Freedom for Ladies: A Journey to Freedom in Christ预览

Idolatry

In our freedom class, a young woman who was a math teacher shouted out, “Jamye, I get it! It has been all about me! My mom used to tell me that I was the smart one, and my sister was the pretty one. My whole life I’ve been consumed with proving to everyone how smart I am. And I’ve always struggled with not feeling pretty.”

She went on to tell of one of her high school math students who had received a very high score on a college entrance test—and how she nearly boasted to the student that she herself had earned a higher score. I could see a light dawning in her as she spoke. She repented for believing the lies and began to speak the truth of God’s Word over herself. God showed her that inner beauty was what He cared about, and that she didn’t need to strive to prove anything, but could just be herself.

When life is all about us, we’re actually engaging in self-idolatry. We all have issues with idolatry (yes, this includes you). Wounds from harsh words, harsh actions, or neglect in our past can easily lead to self-idolatry.

The wound of family bondage often leads to self-gratification, in which we’re always feeding our flesh to silence the pain and avoid dealing with our past, sometimes by eating, drinking, or shopping excessively. (We learned about this wound on Day 6.)

The wound of rejection or neglect often leads to self-exaltation, always needing to be noticed, elevated, or given compliments or a pat on the back. (We’ll talk more about this wound on Day 9.)

The wound of unworthiness can lead to self-reliance, with a numb busyness. Sometimes this involves living in isolation to keep from dealing with any pain from the past. (We’ll go into more depth on Day 10.)

Hurtful lies can be hard enough as a child that they eventually sound like the truth. If words spoken over you were negative or condemning, they are untrue and unbiblical. This is your chance to repent for believing lies and replace them with God’s truth.

Pray:

Lord, I repent for making it all about me. Please help me deny my flesh and give You all the glory. Help me shine brightly, so others can know You. Let this new freedom I’m receiving become contagious. Show me any area where it’s still all about me. 

Be Still:

Ask the Lord how He wants to speak to you. At times I see pictures or hear loud thoughts in my head. I have never heard the audible voice of the Lord, but I would love to. Some of you might be discerners, having that gut feeling that is from the Holy Spirit. It might feel like a warning or an invitation to pray about something specific. We can all hear God speak as we read His Word attentively. Remember God speaks to us all differently for His glory and to build up the body of Christ.