Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:1-2
This week, we continue our âPractical Steps for Deliveranceâ Series and weâre focusing on Running Our Race of Faith.
Watch this weekâs video, and grab the scriptures and practical steps below.
May God bless you along your journey to deliverance and in navigating your freedom in Christ Jesus!
Have a healthy & wholesome weekend,
Love you bunches đ
Reference Scriptures
Matthew 11:28-30
Romans 5:3-5
Philippians 1:6
Video Notes
First things First â Decide that Jesus is #1
Submit to Him and make a decision that He is Lord over your life and your #1 priority
Ready to make that commitment? Read the following aloud:
Jesus, I thank You for dying on the cross for my sins and being raised again on the third day so that I may have life more abundantly. I submit my life to You today and ask You to be my Lord and to guide me by Your Holy Spirit. You are my #1 priority and my relationship with You is of utmost importance. In Jesusâ name!
Practical Steps for Enduring in Faith â A Quick Snapshot
Run your race of faith
The one God laid out for you specifically
Throw off any and everything that hinders or slows down your faith or interrupts your focus on Jesus
Resist the urge to approach this process from a place of religion & tradition, legalism, asceticism, or carnality
Allow the Holy Spirit to guide and empower you in this process on an ongoing basis
Remember, your âweightsâ may not be the same as someone elseâs
As you go from glory to glory, the âweightsâ may be different, so be flexible and willing to move with the Holy Spirit
Watch the Video
Calling God up like...
Last week, we talked about the importance of embracing the new you and your new season and being transformed by the renewing of your mind. These are both keys to receiving and walking in the freedom Jesus sacrificed for us to have so that we would be able to serve Him and the Kingdom of God fully. Though we touched on some of these topics a bit last week, I wanted to share the unique experience that often occurs after deliverance (& salvation) specifically, because I recognize that it is similar, but different from the normal process of growth.
Being set free from sin and demonic oppression literally lifts burdens off of you that were never meant to be there, but may have settled in as ânormalâ over time. As such, being set free will uncover parts of you that were hidden or suppressed, and God will restore parts of you that were cut off or blocked from blooming. As we are delivered, we will likely need to get to know ourselves all over again. This does not mean that weâre starting from scratch, but rather that we will likely need to go through a process with Jesus and ourselves to relearn who we truly are.
Once weâve been set free, we must come to Jesus and ask Him, who am I, really? What parts of me were really me? What parts werenât? Some things will naturally go away because they were literally tied to the demonic influence you were under, but there are also nuanced parts of what youâve thought to be your personality that may not actually be a part of who you are.
In addition to learning your true identity in freedom, there may be a re-creation or reshaping of your interests, likes, dislikes, etc. What does this new you like now that sheâs free? How does she spend her time outside of her time with God or working on assignments? How does she dress? You donât have to attack all of this by just sitting down one time and mapping it out. Instead, allow yourself the freedom to curiously and adventurously find out!
You will most likely find that your destiny changes. To be clear, from Godâs perspective, itâs always been the same, but now, your eyes will be opened to see it with more clarity. What you thought you were supposed to be doing with your life may not actually be aligned with Godâs true, perfect plan for your life. His plan is likely bigger and definitely better, hence why you needed to be FREE to see, pursue, and walk in it. This may mean dramatic changes if you were far off course before, or could be minor track changes if you just wandered off the path a little. Either way, allow the Holy Spirit to redirect you and be willing to let go of anything He shows you isnât a part of your destiny. Also, be willing to embrace what He shows you IS a part of Godâs plan for your life!
Finally, (though Iâm sure thereâs more that could be said), you may realize that the relationships you were in only made sense with the you that was in bondage. It doesnât mean that everyone is bad or you are better, but similar to what we talked about last week, if you chose most of your friends, acquaintances, and even romantic relationship while you were under the influence or oppression of a demonic spirit, it very well may be that the true you, who is now free, has little to nothing in common with those you chose before you were set free. Again, this is not one of those, âIâm moving up in life and leaving yâall behindâ points, but rather to say that you may not relate to them anymore, but also, they may not relate to you, the true you, and that is okay. Youâre literally a new person, so you may not even be their cup of tea anymore or vice versa, and thatâs okay, too. And even if you are being tolerated for historyâs sake, thereâs a strong possibility that true acceptance and deep connection may not be there anymore, and thatâs okay.
