Dare To...

Written by Rachael Coe and Sheryl Shaffer

Have you ever heard someone say “Pray for me, I need victory in a particular area”?  Perhaps a few months later they make the same prayer request; a year later they ask again for prayer, for the same concern  again.  Before you know it, a few more years go by and they are  still struggling with the exact same sin or weakness.

Then there are times when you sit in church and listen to the testimonies of others and you hear how God gave them the victory – what’s the difference?

The first testimony can be discouraging to young people and older Christians alike, but the last testimony can really encourage and uplift your heart.  As a saved person, how can you be like the latter?  How can you live a holy Christian life when maybe your parents are not?  How can you be victorious when your friends are not?

1.  Dare To Purpose In Your Heart

Many times, when people decide that their life needs to change they are half hearted about it.  They have not fully decided with a determined heart, that they need to change.

When we believe that God wants us to change something in our lives and we are serious about it, we will surrender our whole being and heart, holding back nothing. David, in Psalm 17:3 says, “Thou hast proved mine heart; thou hast visited me in the night; thou hast tried me, and shalt find nothing; I am purposed that my mouth shall not transgress.”  David knew that without  purposing in his heart, he would not be successful.  He made a determination!

Over and over in Scripture, the word purposed is used and most of the time it is used in reference to what God had decided the fate of the Israelites would be.   Every time, the word purposed is used, there is a decision and then an action. 

It is often easy to say that you cannot do right because no one else is or your parents make it difficult, but we too often use others as an excuse for our own failure to prove God with a purposed heart.

“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king's meat, nor with the wine which he drank: therefore he requested of the prince of the eunuchs that he might not defile himself.” - Daniel 1:8

If Daniel could dare to purpose in his heart to do right when there was no one around him who was living for God, then can we not do right when we do have good examples?

2.  Dare To Claim the Victory Moment By Moment

Getting the victory over sins or family curses in our lives is not an instant thing. It takes constant surrender to the Lord.  I have learned it is a moment by moment, praying to the Lord for his strength- endeavor. 

1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “Pray without ceasing.”  This verse can look so little and seem so insignificant sometimes, but if we heed this verse, we are never alone!  We have the strength of God giving us that moment by moment victory which we desire so much. 

3.   Dare To Place Yourself in Total Surrender to the Lord.

Sometimes we can try so hard in our own flesh to “get the victory”. We may be able to get the weeds out and make it look like we have won the battle, however, if the root isn’t pulled out, that sin will return over and over again.  It is when we hand our lives completely over to the Lord in complete surrender, and give it all up to Him to remove the sin, that the whole root is plucked out and we get the victory!  We have to crucify our flesh…daily…moment by moment, to live in victory.  It’s the only way to the victory we desire.  Our problem is in our own flesh. Our flesh is pretty stubborn. It has a power all its own.  That’s why it has to die.  We have die to self will and put to death the desires of sinful flesh, that Christ may be glorified instead of self.

You see girls, our battle is with our own flesh.  It always will be.  Satan likes to influence our flesh and thinking and God wants to renew our thoughts so we can live on the victory side of life.

Job 23:10 – “But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.”

Girls, no matter what we are facing – salvation, trouble in our homes, the Lord’s will for our lives – if we just dare to hand over the reins of our lives to our loving Heavenly Father, we will come forth as gold and have the victory!

I dare you to take the challenge of purposing to be a victorious girl for God!