BREAKING CHAINS

What CHAINS are holding you back?

What CHAIN has held you captive all these years?

When I think of CHAINS, I think of imprisonment. I think of captivity. Of being held away from our freedom.

One definition of the word CHAIN says:

Something that binds or restrains; bond. Shackles or fetters; bondage; servitude

Two key words popped out to me when I read these definitions.

RESTRAINS: meaning – To hold back from action; to keep in check or under control.
SERVITUDE: meaning – Slavery or bondage of any kind.

Often times, we don’t realize that we have allowed that FEAR, ANXIETY, WORRY, STRESS, HURT, UNFORGIVENESS, ANGER, DEPRESSION, BITTERNESS, GRIEF, LONELINESS, SICKNESS, DOUBT, INSECURITY, and ADDICTION to keep us chained up. There are so many more that I didn’t list that also do this very same thing. We are chained and held imprisoned from living a fulfilled life.

We are restrained, held back from being able to take action in moving forward in life. We live in the past hurt and pain, and don’t see that the past has now become part of our present living. We are essentially under control by our thoughts of what took place. We are under control by that addiction that tells us, we…can’t…break…free. We believe the lies of insecurity and doubt, and believe there is no way we can do better or amount to more.

These very same chains keep us in servitude. We have become slaves to our worries and stress. We are slaves in our own bodies to that bitterness, depression, grief and loneliness. We allow that sickness to dictate the life we have left or even the life we can live. We allow illness to tell us we are limited and unable. We are living in bondage unable to break free from it all because WHY? We are too consumed by that which has held us in captivity for far too long.

When Jesus died on that cross, the blood that shed from his innocent body, a body so flawless, that blood shed so that we would never have to live in captivity from our sins. He died so we could LIVE again. He died so that EVERY CHAIN could be broken. He died so WE could be FREE. FREE from illness, unforgiveness, hurt, and everything that attempts to hold us in chains.

This reminds me of Samson. Here was the strongest man to live, broken and chained. His powers were completely lost when they captured him, cut off his hair and imprisoned him. But in one moment, a moment where Samson realized he may have been in captivity, held against his will, weak and blind, he called out to God once more. Samson may have been a bit stubborn in his ways, but he recognized that it was GOD that strengthened him. In Judges 16:28 it reads, “Then Samson prayed to the Lord, ‘Sovereign Lord, remember me. Please. God, strengthen me just once more.’ “ This one prayer was all he needed. God heard and delivered. He strengthened Samson and with that great strength, Samson defeated those that held him captive.

Imagine for a moment if we would just call out to God and say, “Father, I am weak. I am hurting. I need you. Deliver me from these chains. Break me free from these restraints. Father, strengthen me in my weakness and give me what I need to overcome that which has held me captive.”

When we pray this prayer, God listens. And He WILL deliver. We must believe what we ask for with a whole heart. Trust God with our circumstances and allow Him to take over. My dear friend, it’s time to break free from all those restraints. It’s time to hear the beautiful sound of BREAKING CHAINS. It’s time to allow our Savior to deliver you from what’s held you captive for far too long. It’s time my friend, to be FREE.