Overcoming the Spirit of Defeat and Living With The Spirit of Victory

We all remember The Roadrunner. Who hasn't seen it. Every Saturday morning I would be glued to the TV and watch the usual line-up of cartoons and this was one of my very favorites. I don't know how many episodes were ever produced (probably hundreds) but, while the story was always the same, it was also always entertaining: Wiley Coyote relentlessly in pursuit of the ever-elusive Roadrunner. We were always intrigued with Wiley's newest methods and plans to capture Roadrunner. However, no matter how hard he tried, he would go down in the flames of defeat ...only to try again. "A" for effort, "F" for results! Poor Coyote. How he made us sigh and, mostly, smile and laugh.

The Roadrunner makes a great metaphor to speak about some deeper things on a spiritual level. Don't we all know of some people, even Christians who are like Wiley Coyote? Always trying to reach some goal with lots of effort but, in some way and on some level always being defeated. They seem very determined but also bound to fail.

Don't we also know other people who are like the Roadrunner? They go through life and no matter what they face, succeed nevertheless. They have victory. Despite opposition and circumstances, they just seem to triumph and overcoming the obstacles. Sorry to get so serious about something so enjoyable like The Roadrunner; however, it is an interesting study in victory vs. defeat.

Tragically, there are many Christians who, though knowing Christ, seem to live their day-by-day lives in defeat. They are like Wiley Coyote. Always trying, yet never really succeeding. For whatever reason, things just don't seem to work out. As a matter of fact, life itself just doesn't seem to work out. Though knowing Jesus as Lord and Savior, for some reason, there seems to be a disconnect between faith and real life experience. How can this be?

Perhaps you know of someone like this. I know I was like this. Even though a born-again believing Christian, for about the first 25 years of my walk in Christ, I lived with a spirit of defeat - not victory. I knew Jesus as my savior and lord, but honestly, I didn't know His sustaining and empowering victory in my life. I was so use to defeat that I didn't even know I was walking in it, because it was my normal. Like Wiley Coyote, lots of effort, but few victorious results. Life under the dark cloud, living with a spirit of defeat.

However, the good news is that we don't have to be like Wiley Coyote. We can live life like the Roadrunner. We can know victory and overcome defeat. Truly there is a spirit of defeat. It is manifested by a pattern of  continual failure, fear, oppression and it can even "smell" or "feel" like death.

Question: where does it come from? Answer: the enemy...the devil.

Question: How did we get it? Answer: By allowing it to happen, by giving the devil a foothold (Ephesians 4:27), allowing satan and his lies to speak to us and dictate to our lives instead of standing on God's Word.

Question: What do we do about it, how do we overcome it? Answer: First - repent of any sins and unbelief. Next, be renewed in your mind and spirit by God's Word (Romans 12:2)- standing on His promises and, in God's strength, walking in victory (Hebrews 10:36). Second - rebuke the devil (James 4:7). Tear down every thought/imagination/stronghold that does not agree with and conform to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5-6) and is contrary to the promises of God. Break any bondages the enemy may have on your life by claiming/accepting/calling forth the blood of Jesus upon your life (Romans 5:9-11). Third, understand that there is a warfare going on and your life is the battleground (2 Corinthians 10:2-4). Wage this warfare by developing a habit of continual prayer, as well as by standing, confessing, proclaiming God's Word over your life and situations. Put on the armor of God to be strong in the power of His might against the enemy (Ephesians 6:10-18).  Fourth - be accountable to and seek the help of your spiritual oversight. Let your pastor minister to you and pray for you. Be rightly related to your leadership because your pastor is your shepherd and cares for you (Hebrews 13:7, 17; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-13).

This is how you get the victory! It is God's will for your life and your right, as a child of God, to have it and walk in it. Because of Jesus, we are more than conquerors in Him (Romans 8:37). We have all the victory in Christ, He is our victory (2 Corinthians 2:14). He has set us free from sin and death (John 8:36, Romans 6:22, 8:2) to love, obey, serve and walk victorious in Him.

As you do these things and persist until you gain the victory, you will overcome the spirit of defeat. This is how to say goodbye to being like Wiley Coyote and become an overcomer like the Roadrunner.

Beep..beep!

