Unexpected Thankfulness

Yes, it's Thanksgiving and at this point most Americans stop and talk about what they're thankful for. If you ask almost anyone on the street what they're thankful for, they'll usually say "Friends and Family" which is great. A great answer, but lets face it, everyone always says that. So this year, I've got a list of 10 random things I've appreciated in the last few months that most people don't or won't say.

These are in no particular order... as you will soon see.

Headphones

It's this awesome ability for me to be jamming out to my own world, but my roommate 5 feet beside has no idea what's going on in my own head. So I casually look over and give the "what?" look to him after I started belting Beyonce out loud.

The Design of Urinals

Someone or someones went to a lot of effort to provide a ease free, yet also very clean way for men to go to the bathroom with limited splashing and maximum speed.

Awkward Dancing During Worship

If you look good, that's nice too. But if it's awkward or ugly, then you know it's real. You know that person is just giving ALL they've got to the King and it makes you want to just go after Him more.

Clean Underwear

Let's face it. If you've ever lived by yourself, then you've probably had the day where you get out of the shower and are met with the surprise that yesterday was your last pair of clean underwear. This leaves you three options: re-wear, inside out, or comando. Whatever your choice is, how much greater do you appreciate the next time you get to pull on a fresh pair of undies.

The Ability to Poop and the Forewarning of Said Event

I've over eaten some pretty big meals (as we all probably will today), and I'm very thankful that it all doesn't just back up inside. Sometimes you just need to let it out, which is why I am incredibly thankful for our in-house disposable system. Part two of this item, is the fact that we have the ability to know when this event is going to happen and prepare for it or delay the event until the proper time. You may think it's gross, but I'm incredibly thankful... Just imagine if we didn't have this...

Flavors of Soap

Greatful for soap in general and how I don't have to smell like a mixture of what I ate and how hard I worked today, but I also enjoy the flavors of soap. You may call them scents, but lets mix it up. I enjoy how everyone can have their own smell and they all be good. Plus, when I use High Endurance from Old Spice in the two pack, I find myself feeling 3x clean.

Cups

Just cups. When the dishes are dirty or I'm without a one-end-closed-spherical goodness, I get tired of lapping like a dog, or doing the hand to mouth technique.

Men & Women Are Different

I appreciate the fact that men and women look differently. Guys often have broad shoulders and nice and muscular. Women often have better curves and wider hips. There are other things that we often appreciate about the opposite sex physically, but I'll let you be thankful for that yourself. I'm also thankful that guys have the ability to focus on one aspect really well and women are often incredibly compassionate.

Taste Buds

We don't have to taste food. We could eat all the correct food to be healthy and enjoyable. But God thought it was a good idea to give us taste buds to enjoy varieties of sweet, salty, sour, spicy, and all the flavors in between.

Green Arrow To Turn Left

I now live in a city that has stoplights all over the place. I feel very loved when I'm wanting to turn left and the stoplight stops everyone else, just so I can make a left turn and go on my way.

Shoes

I love the fact that someone (or someones) spent the time to craft a material that fits the bottom of your feet in such a way that feels good, allows you to go over painful materials, and stays snug to your foot. Plus, it keeps our feet clean so they're not super rank at the end of the day. And, they come in a variety of colors, sizes, and styles. 

Gulp...Evangelism.

Evangelism! Gasp! (WAIT! Don't tune out and skim this or close the window to go back to other Facebook searching.) 

What usually happens when you hear the idea of evangelism - insert guilty feeling. Slight glimpse of I should do that quickly passes by as fears come one by one to grip you and remind you why you haven't done it. I'll do it after... and your schedule suddenly is much fuller and there's just not the right time fit in there. If there was time, you wouldn't really know what to say, how to start? How to close? What to say in the middle? I should know this! Ah dang it. More guilt now.

I think this all comes down to what we assume "evangelism" means. Jesus said to "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit and teaching them to obey all that I've commanded you." -Matt 28:18.

