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By Hellen J. Kuleskey
Have you also sung these words and then been surprised at what in you the Lord wants to change? I have sung those words over and over again as a prayer, and yet I was somewhat taken aback when the Lord whispered the words “victim mentality.” However, as I thought on those words, I saw how I have allowed myself to be crushed by circumstances and personalities and hounded by the enemy. Truly, I was in the role of a victim.
The Lord confirmed this insight to me recently at the prayer meeting in my church. A young sister in the Lord shared that instead of having a victim mentality, God wants us to reign in life as the victors and overcomers He ordained us to be.
What is a victim? The dictionary definition is: One who is harmed by or made to suffer from an act, circumstance, agency, or condition. What is the definition of a victor? A winner of a contest or struggle.
The words “victim mentality” expose the battleground in my life—my mind. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Rome, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds” ( Rom. 12:2). To the Ephesians he wrote, “Be made new in the attitude of your minds” (Eph. 4:23).
Evangelist Morris Cerullo compares the renewing of our minds to Israel’s possession of the land God had promised was theirs. However, they had a great deal of intensive work to do because they found the land infested with enemies.
He adds: “It is the same with our minds. Jesus Christ has already paid the price to redeem them, but at the time we are born again, they are already infested with thought patterns, habits, attitudes, and worldly ideals that had been planted years ago by the enemy. Now God wants every inch of ‘land’ cleaned up and filled with His Spirit. That is a restored mind.”
A restored mind is able to receive the truth of the Word of God. Through His death and resurrection, Jesus Christ has made every provision for us to become His children and to rule and reign with Him as His Body on earth. Peter said, “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him...” (2 Pet. 1:3). Paul wrote, “Thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ...” (2 Cor. 2:14). We will rule and triumph only as we realize our legal position and exercise the authority that belongs to us in Jesus’ Name.
At Calvary Jesus faced Satan and defeated him. He destroyed the power of sin, sickness and death; He conquered them for us. “And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in the cross” (Col. 2:15).
Because of Christ’s obedience unto death, God exalted Jesus and gave Him a Name that is above every name. “... God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Phil. 2:8-11).
Today we, His Church, can rule and reign with Christ. We possess power and authority in His Name. Jesus gave it to His disciples. He said, “I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you” (Luke 10:19). “We have been appointed as Christ’s legal representatives on this earth and have the legal power to use His Name,” comments Morris Cerullo. “But Satan has been operating illegally—even though Jesus defeated him and stripped him of his power over us. Because we have failed to exercise the authority that belongs to us in Jesus’ Name, he has continued to attack us.”
How are we going to rule and reign in life? We must exercise the legal right to use the Name of Jesus. When we call on the Name of Jesus, we release the power in that Name. We must also stand on His Word and speak it forth. When we confess God’s Word, we release it’s powerful force into our circumstances and into the lives of those for whom we are praying.
The healing of the Roman centurion’s servant is one of the greatest illustrations of the power there is in speaking the Word. Being a man of authority, the centurion recognized Jesus as He really is, the all-powerful Son of God. He said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed.” The servant was healed that very hour. (See Matt. 8:8-9,13.) God’s Word is powerful!
In Jesus Name, let us appropriate the Almighty power of God to live as victors and not victims.
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