Is the Holy Spirit Transforming Your Life?

Hi Readers & Followers,

Happy New Week. How was your weekend? Hope it was lovely. This week's post was triggered by a discussion that I had with a sister of mine who is currently reading a book about the Holy Spirit. We had a jamming session via WhatsApp and in person about the role of the Holy Spirit in the lives of a Christian.  Since you were not part of our discussion, I didn't want you to miss out on the lessons from our discussion.

So, the question is: "Is the Holy Spirit transforming your life? Has He transformed my life?"

Since I gave my life to Christ, the Holy Spirit has played a major role in my life through helping to find things that I had misplaced, comforted me divinely when I was emotionally down, and revealed things to me. It's usually mind-blowing when the Holy Spirit reveals things that haven't occurred to me.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

Jesus introduced the Holy Spirit by explaining in John 14:15-17, 25-26 that:

If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper,[a] to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be[b] in you . . . These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

From the above scripture, we can see that the Holy Spirit is:

- Our Helper

- A Helper who will be with us forever. He does not go away.

- He teaches us all truth. He can never deceive us.

- The Holy Spirit teaches us all things.

- The Holy Spirit brings things to our remembrance.

- The Holy Spirit brings the Word of God to our remembrance.

Apostle Paul in the bible dogmatically states that if we do not have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, we are not part of God's children (Romans 8:9). This therefore means that in order to have the Holy Spirit, we need to have accepted Jesus Christ our lives. 

THE HOLY SPIRIT GUIDES US IN ALL TRUTH

John 16:12-15 says: “There is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’

Has the Holy Spirit guided you into all truth? Do you need the Holy Spirit to guide you? Ask him for directions today.

THE HOLY SPIRIT COMFORTS US

Sometimes, Christians minimise the role of the Holy Spirit as the comforter, we sometimes believe in Psychiatrists and Psychologists report when it comes to healing from separation, death, loss, among others. Christians should depend on the Holy Spirit; He can comfort us within a twinkling of an eye and when He does it, a large number of people would be awe by the way we have been healed. I am a living example of the comfort of the Holy Spirit. I had an experience which could have led to depression or which may have taken years for someone to recover but the way the Holy Spirit comforted me left a large number of people in shock about my recovery.

Let us depend on the Holy Spirit the comforter, the bible says that:

Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send Him unto you. (John 16:7).

He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. (2 Corinthians 1:4).

THE HOLY SPIRIT WORKS THROUGH PEOPLE

The Holy Spirit selects some people to guide you, teach you, help you, comfort you and He also uses the people to confirm the truth He may have told us. There was a time the Holy Spirit had shared some information with me, He told me continuously, however, what I saw in reality at the time did not corroborate the information revealed. But to my amazement, the Holy Spirit spoke through one of my work colleagues to share the same information with me.

Let us therefore be conscious that the Holy Spirit can use others to help us. We must however always give God the Glory even while thanking the people that God had used. Remember, the Holy Spirit can also use you to help others.

THE HOLY SPIRIT TRANSFORMS US, IF WE ALLOW

There was a time I was looking for my ring, I had looked everywhere but I couldn't find it. I decided to ask the Holy Spirit to help me and He told me that my ring was inside one of my shoes. I was not persuaded that it was there, so, I told the Holy Spirit that the ring was very unlikely to be in my shoe. Despite His help, I failed to listen, however, I eventually submitted to His help, I looked inside the shoe that He had told me, and there my ring was!

THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS US TO BE MORE AND MORE LIKE JESUS

- 2 Corinthians 3:18 says that "And the Lord who is the Spirit makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image." In other word, the Holy Spirit grows inside us, He renews our thoughts and attitudes and He helps us to be more like God. As He helps us, the fruit of the Spirit grows inside us (Galatians 5:22-23).

- The Holy Spirit helps us to live the life of a Christian. None of us can overcome sins with our own power and none of us can show the love that God wants us to show without the help of the Holy Spirit.

For if you live according to the flesh you, will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many are led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God" (Romans 8:13-14).

Having read the above, the question to you is: "Do you allow the Holy Spirit to transform your life? Are you cognisant of his presence in your life?"

To build a relationship with the Holy Spirit, you need to...

Prayer

Ask the Holy Spirit to come into your life. Tell Him that you want to know Him more and you need Him in your life.

Thank God for the Holy Spirit and His functions in your life.

