When I was in High School, I had a 1968 cherry red Ford Mustang with a 302 engine in it. I was in great condition too. I worked as a dishwasher at a restaurant called Ponderosa. For Central Pa, it was a Hosses. I would drive to work and park in the back. Every time the trash needed to be taken out, I was the guy to take care of it so I would push the trash to the outside dumpster and check out my car. One day, as I was pushing the trash, I couldn’t find my car. It wasn’t there. I looked for it, but it was missing. As I was looking for it, I noticed two guys pushing my car down the street behind Ponderosa. I went running after them screaming. Later, I was told by the Police I shouldn’t have done that, but I tried to explain, but it’s my car.
That was the first time I really dealt with anything like that. It left me feeling angry and vulnerable. Now, compared to what others have walked through, that wasn’t even really a big deal. When you experience a crime, you are a victim of that crime. When you experience abuse, you are a victim of that abuse. When you experience trauma, you are a victim of that trauma. And the emotions you walk through are real and they are painful. And the worse the trauma, the longer it may take to overcome it.
Why do I bring this up? I bring this up because we have noticed that since the pandemic, there is a growing reality that people feel worn down, defeated, and tired. Almost like they experienced a crime or abuse or trauma. And because of that, many are checking out and doing the least possible in life. They aren’t living life; they are existing and crossing days off the calendar. When asked to be responsible or to do the most normal of things, it seems like a huge burden to them. It seems like people are living with less and less courage. People are living with less and less hope. And when it comes to spiritual issues, it seems like people have checked out and aren’t living intentionally.
What would you do if I told you, there is a way to overcome everything that comes against you in life? Would you be interested in knowing about it? If I could share something that would pull you out of being a victim and staying a victim, would you be interested to know what that is?
Let’s read Proverbs.
1 My child, don’t forget what I teach you. Always remember what I tell you to do. 2 My teaching will give you a long and prosperous life. 3 Never let go of loyalty and faithfulness. Tie them around your neck; write them on your heart. 4 If you do this, both God and people will be pleased with you.
5 Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Never rely on what you think you know. 6 Remember the Lord in everything you do, and he will show you the right way. 7 Never let yourself think that you are wiser than you are; simply obey the Lord and refuse to do wrong. 8 If you do, it will be like good medicine, healing your wounds and easing your pains. 9 Honor the Lord by making him an offering from the best of all that your land produces. 10 If you do, your barns will be filled with grain, and you will have too much wine to store it all. GNT Proverbs 3:1-8
Did you know that? The result of making godly choices is like good medicine that heals your wounds and eases your pain. To be clear, it doesn’t say that you will avoid pain and struggle. It says that there is a way of living that helps you overcome the pain and struggle of life. It will pull you out of being worn down, defeated, and tired. It will pull you out of checking out and doing the least possible. It will pull you out of a life that exists day to day into a life that matters. You can live with more courage. But you must make a choice.
Let’s read verse 7 and 8 again.
Never let yourself think that you are wiser than you are; simply obey the Lord and refuse to do wrong. 8 If you do, it will be like good medicine, healing your wounds and easing your pains. GNT Proverbs 3:7-8
Our choices matter. Our choices directly impact our lives and the condition of our lives. And when we make the choice to surrender our lives to God, it’s good medicine that heals our wounds and eases our pain.
The opposite is true too. When we think we are wiser than God and make the choice to ignore Him, we do damage to our lives. When we check out on life and just coast, we do damage to our lives. When we check out spiritually, and take no initiative, we do damage to our lives. That’s why Proverbs says this.
Before every man there lies a wide and pleasant road that seems right but ends in death. TLB Proverbs 14:12
Doesn’t it seem easier to check out on life? Don’t you experience this tension every day? From raising kids and getting them where they need to be and packing in summer everything, sports, vacations, and on and on. From Middle School into High School with self-esteem, boys, girls, sports, music, and on and on. From financial struggles with school, the house, and retirement. Aren’t you tempted to check out? Don’t you want a ‘me’ day – actually Sam said it best, “Isn’t every day a ‘me’ day anymore?” Don’t you want to be more selfish and serve others less? Have you ever thought, why would I surrender my life to God? Why would I build a life on purpose on godly principles? Why would I ever live intentionally? That’s what this verse [Proverbs 14:12] is talking about. Life is hard and you will be tempted to ignore God and do what our culture does. There is a way that seems right, Proverbs says, but it ends in death.
