Welcome to the Victory Blog

For most of my early Christian life, I was trying to earn God’s approval and feel valuable, not realizing just how valuable I am to God. Yet, the truth is that He values us so highly. I want each of you to understand how God sees you as we move forward into the next year.

So many things in this earth are designed to try to steal value. Abortion, abuse, abandonment and many other things contribute to people being devalued. Millions of people feel undervalued or valueless because of things like these. When people feel they have lost their value, they will lose their values. We need to know just how valuable we are. What makes us valuable? Here are some truths that we need to keep in mind whenever the devil tries to get us feeling valueless:

• We are valuable because of the price that was paid for us – Jesus’ blood shed on the cross.
• We are valuable because of the position we’re placed in – we’ve been seated in heavenly places with Christ Jesus. We’re all covered with a robe of righteousness – it’s Jesus’ righteousness. None of us are superior or inferior to others.
• We are valuable because of the high calling to which we have been called – every one of us have a purpose, we’ve been created to do something specific in the kingdom of God.
• We are valuable because of the potential that’s inside of us – we are like apples seeds, each of which contains the potential to become a tree full of apples, which could become an orchard and so on. We have unlimited potential.
• We are valuable because of the people we can reach – each of us are in this earth to reach others, to touch their lives and to bring them into the kingdom.

Let me encourage you to meditate on these things. Listen to or watch the message I gave this past weekend about this topic. Get it in your spirit. So many of us are missing out on the fullness of life that God intends for us to have because we have fallen prey to the enemy’s tactic of making us feel valueless. But, if we’ll get these truths fixed firmly in our hearts, the results – in our lives and in the world around us – will be amazing!

Now, as you enter into 2010, I pray that you will be blessed abundantly and come to know just how valuable you are to God!

This past weekend, it was a real joy to have Colleen, my wife, give a message at our services about the Joy that we have through Emmanuel: God With Us, especially since that’s a topic with which she is very familiar! Here’s an overview of her message (although I encourage you, if you want to really experience what she talked about, make sure you listen to or watch the whole message here):

Everyone loves to be around joyful people. There just aren’t enough truly joyful people in the world. Truly joyful people still have joy even when life throws them a curveball. Although they are often confused for one another, joy is not the same as happiness. Honestly, happiness is overrated and joy is misunderstood. See this comparison:

If we chase after the temporary happiness, we risk being deceived and forsaking something that is even more valuable and powerful – His joy. Our enemy wants to steal our joy by substituting other things that bring temporary happiness. We must go after the pure joy.

The joy of the Lord is the difference-maker in the life of the believer. It is a major contributing factor that moves us from striving to success!

In Scripture, we see that joy:

• Is a foundation of the Kingdom (Romans 14:17) NIV
• Is a work or fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22) NIV
• Is the power to overcome (Nehemiah 8:10)
• Grants us access to His benefits (Isaiah 12:2-3)

The Cross that was set before Jesus was the greatest demonstration of Joy in operation. Jesus endured the most shameful form of death to reveal the greatest display of strength and confidence.

Ways to obtain or increase Joy:

• Staying in the Lord’s presence (Psalm 16:11)
• Meditating on truth (Jeremiah 15:16)
• Obeying His commands (John 15:10-12)
• By the words we speak (Proverbs 15:23)
• Rejoicing (Philippians 4:4)
• Growing in humility (Isaiah 29:19)
• Giving ourselves away (1 Thessalonians 2:19-20)

That’s such a good word! And now, as we celebrate Christmas this week, I want to leave you with this special blessing: “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”  (Romans 15:13 NIV) May you have a very blessed and merry Christmas!

Colleen and I just got back from a two-week sabbatical in the Caribbean. While it was really nice, it’s great to be back. We miss our church a lot whenever we’re gone. We truly love being with you. And that reminds me, how much more must God love being with us since He was willing to lay aside the glory and riches of Heaven, humbling Himself to be born as a lowly babe in a stable? He did that, and faced the horrors of the Cross years later, just to be with us and to give us the opportunity to know Him. In that, He revealed Himself in Christ Jesus as Emmanuel: God With Us!