Ask the Holy Spirit to transform your life or your relations (tell Him their names). Also, tell the Holy Spirit what you want Him to help you with.

- Myss Lafunky

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5 Ways to Boost Your Confidence

How confident are you?  Do you know that being confident can influence your perception to life? It can lead to positive thinking, as a result, you will exhibit positive actions. Being confident can also help you in aiming higher in the things you do. It is also known that our confidence affects every sphere of our lives. Being confident attracts us to other confident people, it increases our self-esteem, it accelerates our progress and it helps our motivation in life.

Consider the 5 ways below to boost your confidence. The list is not exhaustive:

1) Believe in yourself (Phil 4:13)

2) Appreciate your uniqueness and special qualities (Matt 25:15)

3) Be confident in who God had made you to be. Always remind yourself of what God has said about his creation and his promises for your life. (Ps 139:14)

4) Identify your strengths. In other words, do a honest self-evaluation of yourself. Identify ways to improve your strengths and weaknesses. Make a conscious effort to be a better person in every area of your life daily. (2 Pet 1:5)

5) Stop speaking negative about yourself. Cut out complaints and grumbling about yourself. Instead, Speak positive of yourself. You can have positive declarations that you recite on a daily basis. What you repeatedly hear, you will start believing in it. The bible says life and death are in the power of the tongue. Your mouth carries power and life. Therefore, fill your mouth with life, and not death. (Pro 18:21).

Be encouraged as you listen to this song.

- Myss Lafunky

5 Things Christians Should Do In The Morning

It is said that we are usually at our best in the morning; we are fresh in the body, mind and spirit. Also, we have less distractions. 

1)  Pray | Put God first by worshipping and praising Him. Remember to ask God to guide your day.

2) Read the bible and read a daily bible devotional | One thing that has helped me when I felt lazy to read the bible is listening to an audio bible. After all, the bible says faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17). My concentration has increased immensely since I started listening to audio bible as it constantly requires my listening and attention skills. The audio bible has also helped me with the pronunciation of some words in the bible. Have you considered listening to the bible?

3) Read a book for 20 minutes | It helps one's mental dictionary and intelligence. It has increased my personal lexicon. One of my reading goals for this year is to broaden the genre of books that I read and you can do the same.

4)  Plan out your day | If you are into exercise, it's an opportunity for you to workout as it is said that those that exercise in the morning have more energy in the day. I must confess, I don't have a scheduled exercise routine; I used to go swimming once a week but I gave up. Perhaps this is the year to resume it or start some other exercise routine.

5)  Get ready for your day | Remember to have breakfast or drink a glass of water. 

To minimise rushing in the morning, you can consider waking up 15 minutes earlier; it's a good way to start the day. To maximise my morning and be more productive, I've also adjusted the time that I wake up.

Now, it's time for you to think and perhaps write down the five things that you do or will like to do in the morning. 

Happy Reflecting!

- Myss Lafunky

Freedom Series: Chained but Free

This is the third and final part in the freedom series. First off, I want to thank the Holy Spirit for directing me on what to write. At the beginning, this was the initial topic I wanted to address but as I read a book by Myles Munroe titled: the Burden of Freedom it got laid in my spirit to do a Freedom series. What started out as one topic was broken down into two and then three. Like I said, freedom comes with work. I was led to first discuss what freedom is and then the types of freedom. I’m sure when you see the title of this post you will be wondering: how can this guy tell us to be free and then tell us to be chained. You can be chained but free! One way of interpreting this is to say, you can be in physical bondage but as long as you are free mentally, you are free indeed. You would be correct in thinking this way. I want to instead look at it this way: being chained to God but free in His will.

When you are chained to God, it simply means you submit to God’s sovereignty and you let yourself be led by God. Picture yourself a free man with chains on your feet. These chains are not to stop you from moving forward in life but serve as links to our creator. When you submit to His sovereignty, He leads you and makes your crooked paths straight (Pr. 3:6). The bible details men and women who submitted to His will and they did great and mighty things. The most obvious example is Abraham, the father of all nations. Abraham received a covenant that his children will be as many as the stars. Imagine that!

Gen. 15:5-6 (NIV): 5. He took him outside and said, “Look up at the sky and count the stars—if indeed you can count them.” Then he said to him, “So shall your offspring be.”6. Abram believed the Lord, and he credited it to him as righteousness.

