From Victim to Victor (2 of 4)

Mike Connell

Page 8 of 10
They just think differently. So just work out how you're doing today. Work out how you're doing. Now of course you'll actually think you're doing better than you are. You just ask someone to give me some feedback. Oh, [I won't 00.31.56] do that! Why would you ask me to do that! Oh! [Laughs] Tick, another one there. Okay, so let's give you another couple. Okay then, so here's another one, number eight. Their hope for change lies outside them and so they get frustrated, so for the person who's a victim their hope for any change in their situation is outside them. Something has got to change in the circumstances, so they get into a Lotto mentality. You'd be amazed how many people - I bet there'll be some here, but you don't have to put your hand up. [Laughter] This is what they're thinking: I'll get that Lotto ticket. I just might get that big breakthrough, just might. And actually everything in their life has that same mentality. It's the big breakthrough, the big breakthrough.

You hear them talking and when I hear people talking about the big breakthrough I think listen, the only breakthrough's you're ever going to have are a result of what you choose to do today - so what are you doing today? I'm taking a ticket. Oh, get over it. If you got the money you wouldn't have the ability to manage it. You'll blow it and it'll ruin everything around you. Just read the papers about people who've won a lot of money and what it did to them. A Lotto mentality was I'll just pray and then I'll get a breakthrough with God and then everything will change. That's Lotto thinking. It's Christian Lotto thinking. Well I just pray, just pray! Just pray! Oh wow, whoa, oh, you're praying, oh good. What are you doing? Oh, well I'm praying for a breakthrough in my marriage. Well what are you doing today to help build your marriage? What are you doing that you could do? Oh, what are you talking about - I'm praying! [Laughter]

Your breakthrough's a long time coming I can tell you [laughter] and what'll happen is you'll get bitter and frustrated and angry at God, because He didn't come through for you and every time you hear a message about breakthroughs or hear a testimony of breakthroughs you'll get angry and bitter because how come them and not me? I prayed so hard you know, even fasted a little bit. [Laughter] Never got the breakthrough! People who are waiting for a breakthrough it isn't coming, because they're not doing today what they need to do to initiate the changes. Just prayer doesn't do it. Prayer - He said you know you show Me your faith by your works. The works, what you're doing demonstrates whether you're a believer, so I look and people tell me they believe; oh I believe God, blah blah. Oh look, I've heard it for years. I say what are they doing? That's what tells it. Your faith is demonstrated by the way you live your life. It's as clear as that see?

So again, this victim mentality gets into the church and the Christians. Okay, so the hope is outside us. Now because they feel powerless they're passive, waiting for something to happen. They're passive and they're waiting, so a lot of people are passive because they're waiting for something to happen. But you see a person who's a victor, they think differently; man, I'm here to make something happen. I take initiative - you know, so a person who's a victim will say oh won't someone do something about that? How come someone doesn't [unclear 00.34.50]? Listen, you saw it. Why don't YOU do something? You know, so a person's who's [initiative, 00.34.55] man look, there's an opportunity there and I could do something about that. I'd be good at that. They think differently. You have to get people out of victim thinking. You will never help them by allowing them to stay in victim thinking, see?

And of course here's the last one I thought of was so a victim will see God as uncaring and indifferent. In their heart they'll see God doesn't care about me and He's indifferent to what's happening, and so their life is characterised, their spiritual life is characterised by unbelief. They can't trust God, see? So a person who's a victim will take the view that God is uncaring and indifferent and so they can't trust Him, and their spiritual life is characterised by unbelief. One of the challenges I've continually had is to ask this question: what actions are you taking that depend on God coming through for you as a result of taking those steps? And it just keeps you a check as to whether you're in faith, or whether you're just in cruise mode. So a person who's a victim will be religious. You can't help but be religious because you haven't assumed responsibility.