Welcome to Freedom

I’m slightly claustrophobic. An easy way to make an enemy out of me would be to trap me under a blanket or hide me away in an elevator. It’s not a fun feeling; being stuck in a place where hope is a word that holds no meaning. A lot of things can get us there: people’s accusations, lies, and hurt. Or our own circumstance, opposition, emotions, doubts, and negative self-talk.

There is hope.

“Return to your fortress, you prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you.” Zechariah 9:12

Some of us are in a place where we’ve been for so long, that we don’t even remember what it’s like to be free (or maybe we’ve never even known it). Where hoping is pointless because goodness seems impossible. A place where the only comfort we look to is in _______ (food, drink–you choose) and not The Comforter. Beautiful one, it’s time to start seeing your darkness, in the light.

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

It’s Holy week…the week that led to the great rescue Jesus Christ did to set us free. Free from the dark place we might be presently trapped in. His whole life on earth was all to make way for God’s grand, heroic plan. As he was nailed and breathed His last, the blood that ran out of him was a sign of OUR PAIN, SIN, STRUGGLE, DISEASE being taken from us. He died in YOUR place, because He delights in YOU. His love is greater than our present darkness because he didn’t stay dead. By His death and resurrection, He beat death and anything that connects to it: SHAME, HATRED, ABUSE, ANGER, DEPRESSION, WORRY, LIES, FEAR…you fill in the blank!

No really, fill in the blank, “…and do not let yourselves be burdened again by ________”.  (Galations 5:1)

GIVE IT BACK TO ME.

Friend, if you’re holding onto any of the darkness, the time has never been better than now to give it back to JESUS. His whole living, was to die for you so that you don’t have to live in these dark places. So, what are we doing holding onto these things? They are going to come up throughout our life. Opposition is at every new turn, every attempt to move forward there is a reason to fear, lose hope and believe lies. The questions is: are you going to give into it by putting the darkness into a higher place than the hope of Christ (rescue, healing, freedom…to name a few)? OR are you going to face it and give it back to Jesus?!

What ever you filled in as being your darkness, well…it’s NOT yours. HOPE IS YOURS.  God wants you to give him back those burdens that He ALREADY took on for you.

If you want to live by HOPE instead of being stuck in whatever your darkness is, get ready to experience what FREEDOM feels like and the FULLNESS of JOY Jesus brings through that release.

If you have questions, need prayer or have anything you want to add to this, please email me. I’d love to be there for you, friend.

Be free! Bri Joy

This is me and my lovely, weird and adorable little family. 

Check out these dope lyrics, MORE THAN CONQUERORS, Rend Collective.