Are We Playing The Role Of The Victim?

ARE WE PLAYING THE ROLE OF VICTIM?

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

I. IT IS EASY TO DEVELOP AND FEED A VICTIM SPIRIT...

ONCE WE ACCEPT THE WORDS, ATTITUDES, AND DEVELOP A THOIUGHT PATTERN...

WE CAN FALL INTO THE TRAP... I AM A VICTIM...

THE WORLD OWES ME...

A. There was a huge OAK TREE that towered over everything that grew around it...

This GIANT OAK TREE was massive and grew in diameter and in height.

What could threaten this MASSIVE TREE?

B. Over the years a TINY LITTLE VINE started creeping slowly up the trunk...

The vine sent out little tiny things called CREEPERS...

The mass of these tiny creepers ... became massive feelers...

Finding their way around the OAK, then up the OAK...

THIS HUGE OAK WAS BEEN TAKEN OVER BY THE LITTLE VINE ONE INCH AT A TIME.

THE VINE SQUEEZED THE LIFE OUT OF THE OAK...

The OAK could no longer receive the light needed to grow...

C. HOW EASY IT IT FOR WORDS, ATTITUDES, THOUGHT PATTERNS TO GROW FROM

SMALL LITTLE SINS UNTIL THERE IS A DEATH GARGLE THAT STRANGLES THE

LIGHT SO SLOWLY THAT WE GRADUALLY YIELD TO SIN AND CONDONE THEN

ACCEPT SIN AS A NORM...

II. THERE GRADUALLY GROWS A VICTIM SPIRIT THAT SMOTHERS THE LIFE OUT

OF A PERSON, A FAMILY AND A CHURCH...

A. DEFINE VICTIM: One that is oppressed, in hardship, or mistreated...

One harmed or hurt by another... one made to suffer by others...

One tricked or swindled or taken advantage of...

B. GROWING A VICTIM SPIRIT IS SO GRADUAL...

1. No body loves me...

2. I am not appreciated as I should be...

3. People are mean to me... CRUEL...

4. I AM OPPRESSED...

Heavy, weigh down, BURDENED IN SPIRIT,

SPIRITUALLY CONSTIPATED... dull, immobile, not active, delayed

5. TO SUFFER HURT, PAIN, AND INJURY... everything is hard

the earth iron... heaven is brass...

6. Everyone you know are HEAD SHRINKERS, people torture you...

C. YOU ARE PUTTING EVERY EGG IN YOUR ENEMY'S BASKET...

III. THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF LEADERSHIP HISTORY FOUND IN

I KINGS AND II KINGS WE NEED TO NOTE...

1. ELIJAH... Faithful servant... successor, chariot/whirlwind...

2. ELISHA... FOLLOW THE LEADER... Gilgal, Bethel, Jericho, Jordan...

3. GEHAZI... THE NEXT GREAT MAN OF GOD...

BUT HE DEVELOPS A VICTIM SPIRIT...

IV. GEHAZI LETS VINES GROW...

GEHAZI ALLOWS HIS EYES TO DICTATE HIS MOODS...

HE BECOMES A MAN WITH A SPIRIT OF FOUL; MOODS...

A. THE DIFFERENCE IS IN YOUR FOCUS

2 Kings 6:14 Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they

came by night, and compassed the city about.

15 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an

host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him,

Alas, my master! how shall we do?

B. GEHAZI SEES:

1. The enemy

2. He has listened to rumors

3. losing sleep, no rest

4. NO HOPE

C. NOW WHAT WE GOING TO DO?

V. GEHAZI GRADUALLY RELEASES TRAITS OF A VICTIM SPIRIT...

A. A VICTIM SPIRIT IS LIKE LEAVEN...

YOU CAN HIDE IT IN THE FLOUR...

B. BUT WHEN THE HEAT IS APPLIED ... THE LEAVEN WILL RISE...

REFUSES THE WORDS OF FAITH...

2 Kings 6:16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with

them.

C. THE VICTIM SPIRIT FEEDS ITSELF...

VI. WHAT TO YOU DO AFTER WORDS OF FAITH ARE RELEASED...

PRAYER SHOULD CHANGE THE VISION...

A. WE NEED OUR EYES OPENED... NOT EYE BALL...

THE FAITH IN GOD

2 Kings 6:17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may

see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the

mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.

B. SHALL WE ACCEPT THE EYE REPORT OR THE FAITH REPORT...

C. ARE WE LOOKING EYES OF FLESH...

CALM DOWN, CLOSE YOUR MOUTH...

D. YOUR MOUTH RELEASES FEAR, FEARS RELEASES NERVE AND MORE FEAR...

VII. SHALL WE SMITE THEM...

THIS IS A FLESH BATTLE? OR SPIRITUAL ISSUE?

A. WE TEND TO SEE ALL OUR PROBLEMS ARE FLESH...

FIND THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM IS IN THE SPIIRIT...

2 Kings 6:21 And the king of Israel said unto Elisha, when he saw them, My father, shall

I smite them? shall I smite them?

22 And he answered, Thou shalt not smite them: wouldest thou smite those whom thou

hast taken captive with thy sword and with thy bow? set bread and water before them,

that they may eat and drink, and go to their master.

B. GEHAZI FOLLOW THE EXAMPOLES BEFORE YOU...

C. GEHAZI ... YOU ARE NOT A VICTIM...

VIII. THE DANGER OF A VICTIM SPIRIT IS YOU CAN NOT SEE THERE ARE MORE