Today Is Your Inependence Day! – Part 1

This is part one of a message I spoke several months ago about breaking free from the things we allow to hinder us from the quality of life that God intends for us to live. I will cover three major areas today and three more tomorrow. Be ready for a life-changing experience!

How rare it would be to find someone who does not have something inside that they would rather keep hidden from the rest of the world, such as deeply personal thoughts, mistakes, embarrassing moments, strange habits or routines, insecurities, etc. These are the many quirks that make us uniquely who we are, but what is ironic is that secrets themselves are not unique. We all have them. To some, however, those hidden inner mysteries can extend much farther to include more serious strongholds of the heart, such as addictions, failures, abuse, bitterness, depression, fear, or extended grief. These private chains can keep us bound and make us feel weak, ashamed, peculiar, or much like a failure.

Our minds are powerful battlegrounds. Satan knows it, and his favorite weapon of warfare against us is deception. He knows that if he can get us to believe anything about God or about ourselves that is untrue, he can deal us some awful blows. If we are not vigilant, we begin to believe that we are defeated and give in to his sly tricks that keep us entangled or enslaved. His entire purpose is to thwart God’s very purpose for you. He wants you to be bound in chains so that he can stop the great work that God has begun in you.

But…

I’m here to tell you that you do not have to be imprisoned any longer to the chains that have you bound. There is One who came to set you free. He paid the ultimate price for you so that you can walk in victory – even today, even right now.

You are NOT defeated. God made you a winner! “You are the head and not the tail. You are at the top and never at the bottom,” no matter what your enemy has drilled into your head. (Deuteronomy 28:13) You are a victorious warrior and not a loser, a wimp, or a nothing, and it is time for you to walk in the freedom that is yours by the power of the Holy Spirit – starting today!

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” Galatians 5:1

While Paul was specifically referring to the adherence of the law in this verse, he was stating a principle that applies to anything in our lives that enslaves us. We can learn how to walk every day of our lives in that very freedom that Christ died to give us.

So, what has you bound? What chains are you holding on to? What is holding you back? What is keeping you from living in complete freedom and victory and accomplishing the great things God has purposed for your life?

Is it possible that we have become so comfortable in our prison that we would rather stay in it than experience the joy of true freedom? It is certainly easier to maintain the status quo than to have to do the work to be truly free. Here are a few of the fiery darts of the enemy that can easily hinder our walk with God as well as how to quench these darts.

The Past

How often have you felt paralyzed spiritually or emotionally because you cannot seem to get over something from your past? Do you have regrets, failures, hurts, disappointments, or shattered dreams that have left you feeling disillusioned or fed up with life? Is there something in your past that keeps replaying over and over again in your mind causing you to feel ashamed or foolish or angry? Are you afraid to take the risk of repeating past mistakes and find yourself virtually paralyzed in life?

Perhaps you might feel that what you have done in your past is too terrible for God to forgive or to be able to turn around in your life. Perhaps there is someone in your past that has taken from you, and you feel empty inside. You feel like you are an empty shell ready to crack under any pressure. Perhaps someone has made you feel insignificant or too dumb to do anything great for God.

The good news is that you do not have to remain buried under your past. You cannot hide anything from God. He is not shocked by all you have done or has been done to you. He knows all about it anyway; so go ahead and tell Him all about it. Open your heart to Him. Release all the pain to Him, and allow Him to set you free! Go to His Word and discover the truths that will smash all the lies of the past that have plagued your mind.

Allow Him to heal your heart and to restore all that was taken from you. He will never reject you. He loves you more than you can imagine, warts and all, and He paid a huge price to set you free. You must be worth an awful lot! He is a compassionate and merciful God. You do not have to walk in the bondage of the past any longer, but He has made a way for you to enjoy the present and have a bright and blessed future instead.

Do not let your past rob you of your blessed future!

