Day 40 - The Bigness of God’s Plan

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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“God’s plan is so much bigger than how nicely our life turns out. His plan is to secure, for all eternity, a relationship with as many souls as possible. We are part of that plan. Our destiny will be seen as complete in as much as we let Him empower the roles we play through our identity as God’s Child.”

As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 20.

I don’t say this as a put down in any way but, our plans will ALWAYS be lesser than the plans God has in this world. Our plans, no matter how much we live the victor’s life, will be tainted with the “self” in ways that pale to the overarching love of our God’s plan for this world. Again, this isn’t a knock; it is just a fact that those of us who want to live like a victor must get a firm grasp upon.

Today’s Bible reading stresses this point so well. It says;

“Many are the plans in a person's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails.” Proverbs 19:21 (NIV)

As soon as we get into our heads that God’s plans, His purpose, always prevail, the sooner we will be in a position to deal with the devastating effects of our plans falling short from time to time. Victim thinkers are people who have bet their entire being on the hope that their plan for a comfortable, meaningful and good life will come about. Sometimes the plans for our own definition of what a good life looks like come into complete contrast with the plans God has for His children in this world.

It is when the good life we have worked so hard to maintain is challenged that doubts about God’s goodness can come in to play. That’s what Satan wants for us all - to allow enough doubt of God’s goodness to sneak in so that we are crippled when it comes to living like a victor. Those trapped in victim thinking ways have often lost hope that God’s goodness will ever be for them. It is when we confuse the goodies from God with God’s goodness that victim thinking can take hold, particularly when our plans aren’t going our way.

God is a good God. His plan for salvation for the entire world is a good plan, one that cannot be stopped! The victor and victim thinker alike are part of that good and unstoppable plan. When we are living a life surrendered to God’s plan, then we are in a position where we can go after all our plans with the kind of gusto God has made us to have. Going after our plans with this kind of attitude makes the choice to live like a victor come into focus in our lives even when our plans don’t succeed.

Look, the reality is that we have no guarantee our plans will work out. The only way I can even begin to think that I’m a victor even when my own personal plans aren’t victorious is to trust in the fact that I’m part of a plan that is so much larger than my own. It is in this place of perspective, an eternal perspective, that I can begin to live the victor’s life.


Today you will have plans that will succeed and plans that will fail. It isn’t that your were being rewarded for being a good Child with successful plans just like it isn’t that you were being punished by failed plans. God’s plan is all that is guaranteed in the world in which we live. Your life as a victor is ensured the more you give into these three realities; the first one is, that you are God’s Child, secondly, because you are his child you are part of God’s Plan and thirdly, it is part of His Plan that we, his children, will too prevail.

Day 39 - Living The Lie

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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“I believe that we inside The Church have been living a lie for way too long. We have used the things of God for our own well being and haven’t lived up to the ideals we have set for ourselves, let alone those we think God has set for us. We have caused enough damage in this world by trading our identities for something we are not. It is time we live life as victors, not victims.”

As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 5.

Victim thinking takes hold the most when we are faced with the prospect of not getting what we want out of this life. This kind of thinking is just as rampant in the church as it is outside of it!

I hate to burst your bubble, but God isn’t in our lives to make our lives comfortable like we want them to be. I know you know that but look how quickly this kind of victim laced thinking slips into your everyday life. Just think back on the last three things you prayed for. I’d be willing to bet those requests were for temporary things. Yes, your prayers were probably for BIG things like healing or provision or the return of a lost relationship. But, think about it; each of those things are for this world, not for what we will live for when we pass into the next phase of eternity.

Look, I’m not saying it’s wrong for us to pray for temporary things. What’s wrong is to live under the misguided expectation that God’s great love for us means our comfort is what matters most to Him. The lie that makes victors sink into the pits of victim thinking is that our walk with God means our lives will be exactly what we want them to be. God has so much more planned for our lives than that.

