“When your back is against the wall, try knees on the floor.”

But unto Hannah he gave a worthy portion; for he loved Hannah: but the LORD had shut up her womb. And her adversary also provoked her sore, for to make her fret, because the LORD had shut up her womb. And as he did so year by year, when she went up to the house of the LORD, so she provoked her; therefore she wept, and did not eat. And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed unto the LORD, and wept sore. Then Eli answered and said, Go in peace: and the God of Israel grant thee thy petition that thou hast asked of him. Wherefore it came to pass, when the time was come about after Hannah had conceived, that she bare a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, Because I have asked him of the LORD.

I Samuel 1:5-7, 10, 17, 20

“I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for that day.” – Abraham Lincoln

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:6-7

Too often, we wait until we find ourselves in a desperate situation before we begin to pray. Prayer becomes our last resort when God intended it to be our first response.

Prayer should be a lifestyle. When we develop a consistent habit of spending time with God, our natural response to difficulty begins to change. Instead of immediately focusing on the problem, worrying about what might happen, or trying to figure everything out on our own, our first thought becomes God.

His power to change the circumstances of our lives is unmatched.

Prayer is a powerful spiritual weapon, but it is also a place of fellowship with God. As we spend time with Him in prayer, something begins to happen within us: our focus shifts from the problem to the Answer. The situation may still be there, but we are no longer looking at it from the same perspective.

Prayer is also a two-way conversation. We pour out our hearts before God, but we must also take time to listen. As we quiet ourselves in His presence, He can speak wisdom, direction, encouragement, and solutions into our hearts.

We don’t have to pray from a place of fear or desperation. We can pray from a position of faith. Our prayers can be firmly rooted in God’s Word and in the promises He has given us. Instead of rehearsing everything that could go wrong, we remind ourselves of what God has said and trust Him to be faithful to His Word.

When we turn to God first, the enemy’s plan immediately begins to lose its influence over our thoughts. Fear gives way to faith. Confusion gives way to direction. Anxiety gives way to peace. Instead of allowing the circumstances to determine our response, we allow God’s Word to determine it.

So don’t wait until your back is against the wall to discover the power of prayer. Make prayer your lifestyle today.

And when your back does end up against the wall, remember—try putting your knees on the floor.

Give God the first opportunity to move in your life.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

Matthew 6:33

Victory Action

When I face trouble, difficulty, or uncertainty, I will go to God first. Before I worry, react, or try to solve the problem on my own, I will pray, stand on His Word, listen for His direction, and trust Him to work in my situation.

“Don’t focus on how strong the enemy is; focus on how strong God is inside of us.”

Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

1 John 4:4

Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:37-39

[God] disarmed the principalities and powers that were ranged against us and made a bold display and public example of them, in triumphing over them in Him and in it [the cross].

                                                                                                                               Colossians 2:15 (Amplified Bible)

First John 4:4 reminds us of a powerful truth: the Greater One lives in us. His strength is our strength. When we are facing pressure, opposition, or spiritual attack, that truth should become the focus of our attention—not the size of the problem or the threats of the enemy.

Isaiah 26:3 says, “Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.”

God never promised that there would never be storms around us, but He has provided a place of peace in the midst of the storm. When our minds remain fixed on Him, our perspective begins to change. Instead of being consumed by what is happening around us, we become conscious of the One who is with us.

And when it comes to God and our enemy, there really is no comparison.

The more time we spend meditating on who God is, what His Word says, and what He has already done, the smaller the enemy becomes in our thinking. The circumstances may not have changed yet, but our perspective has—and that makes all the difference.

Have you ever believed something that wasn’t true and then suddenly discovered the truth? It can feel as though something shatters inside you. Suddenly, you can see clearly. What once seemed convincing loses its power because the truth has exposed the deception. Once you recognize the lie for what it is, it can no longer influence you the way it did before.

That is what happens when we turn our attention back to God and His Word.

The enemy may try to magnify the problem, create fear, or convince us that defeat is inevitable. But when the truth of God’s Word becomes greater in our thinking than what we see or feel, deception begins to fall apart.

We remember: God is with us. The Greater One lives in us. His strength is our strength.

So when the storm is raging, don’t make the storm your focus. Don’t magnify the enemy. Keep your mind stayed on God. Remember who He is. Remember what He has done. Remember what He has promised.

When God becomes greater in our sight, everything else begins to take its proper size.

God is with us—and in Him, we have the victory.

Victory Action

I will intentionally focus my thoughts on God and His Word, reminding myself that the Greater One lives in me and He is bigger than anything the enemy can throw at me. When fear, pressure, or opposition comes, I will choose to magnify God instead of the problem and trust in His strength, peace, and victory.

“Be more persistent than the devil.”

 

¹And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint; ²Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: ³And there was a widow in that city; and she came unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. ⁴And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; ⁵Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.