If you notice, it was recorded that he believed. When we are chained to God, we believe whatever it is He tells us. No matter how ridiculous they sound. How would it sound to you, you’re dirt broke and God says you are rich. Or to Gideon who was from a weak clan and an angel addressed him as a mighty warrior (Judges 6:12). Back to Abraham. Abraham believed in God so much that he was willing to sacrifice his only son to God after years of been childless (Gen. 22). Abraham was so chained to God that when his son asked him about the lamb to be used, he replied: Gen. 22:8 (NIV): Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. Abraham was so chained that he had laid his son on the altar and was about to pick the knife to slay him (Gen. 22:10). It was at this point that he passed the test and God stopped him and duly provided the burnt offering. When you are chained to God, you will be willing to sacrifice anything to him believing that he will provide it to you. Sometime in 2015, during a spiritual conference, it was laid in my heart to give unto God a sizeable offering. I didn’t have it but in my heart I said to God I was willing to give the offering and believed he would provide it. Did he? He not only provided it but also gave me double.

As children of God, we need to be chained to Him. After all, He is our source and it is in Him that we are safe. When you read Heb. 11, a chapter I like to call the ‘Hall of Faith’, we read about great men and women who were so chained to God it didn’t matter if they died. Some of them even did. Abel was one of such people (Heb. 11:4). Some would have been ridiculed for obeying God. Noah was one of such people that I believe people would have made fun of while he was building the ark. Noah built an ark (Gen. 6) in anticipation of a flood that the earth had never seen.

When we are chained to God, there will be times when we are divinely placed in an environment that we never expected. When you find yourself in such a place, you need to wait on God and make yourself ready to be used when the time comes. One person that was so divinely placed was Esther. Esther would never have expected to be queen. Esther kept herself pure, a virgin, and as a result of this she was eligible to be brought before the King when he wanted to select a new queen. If she had not been pure, would we have heard of Esther? It was recorded of Esther that she found favor and was eventually made Queen. In Esther 4:14 (NIV), Mordecai asked: And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this? When she heard this what was her response? Vs. 16 of the same chapter records it and she ended by saying: if I perish I perish. Would you go into a situation without knowing the outcome? Esther instantly went to her source and fasted for three days and night before walking into that situation. She believed so much in God (the author and finisher of our faith) that she first of all went to Him before taking any decision. She submitted herself to His will and went to fulfil her assignment. It is very possible that she could have turned her back on God and Mordecai and said there was nothing she could do about the situation. Thank God she did not. 

Being chained to God requires a lot of humility and understanding that we are not living for ourselves but for God. Pr. 19:21 educates us in the fact that despite our many plans, it is the purpose of God that will come to pass. Why not make life easy for yourself and chain yourself to God? One person that learnt this the hard way was Jonah. Jonah wanted to run from his assignment to Nineveh and it took him sitting in the belly of a fish to learn that God’s purpose will always come to pass.

By now, you should understand what I mean by being chained but free in His will. It simply means that we are linked to God, we submit to his will and sovereignty and we act within the confines of His will. As children of God, we should be glad when we live a life within the confines of God’s will for our lives. When we are faced with choices in life, we should ask ourselves if we are acting based on God’s will or not. One very important decision we will make in life is on the choice of who to marry. It is a choice that can’t be made lightly or based on the flesh. We need to know if it is God’s plan for us and there are different ways to know (this will be covered separately). One person that was chained to his creator but eventually lost his way as a result of following his flesh was Samson. We all know the story of Samson and how mighty a warrior he was. So mighty that he defeated a thousand men with the jaw bone of an ass (Judges 15:15). But when it was time to choose a partner, he went for Delilah and we all know what happened next. If you don’t, read Judges 16.

When you act in the freedom of God’s will, you will never be defeated. David is a man the bible describes as a man after God’s heart. There will be times in life that we make the mistake of acting on our own but as long as you stay chained to God, you can always find your way back to acting within his will. The life of David is a perfect example. David was deeply chained to God and walked in His will and whenever he walked out of it he faced the consequences.

2Sam. 5:19-20 (NIV): 19. So David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?” The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.” 20. So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.

2Sam. 11:4-5 (NIV): 4. Then David sent messengers to get her. She came to him, and he slept with her. (Now she was purifying herself from her monthly uncleanness.) Then she went back home. 5. The woman conceived and sent word to David, saying, “I am pregnant.”