What is the medicine that will heal you and give you relief from pain? Choices. Godly choices. If not, we become victims and stay victims.
I want to read to you what Jesus has done for us.
13 For he has rescued us out of the darkness and gloom of Satan’s kingdom and brought us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14 who bought our freedom with his blood and forgave us all our sins. TLB Colossians 3:13-14
I want us to understand who we are as Christians. Because of Jesus, we have been rescued from the demonic rule of Satan and placed into the Godly rule of Jesus. And not only have we been rescued from the demonic, but we have also been forgiven. All our sins, all the areas of our lives where we come up short, have been forgiven. If it is true that we have been rescued from the demonic rule of Satan, why in the world would we ever be victims and stay victims? Why would we not make godly choices that would help us overcome the pain and struggle of life? Why would we agree to live life as a spiritual victim, tired, worn down, and miserable?
My challenge to you today is to understand who you are in Christ and never allow yourself to stay a victim. After working through issues in my life and working with others, I think there are many reasons why Christians stay victims. Here are the top three.
The first thing I want to share with you, I have shared for years.
I believe the number one reason Christians do not step into their identity as a child of God and remain a spiritual victim is, we don’t accept or believe scripture.
We don’t. I don’t know if people don’t read scripture. I don’t know if people just don’t think it applies to them, we just don’t accept and believe scripture.
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. NIV 2 Corinthians 5:21
Because of Jesus, we are filled with the righteousness of God. That’s who we are. But how many people enter every day believing this scripture? How many people enter the day with courage knowing that there is nothing between them and God? No barrier. No sin. No failure. Nothing. How many people enter the day knowing that when God sees them, God sees the righteousness of Jesus in them? How many people live out the day and know they don’t have to earn God’s love because they already have God’s love? If you accepted and believed scripture, wouldn’t that radically change how you live out your day?
Do you view yourself as someone filled with the righteousness of God? Or do you see yourself and think, “I’m a mess, I’m not worthy, I have made too many mistakes.” Do you kinda slump your shoulders and walk into the day defeated? If you do, I love you enough to tell you, you are acting like a spiritual victim, and by your choices, you are staying a victim.
God says in scripture, “You are the righteousness of God.” You are no victim. God tells you exactly who you are. And you will need to believe that and intentionally live it out. Step into who you are, and live life. Step into being a Child of God, and live life. Step into your spiritual reality and live out life.
I believe the second reason Christians do not step into their identity as a child of God and remain a spiritual victim is, we think our sin and struggle disqualify us or make us unworthy.
We all walk through life and struggle. And we think that struggle, somehow, pushes us away from God.
Paul wrote this about his struggle with sin and failure.
21-23 It happens so regularly that it’s predictable. The moment I decide to do good, sin is there to trip me up. I truly delight in God’s commands, but it’s pretty obvious that not all of me joins in that delight. Parts of me covertly rebel, and just when I least expect it, they take charge.
24 I’ve tried everything and nothing helps. I’m at the end of my rope. Is there no one who can do anything for me? Isn’t that the real question? 25 The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. MSG Romans 7:21-25
Please, please, hear me clearly. If you feel guilty because you struggle with sin, if you struggle with feelings of coming up short, that is proof you are a Christian. It’s the Holy Spirit inside of you and working in you. It’s the Holy Spirit inside of you guiding you. The real problem would be if you sin and don’t feel any guilt or remorse. And that is what we see in our culture today.
When you feel guilt or struggle, do you view yourself as the Holy Spirit is in me helping me? Or, do you look into your past and think, “I’m guilty of sin. I’m guilty of always coming up short. I’m guilty of blowing my life. If I would have done more, God would accept me.” Do you kinda slump your shoulders and walk into the day defeated? If you do, I love you enough to tell you, you are acting like a spiritual victim and by your choices, you are staying a victim.
