If we want to know how to live victoriously in Christ, then it is vital that we understand two things: our identity and our theology. Insecurity stems from a misperception of who we are and a misunderstanding of who God is. And when we’re ruled by insecurity, we make decisions based on fear instead of faith.
If we were to step fully into who God made us to be, believe who He says we are in Christ, and have faith in who He reveals himself to be in the word, then we would live victoriously every day.
That’s a bold statement, I know. But if you stop to think about it, can’t every insecurity be traced back to a lie we believed about who we are or about who God is? That was Eve’s problem when she partook in the forbidden fruit.
It was my problem when I searched for love in all the wrong places. And every other time I played small, kept quiet when I should’ve spoken up, and shied away from what God was calling me to do.
I’m sure you’ve had plenty of instances where you believed a lie about yourself, maybe something someone spoke over you from a place of their own brokenness. Or you looked around at the circumstantial evidence and built a case against yourself as a failure who can’t get anything right.
To live victoriously, we also need a right view of God. We have to see Him as He truly is, or our thinking about everything else in life will be skewed.
The Connection Between Theology, Identity, and Victory
A.W. Tozer said that what comes to mind when you think about God is the most important thing about you. Said another way, your theology shapes your identity. For example, if you say you’re a failure, then you’re saying God made a mistake with you. But that’s impossible because biblical theology says that God is perfect and never makes mistakes.
Theology is just a fancy way of saying the study of God. It’s an attempt to understand the nature of God. But our source of theology has to be accurate. There is no better resource for determining who God is than the Bible. It is a book all about God!
If we’re only listening to preachers, going off of our experiences in church, or seeing Him through the lens of our earthly fathers, we’ll be off base. But when we sit at His feet and let Him share His heart with us, that’s where we cultivate a proper theology.
When you’ve believed lies for so long, it’s a struggle to snap out of that. Old ruts are hard to get out of. But not impossible. God can do anything!
Here are some practical steps to understanding your identity and theology so you can let go of that defeated mindset and walk victoriously, bringing God the glory He deserves.
- Seek the truth
- Study the truth
- Speak the truth
Seek the Truth for Your Identity, Theology, and Victory
The first step to victorious living for Christians is to seek the truth of the Bible to find their identity and theology. Discouragement and defeated thinking come straight from the devil. He feeds us all kinds of lies about who we are and who God is. We will believe those lies if we don’t know what is actually true.
That’s why it’s so vital to spend time in God’s word if we want to live victoriously.
(Read: How to Avoid Being Beguiled by the Devil)
We’ll never fully comprehend the greatness of God or know everything about Him. But He reveals himself within the pages of scripture. He shows us what He thinks, feels, desires, and plans. When we read the Bible through the lens of seeking to know who God is, He opens our eyes to His character.
If you ask God to show you what He is like before you begin your daily reading, He will. That’s a prayer He delights in answering. You better get a pen and paper handy, because you’re going to want to capture the attributes of God He highlights for you!
2 Tried-and-True Ways to Know Jesus More Intimately
3 Reminders as I Grow in the Knowledge of Jesus
Hebrews 11:6 KJV – But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
Study the Truth for Your Identity, Theology, and Victory
Reading the Bible is wonderful, and a great place to cultivate a proper understanding of who we are in Christ, and who God is. But we shouldn’t stop at surface-level knowledge. We should dig deeper and discover the treasures of truth that God reveals to us as we diligently seek Him.
Bible study may seem intimidating if you’ve never done it before, but focusing on three things can simplify it for you.
- Context
- Compare scripture with scripture
- Culture
You can also add the fourth step of consulting commentaries to see what Bible scholars have to say about the passage, but you should save that one for after you’ve already done your own digging. If you’re a born-again believer, then you have the same Holy Spirit within you. He is your teacher, so let Him guide you into all truth.
How to Study the Bible
For a more detailed description of how to study the Bible, check out these posts I’ve written on the subject. Or you can subscribe via email and receive the complete 17-page guide to studying the Bible that I wrote and offer for free.
3 Study Tips to Sweeten Bitter Scriptures: Dealing with difficult bible verses
Bible Study for Busy Women~ 20 Minute Word Study
3 Questions to Ask When Studying the Bible
Speak the Truth for Your Identity, Theology, and Victory
Not only do you have to seek and study the truth, but you also have to speak it to truly step into the victorious life God desires you to have. Our words are powerful. (Prov. 18:21)
When we say things like “I’ll never get it right” or “I’m a failure” then we’re speaking death over our lives and operating from a place of defeat instead of victory.