2Sam. 12:18 (NIV): 18. “On the seventh day the child died……..”

From these verses, we see the difference between acting in the freedom of God’s will and acting outside it. When David did, he was victorious. When he didn’t, he lost his child. What did he do when he lost the child? 2Sam. 12:20 says he got up, took a bath, went to the house of the Lord and worshipped Him. Crazy right? No! He accepted the will of God. The best example of being chained but free in His will is Jesus. From the age of 12, Jesus was already about His Father’s business (Luke 2:41-49).

Luke 2:49 (NIV): “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?”

He never acted outside the will of God and throughout His life He stayed rooted in the Father and acted within His will even to the point of death. As believers, we are expected to be free within the confines of God’s will for our lives and never break the chains that link us to Him as our source and provider. When we do so, He will take care of us and protect us.

Ps. 54:4 (NIV): Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me.

Phil 4:19 (NIV): And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Your mission should you choose to accept it is to be chained but free!

- Sage

Sage is a graduate of human resource management and a 24/7 salesman. A clay in the hands of the Potter, he is on a journey to knowing God and becoming the man God has called him to be. He has a passion for football and society at large. In his quest for knowledge, he has recently restarted his passion for reading books. He lives in Lagos, Nigeria.

Photo Credit: http://halboor.com/, http://beattieroad.net/ & https://epicsermons.com

Freedom Series: Types of Freedom

Welcome to part 2 of the freedom series. I mentioned in the previous article that we would discuss the types of freedom. Myles Munroe said: ‘it is easier to exist in slavery than to live in freedom’. I submit to you that it is possible to be free but to still be a slave. Let us delve into what this means by looking at the types of freedom.

Physical Freedom

We can all relate to this type of freedom, it is the most straightforward. When you are free physically, it means you are free to move wherever you want and to do what you want. Freedom of speech is one such example. Freedom to practice religion is another. Right to gather (meaning right to form social groups etc.) is another. The moment anyone wants to deny us this freedom, we instantly want to defend ourselves against such people. 

One of the earliest accounts of a nation seeking physical freedom was that of the children of Israel who were held in bondage in Egypt. They went in as free men but ended up as slaves. The book of Exodus in the Bible details the story of the children of Israel and their desire to be free from the oppression of Pharaoh. Exodus 1 talks of their oppression because of the rise of a new Pharaoh that did not know Joseph. 

To be honest I find it strange that after all the great works performed by Joseph and the Egyptian practice of recording history there would be a Pharaoh that would not know him. But when you read the NIV version of Ex. 1:8, it tells us that there was a new King to whom Joseph meant nothing. What this tells us is that there is no place like home and even when you achieve great things in a foreign land you are still a foreigner. So of course a point came when the Israelites were put into bondage and became the slaves of the Egyptians. Not only were they made slaves, instructions were also given to kill every newborn boy. 

As a slave you no longer own yourself, you are now a property of the slave master to do as he deems fit. In modern times, we have watched movies that tell us about the origins of slave trade and how the West enslaved people from Africa and other parts of the world. When you are in physical bondage, you no longer have control of your destiny. Whatever dreams or hopes you have are killed with no hope of ever fulfilling your dreams. A good example is Django (the D is silent) who was also a slave but his desire to be free led him to been sold off like a piece of cloth in a slave market. There are great movies that tell us tales of slavery, some do their best to portray a dark period of human history in a light-hearted manner.

Just like Neo in the matrix, his desire to be physically free led him to taking the red pill in order to get out of the matrix. So, of course the Israelites desired to be free and in came Moses. God sent Moses to deliver his children from physical oppression. The fight for physical freedom has never been easy and history tells us the cost of the fight for freedom. It took the Egyptians losing their first-born to allow the Israelites go free. 

The American civil war was a fight between states who viewed it as their constitutional right to own slaves vs. states who supported the abolishment of slavery proposed by Abraham Lincoln back in the late 1800s. Imagine that! A civil war was fought for freedom’s sake and it cost over 700,000 people their lives. For freedom’s sake, Gandhi walked 400km and fasted severally. Mandela for the sake of freedom spent 27 years in prison. This shows that as human beings we have an innate desire to be free. Free to move where we want, eat what we want, associate with who we want etc. At various points in the history of mankind, people have fought for their physical freedom.