Take a look at what the Bible says on the subject,

There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever. 2 Corinthians 4:18 (MSG)

It’s only natural that, if we keep praying for things that directly impact our comfort and those prayers go largely answered in ways that don’t assure our comfort, we will begin thinking that God’s love is somehow not for us. That, in the simplest form, is Satan’s plan for you and for me. He wants us to doubt God’s goodness for our lives. Demanding that God’s goodness mean we live a good life (by our own definition) is the foundation by which victim thinking can come between us and a vibrant relationship with our God.


What’s on your prayer list today? If you are like me it is filled with comfort driven, temporary requests. That’s good! Keep on having a two way conversation with God over these and all issues in your life. But today, do something different. Let the power of your standing as a victor be the foundation for your prayers and watch how God responds. What you might see differently is how to press through the lies Satan is trying to get us to believe and move into that special place of a victor that is due a Child of God’s!

Day 38 - Being Entitled

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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"If I am entitled to something and that thing is somehow not fully provided there is nothing I can feel but offense, and I inevitably see myself as a victim."

As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 200.

The dictionary defines the word "entitlement" as the belief that one is deserving of or due certain privileges.  With that definition in place it is easy to see how victim thinking can result when those things we feel entitled to don't happen in the timing or the way we demand.  There is little that challenges the lifestyle of victor more than holding onto the belief that we are entitled in one way or another for anything in this life.

The definition of entitlement has a word that the victor needs to pay attention to in their lives.  That word is deserving.  Victim thinking is quick to happen when we believe that we deserve anything.  When we find ourselves in a place where we think we deserve something what is actually happening is that we are comparing ourselves to someone else. Think about it. If you feel you deserve that new car aren't you actually saying that you have performed in one way or another better or more completely than others? Deserving speaks of reward. If you feel deserving aren't you really saying you are better than the others in your life and that you are entitled to being awarded for being better?

Look there is nothing wrong with being rewarded for a job well done. Rewards are such a sweet prize for us all. It is when we turn the corner to where we feel deserving that the victor stands the best chance of falling into victim thinking. Worse than that, victim thinking over issues of entitlement create victimizers when we fail to get what we believe we so completely deserve.

Again, this way of thinking isn't in any way to make us feel guilty about good things happening to us. If God is a loving Father then how could he be against good things happening to his children? The problem with being entitled and acting out of a place of feeling deserving is that it is so easy to cross the line from an appreciative child to a demanding brat. This is particularly the case when we see others receiving things that we might feel we deserve. It goes back to that comparison thing.

Not much pushes my buttons more than when I see people who, in my opinion, have expended much less effort and sacrificed less than I have end up getting more than me in return. Hear the victim thinking undertones in that last statement? It is when I allow myself the opportunity to compare myself to others when trouble is sure to follow. Comparison often leads me to offence when the issue of entitlement is concerned.

Comparing ourselves to others, when it leads to offence, closes the door on our ability to hear from others and from god himself. Here's a question I've begun asking myself when entitlement starts to take me down the road to compare myself to others, "Why would I ever want to be like someone else?" Yes, there might be some the goodies in that person's life that I might be jealous of but do I really want to be like that person? To take it a bit further, do I really want to be like any other person in this world? I know the messiness in my life but have no idea of the hidden messes in that other person's world. When it comes to the choice between the mess in my life vs the mess in someone else's, the devil you know is so much better than the devil you don't know.

So, the reality is that there isn't anyone in this world I should let the issue of comparison to get me into potential victim thinking ways. When it come to god, however, now there's someone maybe I would benefit from comparing my life to. Better stated, God is the perfect model for me to structure my life after. Bad news is that if I choose to compare my life after God then the issue of entitlement take a significant turn.

As was said earlier, when we say we deserve something we're actually implying that we have done something of merit that should be rewarded.  Sure we all do great things in this world but, when compared to a perfect god do those things ever put us in a position of deserving reward from him?  When compared to a perfect, all powerful, all knowing god, how can we think that our efforts, our lifestyle, or our abilities can ever rise to the level where we would deserve anything?

If you run into a situation where the feeling of entitlement starts to make you think you deserve something good in your life don't let that thought take control. Also, don't feel guilty for having that thought. Instead of letting those feelings linger unchallenged in your life and cause offence, think of how perfect God is and how imperfect you! Then remember how much He loves you. You are his beloved child.


