Freedom of any kind is not cheap
In the early 1600s England sent over to explore a new land a small group of adventurous people, men, women and children, to go and try to establish a new colony for England.
Very famously, the Mayflower arrived at Plymouth Rock and thus began a difficult journey of establishing homes, businesses etc..
Those early settlers faced death, disease and despair throughout those long, tortuous winter months. But after every winter there is a spring, and the Pilgrims were fortunate enough to have some help from Native Americans and the providence of God and they survived. Over time, they even thrived.
Years passed
50 years passed, the population grew and the businesses were now on their 2nd or maybe 3rd generation of owners. Yet they were still loyal to England and loyal to the King of England.
100 years passed and they were still serving the King of England, even though by now, so many of the inhabitants of this new land had never journeyed to Great Britain and were well established in these new colonies.
150 years passed and the loyalty to Great Britain and the King were waning, and King George III was forcing unsustainable taxes and other harsh measures on the people who made up the 13 colonies.
Many, in their hearts, were grumbling and frustrated with the King and his oppressive tactics, but they were afraid of being labeled a traitor. Eventually, the pressure built and someone finally said out loud what every else was thinking. They had had ENOUGH!
Frustration turned to planning
Men from all the 13 original colonies had to put forth a gigantic effort to begin meeting. Just traveling in those days was difficult, no great roads, horseback or wagon was the only transportation and it took weeks for letters to get back and forth to each other. So it was a monumental task just to get organized.
But they did, and over the course of what had to have been months or years, these men, who represented thousands and thousands of other men, women and children met with this one singular idea:
FREEDOM
Eventually, they wrote what is now the Declaration of Independence. The signed that document on July 4, 1776.
List of Greivances
Within that document, these men took careful time to list, in detail, every issue they had with King George III. They listed a total of 27 grievances and oppressions. These were things that they believed were an undue burden and were very oppressive to their desired way of life.
The followed that list of 27 issues with another paragraph that had only 3 sentences. But oh, how powerful were those sentences.
In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.
Declaration of Independence
It was really a declaration of war
When you read that final sentence in the excerpt above, anyone would have to imagine that the King of England would not take too lightly the idea of being called a tyrant, and being labeled as unfit.
The founding fathers KNEW that when they signed the Declaration of Independence that they were truly, really, declaring war.
And war is what they got. The King, in his rage, sent the entire force of the British military to attack the ragtag farmers who occupied the new land. A slaughter ensued.
Tremendous loss of life. Incalculatable damage and destruction of property, businesses and critical farmland. Loss of fortunes, loss of life, imprisonment – this list could go on and on.
7 long years
It took 7 years before the every person in the British military had withdrawn back to England. While they eventually won their freedom, their homes, their lives, their newly formed country, were in shambles.
Ever since that day, what we now recognize as the United States of America, ever since that day, we have been defending that very independence that our forefathers declared 247 years ago.
WHY?
Why would they do it? Why wouldn’t they avoid all the pain and suffering and just keep paying the taxes? Why risk everything?
What it worth it?
OF COURSE ITS WORTH IT! We live in a free nation because men and women have been willing to die to keep the freedom. That is what it takes. It takes battles, wars, death, hardship to gain and maintain freedom.
As Christians, what does this means to us?
I believe that Christians, followers of Christ, men and women who are counted among those who believe, are living a life of bondage. Yes, these believers will join Christ in heaven one day, but today, they are not living a victorious Christian life. I believe that we as Christians tend to want to hide the things that oppress us because we feel like we should, with the Holy Sprit living inside us, should be able to take on these demons alone.
Instead, we have believers who are buried by the oppressive nature of bitterness, hopelessness, anger, hatred, self-hatred, greed, envy, addictions etc…..
I believe we can learn from our founding fathers and use some of their very own ideas, tactics and courage to take on our own spiritual battles.
STEP 1
First, we must first be willing to say out loud and admit and acknowledge that we are oppressed. This takes courage. This is not easy. But we have to take that first step. We must be willing to admit to the Lord and a trusted friend that we have a problem that requires immediate attention.
I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do, I do not do, but what I hate I do.”
The Apostle Paul writing in Romans 7:15
Our battles are within. We must know that and we also must know that the most prolific writer of the new testament also struggled. So, if you are dealing with an issue, you are in good company and you do not need to wait another second, admit it. Then..
STEP 2
List your grievances. You must be specific. You must be willing to get real. A prayer with no power is a generic prayer. “Lord, forgive me of where I may have sinned.” I prayer that will be the next step towards freedom from oppression is specific and gut wrenching. It is a prayer similar to this one.
“Lord, I am bitter. I am bitter towards live in general. I try to move on but my x-husband or x-wife who left me has caused me to be bitter and angry. My thoughts are consumed with hatred. Hatred toward (him or her) and hatred towards myself. I wanted them to fail and I want them to fail publicly and be as humiliated as I am. I need your help to get through this.”
That is the kind of prayer that gets YOUR attention. You know you are serious when you pray that kind of specific prayer.
The book of Galatians take a few verses to list some of the issues that Christians might have in the way of oppressive issues in their life.
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy,[a] drunkenness, orgies, and things like these.
Galatians 5:19-21
Sexual immorality – pornography, marital affairs, marital bitterness, marital selfishness, marital coldness
Impurity – Thinking inappropriate thoughts that you chase and dream about
Sensuality – other sexual sins and actions
Idolatry – Anything that consistently gets more of your time and attention than your Lord and Savior. Social Media, Tv, the love of money, the mismanagement of money, the hoarding of money, the unhealthy desire for money, etc..
