The mighty Spirit of Lord Yahweh is wrapped around me
because Yahweh has anointed me,
as a messenger to preach good news to the poor. He sent me to heal the wounds of the brokenhearted, to tell captives, “You are free,” and to tell prisoners, “Be free from your darkness.
Isaiah 61:1
The Last few devotionals we've talked about The Lord, His character, and who He is to us. The next couple of weeks I want to start diving into who WE are. Why it is important that we walk out our new identity and what that looks like. To start lets look at why it is crucial for us to become healthy believers, walking out our faith the way the Lord wants us to.
Once we have believed and accepted Jesus as our savior we have been given a new Identity. We have been given a new purpose. Before, in our old nature it was all about us and what we wanted everything was independent; separated from Christ. Now as new creations we no longer desire what the world does, we are in pursuit of what the Lord wants and desires of our lives. We have been given a new name, a new nature, no longer sinners but saints. We have been given all that we need to walk closely with God. Abundant living is ours if we choose it.
There are times when we choose to put on our old nature and choose to do what the world is doing. Sometimes we choose ourselves over the goodness of the Lord. We may choose to walk in bondage to the sins that once held us captive. It is very easy to choose something that satisfies for only a moment. When we are not free or continuously choose sin over new creation living we can not walk in the calling and purpose the Lord has for us. It's very difficult to offer something we do not have.
"If we do not know who we are we will be ruled by our feelings and our fears and doubts."
- Mike Petzer, Such a Great Salvation
At one point in my life I was actively choosing sin. I knew it wasn't right, I was so caught up in it and it was destroying me. I was not walking out my new Identity. It felt like I was far from the kingdom purpose the Lord had for me. During this time of choosing my desires over the Lords I had also signed up to go to three different countries that summer. I was funded so quickly I could hardly understand it. I knew I wanted to go but also knew that what I was doing did not line up with the word. I even asked the Lord how he funded me so quickly when I was actively choosing to sin. He still wanted me to go because although I was choosing to disobey Him I still belong to Him. He is still my Father, there is still purpose, calling and identity. I am still equipped to share the gospel and set captives free.
Though all of that is true I knew that I needed to be free from what was holding me captive. If I was going to minister to these people about salvation and freedom I had to become free. So I did just that, I began to remove the thing that held me. It was really hard but I knew that if I didn't I would not be successful for the Kingdom work set before me. I would have carried it with me and it would have been very difficult to share the Gospel and declare freedom over these people who so needed it.
We have to get free and become healthy in order to minister well to those around us. It's possible to minister to people when we aren't healthy but then it comes from our own strength and not the Lords. A lot of the time when we operate from our own strength it can cause more hurt and push people away. Living as a new creation, and putting off our old nature day by day we will be effective for the Kingdom. The Lord has positioned and purposed us to set captives free because of what He has done for us. Our testimony moves in power as we continue to walk out our freedom.
I will walk with you in complete freedom, for I seek to follow your every command. -Psalm 119:45
When I chose to repent and walk in freedom I entered into such a sweet time with the Lord. Every night in Cambodia instead of sleeping in my sweaty hammock I was up all night praying and worshipping, letting the Lord refine me. When the morning came and we set out to minister in this village I was refreshed and ready to say only what the Lord wanted me to. I didn't draw from my own strength and I didn't let my thoughts take hold of me. I was walking in freedom and saw so many set free from their bondage. The Lord wanted me to choose healing before I left the country to these people and He held me close to Him as we journeyed through more healing. Unbelievers need Christians to be healthy, If we aren't spiritually healthy we will look more like the world and less like kingdom people.
My prayer for you
Thank you Lord for freedom by the blood of Jesus, we have been made free from sin. Lord we do not want to misuse that freedom. Reveal to us what we need to surrender to you in order to be effective for the purpose you have called us to. Let the words of our mouths flow from your spirit ministering to those around us. We don't want to do it in our own strength but by yours. We say yes to spiritual health, hold close to us. Lord may our desire line up with your desires for us. We say yes Lord, we accept the invitation to your love. Lead us into deeper repentance and use us for your kingdom. In Jesus Holy and precious name
amen.
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