For the longest time (like years!) when my husband walked out on me, I saw myself as a victim. I tried not to play the "victim card" to other people and become emotionally handicapped, but if I'm truthful, I really felt victimized deep down. And there was no shortage of people to agree.

Often I wanted to scream, "What about me?! I'm the one who was wronged!! It's his fault! I did not cause this!" Anyone could see I was the victim here.

BUT I wasn't the only victim.

And I'm not referring to my two sons, [then] 6 weeks and 2 years.

As time passed and God began to heal my heart. I started to see the man who left me as a victim too. He didn't suffer from wounds I had directly inflicted on him, but he was most certainly a victim. He had been imprisoned by the enemy.

The truth is, the enemy had deceived him into believing some very bad lies and then he began behaving as if they were true. Pastor Craig says a lie believed as if it were true will affect you as if it's true. That's true. (I hope you followed that!) Now, couple all those bad-behavior-producing lies and fast forward ten years and you have two casualites in a marriage relationship.

As I identified the root of this evil done to me, I learned to pray for my [now] ex-husband differently. I'll admit I prayed hell, fire and brimstone on him for a few days... okay, several weeks... okay, months... ALRIGHT!, maybe a year or two... But when I finally saw the situation for what it really was, I was better equipped to forgive and go on with life through the healing power of Christ.

We had both been victimized by the enemy who seeks to steal, kill and destroy. The liar, the accuser, the manipulator had wrecked more than one heart. I wasn't the only victim, despite what I wanted to believe initially.

Ephesians 6:12, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."

NOT against people.
Not AGAINST people.
Not against PEOPLE.

Yes, people are the ones who certainly make bad choices based on their belief system. Our real struggle is against the powers of this dark [and broken, and lost] world.

My Jesus is the One who will defeat that darkness!

The next time you feel victimized by someone, I challenge you to take a moment to remember who the real villian is...