Thoughts
that have come from various quotes taken from the book, "Victor - Breaking
Free From a Victim Based Society" by John H. Hovis. Click here to link directly to
the audio file.
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"When we believe we are condemned we begin to see all the things around us that seem to be adding to that condemnation."
As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 62.
Victim thinking happens when we take on an attitude about ourselves that is something less than what God sees for us. So many of us are walking around with the dark cloud of condemnation hanging over our heads. The more we remain in that place of believing that we are not worthy the more life circumstances will seem to point out how much we deserve to be condemned.
For those who believe in Jesus Christ, this couldn't be further from the truth. He came to this earth, lived a sinless life, and receive the wrath of condemnation that we all deserved. He paid the price so that none of us would have to feel condemnation in our lives.
If that is the case, why is it that so many of us Christians carry around the weight of condemnation? I believe it is because we don't understand and/or trust in the love of God.
Rick Warren has a new study out based on his bestseller "Purpose Driven Life". It is called "What On Earth Am I Hear For". In one of the first study sessions he asks the question, "What is the main purpose for my existence?" If you are like me you would probably respond to this question with a good, religious answer that goes something like this, I was created to glorify God.
I was shocked to find that this biblically sound and often preached purpose for my life actually misses the mark according to Pastor Warren. According to this study, my main purpose here on earth is to be loved by God. Did you get that? Pastor Warren doesn't say our purpose is to love God. No, our purpose is to be loved by God. That's a radical perspective shift for me. How about you?
Here's what happens when we work to figure out how to best love God. Condemnation happens over and over again as we fail to love God in the way we think we're supposed to. Trying to figure out how to love God puts us in a place where victim thinking can rule.
The Bible says this about God's love.
We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 (NIV)
The only reason we can even begin to consider loving God, loving others or even loving ourselves is the fact that God first loved us. When we mix that love with the possibility of condemnation we are poised to be trapped in victim thinking.
Once condemnation has been given permission to be a part of our identity, it tends to snake its way into all the parts of our life - making it so easy to think that we will never measure up. The more and more we live in that space, the more hopeless we become as we deal with the feelings that accompany victim thinking driven by condemnation.
It simply doesn't have to be this way. God paid such a high price for us to be the victors that He sees us as. One of the many benefits of being a victor is the choice as to whether we will live under the cloud of condemnation or not. When you feel the heaviness of condemnation settling into your life today, remember you were created to be loved by Him. There is nothing you can do to foster that love and nothing you can do to lose it. Since that's the case, the pressure is off! By simply being alive you are fulfilling your purpose - God is loving you and that makes you a victor no matter what the world throws at you today.
**********
"When we believe we are condemned we begin to see all the things around us that seem to be adding to that condemnation."
As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 62.
Victim thinking happens when we take on an attitude about ourselves that is something less than what God sees for us. So many of us are walking around with the dark cloud of condemnation hanging over our heads. The more we remain in that place of believing that we are not worthy the more life circumstances will seem to point out how much we deserve to be condemned.
For those who believe in Jesus Christ, this couldn't be further from the truth. He came to this earth, lived a sinless life, and receive the wrath of condemnation that we all deserved. He paid the price so that none of us would have to feel condemnation in our lives.
If that is the case, why is it that so many of us Christians carry around the weight of condemnation? I believe it is because we don't understand and/or trust in the love of God.
Rick Warren has a new study out based on his bestseller "Purpose Driven Life". It is called "What On Earth Am I Hear For". In one of the first study sessions he asks the question, "What is the main purpose for my existence?" If you are like me you would probably respond to this question with a good, religious answer that goes something like this, I was created to glorify God.
I was shocked to find that this biblically sound and often preached purpose for my life actually misses the mark according to Pastor Warren. According to this study, my main purpose here on earth is to be loved by God. Did you get that? Pastor Warren doesn't say our purpose is to love God. No, our purpose is to be loved by God. That's a radical perspective shift for me. How about you?
Here's what happens when we work to figure out how to best love God. Condemnation happens over and over again as we fail to love God in the way we think we're supposed to. Trying to figure out how to love God puts us in a place where victim thinking can rule.
The Bible says this about God's love.
We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19 (NIV)
The only reason we can even begin to consider loving God, loving others or even loving ourselves is the fact that God first loved us. When we mix that love with the possibility of condemnation we are poised to be trapped in victim thinking.
Once condemnation has been given permission to be a part of our identity, it tends to snake its way into all the parts of our life - making it so easy to think that we will never measure up. The more and more we live in that space, the more hopeless we become as we deal with the feelings that accompany victim thinking driven by condemnation.
It simply doesn't have to be this way. God paid such a high price for us to be the victors that He sees us as. One of the many benefits of being a victor is the choice as to whether we will live under the cloud of condemnation or not. When you feel the heaviness of condemnation settling into your life today, remember you were created to be loved by Him. There is nothing you can do to foster that love and nothing you can do to lose it. Since that's the case, the pressure is off! By simply being alive you are fulfilling your purpose - God is loving you and that makes you a victor no matter what the world throws at you today.
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