a higher value on something other than God]. ⁶ Let no one deceive you with empty arguments [that encourage you to sin], for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience [those who habitually sin]. ⁷ So do not participate or even associate with them [in the rebelliousness of sin]. ⁸ For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [live as those who are native-born to the Light] ⁹ (for the fruit [the effect, the result] of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), ¹⁰ trying to learn [by experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [and letting your lifestyles be examples of what is most acceptable to Him—your behavior expressing gratitude to God for your salvation]. ¹¹ Do not participate in the worthless and unproductive deeds of darkness, but instead expose them [by exemplifying personal integrity, moral courage, and godly character]; ¹² for it is disgraceful even to mention the things that such people practice in secret. ¹³ But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light [of God’s precepts], for it is light that makes everything visible. ¹⁴ For this reason He says, “Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine [as dawn] upon you and give you light.” ¹⁵ Therefore see that you walk carefully [living life with honor, purpose, and courage; shunning those who tolerate and enable evil], not as the unwise, but as wise [sensible, intelligent, discerning people], ¹⁶making the very most of your time [on earth, recognizing and taking advantage of each opportunity and using it with wisdom and diligence], because the days are [filled with] evil. ¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish and thoughtless, but understand and firmly grasp what the will of the Lord is. ¹⁸ Do not get drunk with wine, for that is wickedness (corruption, stupidity), but be filled with the [Holy] Spirit and constantly guided by Him. ¹⁹ Speak to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, [offering praise by] singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord; ²⁰ always giving thanks to God the Father for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; ²¹ being subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Don’t: Get stuck trying to figure it all out.

Do we have all of the answers (understanding) or will we ever fully understand Gods plan? No in fact we are told the exact opposite.

Proverbs 3:5-6 Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart And do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him,
And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].

Do:

Push into the pruning, crushing, changing:

It is in these circumstances we become more like Him.

We pray to be and look more like Him but as soon as we start going through the process we question and get angry.

Remember what Paul said:

Romans 5:3-5 And not only this, but [with joy] let us exult in our sufferings and rejoice in our hardships, knowing that hardship (distress, pressure, trouble) produces patient endurance; ⁴ and endurance, proven character (spiritual maturity); and proven character, hope and confident assurance [of eternal salvation]. ⁵ Such hope [in God’s promises] never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

2 Timothy 2:15 Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth.

Walk in total surrender.

Cases where doors were opened to demons deliverance is often needed.

Blessings,

Nichole Henson, Fullness of Joy Ministry