Walking from Victim to Victory
Teri Spray

Have you been feeling less than victorious lately? Do you know someone who has been feeling discouraged? Here is a fresh look at the Lord's Prayer with some ideas about how it can lead you from feeling vicitmized to victorious.

Our Father:
When God is our Father, we can rest assured that it is His desire to protect us and care for us. If we do not recognize God as a good daddy, then we walk in doubt and disbelief that His hand can do anything to cover and protect us. In our doubts we wonder and wander, trying to work out our problems on our own in our own strength which is pride.

Who art in heaven:
If we really believe that God is on the throne, then we can safely put our trust in Him to work things together for our good. Did God create billions of galaxies? Did God create microscopic atoms and cells? Then surely he can create a solution to your problem!

Hallowed (holy) be Thy Name:
God has many names, all of which are holy and awesome. He is the great I AM, Jehovah, the God who provides, heals, saves, protects, covers, teaches, guides and directs.

Thy kingdom come:
The kingdom of God is here because of Jesus. His atoning work on the cross broke barriers of heaven and earth. We are free to walk in the ways of God's kingdom. We can pray and believe God hears us, we can apply God's principles of sowing and reaping, and we can walk in the authority and grace over deeds of darkness here on this earth.

Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven:
God has a plan for your life. It is not to be a victim, living in fear and frustration and failure. God wants to set you free to be able to bless others and be all that He has called you to be. God is calling his people to pray for His will to be done here on earth. God will not force His will upon us, but He will respond to our prayers and invitiation to bring His will into our situations.

Give us this day our daily bread:
When Jesus taught us to pray in this manner, He demonstrated that it is appropriate to ask for our needs to be met. When we pray and ask, our faith grows when we see God's answer come to pass. It seems the word "daily" indicates that God would have us focus on one day at a time. Like the Children of Israel in the wilderness, we must trust our Father to provide daily Manna.

And forgive us our debts (trespasses) as we forgive our debtors (those who tespass against us):
The key to leaving the victim's life is right here. FORGIVE AND YOU WILL BE FORGIVEN! When you release others, you will be released as well. If you don't forgive, chances are that you will remain under the attacks of agressors. Remember, forgiveness is not saying "That's okay", because what happened was not okay. Forgiveness is releasing all of your rights to recompense into God'?s agape loving arms. Forgiveness is trusting God to restore all of the things that those spiritual "locusts have eaten" in your life. Joel 2:25

And lead us not into tempatation, but deliver us from evil.
God will lead us away from the temptations to hurt ourselves and others as we walk in the flow of His forgiveness and love. While we move forward with the Lord, we will walk further and further from the evil slippery slopes. God's goodness is greater than any evil which comes against us. Remember verse, 1 John 4:4, "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world."

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen!
God's kingdom has power, glory and ultimate victory for all of us! Let us pray that God's kingdom will reign here on earth in our lives, our families and our home schooling. As our heavenly Father reigns over the days of our lives. Let us walk forward knowing that Our Daddy has the cattle on one thousand hills, owns all of the riches of the earth and the good there in; the universe is only as big as the span of His hand, and IS the Alpha and Omega. SO THERE!