Isaiah 48:17 (NIV) “This is what the Lord says – your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: ‘I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.’”
Galatians 5:25 {NIV) “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.”
Galatians 5:1 (NIV) “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.”
Proverbs 4:23 (NIV} “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”
You’ve read the materials in THE BONDAGE BREAKER and STOMPING OUT THE DARKNESS, participated in THE LORD’S PRAYER JOURNEY, and found freedom in many areas. Now what? You have taken many steps along a life-long journey that transforms you day-to-day to make you more like Jesus so you can reveal Him to others. And this discipline is a process the Lord delights in having customized for you.
The key to your journey is TRUST. As Proverbs 4:5-6 (NIV) tells us, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him and He will make your paths straight.” Remember, you can trust God. That is what first drew you to give your life to Jesus and accept Him as your Savior. Your Savior has been active in your life for years, guiding you to this place. He won’t leave you to figure it all out by yourself now. He has promised in Isaiah 48:17 that He is ready to show you how you should go and what you should do. He won’t forsake you and will teach you and strengthen you more and more.
What’s your first step? Establish a daily routine of meeting with the Lord in prayer. It’s easy to think, “What can I bring to this time?” What the Lord wants is to build a deeper relationship with Him. You know Him as Savior, but He may want to reveal through devotional Bible study and prayer that He is your provider, healer, champion, miracle worker, and much more. Sometimes, He wants you to slow your pace by waiting on Him. Mostly, He wants you to reflect and meditate on what He is showing you through study, prayer, sermons, and Christian fellowship to continue transforming you. Ask Him daily what He would have you participate in, what pleases Him about you, and what He invites you to grow in.
The Bible tells us in Proverbs 27:17, “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” This is an important key for your new walk in freedom. The Lord may change your associations so that you have an iron-sharpening friend who can help you on your walk. He or she may be acutely aware of your temptations and can pray with you to avoid slipping back. These friends often point out how Jesus strengthens you and exhorts you to toss out more false beliefs that ensnare you. They may encourage you with the newfound identity that Jesus Christ has prepared for you. The Lord may remove detrimental relationships, establish you with 1 or 2 new friendships, or place you with many people with various gifts and talents. In that case, you will have an opportunity to receive much prayer, truth, wisdom, courage, understanding, and growth in your character. You will also grow in your gifts and talents as you sow back into others!
As a newly serious believer, I found myself in a ministry with a woman who truly believed every word in the Bible was absolute truth no matter what I believed. When I would make one of those self-deprecating “I always” or “I never” jokes, she would say, “No, Mary, my Bible says that you are… (fill in with one of your Identity in Christ scriptures like “part of a royal priesthood,” “a child of the King,” “wonderfully and specially made with days fashioned for you”). Get the picture? She was the iron that helped me grow in truth and identity in Christ Jesus. I could receive her kind corrections, and she did not hold back. The Lord had planned it that way!
Make it a habit to consciously “put on” your spiritual armor, found in Ephesians Chapter 6, to face each day. Change your environment! Avoid places, people, and things that numb your spiritual senses. Instead, fill those empty times with worship music, Bible podcasts, Christ-honoring media, and fellowship with other saints. If the Lord has broken off bondage to an issue like unforgiveness, addiction, depression, negativity, codependency, control, etc., be assured that He will give you strength to fight when temptation arises again. Prayer partners, counselors, pastors, and spiritual leaders can join you in the battle. They will help you identify and resist the enemy by praying poignant scriptural truths against the enemy’s condemning lies. They will use the Sword of the Spirit of Truth and help you by locking Shields of Faith together. You can recognize the Helmet of Salvation you received from your Savior and place it over your mind by choosing to refute those fiery lie darts from the enemy. Wearing your Breastplate of Righteousness means you no longer identify as a sinner; you are now a holy, righteous one in Christ, worthy of all the Bible says you are - a holy, beloved child of God, a sanctified vessel good for His use. The breastplate protects your heart from jealousy, unforgiveness, fear, and greed as you wear it, understanding that your righteousness is in Christ Jesus. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal any wicked way in your life, and He will continue to keep you clean through conviction of any sinful thoughts or actions. Imagine the Belt of Truth around your waist, helping you to discern good and evil, right and wrong, and to guide your choices and actions. You have been given an understanding of salvation. The Holy Spirit will now expand your walk into abundant life in Christ, wearing the Sandals of the Gospel of Peace.
As you go through various seasons in life, you will find that the Lord is always there for you. He truly is worthy of all your trust! As Paul reminds us confidently in Philippians 1:6 (NIV), “…He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
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