Stepping Out in Faith - Crossing The Big Divides In Life

Taking steps of faith are not comfortable to us because, in our sinful nature, we don't live by faith. Yet, to please God we are required to walk in faith- biblical faith, not human faith. Biblical faith and human faith may sound like they are the same thing, or at least very similar, however, they are not. Human faith is believing with our physical senses, which is very limited in ability. Biblical faith is believing God, based on His Word, with our hearts which empowers us to believe things that are beyond the ability of our sense - even to believing things that, to us, are impossible.

The reason for biblical faith is that it allows us to enter into the spiritual realm and access God. When we repent of our sins and turn to Christ, as both our Lord and Savior, He gives each of us a measure of faith (Romans 12:3).We are called to walk in that faith. Without it we cannot please Him (Hebrews 11:6) and cannot even comprehend His promises or receive His blessings.

Hebrews 11:1 in The Amplified Bible says "that faith is the assurance of things (the confirmation, the title deed) [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]".

So, we can have an assurance, which is a guarantee, of the things that we hope for (based upon the Word of God). Faith is the "proof" of things we don't or can't see (things beyond the ability of our senses) and the conviction or certainty of the fact that this things really exist.

Faith takes hold of the hopes that are in God's reality and brings them into our reality and lives. How do we get this faith? By hearing God's Word (Romans 10:17). When we have faith based on the bible we are to believe before we receive. We can do this because God's Word is totally true and can be totally relied upon - after all, it is God's Word. Therefore, because God says it, we are to believe it - even before we see His promises come to pass in our lives.

It is essential that we live with this type of faith. As a matter of fact, we are to know God's Word and claim His promises until they come to pass in our lives, giving Him thanks and praise in anticipation of the promises being fulfilled. This is true concerning any of our needs - healing (physical, emotional, or spiritual), finances, conquering sinful habits, etc.

Remember Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade? The short video clip below shows a part of that movie where he is attempting to cross a deep chasm to obtain the holy grail and use it to save his father's life. It serves as an interesting illustration about the necessity of exercising faith. Indiana had to believe something was real and that it existed, even though he could not see it. He would never have been able to reach his objective (getting to the other side of the chasm) without first believing in the reality of what was unseen - the bridge. His "faith" was proof that the bridge existed, despite all his senses telling him that it didn't exist. This clip illustrates the nature of faith and, if you will, can even speak to us on a higher level and provide great insight about biblical faith in action.

Bible faith is victorious faith and overcomes all things in Christ. We are victorious and are overcomers when we live and exercise our faith. We also please God and experience His abundant blessings when we do so.

Biblical Faith And It's Results

It is good to know God's Word because through it is the entrance of life and wisdom. Unfortunately, many people think that by simply reading the bible they know it. However, this is not enough nor is it biblical faith.

Biblical faith is to both believe and act on the Word of God. Believing is a prerequisite to receiving. Tragically, this is exactly the opposite of what the world and our senses tell us to do. We are told "I'll believe it when I see it". Yet, this is a materialistic approach to life that is antithetical to our faith and leads to hopelessness and despair.

Hebrews 11:1 says: "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. " So, there is a realm, the spiritual realm, where faith is something of substance and it is an evidence of something that exists as a real entity in that dimension.

When we read God's Word and acknowledge that it is true, that is a good start. But, faith requires much more than that. Faith is not simply mental assent and mere agreement with God. Faith is acting upon the Word (see James 2:14-24).

So, how do we act upon the Word of God? Well, we must understand that God's Word is true - not just in terms of its veracity but also for its application in our lives. Knowing must turn into believing. Many people want to know it before believing it. However, that is not faith. When we entered into Christ, we turned from our sins and accepted Him as Lord and Savior (when we were born again). At that time, we all had to exercise a degree of faith to do so. It was by the exercised of our faith that we came into a saving relationship with Him and therefore now know God. So, from the start, we have had to exercise faith first and then we know second. That is the way faith always works.

The word "believing" is not mere mental assent, as stated before. In the ancient Greek, the word for 'belief, believe, or believers' is Pisteuo. It is defined as: "to be persuaded of, to place confidence in, to trust, to put reliance upon, not mere credence". Basically, it is a whole-hearted agreement and a "stake-your-life-on it" position that a person takes. Because God's Word says so, we believe it is so and it applies to every so-and-so, LOL.

