I AM: A Free Week Eight - Day Four

By Central Women

Ever since I can recall I have had an extremely vivid imagination. My husband calls me a dreamer and with good reason! I watch sweet stories on the Hallmark channel (you know, the ones where the cute couple runs away to a lodge in the mountains and get a Christmas miracle), and I wonder, why can’t something similar happen in my life?

My vivid imagination has not always been in my favor, however. There have been many times in my life that I have found myself paralyzed by fear because I have allowed my imagination to run wild and found myself believing things which were simply not true. I went through a season of my life in which I literally could not sleep at night because I would constantly feel the presence of another being. My mind would run wild with the possibility of all the things it could be or even worse, what it might do to me.

Return to Me became my favorite movie. I found myself in this perpetual habit: try to go to bed, the fear would consume me, get out of bed, go to the couch and put this movie on. With my mind distracted, I would eventually fall asleep. This lasted several weeks until one night. The fear came over me so strongly I felt as if I could not move. Without the option of distracting my mind with the movie, I turned to singing hymns. As I was singing the hymns, peace began to wash over me. I remember so vividly the feeling of fear releasing and it being overcome with the presence of peace. It was as if I could feel myself being held in my Father’s arms.

Have you ever had a time in your life when God met you in a supernatural way?

If you have, you know how amazing and overwhelming it is, all at the same time. Even if you have not had this happen to you, let me tell you what this experience taught me about God’s freedom. Each of us in our different walks of life, experience the captivity of this world in different ways. For me, fear has always been the most prominent.

That night, God released from me the power that fear had over me. I chose to cling to Him and make Him my focus and priority. That was the day I stepped into a deeper intimacy with God and fully knew His freedom. I have both a deeply compassionate and powerful Father.

“The creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God.”

Romans 8:21

What does this verse tell us about God’s power?

Friend, it should bring us a deep sense of comfort knowing that our God has the power to break all chains of bondage and set free the captive. Looking back at this verse in Romans, my first instinct is to revel in just how mighty God is to have this power. The magnitude of His power is nothing to be overshadowed.

Take a moment to let that sink in. This verse does nothing to minimize God’s power to set free. It does not tell us He maybe could set a few captives free and only if he tries really hard. No. It boldly proclaims, “creation itself will be set free.”

Do not miss this! So often I find myself reading through Scripture and get to verses like this and read it with a “well that’s nice” mentality. Let me explain. It’s easy for me to read this verse and think, “Wow God, you’re really cool.” But then, when I am met with having to truly believe whether or not I believe this verse to be true of me in my life, somehow everything changes.

It is imperative that when you read this verse, you don’t just recognize the power of our God on a grand scale. Yes, we must first come to this deep understanding that our God is all-powerful, but it would be remiss if we failed to acknowledge the incredible power at work in us. When we say we believe that God has the power to set the captive free, do you believe that He has the power to set you free?

Why, if God can set all of creation free, would we believe that the sin in our life, the shame we have carried with us for so long is too great for the power of our God?

Now, take a moment and go back to Romans 8:21. Take some time to reflect on what this verse teaches us about the compassion of our God.

This thought may have been a bit hard or seemed less obvious. Let me ask you this, when you think of a corrupt person, what is your gut instinct response to your opinion on this person?

Allow me to take this a step further to explain my point. Imagine the person currently sitting in prison for the heinous act they have committed against a young child. Is your natural bias toward seeing redemption in them and doing everything in your power that they may be set free?

I would imagine I would know the answer to that question, at least for the majority of us.

While Scripture does make very clear God’s sentiment toward such vile acts and that this sin has no place with Him, it also is provocative just how deep God’s desire is for His people to be redeemed and live in His glorious freedom.

This. This is the God we serve!

Reflect:

Take an honest look at your life and reflect on whether or not you truly believe that God has the power to set you free.

Spend time, both in confession and praise, praying that God will continue to reveal His power and compassion to you and for guidance in what your response to this should be.