Don't let entitlement put you on the slippery slope towards victim thinking. Ponder the thoughts above and let them put you in the best position to live the life of a victor God wants so much for you to have today.

Day 37 - Opening The Door

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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“Have to” can close the door for us to see God’s Hand in our lives. “Get to” opens that door, especially as we exercise our power of thankfulness particularly in bad situations."

As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 184.

It's so interesting how humans tend to rebel against those things in life that come at us with the words "have to".  Tell a child that they "have to" do something and there's a pretty fair chance they will do all in their power to make the opposite happened.

"Have to" speaks of obligation and makes our soul believe that we have no choice.  When faced with the possibility of no choice I believe we want to react negatively because we have been designed to live in freedom.  I'm not talking about freedom that comes from man.  No, the freedom I'm speaking of is a freedom that was placed inside of each and every one of us by god himself.  That freedom isn't limited to a particular country, political system, or way of life.  It is something that all humans instinctively know and do all they can to rebel against the bondage of things exemplified when "have to" living is a possibility.

Victim thinking is a realistic option when we allow the words "have to" to be a part of the tasks we face each day.  Of course there are obligations that we all have as we live the life we been given.  But, why negatively empower those obligations with the soul crushing words "have to"?

"Get to" on the other hand speaks of opportunity.  The soul hates obligation and loves opportunity.  Why?  Because obligation tends to limit our freedom whereas opportunity can be the beginning of freedom filled endeavors in our life.

What I'm presenting here is more than a semantics issue.  "Have to" prepares our soul to do battle against the potential for lack of freedom.  "Get to" releases our soul into the power of making as much freedom as possible available in our lives.  That's why "have to" closes the door to being able to see god's hand in our life whereas "get to" opens that door so that we can better see the goodness of god, particularly when we apply the strategy of thanksgiving in our lives.

Here's what the bible says about the power of thanksgiving.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Colossians 3:15 (NIV)

Two "commands" can be seen in this verse.  The first one is live in peace.  The second is be thankful.  The power in thanksgiving is that we have the opportunity to live in peace.  I believe the words "have two" make it so that obligation destroys our ability to be thankful and therefore peace is so hard to maintain.  No wonder the soul get so riled up at the prospect of the words " have to".  The soul longs for peace!

Even the most abominable task takes on a different meaning when a "get to" perspective is used to describe that task.  It is almost as though we're giving the soul permission to be thankful for even the challenging things that come into our lives.  It isn't as though we're lying to ourselves by being thankful for challenging times.  It is because the of the fact that the goodness of god can be seen and experienced even when badness happens to us that enables  us to be thankful and praise him.

You have a chance today to make peace be a motivating factor in empowering your soul to have an impact in this world.  The next time you recognize your use of the words "have to" why not stop and look at that situation and find something to be thankful for.  Do this every time you hear yourself saying "have to" and see what happens when you unleash the power of the soul through thanksgiving to bring peace into your life.  Let peace be what guards your heart, empowers your soul, and makes a difference in your ability to live the life of victor today.

Day 36 - Dress Up

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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"They see their melancholy ways as somewhat of a badge of honor; even though they can’t feel or see God, they continue to follow Him. There has to be some reward for choosing God in spite of the fact that their lives can’t prove His existence. Hear the haunting strings of victim thinking in such a response?"

As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 165.

Oftentimes some of the most downcast and negative people you will see are people who call themselves Christians. I have seen movies that portray monks who spend their days literally beating themselves with branches over the wretched people they are.  Maybe I have it all wrong, but those who follow Jesus should be among some of the most joy filled people to walk the face of the earth.

Sure if we compare ourselves to a perfect god, those monks are doing exactly what they should be doing.  We are wretched people when compared to the perfection of a perfect god.  Our wretchedness deserves punishment more significant than being beaten by twigs and branches. We deserve to be wiped off the face of all creation! But that's the whole idea of Jesus!  He came so that we might be able to live in the fullness of the identity of the victors that we are in spite of our failure at eliminating wretchedness from our lives.  It's not perfection in our lives that makes as victors, it's the perfect life of Jesus Christ that allows us to be seen as the victors God made us to be.

