walk in liberty.

Liberty (n): The quality or state of being FREE; 

An action going beyond normal limits; 

Unoccupied

Let's face it, there's something in every persons life that requires letting it go. There's always something that seems to hold us back, keep us down, haunt us over and over again, or suck us back in. Who's fault is it? Do we blame God for the things in our lives that ensnare us? Or do we look to ourselves?

Lately I've been going through Psalm 119. The Lord has given me such a strong burden for that passage of scripture. I read it over and over again and become amazed each and every time. It's incredible to see how liberty is shown all throughout that portion of scripture. As I think back on my life before knowing the Lord, I was in bondage to so many things. I tried clinging to the material things of this life in order to feel contentment and joy. There's the problem though. I was trying to FEEL those things, not attain them. There's a huge difference.

I hate the fact that our society has robbed little girls of their innocence. They've tainted their minds, and shown them false love in movies, music, and television. This is the common theme of today: Follow your heart, you won't go wrong. It's sad, because our hearts usually allow us to 'feel things'. In the Christian life, we have NO business feeling anything worth saying it's from the Lord. It says in Jeremiah 17:9, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; Who can know it?" Don't follow your heart...instead, LEAD IT to Jesus, the cross, and to holiness. 

It's a dangerous thing when you tell people, "I feel as though this is right." But is it? Our Christian walk shouldn't be based on emotion, because if that was the case you'd be all for Jesus one day and not for Him the next. Look how wishy washy your relationship with Him would be. But instead, it should be based on TRUTH. Liberty, along with all sorts of different attributes, shouldn't be something we feel but we attain. In Christ, because of His death on the cross and the blood shed we have beautiful liberty. We are free from sin, no longer subject to bondage. 

One huge thing the Lord taught me this semester was that when I woke up every morning I had 2 choices. I could easily begin my day down, discouraged, and walking everywhere, clinging to the lies of Satan OR I can choose truth, walk in truth, and faithfully know that God is on the throne and in Him I am complete. Psalm 119:30-31 says, "I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me, I cling to Your testimonies." 

 

Every morning we have a choice, ladies. We can choose to give in to the lies of Satan and this world, or we can easily choose abundant life in Christ. I know for me, I struggled for a few years with body image. I was daily walking in the lies that I wasn't thin enough, pretty enough, tan enough, bla bla bla...the list goes on and on. So for so many days and weeks and months I wasted my energy, my heart, my thoughts on trying to be better. I did so many things that I thought would alter me and 'make me a better person'. So self focused. This semester at Bible College the Lord really showed me that I was basing my feelings off my circumstances way too much. I had to realize that I had two choices. I could easily believe the lies, or forsake them to be free and chain free. I realized it this way: Jesus took my sin upon that cross, my failures, struggles, things that held me back, they were nailed at the cross on Calvary and He didn't desire for me to walk in them anymore. So, why do I? Why should I? I have the gift of liberty because of what He willingly did for me... what could be better than that? I can easily walk in the paths of truth and righteousness. I'm not saying temptation won't arise, because it will. Satan will try anything and everything he can to kick you when you're seeking the Lord. But that's why diving into the scriptures and saturating yourself in them is so so important. Refute the lies with truth. Light always conquers darkness. 

I came across this verse in Psalm 119 today. Verse 45 says, "And I will walk at liberty, for I seek Your precepts." I love that. I will walk at liberty because of Your word, God! His word gives LIFE. It gives FREEDOM. It gives BLESSING. It gives OPPORTUNITIES. It gives REFRESHMENT. It gives..everything good we could gain from Him. Everything. So, why don't we seek Him more? Why don't we cling to the Word when those lies flood in? Why is it we try and reason in our minds when lies come, or try to argue with the enemy. Flee! Flee far away from that. Any time a lie from Satan tries to enter your mind being praying, meditate on scripture, and recite scripture.

A few nights back I was at my grandma's house and I was all of a sudden so burdened, so discouraged, so heavy hearted. I just cried out to God and began praying. It was way past midnight and I felt like I needed to get up and just pray. He quickly gave me Psalm 16:7, "I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons." God was right there with me, late at night, giving my heart comfort and delight. It's because His word is proven and sure. It doesn't return void.

When we are faced with struggles, temptation, lies, or past sins, we must must must cling to the Word and pray. It's the only defense mechanism that will work. Don't try to reason with the lies, don't try to ponder them, rather, flee from them.

It made perfect sense to me when I came to that realization of two paths in this life. The pathway of truth and the pathway of lies. Common sense right? Yet the Lord really allowed it to hit home to me this semester. I needed to realize that I had two choices, and why not simply choose truth? 

Choosing the truth over the lies has obviously brought rich fulfillment. The Lord has blessed me in this season of my life beyond measure.

What are you giving into each day? Lies? Struggles? Truth? Jesus? Our God is not a God of confusion, nor is He a God who causes anxiety or unrest. The peace that surpasses all understanding will guard us! Seek His peace and pursue it as Psalm 34 says. It brings great delight.

God wants for you to be abundant. He knows your struggles, temptations and past sins. Don't walk in the past, walk on to what He has for you. He has freedom. Don't let the past hinder you, and any sin you are living in now must be abolished before you can walk righteously and abundantly in Christ Jesus.

I'm so thankful that God has freed me from alcohol, self-dependency, abusive relationships, unhealthy relationships, self-worth, sexual sin, and so many others. I can now say I walk in liberty because of what Jesus Christ came to do for me and for my sins. They are no more. I am abundantly blessed that He took them, nailed them, forgot them, and now chooses to use me to minister to those who struggle with the same thing. Our God is mighty, and He is greatly to be praised.

 

"And I will walk at liberty,

For I seek Your precepts."

~ Psalm 119:45