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. ********** "Provision is all about identity. It’s about the reality and truth of God’s identity in our lives and the reality and truth of our identity in God’s eyes." As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 91. How do you feel about that statement - "Provision is all about identity."? I'm really seeing how that statement is being proven in the lives of so many people I know. How is provision linked to identity in your life? It is so easy to think that we are OK when things are going well. When all our bills are paid and there's a little left over, we can rest in a peace that makes it possible to overlook the fact that identity is something that is so easy misunderstood. In times when we have an abundant excess, we can take identity to places where pride and conceit might become a real issue.  On the flip side, so many people are in a position where they find it difficult to make ends meet. I saw a statistic recently that said nearly half of the US working population live paycheck to paycheck. This isn't exclusively a working poor kind of problem. Of all the people who make more than $100,000 per year, ten percent say they too live paycheck to paycheck. Provision can be a real problem, even when incomes are way above statistical averages.  As far as the issue of provision is a concerned, I have found that linking provision with identity is a sure fire way to make problems in our lives. When we have identity problems, we run the risk of letting victim thinking take over in ways that deepen our identity issues. As I have said time and time again, when identity is an issue, victim thinking can put us in positions where we are more apt to make victims of those around us. I believe the vast majority of the issues stemming form our Victim-Based Society today is a result of how we have allowed prosperity to be directly linked to who we are. God is in the business of prospering his Children. Unfortunately we turn this fact into a demand for how we want that prosperity to look like in our lives. When we don't receive what we think we need in order for prosperity to be part of who we are, victim thinking is waiting to take over in ways that just about always causes victims in our wakes. Take a look at how God prospered a Child of His named Joseph. As it turned out, God was with Joseph and things went very well with him. He ended up living in the home of his Egyptian master. His master recognized that God was with him, saw that God was working for good in everything he did. He became very fond of Joseph and made him his personal aide. He put him in charge of all his personal affairs, turning everything over to him. From that moment on, God blessed the home of the Egyptian—all because of Joseph. The blessing of God spread over everything he owned, at home and in the fields, and all Potiphar had to concern himself with was eating three meals a day. Genesis 39:2-7 (NIV) As you may remember, Joseph was a young man so hated by his brothers that they sold him into slavery. Joseph was forced to trade a lifestyle of prosperity to one that was filled with nothing but being ordered about in all that he did. Then prosperity came back into Joseph's life. Everything he touched turned to gold for his master, Potiphar. Joseph's owner, noticed that favor was on this man and Joseph was quickly promoted to the tops ranks of all the servants this powerful man owned. I imagine things got easier for Joseph. Where some of his fellow slaves toiled in the hot sun all day, Joseph was given duties that made his life something others surely admired. Though his prosperity at that time couldn't hold a candle to how prosperous he was when he was in his father's house, it sure was better than the plight others suffered. I

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. ********** "Victors see God as a person. Their view of Him grows to a point where they actually believe God might just love them no matter what their life looks like." As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 80. How do you see God. Is He that unreachable, untouchable, unapproachable, unattainable entity in the sky? Notice how all those words start with the prefix "un"? Do you know what that prefix means? It means "not." I'm starting to realize that any word that begins with the prefix "un" when associated with my God makes Him and un-God. In other words He is not God to me at all! Believe me, the power and ability of this God I know is something that can easily make me believe that He is impersonal. All the "un" words above have had a pretty clear connection to God in my life from time to time. Looking back at when I thought of God that way, I can clearly see a connection to my labeling God with those impersonal terms as a result of the victim thinking places I was stuck in at the time. You see, God is a very personal and connected being. He didn't create us to just turn us loose to our own devices. He made us to commune with us. I don't know His reasoning for this, but God has a healthy need to be a part of our lives. There is something in relationship that God finds appealing and, frankly He has shown us that He can't live without. I know that sounds quite dysfunctional when viewed from our earthly perspective. I have known people who profess to not being able