Deliverance

She was no older than twelve. Her face smeared with dirt, clothes tattered. She was scared, cold, and alone. She was stuck in a hole deep enough to swallow her entire body. There was no way of knowing how long she had been down there. She could see the Light above her, but she couldn't reach it, or dared to try. Darkness was an ominous presence; threatening, angry, and powerful. She could never see Darkness, but she could feel its watch over her. It paralyzed her. She knew better than to challenge it.

Then one day Light streamed into the hole, and she saw a hand reaching out towards her. Her face glowed with childlike joy and hope as she reached up to grab hold. The feeling of hope overwhelmed her. She couldn't contain the warmth she felt, and the lightness of her spirit. Her face said it all; how much she wanted to be rescued. The hand was beckoning, "Come."

She reached up ready to grasp the extended hand before her when Darkness saw her. With great fear, she pulled her hand back, clutching it tightly to her chest. "How dare you," she could hear him say. "Where do you think you're going?" His anger filled her with trembling. The joy and hope she had felt just moments before were replaced with old feelings of great fear, discouragement, and worthlessness. Darkness beat her down to her rightful place.

This was the vision God gave me one recent afternoon. It played out like a movie in my mind. It was powerful, and somehow I could identify with this little girl's peril. Her face was stuck in my mind, especially when she saw Hope reaching out to her. The joy she felt melted my heart. Darkness was blacker than night, no light came from him, with a face that shown only as glowing red features. He shook her to her core. Her obedience to it came from shear fear. What did it mean, I asked God.

"This is you," God's word came to me. "I have been reaching out for you for so long, but you have always been too afraid to take my hand. You have given the enemy more power over your life than you have given Me. He has no power. It's all smoke and mirrors. Trust me."

"Rescue me Lord," I pleaded, "take me once and for all out of this pit that has stolen so much of my life." With that, I could see the rest of the vision. The little girl being pulled out into that glorious light of hope, joy, and love. He placed me upon the Rock. It felt overwhelming. I wasn't afraid anymore. I felt peace and freedom. The enemy could no longer hold me in that darkness of lies. His power over my life was broken.

As I write these words, the realization of God's deliverance and mercy overcome me with tears of gratitude. I have always known that upon my repentance that I was saved. My salvation was sure, but I was still limiting what God could do in my life by carrying my past fears and failures with me. God couldn't fully complete His perfect will in my life until I allowed Him to rescue me from the image I carried around of myself. The lies of insignificance and worthlessness played endlessly by the enemy had become my constant companion, but I needed to place it in its rightful place. Its only power was the one I gave it. God could not deliver me from this pit until I believed that He was stronger than the enemy's lies.

All the pieces came together that day for me. The sheer magnitude of what God had shown me was almost more than I can bear. I now understand why this little girl seemed so familiar to me. For years, I have suffered with fears, depression, discouragement, hopelessness, worthlessness…and the list goes on. The night before this vision came to me, the old recordings of what a failure I was played in my mind. I felt depressed and sunken in spirit; a place I had learned to hate and despise, and yet powerless to overcome. I had felt for so long that my life had been a waste of breath. I felt like a failure to Him. I so wanted to please Him and make Him proud of me. I fell asleep crying for His help, and today I stand free.

Dearest reader, oh, how He loves you and me. It is beyond words; beyond our deepest longings. He is reaching out for us to bring us into the light to pull us out of our darkest places. But He cannot make us grasp His hand. But I say to you today, "Grab it!" Don't let another day pass you by.  Don't give the enemy one more foothold on your life. You are a threat to him if you become free.

In the past, God has called me to follow, but every time, I shrunk back my hand in fear. I didn't trust Him to do anything through me. I allowed my fears to paralyze me into inaction. There is no more powerful weapon of the enemy than making us feel worthless. I believed so convincingly that I was not worthy of being pulled out. It's all a lie. Lies that keep us enslaved. It is meant to keep us from becoming a threat to the enemy. We have the victory. We just have to believe it; trust it.

Reflection:

What has God placed in your heart to trust Him with that you have allowed fear to keep you from accomplishing it?

What lies has the enemy been whispering in your ear that needs to be put into its rightful place of God's truth?

How many years has the enemy stolen from you that God wants to redeem?

Pray with me ~

Father God, I am weary. I have been in darkness for so long, I have lost track of time. The enemy's threats have kept me in fear and from reaching for Your extended hand. Let this be my day of deliverance. Rescue me from my darkness and do with my life as You desire. Let me experience the fullness of your joy, peace, and love. Let not another day pass. The enemy was defeated on Calvary. His smoke and mirrors have no power over me for He that is in me is greater than he that is in the world. Heal me from my past pains and hurts Lord. Let me bask in the glorious light of your love. To God be the glory forever and ever. Amen.

Memory Scriptures:

"For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ, " II Corinthians 10:4-5

"'No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue [which] rises against you in judgment You shall condemn. This [is] the heritage of the servants of the Lord, And their righteousness [is] from Me,' Says the Lord."  Isaiah 54:17

 "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world."   I John 4:4

"He will redeem his soul from going down to the Pit, And his life shall see the light. Behold, God works all these [things], Twice, [in fact], three [times] with a man. To bring back his soul from the Pit, That he may be enlightened with the light of life" Job 33:28-30