Steps to Victory

You might be saying, "Well, I've got a problem right now, and I wish I knew what to do!"

Every battle has its own strategy for victory, but they all follow the same principles: seek God, trust His Word, obey His Word, pray through to victory.

1. Seek God

First, find out what God is saying about the problem. Are you contributing to it? Maybe it's not your fault but you have to make the first move? Or maybe you've been beating the wrong enemy! Perhaps the real problem is nothing like you thought!

When you're in the thick of trouble, step back, and ask God to show you clearly exactly what is happening.

Some tips:

• God will always show you YOUR part in the problem; He won't condemn or criticise other people -- if that's what you think you're getting, it's not from God! God is interested in YOUR character, and in developing it.
• If God ever points out somebody, it will always be to stir up love in you for that person. The result should be that you want to better understand them, pray for them and bless them. Any thought that ever makes you feel remotely smug, or more superior than them is NEVER from God.
• God's words will always bring a deep peace, comfort and hope
• God's words will strengthen you, and even His rebuke is healing and gracious. He will never make you feel condemned and unworthy.

2. Trust God's Word

Next, search the Word to find scriptures and promises about your situation. Write them down, memorise them, meditate on them, then start praying those promises into reality!

3. Obey His Word

In every battle we could face, the victory balances on our obedience to His leading. You may need to forgive others, or forgive yourself. You may need to let go of something that you put your hopes on.

If God is dealing with you about something, it's important to bow to His Word. In your obedience is the key to victory.

If you fail in your obedience because it is hard, or because you keep undoing what you've done (I do it all the time when I say 'I surrender'), just keep at it. I've learnt that it's better to fail obeying than to give up altogether. God understands how hard it is for us, and He will teach us how to obey Him effectively if we allow Him to - but we are never to give up.

4. Pray through to Victory

Faith in the completed work of God is good, but God works through our prayers -- they pave the path to victory. So we continue to pray for hardened hearts to soften, for the obstacles to be removed, for closed doors to be opened. 

If you feel like your prayers are becoming repetitious, they probably are! Sometimes they need to be - but always ask God for new insights for how to pray. There is always a new angle, a different strategy you could open up through your prayers.

For example, when I was praying for the spiritual awakening of someone in my life years ago, I started off by praying 'God, change him!' a lot. As I continued to pray, and ask God for how to pray, I began to pray, "Change my perception of him! Help me to see him like you do", and then everything changed. 

I saw his worth in Christ, and declared that in prayer; I saw a man of faith and influence, so I claimed that in prayer. As I prayed, I saw how I could encourage him - so I did. Did I actually start to see anything change? Not for a long while - but because I saw him differently because I had asked God to show me, I related to him differently, and that began a chain reaction of events and changes in his heart. 

Today, when I see him being the person that God showed me years ago, it warms my heart to know that God had answered my prayers. Is the work finished? No - but we are instrumental to the change we pray for. 

Keep praying till you see the completed work, even if it means praying for the rest of your life. God will still answer, whether or not you get to see it. Abraham was told, "your descendants shall be as the grains of sand." He believed it, but never saw it. But did it happen? You bet it did! Our prayers go beyond us!

Start seeking God for your path to victory today, and stick with Him ALL the way.