So that was the command to the disciples, lets see how they carried it out. They turned around and told people about Jesus that they had walked with, who they talked with. They went to the places they knew people were and places God's Spirit or an Angel told them to and just shared with them. In fact like the second or third time they've gotten busted for blowing up peoples paradigms and religious boxes, they respond with "we cannot but speak of what we have seen and heard." (Acts 4:20) That's it. That's it? What's it?

What are we sharing with people? Are we sharing an idea and a philosophy? Are we sharing a concept or belief that we're holding onto? Or have we experienced life with this God we talk about and sing songs to every Sunday? If we've actually experienced life with Him, then share that. That's what the disciples were doing. They were like "Pssh, I don't know about you, but I saw Jesus heal this guy of cancer and the tumor just disappeared, another chick had a demon (or a couple) inside of her and was all messed up but as soon as J-man said one word to her, BAM! Flat laid out on the ground like a 3 month old baby sleeping. Dude, it was trippy, but awesome." Then they went on to share the rest of the story. "Man, then a bunch of religious people didn't understand Him and thought He was starting up His own path away from God. Dudes got jealous and killed Jesus. Man, made it rough too. It's not like He couldn't have stopped them though. Shoot, all the stuff we saw Jesus do, He could have stopped them all at any point. I mean, I know that now, looking back. At the time, man, I chickened out and went running for the hills. I was loaded down with questions and fear and doubts and...I was just a pansy. So Jesus dies, right? We're all mourning over Him, our friend, our teacher, this father figure/big brother. Dang, we had bought into this and left everything, burnt a lot of bridges, and cut a lot of ties in the process. But then God raised Him from the dead. I know, I know, I didn't believe it at first either. But I saw Him, I talked with Him, I touched Him, I ate with Him. He really did come back to life. He really is the Savior, the Hero that we've been told about in prophesies/legends past. They're all true and it's all Him. He's given us a chance to turn from being selfish, ignorant, indifferent, lazy, evil, and just plain dumb and chose Him and follow Him. His ways mean life because He is life. It's your call, but I'd almost beg you to do this. It's been hard at times, but this is what I was made for. This is what it means to finally come alive. This is the full weight of all our hopes and dreams. This is life, dude. This is it. There's no other way to have this. No other way to have this intimate, euphoric connection with God - it's just Jesus."

They weren't sharing a theoretical standpoint. They weren't trying to convince someone of a standpoint they were banking in. They just straight up walked with God and shared out of that. Yeah, but they at least got to talk and walk with Jesus. That would have been a lot easier to believe.Yeah, I've thought that too. But I realized I had a few things wrong, 1) I was having issues believing, 2) I didn't realize how hard that would be to start something out of nothing when the whole world is against you. They weren't creating a new product to sell, they were actually going against the majority of the world's thoughts and starting something new. 3) I didn't understand John 20:29 as Jesus is talking and says it's good that you see me and believe, but blessed/happy/happier is everyone who believes and hasn't seen me. He said we'd be happier than they were. Jackpot. and 4) I didn't understand the benefits of having the Holy Spirit with us. Jesus said it's actually better if I leave so you can have Holy Spirit (John 14:16-17). That messes me up cause personally, I would enjoy having Jesus on my couch. But I'm learning the amazingness of having the Holy Spirit inside of me working in and through me. It looks a lot more like surrender than it does getting it right.  

Ok, ok... so what does this look like?

I don't know. What does your relationship with God look like? What stories do you have together? How has God been there for you, with you, through you? Have you had a bad day and it got better? Have you almost ran out of gas and prayed and you made it? Have you prayed for a job opportunity? Have you prayed and seen someone healed of cancer, broken leg, headache? Have you asked for a very specific sign and He came through? Have you had a dream and shared it with someone who had the same dream? Have you had a dream that explained what was going to happen in the future and it did? Have you spoke in languages you didn't understand but other people did? Have you spoke in other languages you didn't know and somehow your heart felt comforted? Have you had a thought or idea about someone and shared it and it was exactly what they needed to hear? Have you ever been overwhelmed with compassion for some stranger that you had no idea who it was or why? Have you ever randomly just broke out in laughter so much you felt drunk? Did you have horrible parents but somehow you have this healing because you've heard God say I love you? Have you ever caught a sunset or song or movie and for some reason it had more weight to it than ever before? Maybe your life with God looks something like that? Maybe that's where you start?  It's your relationship. If you don't have anything to share from your relationship with God, then ask Him to start one. Then make history with God. Invite Him in on your life and see what happens. Make history with God, build that relationship.

