Simple Positive Ways to Live in Victory God's Way
With simple positive ways to Live in victory God’s way what comes to mind when you hear the words, “Victorious living God’s way“? Could you describe the experience to someone if they were to ask what is victorious living? Not everyone’s idea of victorious living is the same. Some people think that if they are successful in their careers or ministries, they are living victoriously. Some of you may disagree with others on the description of victorious living, God’s way.
How Would You Describe Someone Who is Victorious
Someone who is victorious could be described as:
- Someone who lives in freedom from overpowering emotions such as worry, anxiety, fear, anger, envy, jealousy, insecurity, and unforgiveness?
- A person who has victory or self-control over sinful thoughts, motives, attitudes, habits, and dependencies?
- An individual who has accomplished an unlikely or impossible goal or dream?.
- Someone whose daily life exemplifies and overflows with the love of Jesus and the Fruit of the Spirit?
Victorious Living Definition
The Webster’s Dictionary describes victory as: – The overcoming of an enemy or antagonist. -Achievement of mastery or success in a struggle or endeavor. So to be victorious, one must first win the battle against something.
When you think about it, our lives here on planet earth are really a series of one battle after another. When we have victory over one area, God is able to trust us with a more difficult one. Scripture tells us that one who is faithful in small things will be trustworthy with bigger ones. Struggles in this life are how we grow our faith.
Hebrews 12:1-3 (Niv)
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer, and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. This passage, in short, is a postage-stamp-size picture of the process needed for victorious living, God’s way. So let’s take these steps to victorious living, God’s way one by one, and examine them in detail.
It Starts with Dumping the Baggage
Do you wonder why, individuals who are attending church regularly, don’t seem to grow? There are several weights or roadblocks which hinder our spiritual progress.
- Busyness or Distractions
- Excessive sports or entertainment
- Fear, Anxiety, or Depression
- Anger, Resentment, and Unforgiveness
- Emotional Wounds and Painful memories
- Insecurities, poor self-image, or negative emotions
- Unhealthy Relationships or People-pleasing
- Doubting our Heavenly Father’s love
- Lack of time alone with God
- Believing Satan’s lies
What is it that weighs you down, holds you back, or trips you up, in your pursuit of victorious living, God’s way?
Most, of these roadblocks listed, are rooted in early childhood memories and emotional wounds. And none of us can say we have been untouched by pain and sorrow. Many individuals are confused about why they don’t seem to be growing in their faith. They feel God is distant and they don’t know how to bridge the gap.
Stripping away these harmful obstructions would involve dealing with the root causes of these thoughts, feelings, attitudes, and actions in order to bring healing. This is the first step to enjoying victorious living, God’s way.
The Process of Change Involves Teamwork
The change requires teamwork:
- It is necessary to commit ourselves to do the work of healing.
- We need to meditate out loud on Scriptures of God’s love, with our name inserted in the verses. We tend to believe more what we hear ourselves say out loud than anything we read or hear from someone else.
- Place all the pieces of our brokenness in the hands of our Heavenly Father.
- Allow the Holy Spirit to use His Word to make the changes from the inside out.
- The more we meditate on God’s love for us, the deeper our healing will become.
Psalms 107:20 (Niv) & Psalms 139:23-24 (Niv)
“He sent forth His Word and healed them; He rescued them from the grave. All of us are familiar with negative emotions. All of us at some point have carried around weights that need to be stripped off so that we are free to open our hearts to the love of our Heavenly Father.
Dump the Baggage! Throw off everything that hinders. Get alone with God and allow Him to show us what it is that is hindering us and slowing us down. Let Him show us how to experience victorious living, God’s way.”
“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive [wounded] way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.”
It Involves Breaking the Chains that Bind You
Get rid of those sins and bad habits that wrap themselves so tightly around your heart and trip you up.
Our Thoughts, Motives, Attitudes & Behaviors
- For one individual a deep wound may be the root cause of severe long-term depression, feelings of worthlessness, love-hunger, or addictions.