to live without someone. More often than not, that relationship was quite toxic at times. We humans have a way of using relationships to meet needs in our life in ways that relationships simply weren't designed to function. God doesn't have the kinds of relational quirks we humans seem to bring into the mix. His longing for relationship comes from a place of power. That power is the essence of what love is all about when viewed from heaven looking down. It is when we are drawn to participate in an intimate and personal way with God that victim thinking begins to have less of a hold on our lives. Our reading today is an impassioned cry from our God Himself. Let's take a look at how God sees us from His Word. I led them with cords of human kindness,     with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts     a little child to the cheek,     and I bent down to feed them. Hosea 11:4 (NIV) Notice the personal touch being communicated in these words? How can any word that means not be associated with the relationship kinds of works like reachable, touchable, achievable and attainable when it comes to this God that made us? It is when we know that we mean something to someone as great as our God that victor living begins to be a real possibility in our lives. It is the fact that God is a personal God that has made the difference for me. It isn't that His word has been proved right all along. It wasn't some great sermon that sealed the deal when it comes to walking with this God. I wasn't some epiphany of knowledge that made this God become the victor making force it is in my life. It is the touch of a very personal God that has made it possible for me to be able to take intentional steps out of victim thinking in my life. I said in my quote earlier that seeing and experiencing God in a personal and connected way might change our belief. Where we might once have viewed God in a good light when our lives were going well, we might now be able to see God as the God with an unchanging love for me no matter what my life looks like. Wow - there's a word that begins with "un" that really does apply to God. God doesn't change, particularly when it comes to how He loves you and loves me. Bottom line is that it all

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. ********** "When we allow things into our lives that aren’t righteous there is no condemnation because of Christ. He has already done all we need to let go of any sense of condemnation that comes our way." As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 59. Ok - quiz time. Ready? Today's quiz is a one question exercise in grading ourselves. I would like you to rate yourself on a scale of 1-10. One is the absolute worst you could possibly be at this question and ten is your absolute best. Don't worry, no one is going to know what you give yourself so be honest with yourself. Got it? OK -  Here we go.  On a scale of one to ten how do you think God would rate your current walk with Him? In other words, how do you think God sees you as being a son or daughter of the King?  What's your number? There has been days when I'm sure God would think I'm in negative territory. Zero doesn't even come close to how bad of a son I feel I am at times. Then there are those days that just seem to be clicking. Maybe, just maybe, I'm topping out over the 8 range on those days?  Truth is, that if you are like me and chose a number less than a perfect ten, you are flirting with victim thinking in your life. How can that be, you might ask. I know a lot of people who are pretty powerful Christians, but none of them come close to a ten on any kind of a consistent basis. How can I say that God sees us as a ten?  It is because He sees us through the finished work of Jesus Christ. His rating of us isn't based on our actions it is based on the fact that Jesus is a perfect ten. Faith in Christ makes it possible for us to be just as perfect even when our lives are anything but perfect.  That's the point when it comes to victor living. We aren't victors because of what we have done or will do. We are victors because of what God has done for us. Wasting time to try and earn what is freely given is a definition of insanity that we all need to get more fully into our lives.  You see, it is because of an interesting word that we fall into the trap of grading ourselves lower than what God sees our lives to be. That word that takes us off track is condemnation. Condemnation comes when someone feels strong disapproval of what we are doing. Worse than that, condemnation has a lot to do with punishment for living in such a way as to make disapproval something someone could even consider.  We see our lives as falling short in so many ways. And, why wouldn't we? Compared to a perfect God, who could ever measure up to standards like that. If God expected us to be perfect like He is perfect, we would be in a world of hurt. Thank God for His Plan of salvation that brought perfection into our realm of possibility. Through the finished work of Jesus Christ, each and every one of us is a resounding ten when it comes to how God sees us living out this life as His Child. Today's Bible reading points out some powerful points about condemnation. Check it out with me now. If our hearts condemn us, we know that God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.  Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God... 1 John  3:20-21 (NIV) No where does it say that condemnation is something God even considers for those that follow Jesus Christ. In fact, God is so gracious, He gives us an out even when we feel condemnation for ourselves. When we do or say things that cause pain to ourselves or to others, John says that the condemnation we might feel in our own hearts is nothing compared to the greatness of this God that is in us. It isn't God that is bringing any condemnation we might feel. It is God that is working in ways, we won't fully understand till we get to heaven, to