This is not a post where Iâm here to give you the steps for how to navigate these changes, because tbh, Iâm still navigating some of it myself. However, I just want to let someone know that what you are experiencing right now post deliverance, the learning who you are all over again and the reshaping of your life and interests, the shifting of your relationships⌠itâs normal. Spend time with Jesus and let Him relay to you who you are and also, spend time exploring the new you.
Love you bunches! đ
P.S. You may also see that you have ânewâ spiritual gifts. They may have been there all along, but have only had a chance to surface now that the oppression has been lifted. This is another area to discuss and explore with the Holy Spirit and seek His Will for how He wants you to use them! đ
And then, the TRUE you emerges like...
In todayâs video, we are continuing our deliverance series, where weâve been highlighting practical steps for obtaining and maintaining FREEDOM through Jesus Christ. This week, we talk about the process of being transformed by the renewing of your mind. The mindsets we carried in the world, in sin, in bondage arenât suitable or conducive for the Kingdom of God. So, as we learn the knowledge of God (Kingdom wisdom and understanding), we must undergo an intentional transformation in the way we think in every area of our lives in order to fully walk in our freedom and into our God-given destiny!
I pray this video blesses whoever it is meant to reach. Please like, comment, subscribe, and share with your tribe!
Love you bunches đ
Focus Scriptures
Anchor Scripture: Romans 12:2
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.
Isaiah 55:8-9
1 Corinthians 10:5-6
Philippians 4:8
Proverbs 3:5-6 (whole chapter, really!)
Want to read about the biblical transformation stories I mentioned? Check out the passages below.
Abraham - Starting at Genesis 12
The Israelites - Exodus
Ruth - She had her own book đ
Esther - She has her own book, too đ
Paul - Acts 9
Jesusâ Disciples - Read the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)
Watch the Video
Practical Steps for Renewing Your Mind
Make a commitment to this intentional process of changing your mind and letting go of whatever doesnât align with Godâs Kingdom.
You may not even know what all of this entails at the beginning, but commit to the process of finding out and following through.
Pray and ask God to order your footsteps and teach you His ways. Ask Him to point out mindsets, habits, etc. that wonât be conducive to your relationship and future in Him.
Know that it is okay to not have all the answers at first
It was be a process to bring all areas of your life to Kingdom alignment
There may be a period of time between unlearning the old and relearning the new â itâs okay not to know it all during that time.
God will reveal the things you need to know in His timing.
Guard your ear and eye gates always, but more particularly as God is remolding your thinking in certain areas.
This is not just guarding your gates from open doors to the enemy, but also shielding your intake as you are allowing God to teach you and transform your mindsets in certain areas.
Advice in any area can be good, but it can also cloud your hearing and judgment if you havenât solidified your foundation. It can also create unnecessary noise in the moments when God wants to speak to you directly, so just be mindful.
Take every thought captive and make it submit to the obedience of Christ!
Donât just accept every thought. Actively filter through them.
Eliminate what is not fitting and replace it with correct thoughts that align with what God says.
Ask yourself: Is it noble? Pure? Lovely? Of good report? Virtuous? Praiseworthy? TRUE? If not, refer to the two points above.
Donât conform!
In unlearning the worldâs ways and relearning Kingdom ways, you may find that you are the only one or one of very few (from what you can see around you) thatâs thinking and doing thingâs Godâs way
Resist the urge to shrink back into old ways just to fit in
Resist the thoughts that youâre crazy for believing what God says about things
Resist the urge to let your logic choke out Godâs voice, Word, and instructions!
Trust in the Lord with alls your heart, mind, and strength! Lean not to your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path!
Be blessed on your journey, beloved đđ