“Breaking the Chains of Sin” Pt 4:
When God created you, He gave put everything in you to lead a Christian life. There’s a reason you are here – you aren’t here by accident – you are not a mistake. You have meaning and purpose. As you’ve walked through life it’s possible some family members or friends have distorted or confused your God given purpose and somewhere along the way you lost or never found your spiritual identity.
While some may have led you down paths you wished you had never walked, it isn’t too late to turn around. God still loves you and His purpose for your life is still intact. You are special in His sight – a designer’s model if you please. You may feel trapped and controlled by the evil one sensing there is no hope. Beware, for even as you read these words there are two voices speaking to you. One (Satan) is saying “You will never be able to live a Christian life. You’ve fallen to far, you’re in a hopeless situation, and everyone has given up on you!”
That’s the voice of evil speaking. The other voice is the God who created and brought you into this world. He knows your personal history. What you’ve experienced with family and friends. Your successes as well as your failures. He knows what you’ve done and what you should have done. Others have given up and maybe even closed a door prohibiting you from coming back. But that’s not God because He opens doors and stands with His arms spread wide.
“COME UNTO ME,” he says. Your life may be described like some one who said there are wild horses in me and I can’t control them. They take me places I don’t want to go. They make me do things I don’t want to do – I’m a lost cause! You may be lost, but like a sheep that’s strayed from the flock, the Good Shepherd is near and will rescue you.
There are three ways to deal with wild horses controlling your life. One is by letting the horses run wild claiming it’s not your fault and put all blame on others. Or deciding, “I’m my own person and I can do whatever I want, whenever I want, with whomever I want.” You have that choice, but how’s that working for you?
The second way is to kill the horses running rampant inside of you. But doing that will stifle your God given personality. It will also destroy any motivation to move forward and become the person God wants you to be. In a sense, destroying that personal will and grit removes the strength to face and fight the battles of evil.
There’s a third way of handling these wild horses – it’s GOD’S WAY!. God provides each of us with a bridle and saddle in which we can ride and control the wild horses within us. He enables us to take control of our life and helps us make right choices. Of course this is the HOLY SPIRIT! Proverbs 21:31 says, “The horse is prepared for the day of battle – but the victory belongs to the Lord.” Psalm 32:9 adds, “Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding but must be controlled by bit and bridle.” Everything you need to turn your life around is available and it’s found in Christ Jesus!
Tomorrow will the last of this series and will give seven steps that if followed, will “Break the Chains of Sin.”
Pastor Carnes
