"When the Chains are Broken" by Karen Cone

I stood in the back of the room listening as my friend taught about shame - that stubborn and pervasive belief that I am worthless, unwanted, beyond hope or help.

When my friend finished, a lady named Rae* spoke, "I want to say something.  I'm going to try not to cry.  My childhood was horrible.  My parents were extremely abusive and should have been jailed for the things they did to me.  But, I am sensing that I am about to be free because of what you just taught.  I am understanding for the first time that it was not me; it was not my fault that I was abused.  I can tell that God is setting me free from this lie that I have believed all my life." 

A holy hush fell upon the room as Rae shared with vulnerability the hope that God was revealing to her.  The gentle cleansing of tears flowed from person to person.  In moments like these, we perceive Him.  Jesus ... He has been there all along, but our eyes now behold reality.  The scales fall away.  We are reminded this material world is not all there is.  Jesus is not just a historical figure for us to study.  He lives.  He moves.  He frees us.

A question pierces my own heart:  Why do I resist the idea that I am broken and need help?  Pride slipped in undetected again.  Why would I let my self-sufficiency keep me from further hope, healing, and liberty?  I feel warmth grow through my neck and shoulders as the Spirit touches the tightness seemed to live there.  Stiffness built through the fear that I had to make things happen or get things done, forgetting His promise, "Without Me, you can do nothing."  God's Spirit wasn't just speaking to Rae about her freedom.  He was speaking to me.

Something happens when chains are broken.  Something greater happens when we are bold enough to open our mouths and say so.  "Declare His glory among the nations, His marvelous deeds among all peoples." I Chronicles 16:24

As we were dismissing, I said to Rae, "Thank you for sharing that.  I could hear God speaking."  Rae replied, "I felt I needed to say it out loud.  I wanted the enemy to hear it."

Amen.  The Spirit moves.  Eyes are opened.  Freedom is granted.  The enemy quakes.

*name changed for privacy purposes

Karen loves to write and lead women's support group.  She is learning to walk in God's grace day to day as well as learning to extend that grace to others.  You can follow her blog at karencone.org

The Force of Prayer By Debra Courtney

The LORD is far from the wicked: but He hears the prayer of the [consistently] righteous (the upright, in right standing with Him). Proverbs 15:29 AMP

Do you sometimes forget that prayer is not a right, but a privilege that we get to participate in from God? God is not obligated to hear the prayers of anyone. He will reject the prayers of the wicked. But he will hear the prayers of the righteous, and he will answer them according to his will and timing.

And that is why I want to pray the right kind of prayers. Don’t you? Yes we can pray to our Father in heaven our own words and what is on our heart, and there is nothing wrong with that; however, we can also pray the right kind of prayers right out of the word of God? I love to pray the Psalms that David prayed and also I pray the prayers that Paul prayed. Sometimes they just have the words that I want to say to my Heavenly Father.  

I have experienced the fact that you can’t wink at God on Sunday and live like you want to the rest of the week!  

People who ignore the warning signs and convection of the Holy Spirit will not be blessed or comforted. That’s just not me. I want my prayers answered. I want the blessings’ of God in and on my life and my children and my children children.

I am more and more intentional to have the right things coming out of my mouth so I can have the right things coming in to my life!

When our rebellion against God gets so offensive, he will laugh and mock us when we do need him. Even our sacrifices will be an abomination to him. I make it a priority to examine my heart and life to make sure that I am in right standing with him. He wants to answer our prayers! I have learned the hard way to just go ahead and humble myself, pray and ask God to forgive me of my sins by confessing them with my mouth. He always hears me and delivers me and then he blesses me! He will do the same for you too!

Prayer is mine and yours greatest weapon on earth! God commands us to pray. He expects it daily.

“ALSO [Jesus] told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not to turn coward (faint, lose heart, and give up)”. Luke 18:1 AMP.

It pleases God when we pray. He wants to be involved in our life every day. Prayer changes things. By prayer the hand of God can move people around you and miracles start to happen!

PRAYER IS A FORCE THAT CHANGES OUR LIVES!

Debra’s life goal is to inspire and motivate women globally to become all they have been created and designed to be by using the guiding principles of their Creator’s word in gaining wisdom, understanding their designed-given personality identities & create their purpose!  You can contact Debra at dwcscc@yahoo.com. 

 

“…, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice…”

                                                      Song of Songs 2:14