Unfortunately, a lot of people say that while they have believed some of promises in God's Word, that sometimes they do not work. I hear this especially in the area of answered/unanswered prayers and healing. When we focus on the problem, we will never see the answer. However, when we focus beyond the problem, on God and His promises, we have the answer.

We must accept that if God's Word is true, it is always true in our lives and in every situation. Romans 3:4 says: "Let God be true, and every man a liar". So, if we know that God is not a liar, let's be very careful what we say about Him and His Word. Hebrews 13:8 states: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever". Therefore, He and His promises have not changed and never will.

When we know this we can stand on the Word with boldness and confidence. We must then confess God's Word. In doing so, our faith is now acted upon. Confession is very important. In the ancient Greek, the word for 'confess and confession' is Homologeo. It means "to speak the same thing". So, when we confess, we are to speak the same thing as God does. We are not to speak our doubts, fears, failures, or unbelief. Why? Because speaking these things is not speaking the same thing as God and, it is therefore, not confession that agrees with God and His Word. When we speak God's promises, we are in one accord with Him and are speaking His will into our lives and situations, unimpeded by unbelief. We are also allowing His power to be released in our lives.

You can see that it is very important to be in God's Word, to know it, and to stand on it. Joshua 1:8 says: "Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful".

When we make ourselves line up with God's Word, in our minds/hearts and with our words (this is what faith is all about), we will then see Him move on our behalf. This is not presumption- not if it is based upon God's Word! Two notes of caution though. First, in order for God's Word to work in us, we have to live a life fully repentant and obedient to Him. Second, we must have faith that God will honor His Word and fulfill it in our lives, in due season. This has to do with the principle of sowing and reaping, which will be the next article I write.

Be encouraged that as we stand on His promises, continually trusting in Him, (even when our situations looks completely contrary and hopeless) He is faithful to move and fulfill the promises contained in His Word in our lives. He will bless, heal, change, rescue, and strengthen. Why? Because He is a God of His Word.

Victorious or Vanquished - What Is Your Cave Teaching You?

As you may recall, David spent some time on the run in the cave of Adullam. It was the lowest point in His life, yet a necessary one ordained by God. The word 'Adullam' comes from the Hebrew root word dalah, which means to dangle at the end of one's rope. Adullam was the place where David was dangling at the end of his rope - hiding from Saul. It served as a place of testing, growing and learning for David, so he could be prepared to go onto to the next phase of life and ministry.

1 Samuel 22:4 says: "And [David] brought [his parents] before the king of Moab: and they dwelt with him all the while that David was in the hold." David's life was not only in the hold, but also on hold (the back burner). Without Adullam, David's time of testing and preparation, he would not have been adequately prepared to reign as king. The same is true of us. We have our own Adullams that God places us in and these seasons can either make us or break us.

Some might say that God would never allow us to be broken during our time in Adullam, however, the choice of what Adullam becomes to us, what it teaches us and how we receive it, is up to us, as it was with David.

The Hebrew word for "hold" (as in 1 Samuel 22:4) is m-s-d and it appears as masad, matsad, or masodah (remember that originally Hebrew was a consonantal language and therefore there were no vowels until they were added only about a thousand years ago). The word masada means "fortress" or "stronghold"; however the word masuda (closely related to the word masada, and both words are derived from m-s-d) has an entirely different meaning. Masuda means "snare" or "trap".

David had the choice in the hold of Adullam to make it either a masada (fortress/stronghold) or a masuda (snare/trap). Our time of testing (Adullam) becomes a masada if we chose to rejoice and find God and His purposes in that place, despite our circumstances. It can, however, easily become a masuda if we fail to comprehend God's greater purposes and allow our hearts to become bitter and filled with doubt and unbelief.

For David, Adullam became the place where he ministered into many peoples' lives, the place where God created Israel's most powerful and loyal army, and where God taught David the foundational principles He would need to become Israel's greatest king.Yet, Adullam could, just as easily, have become a place of obscurity and purposelessness for David. It was David's choice. What caused David to make his Adullam a masada instead of a masuda? It all came down to David's response to the situation and his perspective.