A wonderful and talented friend of mine named Manna Ko gave a presentation to a group of Christian artists and authors.  In this presentation she discussed the "7 Ups of Being a Christian." One of the "Up's" she presented was that we, as followers of Christ,  weshould " Dress Up." In her talk she asks the important question, "Why are we all walking around like a bunch of victims?" She was referring to the fact that so many of us have allowed the challenges that we face to make us doubt the identity of the victor that Jesus paid such a high price to provide for us.  In that regard, we're just like the rest of the world when we are so quick to "Dress Down" in a way that makes victim thinking a real possibility in our lives.

Where Christians and non Christians alike get it wrong is that we let the circumstances of this life define our identity, and therefore our attitude about the life that we live.  Christians are not immune to challenges and trials in this life in spite of some teachings to the contrary.  The bible is clear about what a follower of Jesus might expect.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. 2 Corinthians 4:6-10 (NIV)

Darkness, death, pressure, confusion even persecution.  Not a very appealing benefit list for those who might be thinking of following Jesus if you ask me.  The reality is that all of these things and more are likely to happen whether we follow Jesus or not.  Unfortunately, we have somehow bought into the lie that by accepting Jesus all these challenges and more will somehow not be a part of our life.

When Manna spoke of "Dressing Up" she was talking about the concept of putting on our best because of what God has done for us. Put on our best face, our best attitude, our best hope for the future. When we are dressed in our best the world recognizes this difference and things happen. She isn't saying to put on, yet another facade. Quite the opposite! We are to live from the place of power that says I'm a victor no matter how many victimizing events this world throws at me. Sure we are going to have bad days but those bad days are temporary, nothing compared to the eternity that is assured the children of God we are.

In a new book Manna is writing on leadership, where she goes into more detail on the 7 Ups of life, she includes the following proclamation. Today, take time to make this proclamation yours. Speak it over your life. Say it out loud and let the fact that victor is your identity be what makes your day something others will point to as being the start of powerful change in their lives as well.

Repeat after me;

I am (state your name)
of (state your home city)
a Child of the most high King
and Lord of Lords!
Jesus is alive
and sits on the Kingdom throne
over heaven and earth -
and in the name
of all that is good,
devil your wrath on this world is over!

Day 35 - Victory

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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"Victory is yours. Circumstances don’t define that victory, God’s Love for you does."

As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 65.

Victory and living the life of a victor aren't as connected as closely as the world has taught they are. Having victory in my life can't be the single characteristic as to what makes me a victor. If the presence of victory is the requirement for victor living then we all are doomed to victim thinking due to the fact that victory, by the world's definition, isn't assured in this world. From time to time we will go through patches when victory seems to be anything but ours.

It's during those times, times when we long for victory, that our identity as a victor can be severely challenged. Nothing ushers in the effects of victim thinking more than when our identity is being challenged by failing to see the personally defined and often misplaced characteristics of that identity to materialize in our life.

Look at it this way. Say you value the identity of being an artist. if your definition of what it takes to be an artist includes selling your art for seven figures or more you are likely to doubt yourself in this identity  since very few living artists can claim this kind of fame. There is nothing wrong with working towards achieving a status where your art sells for astronomical amounts. It is when we tie our goals, and the chances of us reaching those goals, to our identity when victim thinking can work to cripple our lives.

When you boil it all down, victory, from the world's view, is all about success. The victor loves success as much as anyone else. Tying our definition of success to our identity of a victor is such a damaging and joy robbing thing for us to do. It is when the challenges of this world come at us that we can doubt our ability to experience success. That's when despair can usher in the long term and devastating effects of victim thinking into our lives.

Even the Bible can be a bit confusing if we view things like victory, success and prosperity from the wrong perspective. Take a look at today's reading and think how victim thinking can result if we turn this verse into a formula to prove our identity.

and observe what the LORD your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go 2 Kings 2:3 (NIV)

On the surface today's reading is a pretty clear formula for victory, if prosperity is part of your definition of victory. It says in the scripture, "Do this (observe and obey God's commands) so that you may prosper..." What happens to you when you are observing and obeying as perfectly as you can yet prosperity is not the result. If you are like me, when this happens over and over again, then you come face to face with some serious doubts - doubts about yourself and doubts about God. In that place of doubt victim thinking can't help but take root and grow.

