In the October 2018 edition of “Food For Thought,” I included an article that I’d written, “Free to be You! (Part One)”. This is the second part of that article.
God created each of us with purpose and potential.
Jeremiah 29:11-13 says, “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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
Last month, we looked at how things like anger, rejection, fear, and shame, can impact our ability to truly live in the freedom that Jesus Christ made possible for us on Calvary’s Cross.
The first thing that Satan will endeavor to destroy is our relationship with Jesus, but He (Jesus) invites us to come to Him, and He promises that He will listen to us. Also, in Jeremiah 33:3, He promises that He will answer us when we call on Him. That verse says,‘Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.’
In this article, I will look at how the abovementioned, and other conditions, can negatively impact our ability to live the extraordinary lives of purpose and fulfilment, which God intends for us.
John 10:10 says (ESV), “The thief [Satan] comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I [Jesus] came that they may have life and have it abundantly.”
Another Scripture that is important to consider regarding God’s plans for us is Ephesians 3:20-21, which says, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
The next thing that Satan will likely endeavor to destroy is our ability to fulfil God’s plans, and His purpose for us.
Sometimes, things like anger, bitterness, fear, and shame, can keep us from being free to become who we were created to be. Satan may be using any of these, or something else, in any of our lives to prevent us from being fully able to walk in God’s plan for us.
Please give some thought to how Satan may be hindering you from living the life that God has planned for you. Is there any wound or experience from your past that he may be using to de-rail you from fulfilling your full God-given destiny?
If you ask God to reveal any of those conditions to you – that are impacting your life specifically, and to help you to live in the freedom that Jesus Christ purchased for you on Calvary’s Cross, I fully believe He will be faithful to do that.
If you allow Him to do so, the Lord can turn the trials in your past, into a testimony of His grace and His goodness. If we allow Him the opportunity, He is able to use ordinary people to do extraordinary things.
As I’ve shared before, the things that mainly held me back were insecurity, fear, and low self-esteem. I was strong in so many ways – in my love for the Lord, in my faith in Him, and in my desire to love, serve and obey Him.
I’ve lived in the truth concerning my need for Salvation through Jesus Christ for many years, but the rejection that I’ve faced, created a ‘blind spot’ in my life. I was unable to see myself, or my God-given value and potential, for most of my life.
I suspect that most, if not all of us, have them in one way or another. I encourage you to ask the Lord to show you your ‘blind spot’ so that you can experience healing and freedom from it. For some, it may be how they see themselves or others, an inability to trust (because of past hurts that need God’s healing), an addiction(s), or any number of other things.
As with all of our progress on our Christian journeys, our willingness to forgive those who have wronged us, ourselves, or even those we consider responsible for our negative circumstances, will determine our ability to live in the freedom which God intends for us.
My road to recovery and freedom began when I really embraced the message of 1 Corinthians 12:11. That verse says, “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” [Emphasis mine] “Each one” applies to me, as much as it does to anyone else.
God says I have value, and purpose…He says that about YOU as well.
1 Corinthians 12:1-11 tells us about the Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and I encourage everyone to read that passage, and ask the Lord to show you what Spiritual Gifts He has placed within you. Studying that passage, and praying that prayer, started me on a path that would show me that God has called me to be a Communicator and Teacher of His Word; both through writing and speaking.
What has He called and equipped you to do? What activity is it that inspires you to say, “I was born to do this?”
Through the years, I’ve been active in ministry in many different ways, mainly with an emphasis in learning about God’s Word, and sharing it with others. I have filled a number of leadership roles, all of which have required me to rely on God’s strength and His Divine Enabling.
All of those experiences have given me the necessary training that I’ve needed in order to not only obtain the freedom that Jesus has given to me, but also, to live in that freedom once it became a reality for me.
Now, I am truly able to do the things that God had planned for me all along! Since I’ve become free of those chains from my past, I have been able to see things so much clearer. Now I see that I can accomplish all that God has for me to do, and through Him, I am able to become the person that God created me to be.
It is from that place of freedom that the new branch of John 6 Ministries will become a reality early in the New Year…the Bible Study Group that I am telling you about in this edition of “Food For Thought.”
Through the low times in my life, it has been God’s Word that has brought me peace, hope and strength. As I’ve become better acquainted with God’s Word through the years, I have been able to withstand and overcome any struggles that have come my way. At every step, I have been blessed with having loving and supportive relationships with my brothers and sisters in Christ. It is my heart’s desire to help others along in their quest to get to know God better through His Word and His Presence, and to help nurture relationships between others in God’s family.
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” (John 8:32)
“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)