Enmity/strife/jealousy/fits of anger – The unkind way we treat our fellow man. This includes self-hatred, low-self-esteem, or lack of self control
Rivalries/dississions/divisions – This is group hatred and group generalities. Think race, politics, sports.
Envy – the negative way we privately think of others individuals.
Drunkenness – any type of addiction
STEP 3
Get in the position, find a friend that you can trust that will help you and say, just like the writers of our Declaration of Independence did, “I’VE HAD ENOUGH!”
You can look at this from many angles, but here is the point.
You need to know that Satan, his demons, your own flesh, you own bad habits, your own generational strongholds:
THEY ARE UNFIT TO BE THE RULER OF A FREE PEOPLE!
STEP 4
Declare your independence!
Put a stake in the ground and decide from this point forward, you are willing to fight to overcome this oppression. You WILL BE THE ONE in the long generation of parents, grandparents and great grandparents who were alcoholics that STOPPED THE CYCLE and finally broke free from that generational stronghold.
For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds.
2 Corinthians 10:4
Out of my distress I called on the Lord;
Psalm 118:5
the Lord answered me and set me free.
STEP 5
Prepare for War!
Yes, when we declare our independence, we are entering into a war that will never be over in our lifetime.
The one thing that our personal salvation does not do, it does not change the mind of Satan.
He still desires to STEAL, KILL and DETROY.
So, we must prepare ourselves for battle. We must be ready to take up our armor and fight.
The Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end, keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
Ephesians 6:10-18
To prepare for battle, the Bible gives us specific instruction to get ready for battle. The VERY FIRST thing the Bible tells us to put on is the belt of truth. The belt holds everything else together. Without the belt, we are unable to hold the other pieces of armor accurately. What is our greatest source and resource of truth? YES, God’s Word.
We MUST, we MUST, We MUST be immersed in God’s Word. It is imperative. Why? Because if we want to live a victorious Christian life and if we want to be loosed from the bondage of the oppressions that are stealing your joy, then you have to be able to discern between truth and lies.
Our enemy, which according the book of Ephesians are the “rules, authorities, powers of this present darkness”.
The Bible also describes Satan as THE FATHER OF LIES.
If you want to do well in battle with the father of lies, you must first be well-acquainted with the truth.
Breastplate of Righteousness
In those days, soldiers would put on the breastplate to protect their heart. The breastplate of righteousness is meant to do the same thing for our spiritual heart.
In the ongoing battle, we have got to be careful about what we allow to influence our speech, our thoughts and our actions. What we watch, what we listen to, what we read, what we look at – all of that has an impact on our hearts. If we are struggling to overcome a secret sin, then it is wise to begin looking at our daily habits.
Are there things you should stop watching, looking at or listening to?
Can you be MORE DELIBERATE and MORE INTENTIONAL in what you choose to listen to or watch?
Serve others
As we attempt to regain and maintain a joyful daily existences, we must know that we are in a war! We must secure the belt of truth, breastplate of righteousness and all the other armor that helps protect individuals from the onslaught of attacks.
As we are putting things in place to better protect ourselves, we can complete the circle by looking to serve others. As we look outside our own hurts, we will begin to see that others are struggling and hurting, too. As we serve others, our own issues become less of a struggle.
Don’t give up!
When I was in high school, I ran on the track team. I ran the 2-mile race. That race, on a track, it long and boring. Most track events take less than a minute, but the 2-mile race is 8 laps around the track and it takes about 10 minutes.
On my team there were 4 of us who ran the 2-mile event. Usually, on most days, I was the 2nd fastest runner on our team.
One day, though, on a day in which we were competing against 2 other teams and our track team needed all the points we could get to possibly win the entire track meet, I was not feeling up to par. I just didn’t have “IT” that day.
As the race started, I fell back. I began to fall further and further behind and I watched all three of my teammates running hard and running well ahead of me. With some sense of virtue, I began to cheer them on. In my heart I started to say “good for you! You are having a good day, you take up the mantel that I usually carry.”
Suddenly, about half-way into the race, my coach, who had never done this before, walked out onto the track as I was half-heartedly running by.
He clapped loudly in my ears and yelled, “LEE, WE NEED YOU! LEE, WE NEED YOU! LEE, WE NEED YOU!”
With that, I snapped out of my trance and began to work harder. I did NOT come back and win the race. I did not have my personal best. But what I do remember is that I fought through the demons in my head more that day than any day before. I pushed through and sped up and worked hard to earn whatever place I finished. I needed my coach to say those words to me.
WE NEED YOU!
If you are a Christian mired in self-sabotage, weighed down by some oppression, but you just don’t want to get in the fight. You would, as many were doing before the declaration of Independence, just pay the taxes. In our world, its a guilt tax. Many followers of Christ who are being oppressed say with their actions “I would rather pay the guilt tax than to go to war.”
Like I did on the track team, if you need another person in the battle to encourage you, let it be me!
Christian, fellow believer, fellow solider, WE NEED YOU!
We all struggle at times. When we see a fellow believer struggle, fight and eventually come through on the other side to get to a point of daily victory, it encourages ALL OF US..
Keep going! Keep fighting!
Our political freedom was worth going to war over. We all agree the sacrifices were and still are worth it.
How much more worth it were the sacrifices of Jesus? How much more with it is our individual spiritual freedom?
Declare your Independence from oppression today!