Psalm 142:1-2 says about David during this dark hour: "I cried unto the Lord with my voice; with my voice unto the Lord did I make my supplication. I poured out my complaint before Him; I shewed before Him my trouble."

When David cried out to the Lord, he used the Hebrew word , za'aq, which means "to shriek from anguish or fear". The Hebrew word for "showed" ['shewed' in Psalm 142:2 King James version] is nasad, which means to make abundantly clear". This was the turning point for David.When David wrote Psalm 142, it was during his early days at the cave of Adullam. As he spent more time there and allowed God to teach him, he gradually understood God's purposes for this appointed season and yielded to Him, allowing God to do His perfecting work.

By do so, David turned Adullam into the the greatest strength of his life and ministry. He learned to hear from God, to trust, to rest secure in His God during a very difficult hour. He also learned to be faithful. David emerged a different man from Adullam than when he first went in.

The lessons of Adullam were not lost on King David - they impacted him for the rest of his life. He took the faith and yieldedness he gained in the cave and brought that same heart and experience when he ascended the throne and thereafter ruled over the people of Israel as king and as a man after God's own heart.

God has an Adullam for each of us. It is our appointed place and time to be on the back burner (not in the forefront or in the spotlight) so God can teach us and prepare us for the time in which we are to reign in whatever ministry He has destined for us. The question is if we have the yieldedness and perseverance to allow God to do His work in us until it is completed for that season. The answer lies in what we make of our Adullam, if we let it become a masuda or chose to make it a masada.

When we understand how God used the cave of Adullam in King David's life, we see His intended purpose for our 'Caves of Adullam' experiences - to build and prepare our lives for victorious living and service.

Psalm 138:8 says: "The Lord will fulfill His purposes for me; your love O Lord, endures forever - do not abandon the works of your hands".

Jeremiah 29:11 says: "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future".


The inspiration and information for the above article comes from a course I just completed titled "Training for Reigning" as taught by Dr. Ron Cottle of Beacon University, Columbus GA. The information contained in this article is, in great part, taken from Dr. Cottle's book titled Anointed to Reign, pages 49-60

Jesus Conquers Every Fear

(you may want to exercise discretion before showing this video to young children)

The Transformation From Fear

Faith in God Overcomes Every Problem!

Faith in God does not mean you will never face another problem. Faith in God simply means you know how to deal with problems and triumph over them. Everyone is confronted with problems from time to time in life. But your faith in God allows you to overcome problems-not be overcome by them.

Actually, the first step to victory is recognizing that you have a problem! Only then can you begin to use your faith to reverse the situation! You see, faith is not denial. That's why you must first identify the problem. Then put your faith to work for you. Nothing is too hard for God! But if you never admit you have a problem, you'll never put your faith to work against the problem. Faith does not deny the existence of problems; it just overcomes them by the power of God's Word!

When you are in faith, you realize that problems exist, but you know the greater truth of God's Word that says, "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor. 15:57). You know you don't have to be defeated by problems!

Faith-Bible faith - is a matter of making a choice to believe God's Word rather than the problems that confront you. Yes, you will have to stand on God's Word until the problems come in line with the Word. But you don't have to be defeated by problems and negative circumstances!

And sometimes standing on the Word in the midst of trials requires some perseverance and patience. But having done all to stand on God's Word, then begin declaring your faith: "God said it. I believe it! Therefore, I receive my petition according to the Word of God, and I count it as done!

When you can't see your answer, feel it, touch it, or taste it - you must still stand on God's Word, praising Him that He has already answered your prayers! That's real faith in God! Thank God, He will meet your every need.

I don't mean to minimize the problems that confront all of us from time to time. And little problems are just as real to someone as a tremendously big problem is to someone else. We all face problems in life no matter who we are. But what I am saying is that God is bigger than any problems!

But, you see, it is easy to believe God when everything is going smoothly. But strong faith believes God even when things go wrong and the pressures of life seem to press in on every side. Any your faith in God will always be rewarded by victory if you'll just persevere in God!

Taken from "Another Look at Faith" pp.37-38. Written by Kenneth W. Hagin.

The Language of Faith

The worst enemy is the flesh. The flesh and natural human reasoning will try to limit you to your own ability.

