TRADE YOUR DEFEAT FOR HIS VICTORY

PRAYER JOURNAL 2/3/19

1 Corinthians 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the VICTORY through our Lord Jesus Christ.

I woke this morning from a troubling dream that I feel God would have me share because of His great love for you and His desire that you live in total victory, following Him.

I was in a large room, the floor was littered with things and broken pieces of things.  My spirit was grieved as I walked through the objects that seemed to have been so carelessly discarded by their owner.  An item caught my eye and then another and another; as I bent to pick them up, I realized that they were not just carelessly discarded objects but they were pieces of broken lives, shards of shattered dreams, the remains of destroyed hope…I was looking at DEFEAT!

I picked up a once beautiful “artifact” and thought, “this person wanted…but…” And then another; “He tried to…but…” And another…and another…Every broken treasure representing a life that DEFEAT HAD DESTROYED!

WHAT IS IT THAT YOU DESIRE BUT THAT “ONE THING” CONTINUES TO LEAD YOU TO DEFEAT?

 It may be a habit.  You desire to be victorious and not allow this “thing” to control you.  You have prayed, you have asked God to “take it” but it lingers; inviting…calling you back for just one more…just one more time, then you’ll stop.  Don’t allow a “habit” to become the BROKEN, DEFEATED shred of life lying on the floor.

It may be a past hurt.  You have tried to forgive and just when you think you are “over it,” someone or something rips off the scab and you begin to bleed again.  You go for months without a thought of the pain and suddenly, “there it is” and once again the anger rules your mind and spirit.  UNFORGIVENESS OFFERS ONLY DEFEAT AND BROKENNESS FOR YOU!

Perhaps God has delivered you from the bondage of habits and through prayer you have forgiven anyone that has wounded you or your loved ones but there it is….there lies a “cracked cup of failure.”  You still love God; you still pray, go to church, live holy, but you just can’t get past all the failure.  You tried and it didn’t work out.  You see the success of others and you wonder why.  You don’t blame God, but really you do…why doesn’t He bless you like that?  Why are they so highly favored and you are not?  THE FEAR OF ANOTHER FAILURE IS YOUR DEFEAT!

God is the mender of broken hearts and shattered dreams.  The Name of Jesus proclaims LIBERTY over the bondage of habits that are trying to destroy your life.  God has baptized you with His Spirit and it is through His Spirit that you will find the strength to get up from the mess of failure and follow Him into victory.

Go ahead and walk through that open door; leave the shattered remnants of defeat; breath the fresh air of deliverance…TODAY IS YOUR DAY OF VICTORY!