We all struggle a lot with those chains that we don’t even realize are there. These unseen chains deceive us into thinking that our life of bondage is normal, acceptable, and sometimes even necessary. *It’s hard to believe that sometimes we even “depend” on these chains to bring us a false sense of security, worth, and control. But in essence, they bind us.
Lies keep us in the dark, turning us away from God.
Ungodly vows keep us from trusting God. Instead, we trust in ourselves, or we let other people or events dictate whom or what we will trust in. These vows are often associated with guilt, shame, self-blame/hatred, self-performance, burden, anxiety, fear, etc. What a contrast to the His “vows” and His way of life for us … He brings love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Gal. 5:22).
Even after being a follower of Jesus for 25 years, I still struggle with unseen chains. For me, most of my chains were forged and shackled on me through childhood/adolescent years. Perhaps I was most impressionable in those years. I also see some chains shackled onto me in the painful seasons of my life, those times when I was reeling from a dramatic event and was looking for an answer … I looked into myself or let the experience define “truth”/reality for me.
Satan seems to wait for the most vulnerable times in my life to shackle me.
Against Satan and all these chains, I see Jesus. He is Light. There is no darkness in Him. He is truth, and He sets me free. I’m learning to find freedom in Gal. 2:20 … to die to myself daily and to find life as I trust more and more in Jesus. Rather than building my life upon lies, I’m seeking to build upon His promises.
And so, we look forward to seeing our church family running towards Him. Fallen chains are strewn across the field. Laughter and joy fills the air. We’re free.
Posted by odpcsermons 