To set the captives free, I must first be freed.
I thought for the longest time I was being a good Christian by forgiving those who had wronged me.
Matthew 6:14-15
"14 For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly father will also forgive you. 15 But if you do not forgive other their sins, your father will not forgive your sins"
I took to heart Jesus' words. I called on strength from God to forgive those who had created ugly scars on my heart. He answered and without a doubt I forgave those who had wronged me. I could feel my heart healing from the damage made. The problem came when I focused so much on forgiving others that I completely passed over the end of verse 14, "Your heavenly father will forgive you also". I missed that glorious detail that my father in heaven forgave me too, just as I had forgiven the people who wronged me.
For so long I have held onto the guilt and shame of my sins. I was convinced that the scars of my own sins would shape my life of tomorrow. I found myself wrapped in a blanket of shame and guilt, my pride constantly pulling it tighter and tighter. I hated it, yet I had a death grip on this blanket that I found so much false comfort in.
On three occasions God has spoken to me on this trip with the message pointing to FREEDOM.
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The first was during training camp. One night during worship the leaders asked for people to raise their hand if they needed prayer. My pride kept my hand down. Moments later a leader came up to me and said "God forgives you. He wants you to know that the sins you did in your past are not a waste. He is going to use what you've done to bring you and others closer to Him. He will redeem your past."
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The second was the first night we planned to go to the bars. During worship once again, my contact came up to me and said, "Autumn you are free. You are not the sinful person you use to be. You are a new creation, you're identity is in Christ now and he loves you. The sins of your past have no hold over you anymore, they have no influence on the person that God is creating you to be."
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The last time was during team time a couple days later. My leader asked each of us to spend time with God and ask him what bondage we have, what God says about that bondage, and what I declare through Christ about that bondage. God spoke directly to me this time. "Autumn, you are made new… I've forgiven the past sins, todays sins, and the sins of the future. I break the bonds of sin and set you free! You have nothing to fear because I won't punish you, you are made blameless and holy, there is no sin for me to punish, silly. I love you!" I declared that day, "I am a woman free from sin! I am a child of God, I am God's daughter! I am worthy of unconditional love from God my Father!"
It took God's great love and affection towards me for him to gently unwrap that shameful blanket and instead wrap his blanket of forgiveness around me.
This captive has been set FREE through Christ Jesus, I am here to proclaim this same freedom to the captives God sets before me.
Galatians 5:1 "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let your self be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."
1st John 4:18 "There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love"