Truth is that victory is ours. As was said earlier, however, our circumstances will never be enough to consistently prove we are victorious. Fact is, we are victorious even in the absence of victory when we rest in the belief that victory is ours when we know God loves us. Circumstances don't make us victorious, God's love for us does! It is his love for us that makes us victors and that kind of status can't ever be fully confirmed by circumstances in life.

But what about today's Bible reading? How do we deal with the seeming contradiction between what is being said and this view of victory in God's love? Today's reading isn't a formula for success - It is a statement of relationship. If we observe and obey the commands of God, our victory will be that we are more clearly able to see His love for us. Observing and obeying God doesn't necessarily guarantee the kinds of circumstances we want. It does put us in a position to better understand our circumstances in light of the amazing love He has for us.


Go after as much of the victory you are empowered to as you tackle the activities ahead of you today. Should the victory you are seeking be slow to materialize don't fret in a way that challenges your identity. You are the victor God made you whether your victory comes in the form you want or not. Fight off the burdens of victim thinking today by staying in that place of love. God's love for you, not your circumstances, is what defines the kind of victory that is assured for you today.

Day 34 - The Trap of Performance

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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“I have found that the concept of performance is at the root of whether I feel like a victim or a victor. If I perform up to the standards I have set for myself or that others have set for me, I feel like a victor. Fail to perform up to those ever elusive standards and I’m a victim.”

As quoted from the book victor - breaking free from a victim of a society by John H. Hovis Page 3.

Feelings; they are the trap of performance. If I perform in a way that looks good in the eyes of others, I feel good about myself. I FEEL like a victor. If I fail in the eyes of others, I feel bad and victim thinking tries to take hold. Performance in religion is the single most damaging thing we can be a part of when it comes to living the life of a victor.

Unfortunately the Christian faith isn’t immune to performance based standards. So many people I speak with that have little or nothing to do with church say  that it is the hypocrisy in the church that turns them off so completely. That hypocrisy can be steeped in performance issues.

I bet you feel the same way when hypocrisy based on holding out standards that are so easily missed comes against you and your life. Think about the last, “self professed Christian leader” or role model who has taken a tumble morally. Doesn’t it feel a little bit good to see someone, who one moment is attacking the “sin” in this world only to find their reputations tarnished by that same sin in their life? When we use performance as a benchmark as to how good a follower of our God we are, hypocrisy is quick to rear its ugly head.

When I choose to live by the fact that my performance will never be good enough for my God I begin to have compassion for those around me who struggle, like I do, with living up to the ever growing list of do’s and don’ts religion likes to put on me. You see, God is perfect; I’m not! His standard is impossible to attain. If I take it upon myself to try to be perfect, or fall into a misguided, rules based religion in an attempt to come close to Him,  I’m doomed to live life with the prospect of victim thinking lurking at the door of my heart.

That’s why I believe in Jesus. He was and is perfect. He was able to live up to the standards of a perfect God and paid the price for my not being able to do so. That’s what makes me a victor. Any focus on performance in religion will only leave me discouraged and make it impossible to attain my goal.

The Bible reminds me about my abilities and my understanding of right and wrong when it comes to living a life with God. It says;

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV)

Look, there’s nothing wrong with setting goals and using my natural ability to reach for those goals. Same goes for our striving to know our God. What I am saying is that we have to hold loosely the results of our natural efforts. Sometimes our best efforts just fall short. That’s when victim thinking can take hold.


I’m also not saying that, as a follower of Christ I’m not to do anything. There’s plenty for me to do as I follow Christ in my life. I’m just choosing to not let whether I perform up to some man made standard be what defines whether I’m living like a victor or a victim to be what controls me today. How about you? Ready to live like a victor today? Then let Jesus’ actions on the cross be what makes you a victor, not how well you perform today.