Merritt Song: #530 It is Well With My Soul Title: Independence Day
Scripture: 1John 4:4, You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.
Shortly after Civil War a Northern woman visited a restaurant in the South. She was waited on by a black woman. Service was careless, listless, inattentive. Northern woman burst out, “Auntie, is this how you treat people who set you free?” The woman’s whole demeanor changed. Her body erect, eyes flashing, voice full of tears she cried, “Oh, Missus, is we free? Is we really free?” Emancipation Proclamation had really set her free. But she was as much a slave for she had not known or believed. Failure to believe meant failure of freedom. Many Christians are in the same plight. At emancipation of Jamaican slaves, a mahogany coffin was made and a grave dug. In that coffin went whips, torture and branding irons, handcuffs and chains. Coffin was buried; thousands celebrated freedom by singing! It’s a picture of the Christian's BURIED past. Even though it’s a free country, there’s still bondage to addictions, tempers, bad habits but Jesus died for our liberty.
2Corinthians 10:4, For weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to pulling down of strongholds. Sin produces strongholds. "Sons of Israel sighed because of bondage, and their cry rose up to God. He heard their groaning and took notice." God answered, but did they really want to be free? "Would that we had died by the Lord's hand in Egypt, when we sat by pots of meat, ate bread to the full. Why did we ever leave Egypt?" God's promise to inherit their own land drew them forward, yet they wished they’d never asked for freedom.
A pilot always looked down on a certain valley. "What’s so interesting about that spot?" asked his navigator. "See that stream? When I was a kid I used to sit there on a log and fish. Every time an airplane flew over, I’d wish I were flying. Now I look down and wish I were fishing." Sometimes we get desperate with the stinky condition of our life and utter dangerous prayers. "Lord, remove anything from me that hinders my relationship with you." God is more than willing; it was His idea to free us! "It was for freedom Christ set us free; keep standing firm; don’t be subject again to yoke of slavery."
But suddenly, our desert is so hot. We feel abandoned, God's promises seem like mirages. We whine and beg to go back to our Egypt. Promised Land is ahead and you will get there; don’t go back! Each trial is unhooking us from what prevents freedom. Israelites were out of Egypt long before Egypt was out of them. Is there a little Egypt still in us? Desert will burn it out. Don't be surprised by heat. Freedom may take longer than we expected. We trust that God keeps working in our life.
SONG: BEND IN THE RIVER OF LIFE
Sin won’t hurt is a lie. 2Thessalonians 2:10-11 says when people don’t love truth, God allows them to be deceived. To be or not to be in denial, that is the question! If someone is doing or saying something that gives a funny sick feeling in our stomach, pay attention. If you’re willing to change your values or convictions just to fit in or get approval, if someone else runs your life, you’ve given up control to a human. If you never feel good about decisions you make, doubting yourself, or if another person constantly puts down your decisions, actions or you, making you feel guilty, something is NOT right. If they are not excited for good things in your life the same way you’re excited for their good, something’s not right. Coming out of denial is freedom to be experienced; the more painful the denial, the more joy in freedom.
Acts 28:27, For people’s hearts have become calloused, they hardly hear and have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, then I could heal them. Denial prevents healing. When we hurt someone else, get hurt by our own actions, or when we wallow in self pity, we need change of mind or attitude. Two church members knocked on the door of a woman who told them she didn’t want to hear religion and closed the door in their faces. To her surprise, the door didn’t close, bounced back open; she tried again, closed the door and same result. Convinced the young people were sticking a foot in the door, she went to slam it to teach them a lesson, when one said, "Ma'am, before you do that, you need to move your cat!"
When somebody tells us truth about ourself, it can produce “godly grief" or "worldly grief." Moment of self-awareness. We’re going along, thinking we’re doing OK, when someone told us; even as words were said, there was a stab in our heart. We’re defensive, argue, fight back, rise up, but deep inside we know it’s true. It hurts, but if it’s godly hurt, it brings us to foot of the cross.
I struggle with sensitivity to people. I grew up relying on how people thought about me for feelings about myself. When they insulted me, you could make me feel bad for days with an offhand remark that cut me down. I read in a book, “No one can hurt you without your permission. No one can make you angry, you choose to be angry.” I didn’t like that! I wrestled. I studied anger in the Bible and God showed me what caused my anger. I told Jesus my anger and surrendered my hurt. Next time someone hurt me, I realized, “He didn't intend that. He doesn’t stay up nights thinking of ways to hurt me; it just comes naturally to humans." Emotional bondage of what people say and do was off my back.
SONG: WE SHALL OVERCOME
There were two Catholic boys, Timothy Murphy and Antonio Secola. They took vows and became priests. Their careers amazed Catholics, but Antonio was a cut above Timothy. Each became Bishop, Archbishop, Cardinal. The Pope died and Cardinals voted. Everyone was surprised to learn Timothy Murphy was elected Pope. Antonio was better qualified! With gall that shocked the Cardinals, Antonio asked, "Why Timothy?" An old Cardinal took pity on bewildered Antonio, "We knew you were better qualified, but we just couldn’t bear the Roman Catholic leader around the world being called Pope Secola because of pepsi-cola." Do church leaders live by what people think?
Worldly grief is hurt, anger and self-pity. It makes you want to run, hide, lick your wounds, or strike back. When Judas betrayed Jesus, Judas felt worldly regret which caused him to commit suicide. When Peter betrayed Jesus, Peter felt godly sorrow which showed Peter his need of Jesus. Corinthians reacted with changed attitude, 2Corinthians 7:11. How earnestly, Paul said, they wanted to be free from this; how eager to face wrongdoing. When Paul says, "what eagerness to clear yourselves," Paul doesn’t mean “make excuses.” When people hurt, even though they admit they’re wrong, their response if it is worldly grief is, "Well, let's drop the matter." But people of Corinth said, "Tell us the whole story, anything you didn't mention? We want to be free of the whole thing." "What indignation," Paul says. How upset with themselves that they had fallen into such tactics. Christians may fall but they get up again, Proverbs 24:16.
