The Secret Prison
Isaiah 61:1 (NLT) The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.
Freedom from bondages is part of our Spiritual inheritance, paid for by the blood of Jesus. Unfortunately, much of the church have yet to step into the fulfillment of Biblical promises.
Are you living in your own secret prison? There are so many ways the enemy can hold his victims captive. Loneliness...even in families and marriages, rejection, a broken heart, guilt, pain, both physical and emotional, isolation, fear, lust, anxiety, sickness, sin and poverty...etc...
The enemy will even lie to you about how different you may be and how you just don't fit in... Ha! The truth is, we were called to be a peculiar people, uniquely designed for a specific purpose that's unlike any other! You are not unwanted or unnecessary! You are deeply loved and needed to advance the gospel and reveal the love of God to a lost and dying world in a way that only YOU can!!
The enemy will place so many obstacles, diversions and circumstances in your path to separate you from God and cause you to become self-conscious instead of God-conscious. He wants to shine the spotlight on your weaknesses and hardships, so that no attention will be placed on Jesus and no praise or worship will be offered to His throne. The Lord loves the worship of His children and He inhabits our praises. Do you want to bring His presence into your mind, character, actions, heart & circumstances? Worship Him!! Give Him uninhibited praise!! At first it will be a sacrifice and may even feel forced. That's ok, just make the conscious decision to do it against everything you're feeling within. Don't stop! Push through the doubt, fear and distractions... He's there, on the other side of your limitations, waiting to set you free from the strong hold of oppression. His arms are wide open and love transcends every doubt and insecurity. The Word tells us to resist the enemy... that means quit giving him your attention and stop yielding to his lies and pressure!
Do you desire change in your life? There are ways to achieve it... study His Word, seek His face and worship your way into freedom. As you do, your focus will change from all that is wrong in your life, to all that's been provided through the cross and the love that made it possible! At that point nothing else will matter but pleasing Jesus and remaining wrapped in His embrace!!
Step out of your dark secret prison into the light of His glory!!! He's waiting and has provided your way of escape!
Psalm 22:3-4 (KJV) But thou art holy, O thou that inhabitest the praises of Israel. Our fathers trusted in thee: they trusted, and thou didst deliver them.
Matthew 26:36 (KJV) Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
1 Peter 2:9 (KJV) But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
James 4:7-10 (NLT) So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come close to God, and God will come close to you. Wash your hands, you sinners; purify your hearts, for your loyalty is divided between God and the world. Let there be tears for what you have done. Let there be sorrow and deep grief. Let there be sadness instead of laughter, and gloom instead of joy. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