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. ********** "There will always be victims of evil and demented thinking and misrepresentations of good in this world.” As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 8. One of the most glaring obstacles to keeping victim thinking out of the victor’s life is the misrepresentation of what is good in this world. Not only are we willing and able to misrepresent what we think is good, we are in the horrible position of actually destroying relationships by not receiving what we think good is suppose to be in our lives. Today’s Bible reading points out why victors find themselves in this position. ...but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat from it you will certainly die. Genesis 2:17 (NIV) Adam and Eve ate of the tree of knowledge of good and evil and we all face death as a result. Have you ever wondered why God didn't want Adam and Eve to eat of this tree? Here's a question that might help answer that last one. What is good for your life? You see, what you think is good might be the epitome of badness in the life of another. Put two people in a room and ask what is the definition of good and evil, and the potential for disagreement over this issue might actually cause a rift that God never intended for us to ever deal with.  I believe that's why there is so much animosity among people in our Victim Based Society today. One group literally hates another because of their views as to what good and evil are in this world. Death is the result of trying to determine good from bad in a world that has its identity tied to worldly results. We are limited in our ability to consider the issue of goodness from a Heavenly perspective. What the world tells us is good for our lives might not be the best when it comes from God’s view. That’s why God didn’t want us to know the difference between “good and bad.” He knew that it would kill a part of us on a moment by moment basis as we strive to obtain what we deem good for our lives using our limited perspective. To help drive this home, let me ask you another question. Was it good for Jesus to die the terrible death that was thrust upon Him? From the view I have through my experience that is limited by this world, I would have to answer, absolutely not! But from the perspective of The Father, the suffering Jesus faced was the best, not only for Jesus’ relationship with God, but for the rest of us as well. It isn’t that God balances the greater good when it comes to goodness for our lives. It is simply a matter of Him being the only one who truly knows good from bad when it comes from a perspective based on eternity. Trying to live seeking goodness when we don’t have a complete eternal perspective is what kills the ability for the victor to live a victorious life when bad things come their way. Please don't think I advocate a lawless and open society. I know how dangerous that would be for us to even consider. We need the ability to determine some level of goodness from the bad that comes our way in every decision we make on a daily basis. What I'm saying is that we were never intended to let our ability to determine good from bad be what influences who we are and how we interact with others in this world. In a perfect world, we wouldn't need to determine good from bad in any way at all. We don't live in that perfect world so we need God's help in showing His perspective on what is good and what might be bad in our daily decisions. Victim thinking can take over the victor’s life when we try to determine good from bad based on the circumstances we face. That strategy has death written all over it. Victors are most alive when we live in the truth that we are God’s Child and nothing can separate us from the Love of Th

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. ********** "I have made serious and significant mistakes and will continue to do so in the future. God’s love, however, overcomes those mistakes; His love is so much bigger than the screw-ups I might make in His Name." As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 29. The pastor at my church has a saying. It goes something like this, "No perfect people allowed!" I love this motto. Why? Because it gives me hope. I'm a piece of work! So are you. But the beautiful thing is we are all God's piece of work. The victor's life isn't exemplified by the absence of mistakes. It's the realization that our mistakes have nothing to do with who we are, and with who God is in our lives that make victor living possible. Our relationship with God doesn't depend on how well we complete the tasks that we are given. Our relationship depends on us believing who He says we are and working to live that out