Psalm 73:22, “So foolish was I, and ignorant.” David realizes all his complaints before God are problem of his own blindness. Areas of our lives are occupied territories. Galatians 5:16, So first let the Holy Spirit guide your lives; then we won't be doing what our sinful nature craves. Often we’re backwards. If I can just avoid sins, then I’m more spiritual. First yield to God and Holy Spirit changes us. 1John 4:4, You are from God and have overcome them, because the One Who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. Strength doesn’t lie in works of fasting, public duties, donations, resolutions or man, only Jesus’ power.
SONG: ROLL AWAY THE STONE
We no more expect spiritual life of ourself apart from Christ than a man with common sense would fly by swinging arms. Christians fell out of love with sinful magic. Acts 19:18-19, And many that believed came, confessed sinful deeds, and those who had practiced magic arts brought their books together and burned them in sight of all. Why? Because they fell in love with Jesus! Nehemiah 9: 2, Those of Israelite descent separated themselves from foreigners as they confessed their own sins and sins of their fathers. Jeremiah 14:20, Lord, we confess our wickedness and that of our ancestors too. Confessing sins of the fathers frees from generational curses. Especially if there was any occult, superstitions, division in the family. My parents grew up with witch doctors, superstition and occult in Fiji. Place all curses under Jesus’ power. Renounce abuses done against you, neglect and abuse of our childhood, lay that baggage at the cross.
Suppose someone in the past told you "you’re too stupid" or "you’ll never amount to anything." Each time you step out in your calling, you hear, “You can't do that; you’re too stupid." You flash back to negative memory, feel hurt, worthless, bitter. We believed LIES instead of God. Strongholds of thinking opposite to God. 2Corinthians 10:5, "Take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” Fill our mind with Bible verses about who we are in Jesus, precious child of God. Replace false beliefs with God’s word.
It actually causes neurons to grow by making new connections in our brain. If we have hopeful thoughts, brain releases chemicals to alert and help with memory building and concentration. Nerve cells grow healthy dendrites. If we have negative thoughts, our body releases harmful chemicals affecting cells in our body. New research shows resentful, pessimistic thoughts cause "memory trees" in a brain's dendrites to become sparse and thorny. They no longer look like healthy, abundant "branches," say neurologists. Sparse, thorny dendrites are negative strongholds, dark clouds over the brain.
Science has proven the heart contains 40,000 neurons that works in a feedback loop to our brain! We are body, soul and spirit. What we think affects our body. Good chemical or bad chemical. That doesn’t mean to repress feelings by stuffing them, but giving God our unforgiveness, casting our cares on Jesus, and breaking soul ties. Just as two souls can be knit or cleave together in covenant relationship, they can be tied or knit in bondage and enslavement. That is called a soul tie.
1Corinthians 6:16, You know that the person who unites himself with a loose person becomes one body, for it is said, "The two become one flesh." Resolve all past relationships through Jesus’ power. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring to mind every person you need to break soul ties with. Ask God to pull out all hooks between you and them. If you find yourself dwelling on what someone did to you, accept God’s grace to forgive those who hurt you, used you or abused you.
Only through forgiveness can we become free of the past. Self Pity is torment showing I’m still in bondage to this person. If you have been victim of abuse, then forgive people that violated you; forgive yourself even though you’re innocent. It closes the door on accusation from Satan against you. Also recognize if you’re angry at God for what happened. Picture Jesus carrying abuse on the cross so we don’t have to carry it anymore.
This is a woman’s story: Sitting at our bar, looking out the window I admired the huge house with a circular room like a tower. Then I got to work, poured beer, cooked burgers with a false smile, drove home thinking how unhappy I was, my whole life messed up. Only good thing was our kids; I was well aware I was not a good mother any more. My mood swings and temper seemed to run wild. I paid the sitter, gave the kids a snack and sent them to bed. I took my cigarettes, beer, and went to watch TV. The set was on. Noticing Billy Graham on the screen, I searched for the remote. There was no way I was going to watch some preacher!
No remote so I sat back and listened. As Billy Graham talked, I felt something inside stir. He said if I was the only person in the world, Jesus would still go to the cross for me! I began to cry as if my heart was broken. Billy Graham asked people to accept Jesus; I stood up. I phoned the number on TV, a lady answered. I stammered, "I need Jesus in my life." She began to pray, asking me to repeat the sinner's prayer; peace overwhelmed me first time in my life! I had no idea what just happened, but it was good. I cried. Addictions are not always swept away but by God's grace, He did that for me. My husband Dick and our kids thought I had completely lost my mind!
I no longer drank, smoked pot, cursed. Not only they watched me, the whole town wondered if I’d gone off the deep end in religion. At the bar we owned, customers bet how long it would last, waiting for me to explode like the past. But God made me a different person. I listened to my children, didn’t fight with my husband, just prayed for him. After seeing God take control of my life, my son and daughter accepted Jesus while watching Billy Graham with me. My husband accepted Jesus six weeks later at a prayer dinner we were invited to.
14 years later our son got married; he and his new wife moved into that house with a tower now turned into apartments. I went to visit the kids, walked in that tower room, looked across at the bar we sold after Dick's conversion. "Oh Lord, thank You for setting me free!” I said with a real smile. People say Dick and I are different. I’m not perfect, my life isn’t perfect, but God changed me and my family. I always tell anyone who asks, it was Jesus! When Jesus touches you, you are never the same. He will set you free. Free at last.
SONG: FOREVER FREEDOM