Evangelism is just relationship sharing and love sharing. You know how to share a relationship and introduce a person. That's all that evangelism is. Share your relationship, introduce Jesus. Let Him woo the other person. Ready...Set...Love.

Correct Roles

Sometimes in our war against sin and our war for purity we have swing the pendulum too far to the other side. We go from being ignorant or accepting of sin to searching and analyzing every motive thought and action throughout our day which leads to deep introspection and a constant awareness of sin. What's wrong with being aware of sin? Isn't that a good thing to always be on guard and ready to fight? Yes and no. Yes, the heart is good to want to be pure, but no when you have greater attention on sin than you do on God. Plus, if you're attention is on fighting sin then you probably don't understand the cross where 1) Jesus fought for you when you couldn't(Romans 5:8), 2) Jesus defeated the power of sin and death (1 Cor 15:55-57), 3) He finished the work (John 19:30), 4) because of that you, Christian, are dead to sin (Romans 6:11).

Ok? So...what's the point? Good theology, yeah sure...I agree. Right?
The point your theology is directly manifest by how you think and interact with God in life. Note, "in life" not "in church." For example: If you really believe God is waiting to be gracious to you (Isaiah 30:18) then you will gladly hang out with Him all day and talk to Him about everything that comes up, good and bad without fear of punishment or disappointment. But if we imagine God to be constantly frustrated with us and upset at our inability to get it together, then we'll only approach Him when we think we're being pleasing to Him because everything's going well that day or we're feeling super spiritually on it. The truth of the matter is that we have become one with Christ (Romans 6:5-7; John 17) and He really is actively excited to spend time with you and enjoy you and you enjoy Him.

So how back to the war on sin: if we're the one's who think we will get us clean (which most people will argue with that statement knowing that it's Christ who makes us clean, but still live like it's up to them to do it), then we will find ourselves constantly searching ourselves, our motives, our actions and behaviors to be clean, be pure, get everything out we can. "Yes, it is Christ, but it's still our responsibility..." responsibility to do what? Be a surgund/patient or just a patient?

The problem is when someone becomes ignited by the Holy Spirit's passion for purity, they will take that passion...their marching orders and take off to go work on it. We must allow our whole self to be redeemed at once because if we miss the fact that Christ died for relationship and unity with us, then we'll go take off and do it on our own rather work together with Him. We let Christ do what needs to be done, not what we think needs to be done. Sometimes this is scary because we're afraid if we let go then nothing will happen or that we won't get there fast enough. But really, that's just not trusting God to be God and purify us.  This isn't a new problem in the church. The people in Galatia had the same issue where once they were saved, they thought it was up to them then to keep themselves pure. Paul responds,

You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?               - Galatians 3:1-3

We've got to let God make us clean, not run think it's up to us to kill every evil desire in you.

What I'm not saying:
"We don't have to do anything. We just sit in life and la te da. Do whatever and Jesus will do everything for us." No. That's dumb, crazy, and well... boring. But if you look at the way our relationship with Jesus looks, it involves Him initiating - us responding. We love because...He first loved us. (1 John 4:19) He's the groom who pursues, we're the bride who responds. He brings salvation, we receive it. He stirs hearts to himself, we enunciate what He's saying/doing and people get saved. Why do you expect your healing and purity to be any different?