When I think about the concept of God with us, it blows my mind. How amazing is it that THE Creator of the universe is right here with us…in our midst…not far away or distant?! We can know Him, and the more we get to know Him, the more we discover that He’s a truly amazing God who longs to restore to each of us three major things that we all lack without Him:

Peace, Hope & Joy

Today, I’m focusing on Hope. Many people don’t understand why hope is so important, so powerful, or even what it is. Many confuse it with wishing. But that’s not hope. Hope is a future grounded in the present reality that God is faithful. It is knowing that God is faithful, no matter how much trouble we’re facing in life. Without a doubt, we all come into times when our hope is tested. In those times, we have to ask ourselves whether we’re we seeing the future through the lens of what our culture or the world says, or through what God’s Word says. If we’re looking at our circumstances through any other lens than God’s Word, we’re going to start losing hope. And when that happens, we get discouraged, give up and then get in trouble. Losing hope opens the door for the enemy to get control of our lives.

Jesus (Emmanuel) came to give us a new life of hope and an amazing future. His hope strengthens us on the inside. It has a power to it by the Holy Spirit that will take us through every difficulty in our lives. This strength comes through knowing that:

1. God is for us. “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose… What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:28 & 31 NKJ)
2. God is in us. Have you ever thought about the fact that God lives IN people? He does this in the form of the Holy Spirit. We often forget that God is living inside of us…we think we’re all alone…but the truth is that He’s still there, and He’s greater than anything that’s coming against us.
3. God is with us. Sometimes, things come against us that cause us to really question whether this is true or not. But Jesus came to earth to relate with us – to experience what we experience. He knows what we’re going through. When we face trials, difficult times, He’s right there with us, giving us hope to get through.

Hope also motivates us on the outside, changing us into different people, and causing us to want to make a difference in the lives of others. Don’t you think this world needs more hope? Imagine what it would be like if we all laid hold of the Hope that we have through Emmanuel: God With Us?!

(Listen to, watch or download the entire message here.)

[ Javascript required to view QuickTime movie, please turn it on and refresh this page ]

Click graphic to play video.
(No graphic? You may need to download the Quicktime player.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somewhere in the hustle & bustle and overcrowded malls…
Somewhere in the beautifully wrapped presents and perfectly decorated trees…
Somewhere in the parties, plays and traditions…
Somewhere, Something, Someone has been lost…

The true spirit of Christmas…

Our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ – born the tiniest of babes, in the lowliest of mangers – to be the mightiest of Kings. A glorious King who came to bring us the greatest gift of all – the hope of heaven.

This Christmas, as part of our iCare Christmas Gift to the World offering, we’re making sure Jesus is at the top of our Christmas list. As you add His name to your list, remember that in honoring Him, you can give the greatest gift of all – The Gift of Hope.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Within our community, your Christmas Gift to Jesus will give Hope to those who are carrying the message of Christ’s love to our neighbors and friends – churches right here in our area who are struggling, including Atlanta Vineyard Church, who recently lost their Jimmy Carter building.

The economic crisis in our nation is hitting churches hard, with almost every church suffering a loss in revenue because their people are hurting. This is forcing pastors to make the hard choices of cutting ministries to their community, cutting jobs and losing long-standing properties.

It is our great privilege as a member of the body of Christ to remember that when one member of the body suffers, we all suffer alongside them. We need each other, and the people of Atlanta need all of our churches.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Across the globe, your Christmas Gift to Jesus will give Hope to those who are caught up in the horrifying life of sex slavery in Addis Abba, Ethiopia. In partnership with International Crisis Aid, we will be assisting in providing funds to build a church and vocational training center in the heart of the red light district.

This church, proclaiming freedom in Jesus Christ, will reach out to those in the most desperate of conditions, providing them with hope, help and the message of a wonderful Savior who has given it all because He loves them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for your partnership this Christmas as we commit to putting Jesus at the very top of our lists and bringing Him our very best gift – giving HOPE to our community and our world.

Click here to give online throughout the month of December. (Remember to select “iCare” in the “Add a gift to:” drop down box and type “Christmas” in the comments.) Thank you!

We invite you to join us for:
21 Days of Prayer and Fasting
January 9th-29th, 2010

The Power of Prayer & Fasting

As we enter into a new year, it’s time to honor the Lord with our annual 21 Days of Prayer & Fasting. For many years, as a church, we’ve set apart at least 21 days in the month of January to pray and fast for breakthrough in our personal lives, in the body of Christ, in our nation and in our world.

If you will be joining us, we’d like to send you an encouraging and informative email each day during the fast. These emails will serve to strengthen your spirit as you deny your flesh and will also inform you of the needs we will be praying for corporately each day. If you’re interested, you can subscribe here to receive these daily sources of inspiration.