- Yet for another person the same type of wound may be the origin of violent fits of rage, being controlling, bullying, overworking, or an inability to let others get close.
- Still, for other people, this same type of emotional wound may manifest itself through constant anxiety, fears, insecurity, loneliness, or eating disorders.
- And for most people, emotional wounds cause an inability to grow spiritually.
Add to the childhood trauma, all the other emotional wounds, and losses experienced in life and you have broken individuals. Each one seeking ways to alleviate their emotional pain through all kinds of dependencies, inappropriate behaviors, and sinful habits.
Old Baggage Affects Our Behavior
Let us run with endurance and perseverance the race God has marked out for us.
The Christian life is pictured as a long-distance race, rather than a short sprint. The word, “race”, suggests that we are competing against someone or something. Another word for “competing” could be, “struggling.”
What are we as servants of God struggling with? Could it be our old sinful nature, along with Satan’s interference?
The word race implies that there is a finish-line and an award for the one who finishes well.
Those who run in the race keep their eyes on the finish line and do not look to either side or other contestants. They are self-disciplined. They do not allow anything to distract them from their goal or purpose for running the race.
…the race God has marked out for us.
The words, “God has marked out for us”, in our text, indicate that the race is uniquely designed for each participant. God has a unique race marked out for each person’s life. We are not to try to copy someone else’s race or ministry. Our goals may be the same, but our paths may look very different.
Pursuing God's Plan for Your Life
The words, “endurance”, and “perseverance” are used in two different translations. Both the words “endurance” and “perseverance” imply that the race is not going to be easy. The race is not for the faint of heart. Running the race is not for the quitter or the complainer. The race is for the faithful, the committed, the determined and might I add, surrendered.
It is not easy. The race is exhausting. At times it seems impossible. But God who called us is faithful, so let us run with everything we possess and lean on our Saviour’s strength.
Before we can be useful in public ministry, God must set to work at changing our character.
- First, we dump the baggage of everything that hinders,
- Then we get rid of our sinful habits and behaviors.
- Next, the Apostle Paul tells us what we must add to our character qualities as we pursue victorious living.
Colossians 3:12(NLT)
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
A godly character begins at home. We are to consider those we live with as the first recipients of our ministry. We are to treat our husband or wife, and children with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
For some of us, by the time we return home after a long day of serving others, we forget that our ministry still calls for service to our families. We want to relax and grouch about our day, rather than taking time to show love to those closest to us.
We are to get up in the morning and intentionally get dressed in godly character- tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. This is only possible as we take time with our Lord and Saviour, asking Him to teach us His character qualities.
“Teach”, is the keyword. These qualities do not come easily to our selfish, self-centered natures. We need to learn them with much practice.
Each of these qualities is to be put on intentionally. Look at the wording- “Clothe, put on”, and when you have put on all these qualities, clothe yourselves with love, “make allowance”, “let or allow” peace to rule, always have an attitude of gratitude, and “let or allow” the message of Christ to fill your entire being. Make Christ your focus.
The more we work at building godly character, the greater our potential for victorious living, God’s way.
God does not look at our natural abilities, He looks at our hearts. He is not going to take individuals to the top of their ministry only to have them fall on their faces because of moral failure or flaws in their character.
Part of the reason for the difficult journey in our pursuit of victorious living, God’s way is to smooth off the rough areas of our personalities so that we can reflect Jesus. This is our goal in whatever ministry or work we are in. We are to be reflections of Jesus.
God’s goal for our lives is that we be transformed into the image of His Son. And He will allow us to go through whatever trials we need to go through to smooth off our rough character qualities. Victorious living, God’s way demonstrates God’s love to those around us. Loving, God’s way exemplifies the fruit of the Spirit in the midst of difficult circumstances.
