Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
It depends on what perspective we’re viewing.
A pattern can enter our lives through what I call the sin-wound cycle. Sin with its millions of ways to miss the mark and cause ruptures creates a wound (including but not limited to trauma), and the wound causes sin. Sometimes, wounds or trauma are caused by a plot or plan of Father’s ancient enemy to throw you off course. Other times, they are the effects of living in a world that is still under corruption.
Whatever came first to cause the wound or trauma, if they are not quickly brought to Father, they fester and are open-duck season for His ancient enemy to torment you.
Release and Freedom!
Your soul needs release and freedom.
Jesus walked in our shoes and paid the price for every need, every provision, and every inheritance. He paid for your complete release and freedom.
What we haven’t understood well is the way that spiritual prisons and captivities work. They are real, and in some way, all of us have experienced them.
Christ Jesus our Lord enforced this release and freedom from the beginning of His ministry when He first announced it:
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me,
Because the Lord anointed me
To bring good news to the humble;
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
To proclaim release to captives
And freedom to prisoners;
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord
And the day of vengeance of our God;
To comfort all who mourn,
To grant those who mourn in Zion,
Giving them a garland instead of ashes,
The oil of gladness instead of mourning,
The cloak of praise instead of a disheartened spirit.
So they will be called oaks of righteousness,
The planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified”
(NASB, Isaiah 61:1-3).
Jesus Short-Cut Release and Freedom!
Working on my own healing and rebuilding journey as well as walking with others in theirs over the last couple of decades, I discovered that what Jesus did in an instant is actually formed of many different components. I believe that He’s equipping and empowering His faithful ones to do His work in an instant now! But, it is helpful to recognize that He short-cut multiple processes in an instant. Many times He has us walk out processes in their various aspects with Him because He is growing His character in us.
How We Can Expedite the Process:
It expedites the process of release and freedom when we employ:
1. Consistent prayer and personal growth in Him by studying (and applying and/or engaging) with Scripture – so that your mind is renewed (made new!) from old patterns
2. Some type of fasting, even if it is intermittent fasting
3. Recognizing personal pain, taking it to Father and processing it with Him, and receiving His forgiveness where applicable – and asking for grace to forgive where applicable. I realize that some wounds and traumas are pretty much humanly impossible to forgive. That was the point: To put people in what was planned to be an eternal prison. Lord, Your mercy. However, you don’t need human possibility. Just come and recognize you cannot do it, and ask Him to give you grace to do it. It is worth it because you will be released from real spiritual tormentors in a real spiritual prison.
Prisons
One prison is unforgiveness (Matthew 18:34-35), and closely related is another one that is judgment (Matthew 7:1-5).
There are many prisons and places of captivity in a spiritual realm that was never intended to exist by our Heavenly Father, but which were created because of mankind’s fall. However, ALL these have been overcome by Christ Jesus our Lord.
Practical Process
If this is resonating with you, I recommend doing some kind of fast to prepare and then coming to your place of prayer with communion. Command the prison and place of captivity doors to open. Command the chains to fall off. Release the angels to retrieve what Father gave you. Tell your being – spirit, and soul to take your seat with Christ FAR above all the rule and authority and all that was impacting you. Ask the Lord to help your soul to establish in the heavenly places, and to send His angels to minister to all the parts of your spirit and soul.
What we’re doing here is believing, receiving, engaging, and entering into the release and freedom Christ Jesus our Lord already purchased and gave. It’s faith, understanding, and application.
Bonus from Healing Journey and Rebuild Investment
That’s where all the consistent prayer, study, and renewal of mind come in. The more of this you have engaged, the faster you’ll be able to establish your soul in freedom in the heavenly places. It won’t be a struggle. It will be a practice, but not a struggle.
You can pray this for yourself with great success – and possibly for your immediate family with similar success. It’s not a wise idea to apply to others until you are very well established yourself with the Lord in the heavenly places, and He gives you the go-ahead.
There is much more to this topic, and I recommend Ana Mendez Ferrell’s book Regions of Captivity for deeper insight and direction together with powerful success stories.
Purchase Regions of Captivity here.
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Hope Streams
Featured Image by Morica Pham on Unsplash
The views and opinions expressed by Kingdom Winds Collective Members, authors, and contributors are their own and do not represent the views of Kingdom Winds LLC.
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