Types of Fasts - You may choose a “Daniel’s Fast” – a diet consisting of fruits and vegetables, or you can participate in a total fast, consisting of water only, or a liquid fast of fresh juices. Other ways to participate include fasting from television, radio, internet, or anything that you recognize as having control over your life. Fasting is something the entire family can participate in to varying degrees – each person in their own way.

About Fasting - It is much easier to fast while active. Fasting will cause hunger pangs initially, but you will get the energy you need from stored fat in the body. If you are under the care of a physician, please seek his/her advice regarding the level of participation that is best suited to your physical condition.

Why Fast? – Fasting is the most powerful spiritual discipline of all those discussed in the Bible. Through fasting and prayer, the Holy Spirit can transform your life and produce incredible results. Prayer alone is mighty, but when combined with fasting it produces a powerful force against which hell cannot prevail.

Filling Ourselves during a Fast - The secret to being filled with the Spirit of God is first to empty ourselves. Through fasting, we empty ourselves of food so that He can fill us. Food is man’s greatest carnal impulse. Fasting helps you to master this appetite. When you can control the strongest appetite, you can gain control of the other carnal appetites as well. Your appetite acts as a prayer alarm. Instead of eating to satisfy your cravings, you pray. This keeps you focused all day long. We replace pleasures of the flesh with spiritual pleasure. Psalm 34:8 says, “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusts in Him!” Taste is a trigger which sets off certain physical and mental reactions or connections. When you taste the Lord through fasting and prayer, it triggers various reactions in your heart.

Best Ways to Prepare Physically for the Fast – While hunger pangs and weakness can be expected, you need not dehydrate, faint or get sick while fasting. There are several ways to prepare yourself physically for a healthy fast:

Days before the Fast

• Stop eating foods that are high in caffeine or sugar.
• Begin drinking more water than usual.

Day before the Fast

• Eat something small every two hours.
• Avoid foods with caffeine or salt.
• Drink plenty of water.

Final Meal before the Fast

• Plan your final meal early enough in the afternoon so there’s no rush to finish before your fast begins.
• This final meal should contain high carbs and low salts.
• Don’t eat too much, but drink plenty of water

Good Advice for Ending Your Fast – After 21 days of fasting you may be tempted to “jump right back in” and eat some of the foods you’ve missed. However, it’s much better to ease back into your normal eating habits rather than suffer from an upset stomach by loading it with foods it’s not ready to digest. Here are some healthy ideas for ending your fast:

• Begin with the simple B.R.A.T. diet – Bananas, Rice, Applesauce, Toast
• Begin with brothy soups and avoid heavy carbs and proteins
• Eat something small and light every two hours; drink plenty of water

Additional health benefits of fasting:

• The body goes through a natural detoxification process, allowing for the release of poisons and toxins from the system.
• Energy is diverted away from the digestive system due to its lack of use, and instead is routed toward the metabolism and the immune system. This allows for a swifter healing process.
• One becomes more rejuvenated due to an improved immune system, as well as the increased production of hormones.
• The body begins to use its fat stores as an energy source, which positively affects one’s cholesterol levels, blood pressure, and weight.
• Going without food imposes a mild stress on the cells of the body, causing the cells to respond by growing stronger and increasing their ability to cope with more severe stress. This causes one to become more resistant to sickness and disease.

This past weekend, I invited Fusion Pastor Johnson Bowie to begin our newest series, Emmanuel: God With Us with a message about Peace. And, he did a great job, bringing a word we all need to hear regularly. If you missed it (or even if you didn’t), you can get the audio/video recording here. For now, here’s a brief synopsis:

About 2,000 years ago, after about 400 years of seeming silence from God, an angel showed up in a little town in Israel and told a little Jewish girl named Mary that the Holy Spirit would miraculously place a child inside her and that this child would be the Son of God – His name would be Jesus; He would also be called Emmanuel: God With Us.

Because of that, we can know now that God isn’t just “up there” somewhere, billions of miles away, looking at us through some high-powered telescope. No, He’s right here with me and you in the middle of it all. And truthfully, with everything that is going on in the world right now, and everything that’s going on in our lives, we need to know that He is here – God With Us is present, because wherever Jesus is, He brings His peace.

