Victory Verses – Page 3 – REACHING HURTING WOMEN MINISTRIES

In MY VICTORY VERSES, we will explore key Bible verses that have shaped my life recovery journey since 2005. After sharing how these verses impacted me, we will dive into their meaning and how they bring lasting victory. This column publishes on the 3rd Friday of each month in 2025.

“The Father has delivered and drawn me to Himself out of the control and dominion of darkness and has transferred me into the Kingdom of the Son of His love.” — Colossians 1:13 (Paraphrased)

There was a time I never thought I’d see the light again.
The darkness I was living in wasn’t just circumstantial—it was spiritual. It was emotional. It was consuming. I wasn’t just surrounded by darkness; I was under its dominion. Controlled by fear, shame, and pain, I found myself in a jail cell—a place I never expected to be. But it was there, in that very place of confinement, that I was delivered.

Delivered not just from my situation, but from the kingdom of darkness itself.

This verse—Colossians 1:13—marked the turning point of my life. It became my anchor, my confession, my declaration of hope. It spoke what I couldn’t yet fully see: that God had already made a way out. He had already rescued me, and He was drawing me into something far greater—the Kingdom of the Son of His love.

Jail didn’t save me. Jesus did.
And in that dark place, I found light.

What had once been a pit of despair became holy ground—because it was there, I cried out to the One who heard me. I was afraid, yes. But I knew there was no other way. No other hope. And the Lord met me in that desperate prayer.

That’s the miracle of deliverance.
It doesn’t wait for you to clean yourself up.
It meets you where you are—and carries you into a kingdom of love, light, and everlasting victory.

Reflection Questions:

- Have you ever felt under the control of darkness?
- What did it look like for God to draw you to Himself?
- How can you share your story of deliverance with someone who may still be in the pit?

Victory Confession:
The Father has delivered and drawn me to Himself out of the control and dominion of darkness and has transferred me into the Kingdom of the Son of His love. I am no longer under the power of fear or shame—I walk in the freedom of His love and light!

🎶 Grave Robber by Crowder
This song has echoed the cry of my heart from the very beginning of my recovery journey. When I say I was delivered from darkness, I mean it literally—and Grave Robber puts that miracle to music. I pray it stirs your heart with the same hope and victory it brings to mine.

⬇️ Watch below and let the truth sink in.

In MY VICTORY VERSES, we will explore key Bible verses that have shaped my life recovery journey since 2005. After sharing how these verses impacted me, we will dive into their meaning and how they bring lasting victory. This column publishes on the 3rd Friday of each month in 2025.

The Call That Sounds Impossible

The call to live a holy life can feel overwhelming—maybe even impossible. If we’re honest, it can even sound boring or restrictive. But God never asks us to do something He hasn’t already done Himself. And He never calls us without also empowering us.

If we truly desire to obey God, we must be willing to make an effort—to take intentional steps toward the life He’s inviting us to live.

Two Extremes I’ve Lived

I’ve lived on both sides:

- The reckless, unholy life of a heathen
- And the rigid, rule-following path of a legalistic believer

Neither one is the holy life God calls us to. His way is different. It’s not about rebellion or religion—it’s about relationship. A holy life is one that reflects the heart and character of the One we follow.

What Does a Holy Life Look Like?

Back in 2007, while studying 1 Peter 1:13–16, I found some notes in my Life Application Study Bible that I wrote down on a 3×5 card. These three simple points have anchored me ever since. Let’s look at them:

1. Gird Your Mind

Equip, prepare, and fortify your thinking.
Be alert, focused, fastened, and disciplined.

“So think clearly and exercise self-control.”
— 1 Peter 1:13a, NLT

2. Guard Your Heart

Protect what influences you.
Be watchful, devoted, determined, humble, and set clear boundaries.

“Don’t slip back into your old ways of living to satisfy your own desires. You didn’t know any better then.”
— 1 Peter 1:14, NLT

3. Guide Your Lifestyle

Let your actions reflect your calling.
Be dedicated, set apart, obedient, and holy in how you live.

“Now you must be holy in everything you do, just as God who chose you is holy.”
— 1 Peter 1:15, NLT

These three directives build upon each other:

- You can’t guide your lifestyle if you haven’t first guarded your heart.
- And you can’t guard your heart if you haven’t first girded your mind.

Each step is foundational to the next.

One Step at a Time

If this all feels too big, here’s the truth that helps me most:

Do the next right thing.

Holiness isn’t about having it all together—it’s about being set apart for God, moment by moment. Not perfect. Just present. Just willing.

A Gentle Reminder from God

As I was finishing this very post, two little Carolina Wrens began building a nest in one of my patio plants. These sweet birds have followed us for years—from a kitchen window in Louisiana to a prayer altar in Texas, and now here in Florida. I’ve always felt like their cheerful song sings, “With You, With You, With You.”

It’s as if the Lord sent them again today to gently remind me—and maybe you too—that we’re not walking this path toward holy living alone.

He is with us. Always.

Worship Response

If you need a quiet moment to sit in God’s presence and let this message settle in your heart, I encourage you to listen to the song “With You” by Elevation Worship. Let it be your prayer today—just to be with Him, wherever you are.