I was listening to a podcast when I heard a statement that has stuck with me ever since. It was simply “a victim can never be a victor.”

This world would have us believe we are a victim of something. Just watch the news for five minutes and you will hear all the ways you have been affronted. Turn on any radio station, pick up most any book that speaks to current events and you will find your victimhood. The enemy of our souls would have us believe we are a victim of a million different offenses, and he longs for us to claim them all but if we believe only one, he will claim success. Christian after Christian has fallen for his ruse and believed his lies, but it should not be so because a victor cannot be a victim.

If we have been saved by Christ, our victory came through him. It has already been won. It has already become our inheritance. However, when we allow ourselves to be a victim to whatever the enemy, the culture and this world tells us must be so, we become fixated on what has been done or what we think has been done to us. It then becomes what we see – in everything. It becomes what we think – in all things. It becomes our truth and therefore taints every thought, word and action. Yet, our truth will never be THE TRUTH. Our fixation – our victimhood – keeps our focus everywhere except on the One who has won our victory.

Paul told the Corinthians, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.” (1Corinthians 15:50) When we are caught in a victim mentality, we are stuck in our flesh and are mired in the world. We are unable to walk in our inheritance. Jesus told us that in this world we will have trouble and persecution but in him we will have peace. (John 16:33) If we are more focused on the persecution – real or perceived – peace will remain elusive. Living as a victim means we do not believe in the sovereignty of God and cannot trust him with the circumstances. However, we are reminded in the Word to run the race set before us looking to Jesus to perfect our faith. We are to consider his example of endurance and not grow weary or lose heart. We are to endure trials for the sake of discipline full of faith in our victory in Christ. (Hebrews 12:1-7)

Believing and speaking our victimhood denies our own weakness (we all fall short) and seeks to blame another. It is a mentality that begs for healing …

“Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees and make straight paths for your feet so that what is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.” (Hebrews 12:12-13)

A victim mentality is our lameness. Our circumstances may be difficult and uncomfortable but we are not a victim of it. We must never allow ourselves to be incapacitated because of it. A thorn in the flesh – a messenger of Satan – was given to Paul to torment him.  He prayed three times for his thorn to be removed. And, when it wasn’t Paul didn’t call himself a victim of it. What would it be if we actually did the same? Might we too hear the words, “my grace is sufficient and power is made perfect in weakness.” Like Paul we then might be able with full sincerity say that we are “content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and calamities for the sake of Christ, for whenever I am weak then I am strong.” (2 Corinthians 12:8-10)

Oh, that we would stop coddling our victimhood. Stop singing our victim song. Stop wearing our offense as a badge of our persecution. May we let go of what our flesh demands and what the world dictates and have faith in the sovereign hand of God standing firm in the victory already won for us. May the victory cry rise from the deepest places within us as we continue to trust him to perfect us in the midst of whatever is happening. This world and all its affronts and offenses are temporary.  It will all perish. The Kingdom of God of eternal – it was, it is and it will forever be – victor and victory! In Christ, this is our inheritance.

Live the VICTORY and not the victimhood.