in as many of life's circumstances as we can. Victim thinking abounds when we believe that perfectionism is what we must achieve. Victim thinkers believe that their relationship with God improves as their ability to do the things He asked them to do increases. Victim thinking results when we believe that our value depends on the results of our efforts. A results based life will always lead us to victim thinking tendencies. As I have said over and over again, stay stuck in victim thinking long enough and you too will be come a victimizer to those around you. Today’s Bible reading has a lot to say about the perils of perfectionism. “Since you died with Christ to the basic principles of this world, why, as though you still belonged to it, do you submit to its rules: `Do not handle! Do not taste! Do not touch!’?  These are all destined to perish with use, because they are based on human commands and teachings.  Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.” Colossians 2:20-23 (NIV) I believe God is a “no perfect person allowed” kind of Father. He knows that we will miss the mark. If perfectionism is what He intended, Jesus’ sacrifice wouldn’t have been needed. In fact, if we were perfect, why would we need God at all? I heard someone say, "Thank God for the sin in my life. Without it I would never have learned the amazing power of grace." Perfect people don't have sin in their lives. I haven't met one of those kinds of people yet. Isn't it time we all give in to the need for God's grace and give up on trying to be something God died to make available to us as a gift? Victors know that rules, in their own right, can’t do what is required to make victor living a possibility. Of course we need rules to keep society from operating in chaos but keeping rules will never make us victors. Banking on rules for victor living is a victim thinker’s paradise. Worse than that, rules based on human reasoning lack any value at all, according to today’s reading. Rules that are used to help support a self imposed identity are filled with false humility, appear to have wisdom, make it possible for us to treat ourselves and others harshly, and are destined to perish with use. Why does today's reading predict that rules based on results have such detestable results and a definite fate? I believe it is because God hates anything that takes away from the identity He established by which we will most completely flourish. That’s the identity of His Child. You are a victor because you are His Child, not because you are an outstanding keeper of rules and regulations. Victor living is all about God’s view of us, not our view of how well we are at trying to be like Him. Perfectionis

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. ********** "It is when we don’t know all we need to know about a person, group or situation that the possibility for offense is at its highest." As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 211. How are you at judging other people? Some of us are pretty good at reading into the lives of others. As good as some are, the reality is that without really knowing what is going on in a person's life, our judgement will always be so incomplete. It is when we base our relational actions on judgments made without all the knowledge we need that we put ourselves in places where we can make victims of those all around us. It is so easy to discount someone when we judge their actions based on what we see or can understand. Thank God He doesn't judge me in this way! So much of what I do, say and even think can be viewed in a way that really wouldn't be all that advantageous to the life I want. It is when my heart is examined - when my motives are viewed through the lens of all that has happened in my life that a story comes into view. That story tells reveals the condition of my soul and, frankly, breaks God's heart in ways that make healing something that will happen in my life. See, judgement based on evidence alone is something that shuts down relationship. Judgement based on knowledge makes relationship something that has the potential to bring power in the life of the hurting and lost. We have to remember who the hurting and lost are when it comes to God's perspective. The hurting and lost are you and me! I'm so glad God takes more into account than the victim thinking ways I choose to act out in my life when it comes to making a judgement about me. Aren't you? Today's reading is a strong command Jesus gave to the crowds trying to accuse Him for actions they just didn't understand. Take a look at our reading with me now. Jesus said, Stop judging by external standards, and judge by true standards. John 7:24 (GNT) When Jesus says "stop", I tend to pay attention to what He is saying. So much of Jesus' life was about leading by example. The few times He spoke in a manner we might consider as teaching have been recorded for reasons that I think have pretty serious eternal consequence. It isn't that God is saying not to judge. He wants us to stop making judgments based on external standards. It is when we judge by what Jesus calls "true standards" that we are stepping more fully into the heavenly realm as far as the victor is concerned. What are true standards? I highly doubt they are a bunch of rules and regulations that we can follow. There is nothing wrong with having