Victim....Or Victor

Luke 9:25
For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?"

In the spiritual darkness we call addiction, everything is turned upside down.
We loose everything, yet in our minds consider ourselves to be living a life of gain.
We just don't understand that pain is the No.#1 gain. This is followed closely by emptiness which, in turn, sends us out looking for more drugs or alcohol. The opening words of Luke 9 read, "What profit is it..." . Well, in addiction, there is no profit. The only one who profits from our pain and misery is the devil.

Have you ever really thought about the two....
Jesus and the devil?
Jesus is all about life. In fact John 10:10 gives us the conflicting characteristics between Jesus and the devil.  The thief (devil) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I (Jesus) have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

The devil lays the "victim" label on those who choose to remain in darkness. You know, when we think of ourselves as being a victim, it is easy to remain in that dark place. After all, a victim is someone who is suffering because an outside influence has enacted their will on him, causing great pain and hardship. I don't have to take responsibility for my actions if I am a victim. When I don't take that responsibility, I open myself up to embrace more darkness. After all, I'm not responsible......I am a victim. 

Jesus came to removed the "victim" label and replace it with "Victor".
Jesus is the Power that has the authority to rip the victim label from our very core, and crown us with the ever lasting name of Victor.

I believe that this coming year is going to be a year of battle. A year of spiritual warfare in which we are going to see Jesus in ways we never have before. A year of rescue for those who are living in addiction. You may be saying, "But isn't that the same thing that been going on since ever someone discovered they could alter their mood through alcohol or a drug?" NO.  I have been hearing John 4:35-36 over and over for some time. 
"Do you not say, 'there are still four months and then comes the harvest? Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look at the fields. For they are already white for harvest"

Now more than ever, this coming year will be a "Step #12" year where we take not only the message, but the power and authority to take back those who are under the rule of the devil. To offer real life.
To exercise the Power of the Kingdom of God. We have been given the incredible right and opportunity to cooperate with God in seeing lives changed.
So we are going to learn how to pray effectively.
We are going to learn how to hear God so we can move at the slightest whisper of His Spirit and follow Him.
We are going to ask, as Peter did, for holy boldness to tell others that they have been living under a lie.

2014 is a year where our prayers will be  "Your Kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." 
To see God exercise His power because we have answered the call to go into the fields and harvest.

God on you....
mb