From Victim To Victor

Though God never ‘gives up’ on us, God never forces Himself on us.   Translated:  God is a ‘gentlemen’ who pursues us, but never ‘plows through us’ overriding free will. 

Now in my experience God pursues us in two ways:  through admonition and questions.  We hear a lot about God's admonition, God's forthrightness, but not as much about God's questions.  

That's odd, for the Bible is full of them.

For example, there's God’s question to Elijah in 1 Kings 19; peering into Elijah’s cave, God questioned Elijah’s depression, asking -- ‘what are you doing here?’ (1 Kings 19:13).  And then there's God’s question to Cain in Genesis 4; reaching down to Cain, God questioned Cain’s hostility, asking -- ‘why are you so angry; why is your face downcast?” (Genesis 3:6).  

But one  of God’s most probing questions is in John 5; approaching the invalid at the pool at Bethesda, God in Christ questioned the invalid’s helpless assumptions, asking – do you want to be healed? (John 5:6).   

Wow, how insensitive! ‘I mean Jesus, aren’t you listening:  no one’s willing to help him into the pool.’  But Jesus infers we’re starting with the wrong concern:  the real concern is not whether others are willing to help (they probably are) -- the real concern is whether the invalid is willing to help himself? 

Frankly, a lot of us are not willing to help ourselves.  I mean let’s just say it: a lot of us enjoy being victims, preferring the familiar drone of: ‘what’s the use! – ‘I’m giving up’ – ‘It’s never going to get better’ – to the risky work of: ‘I want to be healed – ‘I’m fighting for my life’ – ‘It’s going to get better.’ 

Now in all honesty moving from: ‘It’s never going to get better’ – to – ‘it’s going to get better’ is risky.        In fact, it requires raw faith, devoid of immediate confirmation from God.  But that’s how God operates: requiring our want-to, before His follow-through; our choice, our response-ability before His response. 

As  the story goes, William Seymour, a leader in the famed Azusa Street Revival, wanted greater healing and revival for his congregation. And so Seymour set aside five hours a day to pray for God’s deeper touch; in fact, for three and a half years he prayed in that manner; but nothing happened.  And so Seymour increased his prayer time to seven hours a day for God’s deeper touch, for an additional two years; and ‘bingo’ God followed-through and healing and revival broke out; after 11,500 hours of prayer! [Denzil Miller, From Azusa To Africa To the Nations] 

Now I’m not suggesting 11,500 hours of prayer are normally required before God’s response - it’s not! But I am suggesting God’s follow-through is connected to our want-to and prayer is a great way to voice to the Lord what we truly want!

And so voice to God what you truly want -- moving from being a victim, to being a victor -- on the journey of life!