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For Women Only
Catch the Vision!
"Where there is no vision, the people perish".
(Proverbs 29: 18 KJV)
The Bible gives us a story about a woman whose past, present and future had no distinction. For eighteen long years she had existed day to day. Each day of her life simply blended into the next. It seemed as though she had been that way forever and would remain the same until her earthly life ended.
Due to the physical deformity of her misshapen back, some of the muscles were weak and useless while others were overdeveloped in order to carry her bowed and twisted misshapen body.
She had resigned herself long ago not to fight against her infirmity, simply accepting it as her lot in life. She believed that to fight it would only lead to more pain and frustration. Many times she had probably asked herself the question: "Why should tomorrow be any different"?
Even though the woman was right there in plain sight of the Lord Jesus Christ, divine and anointed healer, she didn't bother to seek healing from the Savior. She made no move to come forward and ask to be set free of her deformity. She simply held back, amongst the crowd, probably secretly hoping to go unnoticed as Jesus was teaching in the synagogue.
But Jesus knew all about this precious woman's pain of eighteen years. He knew her sorrow. He knew her shame and her hopelessness. Perhaps He looked out over the massive crowd and recognized the evil spirit of infirmity that had held her in bondage for the past eighteen years. We know it was a spirit because the Scripture tells us so. His heart was touched by compassion at the sight of her bent and deformed frame. Perhaps He said to Himself, "This has gone on long enough!"
The Bible tells us, "On a Sabbath Jesus was teaching in one of the synagogues, and a woman was there who had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all. When Jesus saw her, he called forward and said to her, "Woman, you are set free from your infirmity". Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God" (Luke 13: 10-13 NIV).
As the Savior laid His hands upon her, the evil spirit was instantly cast out! The woman was immediately set free of the bonds of Satan and from the physical deformity (physical handicap) that had held her in it's grip for eighteen long and miserable years! Her past no longer dominated her present nor did it threaten her future. No longer was she bowed down by the yoke of oppression that had manipulated and controlled her life for the past eighteen years. She instantly felt those eighteen years of misery, pain, shame and sorrow melt away at just one touch of the Savior's hand.
She was free at last! She undoubtedly walked out of the synagogue feeling as if she were walking out of a prison. And she was doing just that! At last she could walk with her head held high, yet in humility, "making her boast in the Lord". The Scripture clearly points out that she, "straightened up and praised God" (v. 13).
This story, straight from the Word of God, gives us a perfect example of how we, as Christians, can so often be crippled in our Christian walk. Much like the woman in Luke 13 was crippled by her physical infirmity and bound by an evil spirit, we can have a crippling and distorted image of ourselves. We can function on a daily basis and we understand our eternal destiny. Yet, because of our past experiences and even our present circumstances, we are often living far from the abundant, blessed life that God has provided for us through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.
That abundant, blessed life is God, our Father's will for us in the here and now! We can boldly proclaim with the Psalmist, "You are my refuge, my portion in the land of the living" (Psalm 142: 5). The "land of the living" that this Scripture is referring to means the "right now" of our daily lives.
However, far too often, we allow the attitudes of "If only I had", "If only I hadn't" or "If only I had known then what I know now", or the most common of all, "Oh how I regret this or that" to keep us in bondage to the past.
Sadly, people often allow regrets over the past to hold them in bondage, paralyzing them and holding them back, keeping them from stepping out in faith, into the wonderful opportunities God has waiting for them. Fear of failure becomes a roadblock to taking the necessary steps toward the fulfillment of the beautiful dreams and visions that God has placed within them. They allow the "If onlys" to keep them in a self-made prison.
These are often people who have much to offer. They have God-given gifts, talents and abilities that have never been developed and used for the glory of God. They are quite often filled with gold mines of resources and potential just waiting to be tapped into, developed and used for the furthering of God's Kingdom.
God has given each and every one of us special gifts, talents and abilities and He expects us to, with His help and guidance, uses what He has placed within us. If we don't, we remain in our own self-created prison. People that remain locked behind the walls of their self-created prisons, living in the past of "If onlys" never allow their God-given gifts and talents to be developed, cultivated and used, therefore, they forfeit the blessings of the present and the future as well.
How can you break free of this self-created prison? It's actually much simpler than you might think! Start by getting your eyes off the past, off your present circumstances, off other people and their opinions and fasten your eyes upon Jesus Christ; the One who "came to set the captives free"! Set you entire focus upon Him, asking Him what He has called and ordained you to do. As Him what His vision for your life is, trusting that He will gladly show you.
The Bible plainly states that, "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (Proverbs 29: 18). Failure to seek, discover, develop and move forward in what God has called you to do only leads to unfulfillment, emptiness, lack of purpose and hopelessness. This is one of the enemy's favorite tactics of "stealing, killing and destroying" the abundance and blessings that are God's will for His children.
It is imperative that God's people have a vision and know the purpose for which they were created. For without it, they have no sense of direction, no purpose and no life goal.
Knowing God's will and purpose for your life gives you that vision. The vision is the wind beneath your wings. It is through understanding of your God-given visions, dreams and hearts desires that you soar. It is what puts the zeal and excitement in your Christian life. You have purpose. You life takes on meaning. You set Godly goals, you diligently, with God's help, guidance and direction, begin to step out in faith, moving forward, reaching toward that vision. All of a sudden what had once seemed impossible now not only seems possible, but very probable! Hope begins to replace doubt. Faith suddenly replaces fear and apprehension. You wake up in the morning feeling energized and ready to meet head-on any and every obstacle the enemy may try to throw at you. You know that, "With God all things do become possible"!
The light of hope illuminates your vision. Hope expands your dream. Hope sees the desires of your heart as a reality. As you begin to seek God's desires and His will, He begins to guide you through the desires of your own heart. You begin to clearly see that God truly did create you to be special in His Kingdom. He created you with a special reason and purpose in mind. He has many, many wonderful and exciting things for you to do. You will then begin to declare with the Apostle Paul, "I press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3: 14).
If you have prayer requests or questions, please feel free to contact me at my e-mail address: ChristsLight@aol.com. Until next month, may our Lord abundantly bless and keep you!
In the Mighty Name of Jesus Christ,
Reverend Robin Wallen
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