Luke 18:1-5

In conclusion be strong—not in yourselves but in the Lord, in the power of his boundless resource. Put on God’s complete armour so that you can successfully resist all the devil’s methods of attack. For our fight is not against any physical enemy: it is against organisations and powers that are spiritual. We are up against the unseen power that controls this dark world, and spiritual agents from the very headquarters of evil. Therefore you must wear the whole armour of God that you may be able to resist evil in its day of power, and that even when you have fought to a standstill you may still stand your ground. Take your stand then with truth as your belt, righteousness your breastplate, the Gospel of peace firmly on your feet, salvation as your helmet and in your hand the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. Above all be sure you take faith as your shield, for it can quench every burning missile the enemy hurls at you. Pray at all times with every kind of spiritual prayer, keeping alert and persistent as you pray for all Christ’s men and women.

                                                                                                                        Ephesians 6:13 (Phillips Translation)

In this life, we face an enemy who may seem relentless in his attempts to discourage, distract, and defeat us. But his power is far more limited than he wants us to believe. One of his greatest weapons is deception—trying to convince us that we cannot overcome and that victory is beyond our reach.

But the truth is, Jesus defeated the enemy through His finished work on the Cross. Our victory has already been won. Our responsibility is to stand in that victory and refuse to surrender the ground Christ has given us.

James 4:7 instructs us to submit ourselves to God, resist the devil, and he will flee from us. We are not told to run from the enemy—we are told to stand firm and resist him.

Stay persistent. Keep your heart and mind anchored in God’s Word. Continually declare who you are and what belongs to you through Christ. Refuse to quit when circumstances tell you otherwise.

Victory belongs to Jesus, and through Him, we can walk in that victory every day.

Victory Confession

I will not quit or give up. I will not surrender any ground to the enemy or allow defeat to determine my future. I will stand firm, keep moving forward, and persist in faith until I walk in victory.

“The Word works when we work the Word.”

This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

 Joshua 1:8  

Don’t get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you’re going. And don’t for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you’ll get where you’re going; then you’ll succeed. Haven’t I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. God, your God, is with you every step you take.”

                                                                                       Joshua 1:8 (Message Translation)

Joshua 1 takes place after the death of Moses, as God prepares Joshua, Moses’ assistant, to lead the children of Israel forward and complete the assignment that had been given to them. God encouraged Joshua to be strong and courageous and showed him that the key to success and victory was to keep His Word continually before him.

The same principle applies to us today. We must keep our eyes and hearts focused on the Scriptures. As we meditate on God’s Word and put it into practice, our spirits are strengthened and our minds are renewed. The Word helps us recognize God’s will, walk in His wisdom, and move forward with faith and confidence in His plan for our lives.

Victory Action

I have made the decision to study God’s Word, apply it to my life, and live by its truth. Today, I will put the Word into action.

“Our source of strength in prayer is remembering and speaking forth past blessings.”

⁴One generation shall praise thy works to another, and shall declare thy mighty acts.  ⁵I will speak of the glorious honour of thy majesty, and of thy wondrous works. ⁷They shall abundantly utter the memory of thy great goodness, and shall sing of thy righteousness.

Psalm 145: 4-5, 7

³⁷David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, he will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.

1 Samuel 17:37

Did you know God told his people when they experienced a victory to build a memorial and when they pass by it they should tell their children about what God did for them? Seems like celebrating past victories was important to God. Now He didn’t say stay there forever. He didn’t say to get stuck in the past and stop moving. NO! He told them when you come this way remember. He has more victories for you!

When I have a hard time getting into the place of prayer, (let’s face we all have those moments) but I have found one of the quickest ways I can get the the river flowing is to begin to remember and thank God for what He has done for me. The last thing I ever want to be is unthankful. I don’t want to ever forget how He has saved me, how He has healed me, how He has provided for me. I want to testify of God’s faithfulness to help others that are struggling. But I know there is more! As I am faithful to remember and speak those things, I know that it will release more victory in my life.

Victory Action

 I will speak forth in faith how God has blessed me in the past.

“God is mindful of me and my house.”

 

¹²The LORD hath been mindful of us: he will bless us; he will bless the house of Israel; he will bless the house of Aaron. ¹³He will bless them that fear the LORD, both small and great. ¹⁴The LORD shall increase you more and more, you and your children. ¹⁵Ye are blessed of the LORD which made heaven and earth. – Psalm 115:12-15

“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him.” – Jeremiah 17:7

They replied, “Have faith in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved! This is also true for everyone who lives in your home.” – Acts 16:31

God has put many promises in His Word to bless us! There are promises for household salvation, protection as well as financial blessings. If you want to see these powerful promises work in your life, you need to put them in your heart and speak them out of your mouth.

 

Victory Confession

God will bless my house.  God always has me on His mind.

“You can have a Positive Faith Attitude.”

 

²And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Romans 12:2

¹³I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.

Philippians 4:13

 

We can recognize when our attitude begins to shift toward negativity. When that happens, we need to notice it quickly and have a plan for how to respond. Maintaining a positive FAITH attitude means continually building ourselves up with the Word of God. The Bible says that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word. When we put God’s Word in our hearts each day, we have what we need to overcome negativity and remain positive.

Victory Action

 

God’s Word is the source of positive faith attitude. Therefore, I will renew my mind each day in God’s Word.