Breaking Free From the Bondage of Stress - Part Two

In part one, we started discussing some rights you have as a child of God.  Just as a citizen in the US has certain rights protected by the constitution and the Bill of Rights, citizens of Heaven have certain rights protected by the Bible and Jesus' blood.  Last week we talked about our rights to freedom and healing.  Let's renew our minds to some other rights we need to know we have so we can expect them and walk in them.

 3. You Have the Right to Prosper

“And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will
always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.” –2 Corinthians 9:8

Some people have the wrong idea that prosperity is just talking about money and that it is really greed.  But biblical prosperity is to be blessed and increase in all areas of our life (except our waists :)  I always like to add that in!).  Yes, it includes money and I'm so glad it does.  God knows it takes money to live on earth.  He's not opposed to you having money and lots of it as long as you keep your priorities straight and don't look at your job or however you are getting your money as your source.  He wants to be your source.  

The kingdom of God is a rich place with an endless supply and you as a citizen of heaven have access to it all.  I've heard some people say that they don't need much and they feel greedy to ask or have more but there is nothing that says if you have a lot of money that you have to keep it and spend it on you!  How many great charities are there that you could help out?  What missionary could you support?  Could your church use some updating?  The ideas are endless.  

The Jewish people as a generalization are known for being wealthy people because they are raised with the idea that their God wants them rich!  The country of Israel itself is located in just the right place that people had to pass through it to get to other parts of the world when traveling on foot and the Bible says those travelers were to see the goodness of God through the prosperity of the Israelites.  

Who is it that wants you poor, having unmet needs, living at a lower standard?  It's Satan.  And if he wants that for us, then we know it is wrong and under the curse and we want nothing to do with it.  Have you ever noticed how God is always lifting us up, increasing us, showing us value, dignifying us and Satan is always pushing us down, bringing decrease into our lives, telling us we aren't worthy and removing our dignity?  The blessing and the curse.  Day and night difference.  Easy to see which one is of God when you give it any thought.  

 4. You Have the Right to Never Fear Again

“For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’” –Romans 8:15 (NKJV)

We call by it other names usually - worry, anxiety, depression, doubt, concern - but whatever you call it, it has been defeated.  And if you know your rights as a child of the Most High, you'll learn fear no longer has to be a part of your life.  When the emotion of fear comes, you don't have to agree with it.

Fear is Satan controlling you with suggestions of harm.  As long as you tolerate fear in your life, you are tolerating Satan being your master and you his slave.  You are living a much lower life than you were destined for.  Fear puts the focus on us and how little control or power we have in life.  Fear is really faith in Satan and his power.  

When you feel fear, you should just view that as a symptom that you have gotten your eyes off of God and a reminder to turn this care back over to the Jesus. When you get your eyes back on Jesus, His love and His power, you'll see your fears disappear for they were just threats of Satan that held no power.

5. You Have the Right to Have Peace

“The Lord will bless His people with peace.” –Psalm 29:11 (NASB) 

Peace is not the absence of war but the presence of wholeness in our lives.  It is the peace that comes from your life being whole in Jesus.  When He died and rose again, He made peace available to us.  Nothing should be missing in our lives.  Nothing should be broken in our lives.  That's peace.  

>>If you would like to talk to me about finding peace in your life, click here to sign up for a FREE 30-minute STRESS BUSTER strategy session.<<

6. You Have the Right to Use the Name of Jesus

“And this is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ.” –1 John 3:23 (NIV)

What does it mean to believe in the name of his Son?  It doesn't mean to just believe that He exists.  The Bible says even the demons believe that.  It means to put a demand on His name and we are commanded to do it.  This is why we pray "in the name of Jesus."   It's His name that is going to get our prayers heard.  His name that makes it possible for your request to come to pass.  

It would be similar to being a salesperson working for a big name company like Facebook or Google.  When you arrive at the receptionist desk of a company you are calling on and you say, "I'm with Google," assuming the company has anything to do with online business, they are going to usher you right in and hear what you have to say.  The name gets you in where the salesperson of a small local agency that wants your business might get told the manager is not available right now.  The Google salesman in our example has the right to use the name of Google when doing their business and use the power it allows him to have.

The same is true for us.  When we do business in the name of Jesus, doors get opened.  When we call upon the name of Jesus and believe in His name, we are putting pressure on the name to provide everything the Bible promises is available through that name.  And it NEVER lets us down.

7. You Have the Right to Always Triumph

“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ.” –2 Corinthians 2:14 (KJV)

Although we could keep going, let's stop today with this last right of always triumphing.  Wow, sounds too good to be true, doesn't it?  But I didn't make this up!  It's right there in God's word.  Will you believe it - truly believe it?

"Well, that can't be true, because I'm a Christian and I can tell you I am not always triumphing in life."  Have you been expecting to triumph?  Have you been speaking faith words of triumph?  Or have they been defeated words of how dark this world is becoming, how much money everything costs, how irritating other people are?  Have you tried to do thing the best you knew how in your own strength?  Or have you found out what it means to be "in Christ," where the triumph is, according to this verse?  Just because you haven't seen it yet in your life, doesn't make God's word untrue.  It means you have some things to learn.  

When we don't know our rights or we lose focus of our rights as a Child of the Most High, life gets hard, dark, burdensome, lacking joy and purpose.  Learn your rights to break the bondage of stress in your life!  Study them like you would a written will of what you have inherited and get them down into your heart.  You'll become free to start reigning in this life and start spreading the fame of God all around the world!

And don't forget to take me up on that offer of a free Stress Buster Strategy Session if you'd like to go deeper and faster at applying these rights to your life.