Recap for week 6 - BF

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Recap for week 6 of Breaking Free

How are you doing Ladies?  We are half-way through and I’m feeling like I’m going to have to do this study about 4 more times because I’ve just got that much stuff – talk about strongholds!  I lurved our discussion time and how much feedback several of you have shared with me after class.  And to answer Nancy's question, most likely I will be leading something for summer - not sure what yet but I am thinking even of doing BF again for those who were overwhelmed in the beginning and have gotten behind in their homework.  I know how easily it can be to say... "Oh well forget it, I'm done.  I'll never catch up now."  Yet in all honestly, your not done - your still miserable.  Ideally, I’d love to camp out at week 6 for a loooooooooooong time and really go through all the wounds that have not healed to truly Break Free!  I'll share one with you...

One thing surprised me this week because I never looked at it as a stronghold before now.  I spent a HUGE portion of my youth ALONE, hence the phrase “Latch-Key Kid”. I would walk to and from school every day and had reign of the house until my family came home around dinner time for many, many years. At the time I loved it… hours and hours to myself to read books and the television was my best friend – hence my babysitter - so it’s no surprise that I love movies and I think in terms of a movie reel when I am reading my bible and imagining Gods word played out in movie scenes.

To this day I still enjoy my solitude but I came realize this week in our homework that the stronghold is this…. being so independent and responsible for myself at a very young age has made me unable to easily depend on others, including God. I’ve come a long way since my salvation in believing He will take care of me, but giving up control has not easy. So when we got to the section on what our dreams were (….be a bride, be beautiful, be fruitful and live happily ever after), I KNEW I wanted children and KNEW I had to be married for that, but I didn’t dream about being a bride. Even though I was a youthful boy chaser and pretty much always had a boyfriend, I didn’t dream about my husband to be, I dreamed about my future children. I struggled through the entire Songs of Solomon homework trying to imagine me as the Bride of Christ with that kind of intimacy. It’s a stronghold in that I have transferred that same “independent will” as I live today.

This week we focused on verse Isaiah 61:3 = “and provide for those who grieve in Zion — to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”

Let’s breakdown the first portion of the verse to something we can understand and apply today:

And provide (we don't have to worry, God is bringing it to us) …

for those who grieve (anyone who has suffered any kind of loss.. think “Ashes” here)…

in Zion (in where ever you live)…

to bestow (to present as a gift)... on them a CROWN of beauty, instead of Ashes.

I’m sure most of us have more “ashes” than we want to remember in our lives but we have a PROMISE that whatever our “ashes” are, they are going to be lifted off our shoulders and we’ll be able to stand tall with our heads up to receive the freedom that comes with the crowning!

Let’s pray…

God, I come against the Enemy right now in the name of Jesus Christ who has aimed his fiery dart of LIES from the pit of hell, that any woman who believed any lie told to her about her dreams. I ask that you would give us supernatural understanding to have the peace in our hearts to KNOW that we KNOW that we KNOW our dreams, our security, our dependency and our beauty rests in the eyes of Jesus Christ. Father, we praise you for giving us the most beautiful Crowns for being daughters of the King. In Jesus name, AMEN.

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