FREEDOM – but still bound?

Although all blood-bought, adopted children of the living God are free from satan’s bondage, we sometimes act as if we are imprisoned by it. Satan lies, telling us we cannot escape.

In the years before animal cruelty stopped much of the use of animals in circuses, we would often see, outside the bigtop, huge elephants tied to a small stake in the ground.  We know the strength of the elephant. We know it could very easily pick that stake out of the ground, with as little effort as pulling a toothpick from a cheerio.

Why doesn’t it?  Elephants are known to have great memories.

Wild elephants are broken in to domestic use when they are young.  They are chained to a huge tree trunk or to a thick iron stake driven deep into the ground.  This stake is physically able to hold the young elephant, despite the elephant’s repeated attempts to escape it. After unsuccessfully trying many times to escape, the young elephant associates the pain with the pulling and it breaks their will to resist. 

This belief is carried into adulthood. When the elephant is full grown, it could easily break free from the small stake to which it is now chained, yet it never even attempts to do so. This intelligent, powerful creature is held captive, not by any physical restraint, but by its own memories and its belief in them.  He doesn’t think he can, so he can’t, and the memory of the pain stops him from trying.

It’s not the stake in the ground keeping him in place.
It’s the thought in his mind that keeps him there.

Why do we continue to be tied to a stake
when Jesus has set us free to soar?

Romans 6:14
Sin shall not have dominion over you

Romans 6:18
Having been made free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness

John 10:10
(Jesus said) I am come that they might have life,
and that they might have it more abundantly.

Are we tethered to circumstances
from which we could easily break free,
if only we believed we could?

1 Corinthians 10:13
God is faithful.
He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able,
but with the temptation will also make the way of escape,
that you are able to bear it.

James 4:7
Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

 

Do we allow our thoughts to be our prison,
or do we set them free to let us soar?

Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world,
but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.

Philippians 2:5
Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus

1 Corinthians 2:16
We have the mind of Christ

Mr Anon says: If you think you can, or if you think you can’t, you’re absolutely right.

Do we fail to act on the promises of God
which enable us (Him in us)
to gain victory over our enemies
of the world, the flesh and the devil,
and all the ‘circumstances’ of life?

1 Corinthians 15:3 
Christ died for our sins. 
–  (for each and every one of our sins)

1 Corinthians 15:57
Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Ephesians 6:10,11,16
Be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.
Put on the whole armour of God
that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Above all, take the shield of faith
with which you will be able to quench ALL the fiery darts of the wicked one.

 

One of the devil’s greatest tools
is to try to erect a stronghold in our mind
to make us think we can’t do something God has told us to do.
That’s why the Bible says in
Ephesians 4:27,
“DO NOT GIVE THE DEVIL A FOOTHOLD.”
If we give the devil an inch, he’ll take our smile;
he will rob us of our joy
– and he has hindered the work of God which He called us to perform.