When people think about freedom, this is the type of freedom that comes to mind instantly. It is a very sweet thought. Being free to do according to your will but if you’re free to move according to your will are you truly free? The answer is NO, you are not and this takes me to the second type of freedom.

Mental Freedom 

To be truly free, you need to also be free mentally. There is nothing worse than a free man with a slave mentality. Once again the children of Israel provide a perfect example. After they had attained physical freedom, they moved around with a slavery mentality. Slavery mentality keeps you relying on others. It keeps you living in a state of oppression even if your chains have been broken. The bible calls the mind a stronghold. So when you read 2 Cor. 10:4-5 (NIV), the bible is referring to our mind:

4. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. 5. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

I highlighted the word "thought" so you see what it refers to. I submit to you that it is as a result of the slavery mentality of the Israelites that they spent 40 years in the wilderness. God was trying to change their mindset. In Ex. 16:3 they started complaining and reminiscing about those days in Egypt just because they were facing challenges on the road to the Promised Land. Num. 11:5 (NIV) makes for even harder reading. Because of cucumber, onions, garlic and the likes they began to complain. Ex. 16:10 tells us that God was angry and Moses was troubled. If I were Moses, I would also be troubled because it beats reason for people to willingly want to be enslaved just for the sake of meat. As a result of this wrong mindset, God decided he wouldn't allow that generation into the Promised Land. An entire generation had to be wiped out in order to get rid of the slavery mentality and God raised a new leader in Joshua whose job was to deliver the Israelites from mental slavery and lead them into Canaan. 

There is a quote I would share below by Marcus Garvey in a speech delivered in 1937:

We are going to emancipate ourselves from mental slavery because whilst others might free the body, none but ourselves can free the mind. Mind is your only ruler, sovereign. The man who is not able to develop and use his mind is bound to be the slave of the other man who uses his mind.

We are responsible for ensuring we not only get free physically but also free mentally. When you think of the Matrix movie, you will realize that as soon as Neo was free physically Morpheus tried to free him mentally but had trouble getting him free mentally and Neo had to take up that challenge himself. It was only when he became mentally free that he became the Matrix and as the movie went on he developed from dodging bullets to stopping them. Why? Because he was free mentally and knew he was no longer bound by the laws of the world. It is only when we are free mentally that we begin to think of the impossible as possible, we walk into our Promised Land and realize that we are not bound by the laws of this world but that the law instead serves as a guide (Rom. 7:7). We begin to walk in the fullness of our destiny. 

When you are free mentally, the devil will not be able to make you think less of yourself or make you think you have made too many mistakes for God to ever forgive you (Heb.4:16). You begin to see things the way God intended us to see them and walk in wisdom and understanding.

God does not like dealing with a mind that is enslaved because an enslaved mind is not fit to work for God. It will keep seeing things as impossible. It will stay bound to the laws of this world. It will keep reminiscing of its days of old and miss out on the new things God is doing (Is.43:18-19). 

Luke 9:62 (NIV) says: Jesus replied, “No one who puts a hand to the plough and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.” You can’t walk forward and look back at the same time. Lot’s wife tried it and she turned into a pillar of salt. The children of Israel tried it and they wandered for 40 years. Why then would you want to try it? 

Mental slavery is like driving a car while staring at the rear-view mirror. If I am to choose, I would say it is more important to be free mentally than free physically. I would confess that there are times I find myself reminiscing about the old days before I got serious with my Christianity and as I am writing this I am asking God to forgive me for looking back to those old days. Below are some great verses that admonish us on the need to keep moving forward and leaving behind the old ways:

Phil. 3:13-14 (NIV): 13…….Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14. I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Is. 43:18-19 (NIV): “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. 19. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

2Cor. 5:17 (NIV): 17. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

Are you physically free but mentally enslaved? Are you new in Christ but still doing things from your old life? Are you putting your hand to the plough and looking back? Are you a Christian and still acting like the world? Are you still enjoying the pleasures of the flesh? If you keep up this way, you will miss out on the new things God is doing for us. I can hear God saying: can’t you see the new things happening around you? Don’t miss out on the new! Now is the time to stop and emancipate yourself from mental slavery. Do not wish for slavery because of a few challenges on your journey to the Promised Land.

Watch out for the next freedom series post next week Monday.

