Last night I taught the lesson for Celebrate Recovery. The lesson’s title is VICTORY. Victory comes, the lesson teaches, when we begin to see the character defects we have developed over the years of our past. Mine were abundant. Things like, “Jesus is good but He doesn’t think much of me or else He wouldn’t have allowed my brother’s use of me and dad’s abusive beatings and words,” “Scripture is true, but somehow not for me”…. This list could go on, but these are examples.

Once one realizes their own character defects (beliefs that are lies fed by Satan), he/she has to face them and surrender them to Jesus. They cannot be overcome by oneself. I would never tell someone that I Corinthians 10:13 wasn’t true for me where it says “No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to man. and God is faithful, he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear….” However, in my mind I knew better for I felt like I’d been tempted far beyond what I or anyone should bear.

Well, how much I’ve learned in my past almost 20 years. How much I now understand that man’s choices are not always God’s choices. God gave man the right to choose. God has taken my “character defects” and uses them to help others see that their own thoughts/beliefs are not of God’s choice. I Corinthians 10:13 is true for me and has always been. Yes, those years in my childhood were tough, but I was never alone and I see that so clearly today. I get the great privilege to use all of that past of mine for Godly purposes today. I will never quit saying just how GREAT OUR GOD IS! VICTORY is on its way!