Called To Be Victors!

“Have you not brought this on yourself,
In that you have forsaken the LORD your God
When He led you in the way?” Jeremiah 2:17

When I was an auditor, I would try to always check my facts, and see if I had erred before I issued a written report that criticized another; thus, insinuating that the client had erred and needed to take corrective action. That may sound noble and professionally objective; some may even say I took a humble approach, but my reason was far more basic. Frankly, I was afraid. I would rather question myself repeatedly than to be humiliated later if it was disclosed during an out briefing that my report was inaccurate because I had not done a thorough job. In the same manner, when I find that God is not responsive to my prayers, it is out of fear (respect for God in this case and others) that I look first at myself to determine whether I brought upon myself the pain that I was experiencing. It is very easy, and often subconsciously done, that we forsake the Lord and suffer the consequences. How do I know that I strayed? I first ask the Lord to examine my heart, and by looking back, I can see where I had deviated from the way that He had always led me in accordance with His Word.

In the world that we live today, there is a tendency that we see ourselves as victims. We have an excuse for practically everything that we do when we end up suffering, and  we are usually quick to blame someone else; at times, even God. While I can understand people who do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ feeling that way, I cannot understand professing Christians who react that way. Scripturally, we are taught, “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified.”  2 Cor. 13:5   Part of being in the faith is acknowledging the sovereignty of God, and that He chastens Whom He loves when we sin; that is, we have forsaken the way that He led us. When it does not appear that God is answering our prayers, we need to inquire of the Lord if there are any unconfessed sins that impedes His answer. How wonderful it is that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9  If there is no evidence of an unconfessed sin, then it is a trial, which God in His sovereignty, allowed in our lives as a means to test us and our faith. Of course, if it is a matter of unbelief, and we did not ask Him to help us in our unbelief, then we are back at 1 John 1:9. Why? Hebrews 10:38, “Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back,  My soul has no pleasure in him.” In either case, if what we are facing is a consequence of our sin or a trial, we are not the victims. We are called to be victors!

However, let me clarify one thing about our being victims: Usually when we claim ourselves a victim, it is a means by which we attempt to identify someone else as a ‘scapegoat.’  To that end, Jesus was indeed our scapegoat as the sins of the people were laid upon Him at the Cross, but to say we were His victims? God forbid!