Now, Jesus’ peace doesn’t guarantee the absence of trouble or trials.  In fact, Jesus actually promised us that WE WILL HAVE troubles and trials.  But, He says that despite it all, we can have peace in the midst of it – His peace – knowing God’s presence moment by moment forever.  It’s a deeper peace than the world can offer. No matter what gets thrown at us, through Emmanuel, we can now have:

• Peace with God – Through Jesus, we were reconciled to God.  Before Him, we were lost, filled with shame and either running from God or rebelling against Him. But Jesus came and sacrificed His life for ours.  And now, we’re not just ‘okay’ with God, we’re holy in His sight, without blemish and free from accusation!
• Peace with Others – “Our hostility toward each other was put to death.” (Eph. 2:16 NLT) Through Christ, we are one.  He came to break down the walls of hostility between you and other people – whether they’re based on race, ethnicity, politics, gender or anything else.  We can love our neighbors AND our enemies.
• Peace with Life – Through Emmanuel, we can know God as our Father. When we get scared, hurt or afraid, the last thing God wants us to do is run to someone else, or sit over in the corner crying.  No, He wants us to come to Him like small children, with tears in our eyes, hands in the air so He can pick us up, and we can tell Him everything that’s happened, and somehow, everything’s okay when we’re in our Daddy’s arms.

Today, God is saying, “Stop going to the world for peace!”  The peace the world offers is nothing more than mere pain-killers for our lack of peace.  Alcohol, drugs, pornography, sex, food, TV, internet, relationships, a bigger house, a nicer car… anything to distract us from the reality of our own lack of peace. It’s like hitting the morphine button in the hospital to “make it all go away.”  But those things only work for an hour or a day before reality is staring us in the face once again, and we still have no peace.

Emmanuel offers a peace that the world cannot offer. Are you going to receive it? I can’t tell you that your situation will ever make sense, or that it’s going to get better right away. But, I can tell you that when the storm is crashing all around you, there’s a way to keep the storm from entering your heart… it’s to know that Emmanuel is with you; that you aren’t forgotten; that He will never leave you or forsake you.

GOD IS WITH YOU!

This past weekend, it was great to have my friend, Jeff Hidden, pastor of Victory North Church (one of our sister churches), come and give the message in our services. Fittingly, he spoke about Gratitude, the final brick in our current series, BRICKS: Laying a Solid Foundation in Christ. I, for one, am tremendously grateful for him and his wife, Pippa, for all they have done and are doing in God’s kingdom, and for his willingness to speak in our services this weekend, bringing an excellent and timely word. I’ll give you a brief taste of what he said here, but I really encourage you to listen to or watch the entire message. We all need to hear this word, and be reminded of it on a regular basis!

• Gratitude means being thankful or content.
• There’s nothing wrong with asking God for more, unless, when the “more” doesn’t come, it robs you of your present joy of living. If we’re not careful, the things that God puts in our hearts (dreams, desires, etc.), the unmet future desires will steal and rob our present joy. Without joy, we have no strength.
• If we continue to ask for more without being grateful for the things God’s already done, we won’t enjoy the process of getting the “more,” even when it comes.
• How many of us are thankful for the “green pastures” that God leads us to; or that God restores our souls; that He’s with us regardless of our circumstances; that His rod comforts us; that He anoints us; that goodness and mercy go with us always?
• If we keep going after more and more and more, without stopping to be grateful for what already is along the way, it will suck the life right out of us.
• We don’t enter God’s presence by asking for more. No! We enter His presence with thanksgiving.
• Thankfulness releases the presence of God in our lives. The presence of God brings fullness of joy. The joy of the Lord is our strength. Gratitude is how we become strong Christians.
• If we’re going through a hard time, we need to start giving thanks.
• No matter what your circumstances are, let me challenge you to meditate on the things that are good and noble and right in your life, rather than the things that are wrong, and thank God for them. Then, you’ll experience true joy and have the strength to overcome.
• Let us give thanks in all things!

With the start of the holiday season quickly approaching, Pastor Colleen Rouse hosted the last ChickChat of 2009 on Friday, November 20th.  “I’ve been to a few ChickChats before and they’ve been amazing.” said Alysha McCree as she strolled around the elegantly decorated Victory World Church V1 main lobby “I appreciate the opportunity to be fed by my Senior Pastor, but I really appreciate the opportunity to fellowship and share.”  At 26, Alysha knows many of her peers could use the wisdom, love and sense of camaraderie that can only come from other women.  “If they’ve come this far without having women pour into their lives, they need to be here.”