established standards. But, as we have discussed time and time again, rules do nothing good when it comes to relationship. God is a highly relational God. He wants us to live out relationship as fully as we can. Looking to rules and regulations to help us in judgement will almost guarantee that relationship will turn into something God just can't stand. So what does it mean to judge by true standards? I took a look at the word that is translated as true in our passage today. In Greek, this world means right or righteous. It has more to do with the divine standards than it does to the concept of right and wrong. I sense an authority in that word that doesn't come with our knowledge of things of this world but our connection with the eternal. It is as though God is saying that judgement is hard unless we are connected to Him. Through that connection we will be able to see into the lives of others and make judgments that will foster relationships rather than push them away. That's why we have to be so careful in "judging the book by its cover." It is so easy to miss an opportunity to connect with someone because of what I see instead of being dra

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. ********** "It’s no wonder we are hardwired by God to rebel against obligations. In the really bad times that come against us from time to time, those “have to” tasks in our life can be something that make us doubt our identity as God’s Children." As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 176. I came across a devotional this morning that made me stop and think. It talked about God either being our building block or our stumbling block. How we view God during times that are a challenge in our lives really makes the difference when it comes to victor living verses victim thinking. Before we dive into what I mean by that, let's take a look at today's Bible reading on the subject.  As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house[a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says: "See, I lay a stone in Zion,    a chosen and precious cornerstone,and the one who trusts in him    will never be put to shame."Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,"The stone the builders rejected    has become the cornerstone,”and,"A stone that causes people to stumble    and a rock that makes them fall."They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for. 1 Peter 2:4-8 (NIV) There's a lot going on in today's reading. A lot to unpack in the life of a victor. First of all, the stone Peter is talking about is, of course, Jesus Christ. He was rejected every step of the way. At the very end, no one was left to stand up for Him, including God Himself. That's a significant burden for anyone to carry.  Yet Jesus never lived in that place of "have to" that is so damaging to the human soul. He didn't go into His destiny with the attitude of obligation or feeling like He was trapped. Believe me, Jesus knew what a burden, this plan of the Father's was. It wasn't some simple task God was asking His son to complete. Rejection, accusation, ridicule, confinement, torture and ultimately death, all pale by comparison to the fact that, for a moment, God rejected Jesus due to the fact He carried all our sins for us. The judgement for you and for me was poured out on Christ as He hung on that cross. Now, that's a burden. That's a potential stumbling block to relationship with God if I were to put myself in Jesus' position.  Jesus saw the love of God's plan and came to a place where all He went through became a "get to" opportunity. Had he viewed those trails He was to face as a "have to" obligation, God's loving plan for salvation would have been seen as a hated curse for Jesus' life. "Get to" turned a stumbling block into a building block on which our lives, even today, are being built upon.   I have to believe the same goes for you and for me. Maybe the challenges in our lives aren't meant to be stumbling blocks. Maybe, they too, are to be building blocks for us and/or for those around us. It is when I view the challenges that come my way as "have to" obligations that I think I start to get tripped up in ways that let victim thinking take over in my life.  Look, I'm sure Jesus wasn't overjoyed by the prospect of living out the cross in His life. That fact was confirmed by what the author of the devotion I read today stated. He said that the joy of the cross didn't come while Jesus hung there suffering, it came as Jesus was majestically restored to that place of honor next to the right hand of God. The author of this devotion says; "The joy is not the cross itself, but its aftermath, for God always deals wi

