Are You a Victim or a Victor?

“No one can serve two masters” (Matthew 6:24).  The specific scripture is related to God and money. But the same is true of faith and worry. As you’re drinking from one, filling your heart and your life with one, you’re draining the other. Matthew 6:31 goes on to tell us not to worry about food, drink, or clothing. Personally, I like to put the period after “worry.” Because worrying is something I’m so good at. Like, exceptionally so, if I’m telling the truth. So I appreciate the reminder, the instruction, some would even call it the command.

As Jesus is hammering down on this statement, He ends verse 34 with a powerful declaration. “You of little faith.”

Big Worry = little faith

Big Faith = little worry

Worrying is easy. Sometimes, second nature. But worrying is always wrong, for it paralyzes active faith in your life. When you worry, you assume responsibility for things that you were never intended to handle. Worrying doesn’t change your circumstances. It doesn’t add a single day to your life (Matthew 6:27).  

The Greek word for worry is “merimneo,” and it’s translated as “to divide the mind.” And that’s exactly what happens when we worry. Worrying draws our focus away from God and His faithfulness and righteousness and to concerns about the worldly things of this life.

Unfortunately, the absence of worry is not the absence of pain. It’s simply the presence of true, active faith. Because the thing is, God does have a plan for every person, and every happening can and will be formed to His will. Individuals cannot protect themselves from their God-given testimonies. In this, pain is guaranteed. Prolonged suffering, however, is a choice.

Life is gonna hit you hard. This is another of those “when” not “if” scenarios. And when it does, will you be prepared?

Will you be a victim or a victor?

The word “victor” itself wasn’t commonly used in the Bible. But several synonyms were used quite frequently: Conqueror and Overcomer.

Now my girl Mandisa said it best.

“The same man, the Great-I-Am

The one who overcame death

Is living inside of you.

So just hold tight, fix your eyes

On the one who holds your life

There's nothing He can't do.”

You’re an overcomer, because He already overcame (John 16:33).

I’m in the valley, friends. And the walls are looking tall. Like, really imposing. And I’m afraid of heights anyway, so I don't want to scale them. Because what if I fall?

What if I’ve grown comfortable? Like the Israelites in the desert, what if I climb out of the valley and cross the parted sea only to enter a world of unknown—one that leaves me yearning for the familiar suffering I had in Egypt? (Exodus 14:11-12).

The Israelites were victims. They lost their faith.

Friends, that is the difference in a victor and a victim. One has lost their faith, and the other actively lives in it.

I’m afraid. I’m brave enough to say that. I’m weak, but because of that weakness, I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-10).

And lucky for me, that’s as strong as my God calls me to be. I’ll never have to know the weight of the cross, of my own body pulling against the nails. I only have to remember that He did. That He died, then He rose again. He conquered death. He overcame. Then He shared that power with me.

I haven’t found any scriptures that promise all good days ahead, a world of sunshine and rainbows, or happiness all my days.

But I’ve found a lot preparing me for the valley, for the lows, for struggle and sorrow and sin and temptation. Scripture tells me to count it all joy (James 1:2-4).

Now I’ve written a lot about joy. I’ve studied it deeply. And the definition I’ve come to is that joy is fellowship with Jesus. Joy is a product of deep, active faith in God.

Everlasting happiness is a myth, but joy is a free gift we are all offered each and every day.

The “beauty from ashes” kind.

The “victors in the valley” kind.

Victors because we know that God already has a plan, that He will bring a solution, He will change lives, and He will develop spiritual fruit in us (Romans 8:28).

Though not as frequent as conqueror and overcomer, "victor" does appear in my NIV Bible.

Revelation 2:10 says “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you life as your victor’s crown.”

The Biblical victor is the one who relies on God’s strength to persevere in faith, knowing that the ultimate victory has already been secured through Jesus.

What it all boils down to is this: Do I trust God enough to be faithful to Him even in the midst of adversity?

Do you?

Are you a victim or a victor?

A wise Christian woman once said “Thank You God for waking me up and giving me another day to walk in Your purpose.”

I find peace in the knowledge that I don’t have to know how or why my purpose is what it is. I just have to walk in it. Because my God turned a crown of thorns meant to bring shame and agony into a crown of life offering peace everlasting and eternal fellowship in the presence of the One who holds my heart in the palm of His hand, the God of every victory, the one true King.

He overcame, and with Him, so will I.