So He brought His people out with joy, His chosen ones with singing.
Psalm 105:43 ESV
When we are in the bottom of the pit, we cannot yet see the joy which awaits ahead.
The slave within us cannot hope for the freedom it feels is beyond its grasp.
He knows.
God’s Word is full of the overflow of His heart for His people:
freedom
love
blessing
hope
future
mercy
grace
and yes, even joy.
If you have been a slave for longer than you can recollect, the concept of joy can be a startling one to accept.
Freedom can take some getting used to, not because you don’t see it. but because you haven’t yet accepted it is yours.
The Israelites spent 40 years of wandering around in the desert, when the route God had had for them was only months long. Because they couldn’t escape their mindset of slavery.
Slavery brings along depression, whining, complaining and rebellion when it lingers & takes hold.
Unless you believe all of you is set free, including your mind, you may return to the bonds God has set you free from.
For the battle is won on two fronts:
by His actions, and our acceptance.
God has completely set us free through the one time action of Jesus dying on the cross.
The legal bonds of slavery have been obliterated for all eternity.
Hallelujah!
The mental bond to slavery is the one which we need to break, through our acceptance of His act of freedom- regardless of whether we can see or not.
It was finished – His action.
It is finished – our acceptance.
When we agree with His freedom, and align ourselves to show our acceptance…we remove the last tether to the chains God has already broken off of us.
When that happens, we go out with joy, knowing we are His beloved, singing Him the songs of love welling up within us, filling the expanse where freedom now reigns.
The battle is ultimately won through Jesus, but conquered in each of us when we accept the truth…
He is the freedom we seek,
we are the vessels He longs to remake & restore.
It’s our choice whether we allow Him to finish the freedom for which He paid the ultimate price.
Our minds need to choose His freedom, agree with our Maker, and allow the fullness of all He has for us to fall upon us.
When we are overflowing with love, we long to be with the one we adore. We long to serve them, because they show us their care & devotion in all they do as well.
We are no longer slaves.
He has served us first with the offering of freedom, hope & a future, and awaits for us to take and eat, sip from the cup, and begin to live free.
If the slave mentality is lingering because you have severed that last tie, the one trying to lure you back in….
Begin to pray.
Worship Him.
Call on His Name.
Proclaim the truth, in Jesus you are no longer a slave.
Speak out your true identity, free one in Christ. Chosen, Beloved.
Cut the cord of the lie tying you to the former things which are no more in His Kingdom.
You are His.
Sing out your thanks as you soak in His Words of hope, truth, love.
Shout your freedom from the rooftops at full lung capacity.
Go and walk in joy as He leads you out, once and for all, into the Promised Land in His Presence.
KARLA LEES 