Rise Up!

What is holding you back? 

Laziness? Procrastination? Addiction? 

These can be dealt with through programming. 

I want to talk to you about something that is even harder to deal with: guilt.

Guilt can cripple us. A little guilt, if it prompts us to choose better next time, is good for us. But the guilt that devastates us and keeps us from getting back out in life– that needs a savior.

I want to speak to those of you who are struggling today under the weight of guilt. For whatever reasons you have not been truly set free.

I want to give you a picture of true freedom from guilt: Sarah Jakes Roberts. She is a pastor and prophet. She also was a teen mom. Yes, the daughter of world-famous T.D.Jakes had a baby as a teen. Can you imagine the guilt and the judgment hurled her way by both non-believer onlookers and by the judgemental in the church pews? 

Yet today, she walks in peace and uses her forgiveness openly to witness to other women that they need not stay crushed under the belly of the enemy. No! We women will use our heels to bruise its (the enemy’s) head.

True freedom looks like that– being able to own our past.

I thought I owned my past, but when I heard her share her testimony, I took a look at myself. 

Could I be that transparent on a stage? Umm, no.

There are things in my past that I know I have been forgiven of and I am able to talk about those situations today. I thought I was doing well until….I was journaling a while back, last year in fact, and I wrote about a goal I had. The term “big” was in the statement about this goal. And I felt fear.

I asked myself what was going on. I suddenly saw a vision of a store where I used to buy alcohol EARLY in the morning and I realized I wanted to drink – right then!  WHAT???? 

After more questioning and writing, it came down to this: I am scared to do something “big” because what if all my past comes out publicly?! Immediately I thought of some people I know now that would be floored by some of the things I have done in my life. What would they say? Would they still accept the “Kate” they have known, day-in day-out, for 6 years?

And in that question-answer session, I realized I was NOT set free.

I had not internalized the freedom I have in Jesus.  

Sure, he has forgiven me– but I still was living under the fear of being found out. I was allowing the devil’s threats to embarrass me and to keep me low and playing low. I wasn’t stepping out into my giftings. I was burying the gifts and message God gave me. Satan was winning. He had stopped me in my tracks.

It doesn’t matter what level God intends for me to reach– I will be honored to be His child regardless. But it does matter to God whether or not I am being faithful, trusting Him, and moving forward in the purpose He plans for me.

God is NEVER happy with us living low, ashamed and worried about what others think.

Through Christ we are given permission to continue to live. Our lives need not stop based on one mistake or rotten choice. Even if the sin has been on-going– God releases us from shame and guilt.

What have you struggled with? And are you still wrestling with it?

It is time to get really honest. You are set free. Christ forgives you the moment you go to Him in prayer. 

Sure you may have been embarrassed. Your actions may have caught you by surprise. They probably weren’t completely impulsive. Sometimes the road we walk down sets us up to eventually choose wrong. But as long as we are alive– there is hope for today. Not just tomorrow. There is nothing that says we need to suffer under guilt for ANY length of time to pay our debts for the forgiveness we want.

Yes we truly can stop right where we are, turn around, and begin again. It is THAT simple.

Stop doing what you are not proud of! Release it to Jesus! Receive the forgiveness He has for you. And pick up your feet, place them on a new road, hold your head up, and travel on.

God is all around us.

He embraces us and is waiting to celebrate life with each of us.

Get over the weight of the world. Give it up!  You get no bonus points for wallowing in lowness. That is a tool of the enemy. Only Satan wants you to stay low and defeated.  DON’T let him win.

Show him who is in control and able to restore you immediately.

Forget what others may think. That has nothing to do with your eternal life. If God doesn’t want you shriveled up in a corner…then don’t metaphorically go there. Hold your head up and move on again with life…the life you want, the life that is pleasing to God. It truly is between you and Him.

Until Next Time~
Blessings, Kate

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