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. ********** "When a person gets stuck in the mourning process they are often stuck trying to find an answer as to why the bad thing has happened to them. Sadness takes over. Despair often rules the life of a person determined to deal with the “Why?” that now haunts them so completely." As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 141. There is an interesting progression in our quote from today. Being stuck can lead to sadness. Staying in a place of sadness can often lead us to despair. This progression is like a merry-go-round. With every lap we go round, being stuck, sadness and despair seems to grow and grow. There is nothing like the feeling of being trapped to make us say and do things that can be damaging to ourselves and to the ones we love. When we are trapped in the feeling that we might never understand why badness keeps happening to us, the circle of despair starts in a big way in our lives. It is only natural to want to know why bad times are happening. Sometimes the answer to that question might even help us to change in ways as to keep those same bad things from happening again. Unfortunately, there are times when "Why?" just can't be answered. The things of this world always can't be figured out and that makes it possible for us to step into places where our being stuck makes victim thinking a real possibility. It is when we are stuck on the question "Why?" that a profound sadness can come over us. Have you ever been in that place? I sure have. It isn't a place I soon want to revisit. Reality is, I will - so will you. That sadness is something that is almost too much to bear. That's why I think the feeling of despair is so close behind the feeling of profound sadness. Despair happens when hope is all but gone. That deep sadness that comes when we are stuck, sucks the hope out of our lives in victimizing ways. Today's Bible reading is a favorite for many who follow Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself quoted this passage from the Old Testament when He walked this Earth. He indicated, in His teachings, that He is the fulfillment of what Isaiah had said so many years earlier. This verse is critical for those of us who might find ourselves stuck from time to time. Let's read it now. The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,     because the Lord has anointed me     to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,     to proclaim freedom for the captives     and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a] to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor     and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty     instead of ashes, the oil of joy     instead of mourning, and a garment of praise     instead of a spirit of despair. Isaiah 61:1-3 (NIV) I love how this passage starts. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me..." When you feel stuck, this is the place to begin. We need to be reminded that this statement wasn't just for Jesus alone. This verse is for you and for me. Even when we are stuck in that place of searching for the answers as to why the bad things happen to us, we are still anointed and filled with God's Holy Spirit. This fact should give us a confidence that no answer to our "Why?" questions will ever be able to provide. I've been in places where I have had to say this line over and over again. I needed to remind myself that I am chosen, I am commissioned and I am equipped to deal with all life tosses at me. This isn't a hope in my life, it is a statement of fact. The death of Jesus guaranteed that Isaiah 61 would be just as true for Jesus as it is for you and for me. Never forget the fact that

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. ********** "Victim thinking can be a very practical tool when one is constantly being victimized. But when times change and the abuse is gone, if we stay stuck in victim thinking the results of that thinking will spread to take over more and more of our lives to a point where it is totally destructive to ourselves and to those around us." As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 126. Have you ever noticed how some of the most unhealthy things can actually be a valuable tool at times in our lives. I recently heard that medical scientists were using the HIV virus to deliver life changing cures to the very DNA of patients afflicted with a certain ailment. It was found that this horrible virus was actually extremely adept at attacking the exact part of the DNA needed to make a cure for this particular condition possible. By using the HIV virus, the patient is cured of one disease but is infected with another. The patient will now have to be treated for HIV for the remainder of their lives. Interesting thing is that this tradeoff is a no brainer. The impact of the original disease was so much more devastating than that of a manageable affliction like HIV. What was once called God's plight on the homosexual community (HIV/AIDS) is now being used to save lives. God is so powerful and does things far outside our realm of understanding at times. Even the most horrific of evil can be a tool for good when in the hands of a loving God. So it is with victim thinking. There are times in our lives when victim thinking can actually be a tool against some of the horrors life can toss at us. The self-focused aspect of victim thinking might make it possible for the most abused among us to be able to survive for one moment longer. The demanding ways of the victim thinker might bring to light some truths that need to be faced by those around them. Victim thinking, like HIV, isn't something to be arbitrarily messed with, but I have found that it can be a tool to bring about good in ways we might overlook if we aren't careful. It is when times take a turn for the better that victim thinking can really be more of a hindrance than it can be a tool for change. As the circumstances that brought about the horrors that made victim thinking