Last Saturday, I spoke about the choices we make to use the freedom we have to protect what is most valuable to us. I want to share with you a remarkable testimony of freedom as openly shared by one of our Kingdom School of Supernatural Ministry students, Dana Ortiz. Dana writes a daily encouragement e-mail called "Rivers of Living Water" (you can subscribe to this free encouragement e-mail by writing to her at danaortiz@prodigy.net. Here are two of her daily entries that describes her journey into freedom:
Hebrews 4:5-16: "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are, yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to hep us in our time of need."
Reading this scripture for me is like standing out in a meadow full of flowers, wind blowing and I looking up to heaven, with the biggest smile on my face! FREEDOM surrounding every part of me. But I didn't always feel this way. I returned to the Lord in 2004, not with confidence, because I had just spent 10 years turned away from God. My biggest fear was failing him once again. The first four years of my return I tried hiding all my junk from him. My junk was the size of a huge auto wrecking yard! Now seriously, how did I ever think I could hide that? Well I'll tell ya, I worked! I tried being the best little servant I could muster up. The more I did, I was hoping, the more I would begin to outweigh all the sin I had done, and unfortunately was still doing. Talk about a vicious cycle! The enemy loved it--I was in bondage and exhausted! I was absolutely no threat to him, just one he could torment and laugh at. Broken and helpless I literally crawled to the cross. I stretched my arm up and Mercy took hold of me. I found Grace smiling down, compassion consuming me. Humility no longer bitter, but so very sweet! No one understands you better than Jesus!
Galatians 6:9: "Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up."
Three years ago, I chose to face my drinking problem. It was impacting every part of my life. Imagine your living room and in the living room is an enormous ball. To walk around it you really have to maneuver your body. That was my drinking. Once I was unable to work myself around it, I had to really see it for what it was. A huge problem! I had two choices: allow the addiction to take me, or take the addiction! I chose to take the addiction. As I was walking my freedom out, nothing around me was changing. The very reasons why I chose to drink were still there, but I knew that what I was doing was GOOD! Little by little a shifting was taking place. Each area of my life began to change for the better. Today I have one year, ten months sober. I am reaping a wonderful harvest. Papa God is my everything! I can't imagine one breath without inhaling him! My children respect me, count on me, and seek me for wisdom! My husband and I communicate at a level that I thought would never be be possible. My physical body is healing. And the real kicker: the harvest will never end! I can't wait to see next year's harvest!
Are you facing something difficult? I want to encourage you to push onward! do what is right and good! You will reap a never ending harvest!
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