I Am Delivered

As far back as I can remember, I have had an active imagination with the ability to visualize. This can be pleasant and sweetly exciting when it works for good. But in the past, I frequently experienced periods of extremely disturbing torment, as I would vividly visualize devilish, negative, unrighteous, unholy, and ugly happenings — sometimes for days and nights at a time.

The mind can be a fertile battleground, even for Christians, which Satan can easily invade, riding in on ordinary concerns and doubts, enhancing them into devastating, unreasonably negative untruths, anguished thoughts, outlandish assumptions, and imaginings.

He loves invading us like this, because it can so easily lead to depression and oppression, with opposition and resistance to the things of God. When these dark imaginings drop into our hearts, we begin to speak a dark, hellish, deathly language, not the positive, godly, heavenly language of Spirit and life.

Luke 6:45 – Whatever is in the heart overflows into speech. (TLB)

Today, I can confidently and happily report that Christians do not have to tolerate a permanent lifestyle of the above. We can be set free in our Lord's name, quietly and privately. We can blast away these negative symptoms through prayer, by reading, standing on, and trusting the truth and promises of God's Word.

Isaiah 26:3 – You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you! (NLT)

When God "keeps" us, He retains possession of us. He does not let us go. Oh, glory and praise to His determination! This, by itself, is mind-freeing — to be kept permanently by God fills me with amazing confidence.

Through my personal deliverance and God's promise in Isaiah 26:3 fulfilled in my life, God's "perfect peace" has meant mature peace: steadfast, permanent, precise, and complete peace. For me, this has also meant the absence of inner warring, hostility, disagreement, torment, conflict, aggression, and the like. God's "perfect peace" brings us into the loveliness of harmony, rest, security, tranquility, serenity, liberty, conciliation, unity within and without, and contentment.

My, oh my, this is such a contrast to what I remember of those dark periods of the past! My invaded, blackened heart is truly changed and constantly filled to overflowing with the light of gratitude, thanksgiving, and joy in my Lord. "Over the moon" is a lovely place to be.

According to Isaiah 26:3, this promise of "perfect peace" is to those who "trust" in God, to those "whose thoughts are fixed" on God, which simply means to believe in, be confident in, rely on, adhere to, and surrender to Him.

My experience is that the longer I know God, and the more closely I relate to Him, the easier it becomes to freely live these yielding words, and to fix, fasten securely, settle, and direct my thoughts on God.

Of course, I am not declaring any "quick fix" or even overnight solutions from the Lord. No! Definitely, not all of God's life-changes, healings, or deliverances are instant. Some can be, but not all. However, I do believe that all from God is the best for me and us. All my confidence is in Him!

For me, mostly, the wonderful changes from God in my life have come through faithfully reading God's Word, persistently asking with faith, and in this case, constantly bringing all negative thoughts, imaginings, and visions captive to Christ — presenting them to Christ Jesus.

2 Corinthians 10:5 – We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. (NLT)

Today, I happily testify that I am completely free from all cursed tormenting imaginings and visions. Today, with great joy, I thank God for His visual gift. It is now a wonderful blessing in prayer and worship to visualize only good, positive, righteous, gloriously holy, and heavenly happenings.

"In Jesus name, by His Word and loving grace, I am delivered!"

Prayer: We thank You again, Lord, that through Your living Word, enlivened revelations, and belief therein, deliverances are indeed possible, life-changing, and lasting, as is our praise, thanksgiving, and worship unto You, our loving Jesus Lord. Amen and Amen!

Forward this devotional     Share this devotional on Facebook     Like PresbyCan on Facebook