Do you not realize this battle makes you like Paul? It makes you like everyone in this room. It makes you human. That’s why we keep going back to Jesus. Your struggle is proof that the Holy Spirit is working in you.
Scripture says, “Is there no one who can do anything for me? The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ.” You are no victim. God tells you exactly who you are. And you will need to believe that and intentionally live it out. Step into who you are, and live life. Step into being a Child of God, and live life. Step into your spiritual reality and live out life.
I believe the third reason Christians do not step into their identity as a child of God and remain a spiritual victim is, people would rather be miserable, stay miserable, than make any changes.
This is more common than you think, and it breaks my heart. You would think that after God rescued us from the demonic rule of Satan and forgave us of our sins, making choices to make changes and follow Jesus would be an easy decision. And it’s not. Many people feel miserable and are okay with staying miserable because they don’t want to change anything in their lives. What is interesting, they may have attended church as a child, and they may attend church today, but by their choices, they are victims and they stay victims.
You have to wonder, what would ever get their attention? What else could God possibly to do get their attention? How bad does it have to get before they give their lives to Christ?
I want to read to you how prideful and rebellious people can be. Let’s read what the bible says about the end times. In Revelations, seven angels blow seven trumpets. When the sixth angel blew his trumpet, this is what will happen in our world.
17 The horses and riders I saw in my vision looked like this: Their breastplates were fiery red, dark blue, and yellow as sulfur. The heads of the horses resembled the heads of lions, and out of their mouths came fire, smoke and sulfur. 18 A third of mankind was killed by the three plagues of fire, smoke and sulfur that came out of their mouths. 19 The power of the horses was in their mouths and in their tails; for their tails were like snakes, having heads with which they inflict injury.
20 The rest of mankind who were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshiping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood – idols that cannot see or hear or walk. 21 Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts. NIV Revelations 9:17-21
Don’t you wonder, what would have to happen for people to repent and make changes? Surely the end times will make people repent – right? Surely if you saw one-third of mankind killed – right? Surely the plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur – right? Surely, all of that would lead someone to change – right? Nope. The human heart can be so prideful and rebellious, we would rather be miserable than repent. We would rather be miserable than make changes and find health.
Allow me to be bold and ask you, could this be you? Are comfortable in your ruts and routines and you know you should make changes but you don’t because it would require you to make a change. You know there are attitudes that you need to be purposeful in changing but you don’t because it would require change. You know you need to change the way you treat your spouse, but you don’t because it would require change. You know there are times your negative emotions overwhelm you and you know you could do something about it, but you don’t because it would require change. You know and sense God asking you to pursue Him, but you don’t because it would require change.
Please hear me. If this is you, you are a spiritual victim and by your choices, you are staying a victim.
Before you leave today, I want you to ask yourself, ‘By my choices, do I stay a spiritual victim?’ God has rescued me from the demonic rule and Satan and forgiven me of all my sins. Have I stepped into what God has done for me? Have I stepped into being a child of God? Or have I allowed myself to be a spiritual victim leaving me feeling miserable?
To close us out, I want to ask a couple of questions.
Do you believe scripture that you are filled with the righteousness of God and do you live out every day knowing that? Or do you think that somehow that doesn’t apply to you – you are wrong – it does.
Do you believe that your guilt from sin and struggle eliminates you from God or being holy? That just means you are like Paul. And it’s proof that the Holy Spirit is at work in you. The real problem is sinning without guilt or remorse.
Do you find that you are miserable and you make choices to stay miserable because you don’t want to make one change? Honestly, that’s not acceptable. It shows the pride and rebellion in your heart.
Today, you have a choice. You don’t have to stay a spiritual victim. God has given you everything to be able to pull out of being worn down, defeated, and tired. What is it?
7 Never let yourself think that you are wiser than you are; simply obey the Lord and refuse to do wrong. 8 If you do, it will be like good medicine, healing your wounds and easing your pains. GNT Proverbs 3:7-8
Our choices matter. They directly impact our lives and the condition of our lives. And when we make the choice to surrender our lives to God, it’s good medicine that heals our wounds and eases our pain.
I want to end with this. Because of what Jesus has done for you, you are no victim.