Freedom in Christ # 3

Today we will look at part 3 of Freedom in Christ. We will start with the physical battle that besieged me.

The physical battle involved what I call “the perfect storm” in my body. Six years ago this month I had a hysterectomy. I had been experiencing hormonal changes but this was different, it wreaked havoc in my body. My adrenal glands were shot, I was a mess. I had taken and also taught Pilates for years, but all of a sudden I couldn’t even get through a work out. I could barely teach one class, but some days I taught 3 or 4 of them. I kept trying to push through knowing something was terribly wrong.

Then…….the anxiety hit me out of nowhere. It was like hitting a brick wall. With the anxiety came some OCD tendencies, especially in my thought life. I felt crippled physically, emotionally, and spiritually. So the long journey began, I felt like there was no end in sight.

I want you to understand that we have an enemy and he does not EVER play fair. He is like the football coach who studies the opposing team’s tapes. He will play them over and over looking for the point of entry so he can attack. Here is what I want you to know about our enemy: He has NO new tricks. If you will recall the list I gave you earlier about the “things” that grip us, you will probably see a pattern.  You will see that the “thing” keeps coming up. If you struggle with food, alcohol, cigarettes, trust issues, fear, anger, whatever your “thing” is, you will see that it has a grip on you. The enemy keeps using it over and over like a broken record, UNTIL you learn how to STAND! Until you learn that you were made to be free, until you learn that you were made to praise Him no matter what, until you learn to meditate on His Word day and night, you won’t be free.

Earlier, I mentioned a hardened or divided heart.  During this long battle God revealed to me that my heart was not right and I had “inattention”. Inattention is simply a lack of attention or negligence. It is basically a failure to pay attention. God helped me to see that this was really the “root” of my problem. There is a danger for all Christians: when you get a little too comfortable in your walk with God, inattention can develop. You can take things for granted, you go through the motions, and you become a “doer” rather than just “being” His daughter. You lose sight of your RELATIONSHIP with God and you are “religious.” Let me add this before we move on:

 If you are not a Christian, I beg you to consider this: Jesus came for YOU. He loves YOU. When He died, He had YOU on His mind. Read John 3:16, and ask Jesus into your heart. It is very simple. He only asks that you believe in Him. Do it today.

I knew I needed wise counsel because I could not make sense out of anything so I went to my mentor. Ladies, everyone needs a mentor and everyone should be a mentor. We have to help each other. There is always going to be someone who knows more and has been through more than you and there will always be someone that you can help because you know more and have been through more. If you will find someone to help it will get your focus off of yourself!

My mentor helped me to see that I was in a spiritual and physical battle. These battles were fierce and there were days I could hardly breathe. I remember one day very vividly. I went to my closet to pray. I took my Bible and read this verse from Nahum 1:13

“And now I will break his yoke from off you and will burst your bonds apart.”

I then laid on the floor of my closet with my Bible open to that passage, my face covered in tears and pressed into the pages of His Word. I needed God to fight the enemy for me. I needed God to break the enemy’s yoke. I needed God to burst the bonds that bound me.  I had loved God and His Word from childhood, how in the world did I get so far from Him? God’s Word says in Matthew 4:4 that we do not live by bread alone but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God. In Jeremiah 15:16 we read that Jeremiah said he ate the scroll. Proverbs 3:8 says,

“It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones”. 

I was willing to do whatever it would take to be restored physically, emotionally, mentally and most of all spiritually. If I didn’t get the last one right the others would not happen. 

Now, PLEASE, do not focus on me. The only reason I have told you this difficult and ugly part today is so that you will truly know:

1. What God has done for me. 

2. That I really do understand what it feels like to be broken and need healing.

Healing requires restoration and God is in the restoration business! Tomorrow we will talk about restoration. For today, ask God to show you what needs to be restored in you. Make up your mind to come into agreement with Him about how to handle any current situation you are struggling with. Let Him lead you because where He takes you is always good for you and brings Him Glory!

Living Free!

Rene’

If you asked Jesus into your heart today, let us know at Interior Inspirations by going to our Inspiration page. Send in your prayer request so we can pray for you and encourage you as you start your new life in Christ today!