Of course, no ChickChat would be complete without the awesome work of the Victory Special Events Team lead by wonder woman Catherine Bach, and they did not disappoint!  Beautifully decorated tables offering assorted teas and beverages dotted the V1 floor creating an easy and relaxed atmosphere.  New mom Susan, attending her second ChickChat, gazed around the lobby taking it all in. “My first experience at ChickChat was good.  It gave me the opportunity to learn.” As her sister-in-law, and first time attendee, Marini, joined her, she continued, “I think it is important to get knowledge and learn how to manage life.”  Marini smiled and added, “I just wanted to come and experience it.”

As the crowd, undeterred by the chilly autumn air and threat of rain, continued to file in, Ada Lopez settled back into one of the conversation areas.   When asked why she attends ChickChat she replied “This is a time for us women to come together.  This allows us to be ministered to and grow together.  I feel great after I come.”

Once the sanctuary doors opened, the evening’s emcee, Ashley Sheering, welcomed the audience and got things off to a great start with a tee shirt toss.  Then, the Victory Praise Team took the stage and warmed the crowd up with praise and worship.  After a short video clip featuring people juggling various objects, Pastor Colleen took the stage to deliver her message entitled “From Marginal Women to Women with Margin,” and what a message it was.  Talk about timely.

Many women will spend the next four weeks agonizing over decorating the house, preparing the perfect holiday meal, shopping for the perfect gifts and serving in various ministries, and will find themselves stretched to their limit.  Think about the days leading up to Thanksgiving, for instance.  Wednesday night comes, you’re making your list and checking it twice.  Turkey – check.  Recipe for Aunt Betty’s special oyster stuffing – check.  Ingredients for your very own so-good-it-will-make-Paula Deen-envious pumpkin pie – check.  Circulars for the Friday sales along with maps and store floor plans – check.  Weight Watchers membership information – check.  See what I mean?  By the time the New Year comes you could find yourself suffering from one of three maladies of the soul:

1. Performance Virus – Doing because you should
2. Perfection Infection – Doing because you can
3. Disease to Please – Doing because you must

Do you make Aunt Betty’s special oyster stuffing because you want to or because it’s a family tradition?  If it’s only because it’s a family tradition you may have Performance Virus.  Ask yourself will it really matter if the stuffing comes from a box?  Besides, do you even like oyster stuffing?  What about your pumpkin pie?  Sure you can make a great pie, but will the world stop if the pumpkin pie comes from the local grocery store?  Probably not, but if you’re convinced it will, then maybe you have Perfection Infection.  Must you get up at 3am on Friday to stand in line with a bunch of other stressed out women to fight over a toy your 4-year old won’t remember next year?  If so then you may be suffering from Disease to Please.  Could you be suffering from one or all of these maladies?  Sadly, most of us are, but there is hope.

Pastor Colleen explained that we need to examine our motives in doing for others, and we need to beware of martyrdom.  Ephesians 2:8 says: “For it is by free grace that you are saved through faith. And this is not of yourselves but it is the gift of God.”  Pastor Colleen encouraged us to embrace His unlimited love (Jeremiah 31:3) and embrace our limited abilities (Psalms 121:1).  She also reminded us that we must master the ability to live within the awareness of the Source of our empowerment.  It’s not about balance it’s about focus.

To top off the evening, we were blessed by surprise guest, Valorie Burton, author of the book “How Did I Get So Busy?” Valorie helped reinforce Pastor Colleen’s message by sharing her own insight and giving the audience something to think about when she cautioned that the enemy keeps us busy to get us off track and keep us away from God’s purpose.  A hilarious question and answer session followed, which included tips for managing your e-mail inbox, effective Blackberry use and overcoming Facebook addiction.  By the end of the evening we had learned that we must have fun, tame our tech habits and most importantly, govern our souls.

Afterwards, the “chicks” returned to the V1 lobby to gather in the candlelit conversation areas and (what else?) chat while enjoying specially brewed coffees and delectable desserts, including a tasty chocolate treat that quickly disappeared.

If you missed ChickChat this year, have no fear, the first ChickChat of 2010 is planned for February 19.  So mark your calendars and come expecting to have fun and be blessed! ~ Karla E.

.

.

.

.

.

(click an image to see entire gallery of photos from this event)