Let me phrase/rephrase it this way, imagine God talking.
"I love you. (cause that's the way He starts talking). I enjoy you. I love spending time with you. Don't worry about sin or dirt in your life. I am strong enough to take care of that. Remember the cross? Took care of it. Remember how I said to abide in me? I really did just mean spend time with me and follow me as we walk together and I'll take care of the rest. Look, your job is to fully enjoy me and to respond as we walk through life together. If there's a problem, a hurt, a sin, an issue, a behavior that's wrong, you don't need to go searching for it. I already  know it's there. I know when you're ready to deal with it, and when that time and situation comes up, I'll bring it up and I'll take care of it. It's  your job just to agree with me and allow me to do my work. You partner with me. I'm the one doing surgery here. You can't operate on yourself. Don't try to fix yourself or go digging inside. I know when it's right and when to deal with it. When it's the right time, I'll bring it up and I'll deal with it and your job is just to not run and hide from me. Don't go separate yourself from me. Spend time with me and I'll bring it up and heal it. IF I DON"T BRING IT UP, then enjoy me. I'm not just your surgen. I'm your friend. I enjoy you. I actually enjoy spending time with you. I'm not just your fix it friend or your fix it Father. I really enjoy hanging out with you. Just spending time with you."

And that's often where our two world's collide. Trying to fix our selves for God, or thinking all of our time with God has to be "purifyingly intense" when really you can just enjoy spending time with Him. I mean, Jesus did a good bit of work on the cross already. Then you died to join Him when you became a believer. So perhaps today, rather than fixing yourself, you let God be God and enjoy Him for all of who He is.

Be Seen & Show Off Your Style

Those are probably two phrases that we would never teach in church, yet Jesus kind of said them.

"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall the saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under the people's feet.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."

                                                                                 -Matthew 5:12-16

It's a well known passage, but last night I saw it much differently. Let's start with the second part.

You're the light of the world. Who? We are. He's talking to His disciples (Mt 5:1). Then he tells them to go and shine. He tells them to go be seen. In fact, he tells them that when you try to just blend in, to fit in, to go about your life in a normal way so that you don't cause too much stir - you're being dumb. Ok, I know Jesus didn't say "you're being dumb" but if you read it, it's implied. "A city on a hill cannot be hidden," it's impossible. You're like a giant in China:

You just don't fit in and you probably shouldn't even try to, cause it won't work.

"Nor do people light a lamp to be put under a basket."You don't pay to get new light bulbs then when you get home and plug them in cover them with a black trash bag so you can't see them.

We're not supposed to fit in. We're not supposed to do the status quo. We're not supposed to "be like everyone else." We're supposed to be the answer the world is looking for (Christ in us, the hope of Glory - Col 1:27).

Then if you step back 3 verses, it says we're to be the salt of the earth. I know that salt is used for many things back then, but lets look at what Jesus refers to it by "if salt loses it's taste." Ok, so salt has a taste, a flavor, a style to it. If we lose our style, our flavor, our taste, then we fit in with everyone else and just blend in and have no real purpose but to be run over by the rest of our culture/ "trampled under feet."

Often times in the church, I've realized that 1) we've been taught humility wrong, 2) we think we're still perpetually "sinners" rather than restored, reconciled "saints", so 3) we've been taught to hate ourselves and everything about us, which leads to 4) hiding in shame and embarrassment rather than living victoriously, extravagantly, with excellence, and living in a way the whole world can see and be attracted to Him.

I wrote a tweet about this last night that said, "Jesus actually said, 'Go shine and let the world see you. They'll praise my Dad when you do it the right way. Shine away and let them see.' #excellence" Except Twitter only allows 160 characters and I was over the limit so I began searching through the statement for ways to cut out. Then I realized that Jesus never said "the right way." We, in church, have added "when you shine correctly/the right way/in a God honoring way" to clarify for people so they don't go crazy and do the wrong thing. Good intentions, bad results. Because of that we don't know how to shine outside the church or doing "Jesus stuff." Jesus just said shine. My suggestion would be to shine as bright as you can and if anything is dimming your light, then it's just not helping you shine, toss it or change it. Whether it's not getting enough sleep, eating poorly, being in a  bad relationship, not communicating well with roommates/spouse/co-worker, or drugs/cigarettes/porn. Jesus said "Go Shine, and when you do. My dad will get glory."

(I believe what we should be helping people with is helping heal wounds and speak identity into them so they're not acting up/out to get attention. Attention isn't bad, it just won't satisfy what they're looking for. Once a person has that need met, they can get a crap ton of attention but it won't phase them, or get caught on them. It'll just roll off of them and go to God, the focus of their attention.)

