How Can We Break Free From Our Bondage?

Freedom is something that a lot of us take for granted. We can walk down the street and do what we want, when we want and we can say just about anything we want.

It wasn’t always like that. Our forefathers gained their freedom when they came to this country. Our ancestors fought for their freedom in wars. Our country once divided over freedom. Freedom is a privilege and something we think about this month because of Independence Day.

Our religious freedom, our political freedom, even our educational freedom isn’t what I’ve been thinking about but the freedom God has given each one of us – freedom from sin and the chains that bind us and keep us from becoming all He wants for us. Jesus went to the cross to give us that freedom.

Like Paul and Silas were imprisoned in a physical jail cell, some people are imprisoned in their own addictions, depression, and other diseases or problems. Like the Hebrew children probably said when stuttering Moses went to the Pharaoh, these people scoff at the thoughts of being released from their bondages.

I was one of those people. I was imprisoned for many years in depression.

Don’t tell me that your disease is worse…you don’t know what I lived with or how I felt.

Don’t say, “You don’t understand what I’m going through.”

You might be right. But there is One who does and He wants you to be free! The prison cells seem impossible to break open. I wonder what Paul and Silas said when their prison doors miraculously opened wide!

God wants the very best for His children. He doesn’t want them to be imprisoned in sickness or disease. He doesn’t want them addicted to sinful things such as sex, pornography, drugs, alcohol, etc. He wants what every Father wants – the BEST He can give His children! God wants you to be FREE! He isn’t the one who locked you in your prison. But He can be the One who releases you!

Depression is probably one of the worst diseases there is, and not because I suffered from it, but because people suffering from depression don’t have any physical reason for their suffering. I used to say that if I had been physically abused then it might have been easier because people could see the wounds and know why I was in pain. But depression doesn’t have any physical wounds, no actual scars, no reason for the suffering.

People suffering depression can usually hide it well too. They are usually embarrassed because they have convinced themselves that people won’t understand. And so they put on a momentary “happy face” for show. But deep down inside they are screaming.

Many Christians suffer from depression so don’t think because you have God on your side you are exempt from any troubles. Depression is a disease just as cancer is. As a Christian we can overcome and break free from the shackles that bind us, from the guilt and shame, from the financial burdens, family situations, or whatever the cause of your depression is.

How can we break free from the bondage?

Pray. When you feel like no one is there for you, know that God is. He will not leave you alone. Talk to Him about how you are feeling. He already knows but sometimes saying it aloud helps you overcome. Pray about why you are in the situation you are in. Did God want you to learn something? Is there someone else you can help? Everything happens for a reason and it’s usually that we are to learn something. What you are going through may be like training for the big race. It takes a lot of sweat and hard work to get our bodies in physical shape to run a marathon race, so it takes a lot of training for the big race of life. Read Hebrews 12.

If you feel you are too weary to pray, ask a friend to pray with you. Don’t expect that they will offer because they may feel you might not be ready to receive their prayers. Besides if they are a friend, they may already be praying for you.

Read the Word. There is comfort and encouragement in the Scripture. Be encouraged that you are not the only one going through this situation and that God has a plan and purpose for your life. Jeremiah 29:11 is one of my favorite verses:

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

Find a scripture you can hold on to. Print it out if you have to and put it everywhere you can see. It will be a reminder for you.

Many years ago when I had a miscarriage 1 Peter 1:6-7 (The Living Bible Version) really helped me get through that situation. “So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though the going is rough for a while down here. These trials are only to test your faith, to see whether or not it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests gold and purifies it—and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold; so if your faith remains strong after being tried in the test tube of fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day of his return.”
I calligraphied it on a full sheet of paper and hung it everywhere. I even gave a copy to friends to help them.

Also try reading a different version of the Bible. If you are used to reading the King James version, try reading one of the more modern versions such as NIV or the NLT. I’ve been reading The Message lately. It puts the wording in 21st Century terminology. Recently I got a new Bible – a parallel version with NIV and The Message. I love reading the modern version in addition to the older one.

If you are not able to read then try one of those Bibles on CD. Just as your physical body needs food and water to survive so your spiritual body needs the Bread of Life and the Living Water to survive.

Praise. Just like Paul and Silas did in their prison cell, we need to praise God in all things. As they sang praise to God their prison doors flew open.

Sing some good praise songs. Singing always makes people feel better. If you really don’t fell like singing, listen to some good praise music. It won’t be long till you are singing along. One song I’ve been singing a lot lately is “He Set Me Free” by Lindell Cooley:

He set me free. Yes He set me free.
He broke the bonds of prison for me
I’m glory bound, My Jesus to see
For glory to God He set me free

Once like a bird In prison I dwelt
No freedom from my sorrow I felt
But Jesus came and listened to me
And glory to God He set me free

Now I am climbing higher each day
Darkness of night has drifted away
My feet are planted on higher ground
And glory to God I’m homeward bound

And another song my husband Lou has been singing lately – “I’m Free” by Bill Gaither:

I’m free from the fear of tomorrow
I’m free from the guilt of the past
For I’ve traded my shackles
For a glorious song
I’m free praise the Lord free at last

So long I had searched for life’s meaning
Enslaved by the world and my greed
Then the door of my prison was opened by love
For the ransom was paid I was freed

I’m free from the guilt that I carried
From the dull empty life I’m set free
For when I met Jesus He made me complete
He forgot the foolish man I used to be

Go to Church. Those of us suffering from depression want to be alone. But the best thing for us is to be around others that can encourage us and lift us up spiritually. The best place for this is in fellowship with a body of believers. The enemy would want you to think you should stay in bed or hide in your house. The dark dreary places we tend to stay in when we are depressed only make the depression worse. You need to step out into the Light!

Get Help. Don’t be ashamed to seek medical help. Doctors got their healing abilities from God Himself. You also might need some medication and that is okay too. Medicine was given by God for healing. Maybe you should consider seeing a counselor. Sometimes just talking to someone makes the problems seem smaller.

Think Positive. Sometimes healing comes just from having a new attitude. Mine did. My life changed when I finally said, “I’m not going to feel like that any more!” Believe me, I know it’s hard to get a new attitude when everything seems to be crashing in around you. But if you can, you will have accomplished the greatest victory in your life! It is an established fact that cancer survivors did so with a positive attitude. Having a reason to live is a proven way to fight any disease.

Give Your Problems to God. The most important thing you can do to break free from any bondage is to make Jesus Lord of your life. He wants to save you from your sins. He wants you to be free. God loves you so much that He sent His Son to the cross – just for you!

If you have never made Jesus Lord of your life or if you have strayed away from God, pray something like the prayer on the next page.

Please realize that this is not an instant cure for your illness but it sure helps you cope with it. Tomorrow you might have to get out of bed and start the list all over again. Or maybe, tomorrow will be a better day!