You look at the circumstances, the influences, the problems, the cares; the tests, the storms, and the winds of adversity, and you say that you can't be an overcomer. The language of doubt, the flesh, the senses, and the devil is, "I can't. I haven't the ability or the opportunity or the strength. I have been limited and deprived in life."

But the language of faith says, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil. 4:13). Paul wrote that to one of the churches.

Some might say, "But Paul was an apostle." Just because Paul was an apostle doesn't mean he had more strength than you do. Being an apostle didn't give him any extra strength. Preachers don't necessarily have any more to draw from than others do. They just have a ministry and an anointing to fulfill that ministry. But ministers have to face the same storms of life that each lay member does.

Paul said, "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Phil 4:13). Paul didn't say he could do all things because he was an apostle. He said he could do all things "through Christ." You are "in Christ" just as much as Paul was.

Second Corinthians 5:17 says "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new." If you have been born again, you are a new creature in Christ too. Christ didn't belong to Paul any more than He belongs to you.

The language of faith says, "I can do all things through Christ. My Heavenly Father strengthens me. I cannot be conquered and I cannot be defeated."

You can do all things through Christ, just as much as Paul could. I'm speaking from a spiritual standpoint. If a test or trail comes against you, it can't whip you, because there aren't enough natural forces in all the world to conquer the Greater One who dwells in you.

1 John 4:4 - "greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world."

This verse declares that you are fortified from within. I've learned how to put the Greater One to work for me. I've learned how to put Him to work in me. Not only am I born of God and made a partaker of His love, but I have dwelling in me the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead.

Therefore, I have God's wisdom, strength, and ability in me. I am learning how to let that wisdom govern my intellect. I am letting the Greater One who dwells within govern my mind and speak through my lips. I am daring to think God's thoughts after Him. I am daring to say in the presence of all my enemies of faith, "God is my Ability".

Psalm 23:4,5 - Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.

Psalm 27:1 - The Lord is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear?

1 John 4:4 - You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you in greater than the one who is in the world.

Psalm 23 is for us. You need to make these confessions daily:
1. God prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies. Thank God, the Lord is my ability.
2. He is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid? Greater is He who is in me than he who is in the world.
3. In Christ, God has made me greater than my enemies.
4. God had made me to put my heel on the neck of weakness, fear, and inability. I stand and declare that whosoever believes on Christ shall not be put to shame (Rom. 10:11)
5. I cannot be put to shame. The strength of God is mine and in Christ I am greater than my enemies.

I am not trusting in my own strength because the Bible never said a word about my being strong in myself. Paul writes to the Church at Ephesus and said, "Finally, my brothers, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His MIGHT" (Eph. 6:10). God is your strength and your ability! So many people have the wrong idea about this. They are struggling, trying to put themselves over in life (in their own strength).



This is taken from the Faith Bible Study Course, Chapter 20 "Actions That Correspond With Faith" pp. 148-149, written by Kenneth E. Hagin

You Will Overcome!

Jesus loves us so much that He, at times, challenges us to push through our circumstances and situations by faith and stand our ground in Him. We may feel that we are drowning in our problems and the situations in our lives, but He asks us to be brave, hang in there and see Him bring us to victory. We must stay focused, faithful, and hopeful during these hours, knowing that He is true to His Word, and to us. The hours of trial, that we all experience, can either make us or break us, but God has ordained us to overcome and grow in faith and strength.

Watch the video below. Listen very carefully to the words of this song. Exercise your imagination and faith that the band, Switchfoot, is Jesus and the angels, singing over you. Imagine that with every word sung, chord struck, and beat of the drum, Jesus is ministering His strength, grace, mercy and every blessing, to you, in your time of need. Watch Him and His angels rejoice when you have overcome!



Psalm 46: 1-3
1 God is our refuge and strength,
an ever-present help in trouble.

2 Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way
and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3 though its waters roar and foam
and the mountains quake with their surging.


1 John 5:4-5 -
For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only He who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.

Isaiah 12: 2-5

² Surely God is my salvation;

I will trust and not be afraid.

The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song;

he has become my salvation."

³ With joy you will draw water

from the wells of salvation.

⁴ In that day you will say:

"Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name;

make known among the nations what he has done,

and proclaim that his name is exalted.

⁵ Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things;

let this be known to all the world.