City on a hill. I'm a huge proponent of  purity. Of taking steps, measures, and doing/not doing things to keep our minds, hearts, and intentions pure. That being said, I'm not as convinced that purity is what the world finds attractive about salt and light.  A city on a hill is not known for it's purity. It's known for it's safety, it's protection in wars, it's parties, it's the place where people come to hang out, it's the place where if you need/want something you go there because it's got it. Not just "needs" like food and water (which Jesus is big on helping the poor and homeless), but also needs AND wants of social interactions, of celebrations, of games, of fun, of new modern music, art, theater/movies. The city on the hill was where people from all around would come for what they wanted, what they needed. We're that city. We're supposed to be shining. We're supposed to be bringing people in.

If you need food and water, come to the followers of Jesus, they'll take care of  you. If you have a headache, cancer, a broken leg, come to the followers of Jesus, they'll take care of you. If your relationship is a mess, marriage is splitting, kids are going wild, come to the followers of Jesus, they'll take care of you. Need a new idea for a novel, want to hear the best music coming out, want to see extravagant creations of all forms, come to the followers of Jesus, they'll take care of you. Because a follower of Jesus, does what Jesus does. Jesus only did what He saw God do (John 5:19), so it's not actually them doing anything it's God. That's why they're known as "the followers of JESUS" and not Jacob, Frank, Bill, Julie, and Suzanne. That's why people are not coming to the city of people, but the city of the living God (Heb 12:22). We're His temple, His city, His stones knit together and when we live fully, we shine brightly, and the world will come to the city, be amazed at the flavor, the style, the taste of the people and have no option but to turn and praise their Maker, the Ruler, the King of the Country, the God of the people. So today, lets stand out, lets be seen, let's have a unique flavor and style that the world is dying to see, and when we do, we'll hear people sing the praises of our God.

Do everything to the glory of God. (1 Corinthians 10:31, Col 3:17, 23)

Psalms 84

One of the things I want to get better at is knowing the Bible and having it more memorized of sorts because many people will make many arguments without using the Bible and using logic. Some of it is good but some of it is faulty logic. So I want to learn the Bible better and be able to quote it better. To do so, one of the things I used to do and want to start again is rewriting the Bible. (Wait, not a heretic.) I'm digesting it. I'll take a passage, I'll read it, study it, then rewrite it in my own words so that it's transforming my thinking and I have to process through it. So today I did Psalms 84 and I thought I'd pass it on in case you want to read it. (Really, the reason I'm posting this is 1) so I do it more often and 2) so you can try it and learn this way too if you'd like.)

Psalms 84:

Oh how beautiful is Your home, Your house, where Your presence rests, O Ruler of Angel armies. M y soul longs and burns and yearns to be in Your presence. It even faints/collapses  in peace and rest in Your presence. My heart and everything inside of me the burning passions and desires sing for joy. My outsides and my body and everything natural and tangible sings for joy to You, the living and active God.

Even the flighty birds of the air who move around find a home with You. The swallow and the sparrow - the cheapest most common insignificant bird - has a place with You where she can set up her home and have her babies at Your altar, O Ruler of the Angel Armies, King, and Supreme God. How happy and set-up for success covered in blessings  are those who live in Your house, in Your presence continually singing Your praise in celebration. 

How happy and set up for success covered in blessings are those who find their strength in You.  Those who's hearts are like highways, set on a pilgrimage to Zion, Your city, Your home, Your ways, Your commandments, Your coming Kingdom. As they go through hard times, situations or circumstances of bitterness and morning - they instead make it a spring of hope and joy. They open up the heavens and bring showers of blessings and resources to satisfy what they've been missing so much that they have abundance. They don't ride the physical roller-coaster of energy but go from strength to strength to strength to strength. Each one gets to appear before the Living and Active Ruler God in His Kingdom.

O Ruler God, God of the Angel Armies, hear my prayer and my request. Turn and pay attention to me, God of my fathers and God of the faithful you've made promises to. Stop for a second, think about what I just said. Stop. Think. Sit on it.

God, you've given us a shield, a king to protect us. Look him now in the face and pour out your ability and rulership on Him. 

