Breaking Free!

That’s right!! It’s time to be loosed so that you can Live! In Webster’s Dictionary, Live is defined as “conducting one’s life; having life, burning, glowing, or to remain in human memory or record.” It’s time to live. When Jesus was resurrected, that altogether said “New Life!” Yes they crucified Him, but He lives. He was once dead, but now He is alive. He lives! After your life has been torn, broken, disappointed, crushed, or just left for dead, Live! Yes, after you have allowed God to crucify your flesh and cut off all the old things, now it’s time to Live! Once you have allowed God to come into your heart and make you free, it’s time to Live! Psalm 118:17 says, “I shall not die, but Live, and declare the works of the Lord.” God has work for you to do. You can’t die now. Some of you are spiritually dying or dead already. Rise up and say I will live again! Psalm 118:18 says “The Lord hath chastened me sore: but he hath not given me over unto death.” Yes you have been through, but you are still here. So God has not given you over to death. Now live and see what God has in store for you. Sometimes chastisement hurts so much, but you can rise again. God loves those he chastens, so get up and live!
Many times in my life, the chains had me tied down so long that I felt like I was literally dying, but God with His awesome power loosed me and set me free and it feels good. I’m living my life to “Live” again. You, too, must make up your mind that you are going to “Live” again. Our new life in heaven awaits us. If we live holy, we shall live again eternally. Living again means that there will never be death again. “O death, where is Thy Sting? O Grave, where is Thy victory?” (Corinthian 15:55). Allow the Lord to pull you up out of that pit. Live your life to the fullest. You know I thought I was living years ago, but realize that until you do exactly what God has told you to do; then you’re not really living.
Many days I was frustrated because I was bound. Spiritually I was dead but saved. “Ain’t that a mess??? I was professing Christ, but walking in disobedience to God. If you are walking in disobedience then you are spiritually dead—just operating in your gifts. I want the Glory not the gifts, because the gifts without Glory yields no power. I told God I want His Glory in my life. I was dying inside every day. There were songs on the inside that I couldn’t release because of this bondage. I didn’t just want to sin, but I wanted to usher people into His presence. In my private worship time, I would experience what I had. I’m not talking about running and shouting, even though that’s ok if the spirit moves that way. I’m talking about experiencing His presence coming where you are and just clothing you with the unexplainable peace.
Well, you would think any religious service would do that. But in many services, you will not experience what I’m talking about. Many services are just normal every Sunday religious routines that leave you dying and thirsting for so much more. I found my place in God and now I know you can’t go looking for it, you have to take it with you. I guess you can say, I had a “Spiritual Awakening” and I am now walking in my destiny and it feels wonderful! If you are dying spiritually, call on God and live again. Live your life to the fullness because we only get one life on the earth, but thank God for life in heaven. I don’t want to wait until I get to heaven to live; I declare I will live on this earth having peace and joy in my life.
If you have friends and associates who may be holding you bound, think of them as “blood suckers” and tell them good-bye! Why hang on to something that is obviously a detriment to your life. Make them understand that you have to live your life to the fullness and you cannot do that if you allow them to suck the pure life out of you. Denounce them before you die! Get up and live a life of joy and peace even if it means you have to take off running and then hide! Sometimes you have to hide yourself from people who mean you no good. No, I’m not talking about isolating yourself, but hiding yourself in God where you can commune with Him and renew your spirit. Sometimes being “MIA” (missing in action) is the best thing that can happen to you. The trips to the Mall with friends, the social gatherings, family plans all pale in comparison to your “alone time” with God. And when they ask where you have been, you can just answer them with a smile, knowing you have been with God. Sometimes you can share, but other times you just want to keep it between you and God.
It’s time to live my sisters and brothers for Real! Live out the passion down on the inside of you. I know you have probably faced great oppositions in your life and felt like dying. Maybe divorce, a miscarriage, business failures or struggling finances, the lost of a loved one, betrayed from friends or church folk, or just not knowing who you really are. Whatever your darkest hour may have been, it’s not too dark for Jesus! I been there in my life many times and I felt like I was literally dying. The days of rejection and betrayal had me captive so tight, that I felt like I was dying. There were other times when my body was in so much pain, I wanted to die. Yes, Evangelist Teele, Elder Teele, Minister Teele, Pastor Teele, Sis Teele, or just Latina—whatever you want to call me, (rest assured that I’ve been called other names that I’m not at liberty to write), I have been in pain so unbearable that I wanted to die.
Sometimes when your heart is broken, pain overwhelms you. The hurt and rejection can cause physical pain in your body, but sometimes the physical pain is caused by other forces. There have been times when my body felt like needles and pins were constantly sticking me. The pain in my joints was so intense that nothing seemed to ease the grip it had on my body. Taking medication constantly everyday helped sometimes, but other times it did nothing. I felt like Job must have felt and I found myself saying, “When I lie down, I say, when shall I arise, and the night be gone? And I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.” I would lie in bed, look up at the ceiling and say “Yet, will I trust God.” I didn’t understand why I was facing such suffering in my body, but I trusted God to deliver me.
As expected in trying times, the devil is constantly trying to get to you in times when you are vulnerable. He puts little notions in your head that trusting and believing in God is not all it’s cracked up to be. Otherwise, why would He allow you to suffer? If you are not careful, his plan of separating you from God might work. The trick to ward off the devil is to know God. I’m so thankful that I am a Christian who knows, even through my pain, that God has new mercies every day and His grace is sufficient for me. Sometimes when you think your pain and sacrifice is so great that you really don’t feel like living and going on, just think of His sacrifice. That’s why I can tell you to get up and live your life.