We need freedom from anything controlling our lives, other than Christ. Missy began Saturday morning reminding us that if we have received Christ, we are a new creation. We are completely new – not renewed. Sometimes I’m tempted to think of myself as a kind of restored Humpty Dumpty – the Lord put me back together again but I’m terribly scarred, still tender in places – not yet healed but that is a lie! I am a BRAND NEW CREATION! (Notice I keep reminding myself of this fact!) Satan wants us to think we are a patched up job – not quite good enough, not quite worthy, unacceptable (etc.) because if he can convince us that we just don’t measure up, he can deceive us and basically render us ineffective in our Christian walk. We will have little impact for Christ if we listen to the enemy’s lies. A few years ago I fell into this trap. We were having some major issues with our children and it was no coincidence that I began to hear voices in my head telling me I was a loser Mom. At the time I was an Area Coordinator for Moms In Touch International, a ministry where moms gather weekly to pray for their kids and the schools they attend. My job was to encourage moms to pray for their kids! I began to question myself – how could I suggest other moms pray for their kids when ours were having so many struggles? A friend gave me a book entitled The Bondage Breaker by Neil Anderson. Mr. Anderson explained that when we choose to entertain those deceiving spirits rather than focusing on Christ and all He has done for us, it’s like Satan stops us in our tracks. I actually considered quitting my position with Moms In Touch! Then I began to speak truth out loud, in the name of Jesus, whenever I heard those “voices”, and they stopped. It was amazing! I loved it when Missy shared . . . God never intended for us to be bound to anything but Him. What is controlling my life other than Christ? In my case, I was choosing to focus on (believe) circumstances rather than God’s word. One of my favorite passages is from Romans 4:17-22, As it is written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He (Abraham) is our father in the sight of God, in whom he believed – the God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were. Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations. . . without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead. . . Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what He had promised. This is why it was credited to him as righteousness."

Abraham chose to believe God – not his circumstances!

It is for freedom that Christ set us free. Stand firm then, and do not LET yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Gal. 5:1

Missy shared that our freedom ultimately depends on two things:
1. What we believe to be true about God. Our view of who God is.
2. What we believe about ourselves in relationship to God.

Some of the yokes we shared at the retreat included fear, worry, insecurity, guilt, anger, control issues, food, approval, shopping, emotions, & bad habits. Share a yoke you have had to deal with in the past or are currently struggling with today.