Standing on Jesus’ Victory

 

                Last week, I was in a place of panic. I was fretting, worrying, struggling to stay afloat. But the Lord reminded me of a truth a dear friend once spoke into my life:
“Stand in Jesus’ victory. He has already overcome. The battle is already won.”

                In that moment, the urge to struggle began to fade. Most often that’s all that is needed. The words of hope . But sometimes it is not as easy. So I asked the Lord for a picture to hold on to for the next wave of fear, and this is what He gave me:

                I saw myself drowning in a swimming pool. Thrashing about desperately, gasping for air and choking. My arms and legs flailed wildly as panic rose, and all around me, people shouted advice: how to swim, which strokes to try, how to save myself. Then suddenly, my toes touched the bottom. It was only a six-foot pool.
                Nothing else had changed. Not the water, not my ability to swim, not the exhaustion or gasping. But in that moment, my fear of drowning changed. Confidence surged within me. I stopped lashing out and began feeling for the floor. Again. Reminding myself it was solid and sure. Perhaps someone would throw a life buoy soon, or help would arrive in another form. But that didn’t matter as much anymore. The moment my toes met the solid floor, I knew deep down: 

I will not drown.

Safety already exists.

Victory is already mine.

            Even now, when I feel like life is overwhelming me, I close my eyes, shut out the noise of advice and criticism, and stretch down until the toes of my faith touch that same unshakable truth:
I stand on Jesus’ victory. He is the solid ground beneath me. I will not drown.

“Save me, O God, for the waters have come up to my neck. I sink in the miry depths, where there is no foothold… I am worn out calling for help; my throat is parched. My eyes fail, looking for my God.”

Psalm 69:1–3

            That passage has echoed in my heart many times. It describes what I’ve come to understand is part of living with Complex PTSD, a condition shaped by prolonged trauma that rewires how I perceive danger, love, and safety. Sometimes, I experience panic attacks, where fear overwhelms me without warning, like being swept under water.

            My psychotherapist taught me a helpful grounding exercise for those moments: Name five things you can touch, feel, see, and smell. 

            It’s a way of anchoring your body in the present moment. It is to remind your brain that you’re safe now. It works. It helps. But beyond that, I also reach down in my spirit. And touch the bottom of the pool. Focusing my heart and mind on Jesus, my Rock. My sure foundation, And the safety net that will never fail.

“God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.” (Psalm 46:1)

David’s many struggles gave him countless opportunities to deepen his trust and grow his faith.
The same is true for us.

“The Lord hears the needy and does not despise his captive people.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭69‬:‭33‬ 

    

                We can pray for God to pull us out of the deep, or we can work with Him in the struggle building the muscles of a steadfast, resilient faith.

“For he will deliver the needy who cry out, the afflicted who have no one to help.” ‭‭Psalms‬ ‭72‬:‭12‬

Note: I share from my own journey with Complex PTSD and panic attacks, not as a professional, but as someone learning to walk with Jesus through the storm. If you relate to these struggles, I encourage you to seek wise counsel and support. Healing is possible.