A day with you God, a single day hanging out in your presence is better than 1,000 days anywhere else. I'd rather be a servant at the edge of your presence, just opening and shutting the door - letting people come and go but allowing me to just be there serving you. I'd rather be there doing that than living in the houses of evil, messed up, wicked people.  Cause God, you are a like the sun (full of life, energy, and warmth) and you are like the shield (strong, protective, and stable). You pour out favor/connections/permission/grace with honor/respect/value. You don't hold back anything from those who walk with you, those who walk in righteousness, those who walk lives of integrity. O Ruler of Angel Armies, how happy, set-up for success with blessings overflowing on the guy or girl who trusts in you? How set-up are they for success and happiness are the ones who trust in you?

(From Psalms 84 ESV)

Impossible Is Nothing

A week or two ago, I was heavily mentally interested in North Korea. (aka- it was on my mind a lot). I wasn't reading news about DPRK or necessarily even praying about it. It was just on my mind and I kept thinking about it so I decided I should stop and listen as to what I was thinking about. 

So I looked up a song I knew about called "Finish What You Started" by Sean Feucht and watched the story behind it which was probably more impactful. In the story behind Sean describes how the average life expectancy in DPRK once you become a Christian is 2 weeks. Yet I know "to the increase of His government there will be no end." (Isaiah 9:7) so it has to be up from here... don't know how but it has to be up. I began thinking about the hindrances in DPRK - but then I thought about the stories I've heard out of there. Of people meeting Jesus in dreams, of angels singing and leading them in, of people encountering the Holy Spirit and changing their life. I read a story in this book I have that talks about the entire idol worshiping country being changed around and becoming Christian in a 15-30 min time period (Daniel 3). I was overwhelmed with the fact that anything is possible with God. And if anything is possible, we should ask for impossible things. So I asked to see a North Korean at church that morning. I actually saw a ton of Asians at church that morning but either didn't get to talk to them or chickened out when I did get the chance. I'm still looking, maybe today. 

I looked up this idea "nothing is impossible" in the Bible because I wanted to make sure I didn't confuse my ideas, mixed with Adidas, and the Bible together. Here's that I found:

"For nothing is impossible with God." Gabriel speaking to Mary just after he explained she and her old cousin are both going to be/are pregnant. - Luke 1:37 

"With man this is impossible, but with God, all things are possible." Jesus talking to his disciples right after he explained that even rich men with all their money can't get into heaven. It'd be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle. So they freak out and ask how anyone could get into heaven? Is it possible? -Luke 18:27, Matt 19:26, Mark 10:27

There's many other options as well like throwing the mountain into the ocean (Matt 21:21/Mark 11:23), or cursing a tree and it dying (Mark 11:12-25), or making a donkey talk (Numbers 22:28), or an sea moving out of your way (Exodus 14), or being transported over a hundred miles away (Acts 8:39), or undoing that physical death thing (1 Kings 17:17-22; 2 Kings 4:32-35; 2 Kings 13:20-21; Matt. 27:50-53; Luke 24:5-6; Luke 7:11-15; Luke 8:41-55; John 11:1-44; Acts 9:36-41; Acts 20:9-10) and you get the picture.

But this is the capstone, my favorite: "All things are possible for one who believes." Jesus replies to the man who asked if He could cast out the demon from his child that the disciples couldn't do. But He just says it...all things are possible. ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE. So nothing is impossible anymore. Nothing is impossible. Nothing is impossible. Nothing is impossible. Nothing is impossible. No matter what country, region, situation, heritage, complexion, navigation or standard I see - Nothing is Impossible.

I got a surge of creativity one day so I sat down and started trying to hash out which way it was going and this is what came out. "Nothing Is Impossible" to be proclaimed first in every nations own language because it's for them to know. God is for them and speaks their language, knows their heritage and their culture and is involved in it. Then the translation for all of us Americans. In the background is a phrase I felt like God was saying or wanting to declare over the nation as I was making it.  

So that's where this came from:

Mark 9:23 - North Korea - His heart. 

DPRK - North Korea

Japan

Oman

United States of America

India

Russia

Macedonia

China

Norway

Israel

The Real Inmate

Satan is the biggest inmate of Hell that tries to convince everyone he's the warden. Truth is the Warden set me free.


