Saturday, March 10, 2012

Walls


Walls
            This post is a continuation of my last post in “Finding Freedom”…same concept, just a different way to look at it.   
Throughout most of my life, I was busy building up walls around me. Walls can represent many areas of bondage in a person’s life.  Areas of being bound by Satan’s lies and areas of control are just a couple that I want to focus on.
As a result of the abuse that I suffered and the lies that Satan was putting in my head, I built up walls around me. Each rock in the wall was a lie Satan was using to hold me in bondage. The lies had me trapped in a place that became so familiar to me that I believed there was no way out.  It was like it was a part of me that I couldn’t live without. 
            Satan’s lies can be subtle little whispers or loud bullhorn statements. Things like, “God doesn’t love you”, “God won’t forgive you for everything”, “God doesn’t think you are precious in His sight”, “God can’t use you now that you messed up”, and many more lies like them.
            So, what can be done about the walls that we built up based on Satan’s lies?  There is hope!  We need to identify the lie, take it captive, and replace it with God’s truth.  2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”  Bringing lies into obedience to Christ comes from filling up with God’s Word.
            Those things that you believe that hold you in bondage need to be brought to the surface.  Dive into God’s Word, find out for yourself His truth, and acknowledge what His truths are.  Tear down the lies and replace them with “truth rocks”.  Our walls should be built on God’s truths and we should be able to walk around in freedom on the outside of the walls.  John 8:32 says “Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.”
            Walls can also represent “control”.  Control is a way we can feel secure.  Security is so important to those who have been abused.  Not only in abuse situations, but in everyday happenings, many find themselves wanting control in order to protect themselves.  Giving up control scares us and holds us back from full surrender to God.  We try to get God to do things our way. In reality though, in our minds we think we are in control, but we aren’t. We cannot control all the outside forces that alter our path.
            God is sovereign and he wants us to trust Him for everything, including security.  We need to let go and rest in God.  Psalm 32:8 says, “…I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.  I will advise you and watch over you.”  Throughout the entire Bible, we see examples of God’s faithfulness.  When we draw close to God and allow Him to draw close to us, we find security and peace.  I don’t know about you, but I find it a constant battle, if I am honest, to give up the reins of control.  I found out, though, that the more I surrender and allow Christ full reign of my life, the more peace I have. 
            Growing and trusting are an ongoing process.  The walls I had built up were walls of bondage.  Perhaps your walls are bondage of another kind, not built with lies or representing control.  But no matter what they are constructed with, I encourage you to get into God’s Word and surrender to Him daily.  Put your trust in Him.  He will give you wisdom and guidance in your next steps.