What would happen if you didn’t trust Jesus when He says, “No,” to your request for victory right now? You’d probably never learn to stop returning to your vomit (see 9-10-12 blog). The Apostle Paul would have never learned to be strong despite being weak (2 Cor. 12:8-9). I’d still be one angry individual and wouldn’t have learned God’s process of changing a life, making healthy disciples, through living with a Biblical worldview. And friends of mine would have never chosen to stop drinking and various other drugs of choice.
We live in an instant society. We want everything right now without having to work for it; yet this mindset smacks up against the reality of a Biblical worldview. Believers are told in Philippians 2:12 “to work out our salvation with fear and trembling.” What is that work? A daily process of listening to and doing what Jesus says to do in every situation by faith. Trusting is hard work as it requires us to do what Jesus says to do even when it goes against the way we currently think, live and/or feel.
Victory is a daily choice to live with a Biblical worldview. Thank God He has the guts to tell us, “No” out of His great love for us.

Set Free No“W”ww

My wife and I were watching our favorite TV show the other day. This particular episode was about a woman who had a gambling problem that landed her into a deep hole. The sad part about her situation was that she tried to get out of her predicament through more gambling, this time playing cards, which only made her already deep hole deeper. She was eventually rescued when her friends caught the “winner” cheating.
Her friends didn’t learn from her mistake, however, as at the end of the show they were about to place a bet on a certain horse. When she found out, she came in and threw their betting sheet into the fire. Her drug of choice almost destroyed her life and reputation. She learned and wasn’t going backwards.
This is the point of Proverbs 26:11, “As a dog returns to its vomit, so a fool repeats his folly.” I realize this is a graphic picture and verse, but it describes our reality to a “T”. Until we see our drugs of choice as vomit, we will keep going back to it over and over again. Until the woman saw the ugliness of her drug of choice, she wasn’t ready to tear up the horse betting sheet.
Where are you in the process of viewing your drug of choice – vomit or candy?

Se“T” Free Nowww

When we understand and act upon who we are in Christ – children of God (Jn. 1:12) – even when times are tough our sense of well-being sky rockets. It’s as the Psalmist says, “Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart.” A research study that followed the winners of multi-million dollar jackpots reiterates this truth. This study “found that a year after the windfall, big lottery winners were generally less happy than before.”
A Christian website noted, “Trusting that God’s love is real and faithful offers a freedom unknown by even those with billions. Money can be lost overnight. Houses can burn. The stock market can crash. Yet, those who trust in God’s abounding love know that whatever happens, however scary the situation, everything will work out for great things. He clothes the lilies. He watches over the sparrows. He is good. When mountains can be tossed into the sea by a word, they lose much of their ability to cause stress. They become another way for God to show His wonderful power. What life could be happier than walking, child-like, hand-in-hand with the Creator of the Universe?”
“S”et Free Nowww

I heard the thumping sound of a helicopter loud and clear. I stopped walking and scanned the sky looking for it. I could hear it alright, but I just couldn’t see it. After about 3 minutes of searching, I finally saw it flying directly over my head.
I could hear the helicopter long before I could see it. It’s the same with victory over our drugs of choice. We must first choose to believe the truths found in the Word of God, before we see the results in our lives. Jesus talked about this John 8:31-32. He said that if you trust Him by putting what He says to do into action, then and only then will you know it’s true and see results – being set free. First you hear and look for the helicopter and then you’ll see it. First, you hear and practice the Word and then you’ll you see it work in your life. Seeing results starts with believing.

Se“T” Free Nowww

I love being next to the ocean and not just because of the cool breezes either. As a kid, I would write in the sand only to have the water erase what I just wrote. The water washed away my misspellings and the words that were not expressing what I wanted to say.
This reminds me of what the Word of God can do with the lies in our heads, lies that lead us away from Jesus. As we read the Word, the Spirit can wash our brains of these lies so that we can have victory throughout our day (Eph. 5:25-26).
If you want victory, it’s wash’n time. You’ve got to read the Word so the washing can begin. All excuses that you don’t have time to read are just that, excuses. Then, once you’re in the Word, slow down and don’t make your Bible reading a to-do list item to be checked off. Instead, read the Word and let the Spirit point out truths that you need to wash away the lie-based messages in your head. As you allow the Word and Spirit of God to wash your brain, your victories will increase.

S“E”t Free Nowww