Let us Run with Endurance & Perspective
The words, “endurance”, and “perseverance” are used in two different translations. Both the words “endurance” and “perseverance” imply that the race is not going to be easy. The race is not for the faint of heart. Running the race is not for the quitter or the complainer. The race is for the faithful, the committed, the determined and might I add, surrendered.
It is not easy. The race is exhausting. At times it seems impossible. But God who called us is faithful, so let us run with everything we possess and lean on our Saviour’s strength.
Before we can be useful in public ministry, God must set to work at changing our character.
- First, we dump the baggage of everything that hinders,
- Then we get rid of our sinful habits and behaviors.
- Next, the Apostle Paul tells us what we must add to our character qualities as we pursue victorious living.
Colossians 3:12 (NLT)
Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
A godly character begins at home. We are to consider those we live with as the first recipients of our ministry. We are to treat our husband or wife, and children with tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.
For some of us, by the time we return home after a long day of serving others, we forget that our ministry still calls for service to our families. We want to relax and grouch about our day, rather than taking time to show love to those closest to us.
We are to get up in the morning and intentionally get dressed in godly character- tender-hearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. This is only possible as we take time with our Lord and Saviour, asking Him to teach us His character qualities.
“Teach”, is the keyword. These qualities do not come easily to our selfish, self-centered natures. We need to learn them with much practice.
Each of these qualities is to be put on intentionally. Look at the wording- “Clothe, put on”, and when you have put on all these qualities, clothe yourselves with love, “make allowance”, “let or allow” peace to rule, always have an attitude of gratitude, and “let or allow” the message of Christ to fill your entire being. Make Christ your focus.
The more we work at building godly character, the greater our potential for victorious living, God’s way.
God does not look at our natural abilities, He looks at our hearts. He is not going to take individuals to the top of their ministry only to have them fall on their faces because of moral failure or flaws in their character.
Part of the reason for the difficult journey in our pursuit of victorious living, God’s way is to smooth off the rough areas of our personalities so that we can reflect Jesus. This is our goal in whatever ministry or work we are in. We are to be reflections of Jesus.
God’s goal for our lives is that we be transformed into the image of His Son. And He will allow us to go through whatever trials we need to go through to smooth off our rough character qualities. Victorious living, God’s way demonstrates God’s love to those around us. Loving, God’s way exemplifies the fruit of the Spirit in the midst of difficult circumstances.
Following the Example Set by Jesus
Our key text is Hebrews 12:1-3 (NLT)
Goes on to tell us how we can succeed in our goal of victorious living, God’s way. Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer, and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him, he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus. Seek His face daily for direction, guidance, and wisdom. Our champion who initiates our faith will also perfect our faith. Our Heavenly Father stretches our faith by allowing us to go through circumstances that encourage us to cling to Him for survival. We are to follow the example Jesus has set for us. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Jesus was able to endure the cross because He kept His eyes and mind on His goal. He had a specific purpose for His suffering. Jesus’ goal was our salvation. His goal was a relationship with you and me. His goal was the transformation of our lives from bondage to Satan, to victorious living God’s way.
None of this would be possible without His death on the cross and His resurrection on the third day. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.
Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up. For us too, when we keep our eyes on the goal, we will be able to endure suffering along the way.
Victorious Living God's Way Involves
- Dumping the Baggage.
- Breaking the Chains that Bind You.
- Pursuing God’s Unique Plan and Will for your Life.
- Victorious Living is achievable by following Jesus’ example.
- Set your sights on the realities of heaven, on Eternal things.
- Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth.
- Don’t focus on the storms and difficulties.
- The distractions of this world should be of no interest to us.
- Jesus is our life now.
- Our fellowship with Him should be our central focus.
- Our service should flow out of our worship.
Victorious living, God’s way develops through the process of overcoming the battles in our lives one by one. Each time we have victory over one battle, we become a little stronger to be able to withstand another more difficult battle. This is the means God uses to refine us and purify our character and make it possible for us to experience victorious living, God’s way.
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