a useful tool change, the victim thinking tendencies that served the victim so well in the bad times might not be serving them as completely in the good. It is when we get stuck in victim thinking that the very tools of this process that carried us through bad times might make our good times something less than what they could be in our lives. Victim thinking is really like any disease. When the HIV virus worms its way into our DNA, it changes our bodily systems. So it is with victim thinking. Staying in places that victim thinking can take us makes it possible for the very traits that once saved us turn the tables in ways that can work to destroy us. What was once a tool for good becomes a weapon for destruction when victim thinking is allowed to stay in the life of a victim who is facing different times in their lives. That's why identity is so important of a concept for those of us trying to keep victim thinking at bay. Our identity is susceptible to outside forces worming their way into the very building blocks of who we are. Once in, those forces work to change how our identity might be used to carry us toward being a productive part of the world around us. Recognizing the symptoms of victim thinking is so important if we are to fight off the identity crushing effects that threaten the very fabric of our society today. What are some of the symptoms of victim thinking? Here's a short list. Easily offended, bitterness, a demanding spirit, critical self talk, hopeless feelings abou

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. ********** "God never intended for us to cope, He intended for us to prosper! That prosperity is a flourishing of peace in the soul that simply won’t happen by creating coping mechanisms to defend our soul’s interpretation of who we are." As quoted from the book "Victor - Breaking Free From a Victim-Based Society" by John H. Hovis Page 111. A friend of mine use to cringe when she asked someone, "How are you doing?" and then received the answer "Fine." This woman was kind of unusual when it comes to being relational. She actually wanted the real answer when she asked about someone how they were doing. Don't you know that when you ask someone, how they are doing, it is a rarity that you really want to know? Way too many times in my life the answer, "Fine" was good enough for me. This friend told our church one day that the word "Fine" bothered her so much she came up with an acronym as to what "Fine" means to her in relationship. She said "Fine" now means "Feeling Insecure, Needing Engagement." Now that's a victor's way of looking at another person. I know for a fact that this woman would spend time getting out of you how you are really doing if you dared answer her inquiry with the common place response of "Fine." I don't think this woman was being a busy-body in her approach with others. I don't think she was being disrespectful either in her description of what the word "Fine" meant to her in relationship. No, I believe she is acting in a way that, I now see as, reflecting the heart of God. She, like the God she serves, craves relationship in a healthy way. My friend was being just like her dad in Heaven and making relationship something that she valued in her life. She was on a mission to help other children of God value a deep connection with others and with their father too. I have to be honest with you. This woman isn't what I would call an extrovert. By all accounts, she is a pretty private person. It isn't that this woman is acting out of a deep seated and potentially codependent need to be in the lives of people. I believe her relational mission comes from the fact that God took time with her to get to know who she is. She has come into contact with her identity as God sees it. That has made a lasting impact on this dear friend. That's what I'm hoping these presentations do for you as well. I'm hoping that you get infected by the relationship bug. It is in the connections we make as we go through life where the power of God can be seen the greatest. If we are children of a relational King then relationships should play a significant role in our lives. When I talk about relationship, I know many of you want to crawl in a corner. I'm one of those people. In large groups I just want to be on the periphery. At any large function you will typically find me on one side of the room or another talking to one or two people at a time. I'm really an introvert but, I too have been touched by the call for relationship. What I have found is that connecting with folks has really helped me in my walk with God. I learn a lot when I'm willing to listen and be heard. As I am drawn to open up about my life, I have found that I'm not alone in the challenges that I face. It has been through conversation that many of the most profound ah-ha moments of life have come about. Through relationship I have been able to trade my ability to try and cope with life for a way where I'm prospering like never before. Our souls need connection. They weren't meant to go through life, carrying the heavy burdens this world places on us. Ultimately, God is meant to be in the yoke of life with us. Often times He is when we come alongside others walking similar paths of life. I believe that it is as we live out a "Love God and Love Others" kind of life we are quick to trade coping