But if we belong to Jesus, then we are not victims! We are more than conquerors, (Rom. 8:37), and overcomers. (Rev. 12:11) So the next time you’re tempted to throw a pity party and complain about your problems, choose to recite scripture instead. Speak the truth of who God says you are!
We can’t be one-sided though and only affirm our identity in Christ. We’ve got to speak the truth of who God is to combat victimhood and walk in victory. Things like God is the creator, sustainer, provider, protector, deliverer, miracle worker, and chain-breaker. He can do so much more than we can even imagine.
God is mighty, my friend. Don’t limit His work in your life because of your disbelief. Seek, study, and speak the truth of your identity in Christ. Gain a biblical theology. Allow God to transform you and help you live victoriously today!
Next Steps to Living Victoriously
Those are just the very basic steps to living victoriously in Christ, but not all we need to do. Being an active member of a local church for sound doctrine, fellowship, accountability, and prayer is also essential to our growth and godliness. Every believer needs that support!
We also need a consistent prayer life, giving everything over to the Lord in order to walk in victory. Discipleship is another step to growing in your knowledge of God and stepping into the new creature He saved you to be.
Repentance of sin is also a necessity for spiritual growth. We have to shake off those old chains that Christ died to free us from! Victory is ours, friends!
More on spiritual growth:
10 Qualities of a Good Steward
How to Have a Sober Mind Daily
What is the Will of God for Your Life?
11 Surefire Ways to Stunt Your Spiritual Growth
What Does it Mean to Walk in the Light
10 Key Scriptures for Spiritual Growth (KJV)
Free Devotional in my Resource Library
Need free tools for spiritual growth? Then subscribe with your email address to get access to my resources page!
It has my “7 Days to More Peace of Mind” devotional bundle: 7 devotions, scripture lists, quotes, and poems, on the topic of worry. I’m selling 7 Days to More Peace of Mind as an eBook on Amazon, but I’m offering it to my email subscribers for FREE!
The resource library also has my “How to Study the Bible” handbook. It’s a 17-page guide with step-by-step instructions, study sheets, study guidelines, and more! If you would like to dig deeper into the Bible, this free resource is for you!
I have also included other Bible study worksheets, beautiful graphics, printables (like scriptures for a sober mind), bookmarks, and more.
To tap into all the goodies, just enter your email address in the “subscribe” section of this page.
When you do that, you will get a confirmation email with the password to my Resource Library. Then you will also receive my blog posts in your email inbox.
Have you already subscribed to Daily His Disciple? Just email me and I will send you the link and password!
Get a “My Jesus Journal” for Spiritual Growth
I also created a journal to use alongside your daily Bible reading. My Jesus Journal helps you learn more about Jesus and cultivate a closer relationship with Him.
It has space to record the date, the scriptures you read, and lined spaces to write your observations about Jesus. The bottom of that page has a verse from the KJV Bible about Jesus. The next page has space to write prayers related to what you discovered in your reading.
My Jesus Journal aids us in our quest to learn and love and know Jesus more deeply.
Beautiful, portable, and affordable!
If you are looking for help to grow in your knowledge of Jesus, build intimacy in your relationship with Him, and deepen your love for the Lord, then My Jesus Journal is just what you need!
Beautifully designed with your spiritual growth in mind, I sized My Jesus Journal to fit into your purse, backpack, or diaper bag. You can grow on the go when you use wait times in the Doctor’s office, the carpool line, etc. for Bible study.
My Jesus Journal is extremely affordable. Purchase one for yourself, or consider buying one for your entire ministry.
It makes an excellent gift for any Christian woman in your life!
ORDER MY JESUS JOURNAL HERE!
Pray With Confidence
Prayer is vital to living victoriously. If you desire a stronger prayer life, then check out Pray With Confidence. It’s a website for helping women overcome prayer obstacles, and I am one of the regular contributors.
I was recently featured on the list of 75+ Fabulous Christian Blogs by Pray With Confidence. I’m so honored to be listed among so many wonderful writers! You can read that article here: 75+ Fabulous Christian Blogs
Here are some other articles I think will be a blessing to you:
3 Short Prayers for Spiritual Stability