Freedom is never free and comes at a cost to someone or everyone. The fact is you have a choice to choose life or death. Extraordinary pain, stress and inner grieving can kill a man. It leads to the abuse of people, drugs and alcohol that facilitates and speeds up death. The voice that tells you not to ask for help or seek counsel for situations that are overwhelmingly hard for you is actually the spirit of pride. The voice that tells you to hide the pain and cover them up with addictions versus exposing them to define the pain and reveal a much greater truth is the spirit of fear. Both are hindering spirits sent by Satan. The Bible says, the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). He will destroy everything about you and attack your family, if you let him. He starts in our minds whispering words of fear and reminding us of all the wrong things we did in the past or present. He is the accuser of the brethren (Rev. 12:10).
If you are in Christ, you can claim forgiveness and redemption from past, present and future sins. When we repent, asking God for forgiveness; we can plead the blood of Jesus which covers all our sins and give us a new life and mercies daily. Knowing and believing that is the key to knowing the truth that sets us free. So, when you think you have no way out, death seems like the natural solution to a natural man. It isn't the solution for the man who has been delivered from this world to a supernatural God and living a spiritually redeemed life. If you are in a situation with no peace, it is a warning to stop the madness and find the only peace available in this world - God, the Father and Jesus, our Savior who lives in us through the Holy Spirit. Sometimes, you have to do something different to get different results. As I pray for many people, I know there is fear, anxiety and no peace in their lives.
I don't know what else to do but pray and ask God to divinely intervene. It is all my family knows to do. If you knew the things we have been through and were delivered from; you would understand us and not be upset when we don't participate in your denial or the choices you make in life that are killing you. We have peace in the middle of a storm or crisis and that comes with knowing who we are in Christ. We decided to put our lives in the hands of someone greater than we are and stand firm knowing that we serve God and not our children, families, jobs, houses, retirement accounts, cars, or any other thing (all idols) that could stand in the way our relationship with Him. He desires for us to love and give, but not to enable and keep each other from Him and His plan for our lives. We cannot save and we are not Saviors. When we think we are helping or helping by being silent, we are actually keeping people from the pain they need to experience to see God for who he really is to them - even unto death.
There is an excellent book called The Strategy of Satan. The chapters are:
Chapter one: The Deceiver
Satan's target - your mind; his weapons - lies; his purpose - to make you ignorant of God's will; your defense - the inspired Word of God (Know the truth in the Bible and you will be set free).
Satan's target - your mind; his weapons - lies; his purpose - to make you ignorant of God's will; your defense - the inspired Word of God (Know the truth in the Bible and you will be set free).
Chapter two: The Destroyer
Satan's target - your body; his weapon - suffering; his purpose - to make you impatient with God's will; your defense - the imparted grace (Saved by Grace through the finished work of Christ on the Cross).
Chapter three: The Ruler
Satan's target - your will; Satan's weapon - pride; Satan's purpose - to make you independent of God's will; your defense - the indwelling Spirit of God (Jesus died and sent his Holy Spirit to live inside of us - Arise all who are walking around dead, because a great source of power lives within you).
Chapter four: The Accuser
Satan's target - your heart and conscience; Satan's weapon - accusation; Satan's purpose - to bring an indictment by God's will; your defense - the interceding Son (Jesus).
Father in Heaven, please give us wisdom, discernment, alertness, and ability to recognize friend from foe in our spiritual battle. Let us not cling to earthly loyalties and traditions taken on in our families that could be the enemies of our souls and keep us from our heavenly family and inheritance that awaits and desires for us to call out to you and Jesus in our time of need. Your word says you will separate sheep from goat and that has nothing to do with our blood relatives, but everything to do with our citizenship in heaven. May we cry out for our Savior today, in Jesus' name, Amen.
