Today we’re gonna talk more about faith. We’re gonna talk about “choosing our chains.” Let’s dive in…stay tuned and bear with me! Philippians 1:12-14 says, “Now I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that what has happened to me has actually served to advance the gospel. As a result, it has become clear throughout the whole palace guard and to everyone else that I am in chains for Christ. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear. And because of my chains, most of the brothers and sisters have become confident in the Lord and dare all the more to proclaim the gospel without fear.”
When we deal with situations in our life where the circumstances are outside of our control, our greatest desire in most situations is to be in control. To have a say so on the outcome of the situation. The apostle Paul was in chains, and he prayed to the lord and the lord sent him an earthquake. Our praise breaks chains. Chains break when praise arises. Addiction, struggle, fear,shame, regret, pain, whatever chains are holding you down, shatter in praise. The apostle Paul wrote a book from prison about joy and freedom. He reminded us that he was in chains FOR CHRIST. He wasn’t blaming Christ, he wasn’t chained BY Christ, but FOR Christ. It was his CHOICE to see his chains as something God can use.
We all struggle with things. Mental disorders, physical impairments, financial problems, those are chains. We don’t like them, we don’t want them, but are we asking how God can use them? We are praying for him to take them away, but he is using them to show the world who HE IS through US.
We have some choices to make. Small choices, big choices. The enemy is smart, those little choices, will be your downfall. The enemy will put those small things in your face. That choice today can be your chain tomorrow. Choices turn into habits. You become what you repeatedly do. The enemy knows this. When you become what you do, it turns into your identity, that of which you struggle to separate with Christ. You can’t hear him or see him even when you know he’s there. Those “little choices” have put you in chains. Do you now understand how the enemy puts you in chains by convincing you that “little choices” don’t matter? So what do we do? Paul decided he was no longer a slave to sin. He said “because of my chains, God is glorified.” He flipped it. He did what the enemy could not predict. Instead of allowing his chains to keep him captive, he gave God all the glory for it.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, we all have purposes. We have callings. Do not allow the enemy to hold you captive from his callings. Allow God to break your chance. Fall into his grace, and give the glory to him. “Who the son sets free, is free indeed.”
JesusWalk 