Paul said, “…But one thing I do, Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13b-14


“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Hardships

Another area of captivity that can keep us from living in freedom is the hardships of life. There are times that we can feel so overwhelmed by the difficulties in our lives that we cannot seem to move beyond them. Trouble can make us feel like we are suffocating under the pressure. Here are some examples:

• Financial difficulties
• Stress – impossible schedule, car troubles, daily demands
• Loss – death of a loved one, divorce, changes of life, thievery
• Sickness – in ourselves or a loved one
• Catastrophe – accidents, weather, trauma
• Struggles and challenges

And the list goes on and on! Of course, there are many things that we bring on ourselves, and we can feel trapped by the consequences of our choices. But, thankfully, we have a merciful God who brings us through in spite of the mess we have made.

There are also some troubles that are a direct assault by Satan himself, and we need to stand our ground and resist him in the name of Jesus.

However, many of our struggles in life are merely a result of living in a fallen world. The difference is that as Christians, we do not have to be defeated by these things. We also may never know how much God has shielded from us. Thank you Lord!

Where you are hurting, allow Him to comfort and heal your heart. Where you are rebuilding from loss, allow Him to give you strength and wisdom. Where you are stressed, allow Him to give you His peace. Where you are recovering from foolish mistakes, allow Him to lead and strengthen you, but be willing to work diligently.

Where the rubber meets the road is our reaction to and our perspective in such events. God does not cause our misfortunes in life; however, He does allow us to experience things that enable us to grow and give Him the opportunity to demonstrate His glory in our lives. He uses loss to demonstrate His love, grace, and restoration power to us. He is working something GOOD in you! So, rather than stooping in defeat, here is some great wisdom from God’s Word, no matter what you are going through:

James 1:2-4. “Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”


Romans 8:28-29. “And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of His Son…” (That is the purpose.)


2 Corinthians 4:17. “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.”

Understand that your troubles are actually treasures. Give God the glory for what He is doing in your life rather than wallowing in a pile of self-pity and worry. Obey His leading, and be willing to do your part; then He will take up the slack where you have reached your limit.

State of Mind

The attitudes of our hearts as well as the quality of our thoughts will do more to create victory or defeat in our lives than any other thing. What has you bound in your mind?

• Depression, sorrow, grief
• Anger and bitterness, unforgiveness, grudges
• Feelings of insecurity or inferiority, lack of confidence
• Hurt feelings or a broken heart
• The feeling of walking in a dry and barren wasteland, no productivity or purpose in life
• False Beliefs
• Out of control emotions
• Mediocrity, complacency, lack of commitment
• Habits of complaining, arguing, seeing the negative, worry, fear, etc.
• Attitudes

You may not be able to prevent all of these mindsets entirely, but you can put a limit on them and their effect in your life. You can learn to replace them with thoughts of thankfulness, praise, peace, and joy. You can give your concerns to God to bear in your place. He encourages us to “Cast all your anxieties on Him because He cares for you.” (1Peter 5:7)

When we allow the devil to get his foothold into our minds, he has a heyday! Remember, he is nothing but a big fat liar, and “the father of lies.” Don’t believe anything that is contrary to the Word of God. Whatever is plaguing your mind, find the truth about it in God’s Word, and meditate on that until it saturates your inner consciousness. The truth is the only thing that will dispel Satan’s lies, and the presence of the Holy Spirit is what will bring healing from all that ails your heart.

Emotions are a natural gift given to us by God, and they are all are necessary in order to live a full life. But, it was never His will for our emotions to control us or to enslave us. Do not be led by your feelings, but give them over to God to help you transform them according to His Word. Trust in Him and His Word. He is always true, and He will NEVER let you down. When you know the truth, “the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)

Research, meditate on, memorize, and apply God’s Word for your circumstance! Retrain your thinking. It works!

“…and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” 2 Corinthians 10:5b


“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable – if anything is excellent or praiseworthy – think about such things.” Philippians 4:8