Many times in church, I've found that our life BC (before Christ) as our testimony and say we're free from that. But due to our lack of honesty and realness, we claim all freedom as "salvation" rather than admitting we got free from many things after salvation. We say "He set me free, when I met Jesus all my chains fell off." This is true theologically. When you became a Christian you died to sin and it no longer has any grip on you (Romans 6:22). Sometimes though we still deal with parts of our life we don't realize we have victory over. I struggled with masturbation off and on for 12 years of my life. It was 7 years in before anyone ever talked about it so I knew I wasn't alone. Then once people talked about it, I heard lots of bad teaching from people telling me "I would struggle with it the rest of my life" or that "it was normal for all guys to deal with it and that's just part of being a guy." Well, I would agree that most guys are hit with this same temptation of lust, porn, and masturbation, but that doesn't mean we have to put up with it or let it linger. Girls may get hit with self-image issues or eating disorders but that doesn't mean it's going to be like that forever. That's believing a lie about the freedom we have and making small the power of Christ.  It's been close to two years of freedom, but I still would hear lies that it wasn't real freedom but like I had snuck out. That I wasn't set free, but I had kind of gotten my own freedom and was ready to be busted and put back in at anytime. That I would slide back in to the addiction at anytime and be neck deep again. 

Sometimes we rush to make sense out of life events and create theology to support it. We say addictions are broken but be careful, your spirit is willing but your flesh is weak. According to Col 3:3, I've already died so that doesn't work anymore. We believe the lie that the power of the addiction and our hold habits are stronger than the power of the cross and what Jesus did. No doubt that beliefs are powerful and for too long we've been believing that addictions are things we need to watch our whole life rather than things we're already free of and just have to realize that. (I can go into more reasons why we deal with addictions, possible reasons for addictions, and how to get free/walk in that freedom another time, but this is the big principle we need to understand is that we are free.)

Satan is the liar. He's the one who tries to convince us that he has power over us and our addictions that he can make us stumble at any point (not true Jude 1:24) then lock us up and torture us with guilt and shame afterwards and punishment in the form of distance from God and His love (not true Rom 8:35). So this bring us to our analogy and to the truth:

Satan is the biggest inmate of Hell that tries to convince everyone he's the warden. Truth is the Warden set me free. 

He didn't give me parole papers. Because parole means your punishment isn't complete- we don't fully trust you. He gave me freedom papers because my punishment has been fully paid for and I switched places with a good man outside. He doesn't say "how much freedom you have is up to you." He says, "You're free. You have all freedom." (John 8:36) But the enemy pretends you've escaped from prison. He tries to convince you that you're only out for a short time, but one little slip up and you're back in bondage again to your addiction, to your sin, to that lifestyle. But the truth is the only lock-down he has me in is lock-down of the mind, but I have the key. I realize just because he's been in the prison the longest doesn't mean he has seniority or power- it just means he's the one prison was created for and he's the one who will suffer the most.

I've got freedom papers. I've got keys to every cell. I've got visitation rights without the fear of being thrown in again. In fact, the cell doors are open- but most prisoners can't see the doorway out. It's still lock-down of the mind that inmate #0001 tries to keep them in so he's not alone with his people. He threatens me with that I'll be thrown back in a cell, that I'm just on parole and can slip up and be addicted again, locked up again at any moment. 

But I have freedom papers. I have papers that say I'm bound by nothing.  There's no addiction that's going to pull me back, there's no lifestyle that will pull me back, there's no nature that will pull me back.  I'm free. Completely free. I can walk into the police station, walk into the prison, into brothels or gyms or buffets or look in the mirror. I am free and have complete freedom. No fear of being locked up, no fear of being chained again, no fear of proclaiming my freedom because it's not true. The only lockdown is the lockdown of the mind, and I chose to unlock it and walk in freedom because that's the power of my Jesus. It's already been taken care of and I don't have to deal with this. I have become as moral and as clean as the One they based the laws off of. I can go anywhere or do anything. I am free and only the the one who is not tries to convince me otherwise.