REST in Freedom

Last week, I believe I received a word from God upon which I envisioned a release of a huge spiritual army and a great pressure that was being felt in the body of Christ as the commands of God were being carried out. Everywhere, chains that had bound His children were being broken apart with great force. They were falling to the ground and when they hit the ground, the sound rang LOUD! This was not a quiet event and a message to the enemy that he could not have what was His; a reminder to the enemy that he is already defeated!! As they walked and lived in their freedom, their loved ones and people around them were being supernaturally released from their bondage.

This week I believe I received another word from God that ties in with this. I envisioned a slavemaster. He held a whip and was seeking to "whip" and " and "enslave again" those who were walking in this new freedom. I saw people chained together at their hands and feet beside the slavemaster. The ones that had stepped out into this new freedom were walking and moving forward up a small hill away from the place of enslavement. The slavemaster was whipping his whip outwards as they moved further away. The immense pressure of the attacks of the enemy and the climb up the hill (although small) was becoming very labouring and intense. Suddenly, there was a supernatural uplifting of the ones that had stepped out in faith and they were brought up over the hill into the Mighty Presence of God. At the top of the hill, there was a light that shined intensely bright and although it could not be "visually seen", in it and through it was the Mighty Fortress of God.

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Today, I was led to read an online copy of a book written by David Wilkerson (author) which really tied into things. He painted a fantastic picture of FREEDOM IN CHRIST...

During the American Civil War, Abraham Lincoln used his war powers to issue the Emancipation Proclamation which was a legal document that declared "all persons held as slaves within any State or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free".

Although the news of this freedom spread, many of the slaves did not believe it. I am sure many of the slave masters told their slaves it was not true, a false promise. But as former slaves began walking about in their new freedom and the ones who had not been convinced witnessed this, they began to turn their backs on slavery and began to walk away to a new life.

When Jesus Christ died on the cross at Calvary, He emancipated ALL slaves to sin. Just as when Abraham Lincoln released the slaves from their bondage, this "issue" of slavery died. The slavemaster nor the slave died, but what this meant was the slave could walk away FREE. But, although he HAD freedom, he had to choose to STEP OUT and LIVE in that freedom. The slave was not forced to comply with this new freedom nor did it mean the slave master could force him to return if he chose freedom.

So also has God given us ALL the freedom to walk away from the chains of bondage and slavery if we choose and enter into a new life of freedom.

Romans 6:1-11 says "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. For he who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord".

Last week, I believe I received a message in Hebrew which I interpreted to mean "Go into His Impenetrable Fortress". As those who choose to step out into this new freedom, the enemy will come to harass, threaten, and attempt to deceive us back into enslavement with compromise and great temptation. For some he may come with great fury in anger at losing those that best "showed off" his power to keep in bondage. He will pound on them with one severe temptation after another, to shaken them in the hopes of breaking them down. In Luke 22:31 it says "Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat".

But God promises in 1 Corinthians 10:13 that "No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it".

It's pretty clear that we won't be left alone to battle! God's help is there if we need it. God gives us His Word.

"So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and His glory from the rising sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him". (Isaiah 59:19)

God sees the chains being broken, He sees His people stepping out in faith and walking forward towards Him. Prayers are being answered and He will supernaturally intervene when the pressure of the constant "lashing" of the "whips" of the enemy becomes too much to bear, by lifting those who have stepped out in faith UP and OVER into a place of rest.

Within the walls and safety of His Mighty Fortress, there will be rest in the knowledge of an impenetrable security.

Isaiah 54:17 says "No weapon formed against you shall prosper".

Sources: The Bible, New King James Version

exerpts revised from "Two of Me" by David Wilkerson