Day 23

I started the One in a million study I was given by a freind, and it has really hit home with me.  Wow.  God really knows what we need.  Week one is titled Shackle Free as I open to read the 1st part I see an elephant standing on a small ball, ???  As I read Priscilla tells a story about taking her children to a circus, they wanted to see the elephants more than anything.  As she gazed at them she noticed they were behind a tiny fence, chained to a ball.  Both of which the elephants could easily take down or drag around.  Her 3 yr. old ask  "Why doesn't that big old elephant tear down the fence & escape to freedom?"  Then her question became "Why don't the people of God, who can tap into so much devine power, break through the barriers that keep us from experiencing an abundant relationship with Him?  Why do we hesitate to push through to freedom and abundant life?  Identifying that which keeps us from entering into a powerful and life altering relationship with God will help determine how to over come our bonds.  The elephant couldn't break through the fence until he gained freedom from the chain.

OT pics. foreshadowing NT realities:

Pharoh-Satin
Egypt-life of bondage to sin
Moses-Jesus Christ
Cannan-abundant life in Christ

Exodus1:8-14

As I read the above scripture I saw myself in the same conditions the Israelites faced in bondage, but for me it's spiritually.  I could personally relate to the phrases, such as how the taskmasters were over them to afflict them with hard labor, serve with rigor & made thier lives bitter with hard bondage.  Taskmasters have been assigned to us, knowing our strengths and weaknesses.  Burdening each of us to the point where we no longer feel passionate about being people of God.  He desires to convence us that our freedom in Christ is a dream.  In Heb. 12:1 this passage says "the" sin, it's a specific and personal affliction that is unique to you.

She writes about the curse of origional sin. Rom. 5:12, Gen. 3 Adam & Eves..saying just as Adam & Eve forfeited the place of utmost fulfillment and abundance, all those who refuse to pursue freedom from the curse of sin forfeit the place of "milk & honey"-fulfillment, freedom, satisfaction, contentment and overwhelming joy.

Moses became a powerful symbol of God's grace.  Only one can unshackle us from the curse and consequences of origional sin.  We are bound to soul slavery should we ignore God's untimate deliverer: Jesus Christ.  Then she refers to Rom. 10:9 and has a prayer.

I rededicated my life to the Lord at Free Chapel in Gainsville, Ga  December 26, 2009.  Since then the Lord has shown me so much and is growing me in Him.  I have come to realize He desires to work on me and get me through some things I need to deal with...things that I had just swept under the rug and ignored, because I don't know how to deal with them.  Things & feeling I relive on a daily basis sometimes.

The next paragraph of the book is entitled, get ready for this....THE MIND GAME.  I can feel the chain around my leg now!  She says "living in freedom depends on our response to the devils mind games."  He makes us feel hopeless.  It's not long before we give up on the idea of really experiencing God in our lives.  We begin thinking liberty from lifes messes is more fiction than fact.  Before we know it we are more and more entangled in a web that is slowly takin the life out of us.  She says the enemies plan is to keep you in his web so you can never journey toward the soul-cleansing freedom the Lord has for you...exactly right.  As I read this I can relate and really understand and relate to what is going on with me.  Tonite end by offering youself to the Lord & honestly expose your rebellion, discouragement, and fatigue to the Lord. 

My Prayer:
Lord I offer myself to you...all of me & every situation in my life.  Clean me up & use me up in your Kingdom for your Glory.   I have given you things & taken them back, in effort to try & fix things on my own for lack of faith and or fear.  I know that I myself can't fix any of these issues/problems, yet in trying I have become discouraged...I get impatient when I hand it to you and things don't seem to happen fast enough or I don't see any progress or things seem to be getting worse.  Insted of trusting in you and your timming I get discouraged and take this stuff back...I act wrong, say bad or wrong things.  I get angry, bitter & sad.  Ofen making the situation worse I imagine.  Lord, I am so sorry...I am so tired, worn out, discouraged & depressed.  If I had to discribe myself in one word right now it would be BROKEN!  I feel so broken, I just don't know how much more I can take, yet I know you won't put more on me than I can bear.  Lord I trust you & I believe your word and promises, yet I act like I don't.  I am sorry, I know you forgive me & I know we'll get through this.  Please help me to be patient and find peace in these situations while trusting in you, Jesus.  I do not want to take these things back & try to handle them.  I can truely understand Rom. 7:15 &19...For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do not; but what I hate, that I do.  For the good  that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.  I don't want to take these things back, they are a weakness or stronghold/bandage.  Lord I know & believe that Jesus died so I could live and be free.  I am believing in Jesuses blood for my deliverence and freedom...for my life to be lived more abundantly for you Lord.  In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Scriptures I read about my problem...

1 John 1:8; Romans 6:4,7:17-18, 7:20, 7:23 &25, 8:3, 8:15;  Math. 11:28;  Gal. 5:17; Php. 3:12; Heb. 9:4;  2 Cor. 4:16;  Eph. 3:16 and 1 Peter 3:4

Some of this is my opinion and view of myself and mylife...some is from Pricilla Shirer's study, One in a million.