- Sage

Sage is a graduate of human resource management and a 24/7 salesman. A clay in the hands of the Potter, he is on a journey to knowing God and becoming the man God has called him to be. He has a passion for football and society at large. In his quest for knowledge, he has recently restarted his passion for reading books. He lives in Lagos, Nigeria.

Photo credit: http://www.ecksermonator.com/, http://hdpixa.com/, http://www.whenlifegiveslemons.com/, https://www.timeshighereducation.com/

Freedom Series: The Red Pill or the Blue Pill

I want to start by painting a picture. At the dawn of a new millennium, a movie titled "The Matrix" was released. In this movie, the main character called Neo was presented with a choice. A red pill, in a red capsule, that would wake him up from his dreams to the reality of what the matrix really was or a blue pill, in a blue capsule, that would put him back to sleep and would cause him to forget all he had been told and put him back to sleep in the matrix. Imagine you were Neo and you were faced with a choice: the red pill or the blue pill. What would you choose? Before you answer, let me break down these pills for you. 

Chemistry tells us that pills are made up of certain chemicals that are mixed together in order to achieve a certain outcome, mostly curing a disease and these pills can be in the form of capsules or tablets. The chemicals in the red capsule would give you freedom from the matrix; freedom to determine your own destiny, freedom not to be controlled by others, in this case the matrix. The chemicals in the blue capsule would give you a life of oppression, to be controlled by others, unable to determine your own destiny (in this case the matrix). Which pill would you choose? As strange as it may sound, some would choose the blue pill (someone in the movie did) but I would definitely go with the red pill just like Neo did. To know what became of him, watch the Matrix series. Now that I think of it, the whole essence of the Matrix was a fight for freedom; freedom from the matrix and the machines that controlled the matrix.

Life is all about choices. Even when it seems like we have no choice, we still have a choice. In our daily lives, we make decisions that determine if we want to be free or if we want to be oppressed. The lure of freedom is the illusion of action without consequences; a life free of responsibility. A life in which we can decide what we want to wear or eat, a life in which drinking alcohol or smoking cigarettes come with no repercussions. Alas dear friends, time will prove this illusion to be naught but ash.

So what is freedom? Freedom according to Myles Munroe is an attitude. It is not guaranteed, it must be earned. Responsibility is the pre-requisite for freedom. Strange? Well let’s walk down memory lane to my days of studying International Relations. As human beings, we have certain inalienable rights but your rights are limited to your sphere of influence. As my lecturer said, your right to swing your fists is limited by its proximity to my chin. Meaning you’re free to swing your fists but you’re also responsible in ensuring that they don’t hit me.

Let’s take a deeper look into freedom. The whole essence of Christianity is to set us free. Jesus came to set us free from oppression. In essence, He came to give us the red pill. Gal. 5:1 (NIV) says: It is for freedom that Christ sets us free. History is littered with stories of people's thirst for freedom (a King once took 300 men against an entire army for freedom’s sake). Yes it is that much of a big deal! 

God's desire for us His children to live a life of freedom. A life free from oppressions and slavery. One story that reflects God's desire for us to be free is that of the Israelites and their exodus from Egypt. When God heard the pains His children were going through, it caused Him to remember His covenant (Ex. 6:5, NIV) and as a result of that, He sent them Moses. God has no desire to see us in bondage and in the New Testament, he sent another deliverer in His son Christ Jesus to free us from the oppression of the devil.

Does freedom come with responsibilities? Yes it does. When Christ came down to set us free, He also gave us responsibilities. Luke 9:62 (NIV) says: Jesus replied, “… fit for service in the kingdom of God.” This tells us that as we get the gift of freedom, we need to be ready to serve God. 

Does that sound like responsibilities yet? Let’s look at the world. One thing I like about the Americans is that they know their rights and no one can deny them those rights. That is one country that has gone to war to protect its rights and freedom. Despite this, they expect their citizens to be upright and responsible; meaning you’re free to drive but you’re not free to hit another person’s car. You’re free to own a gun but you’re not free to shoot people except in certain defined circumstances laid down in the American Constitution. How much then the body of Christ? Let us look at the ministry of Jesus to get an answer. After Jesus had selected His 12 disciples and freed them from their chains, He didn’t say to them: okay now you’re free go and sleep for the rest of your life or now you’re free, do as you please. No! Instead He gave them work to do in Matt. 10:5-8 (NIV):

5. These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: “Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7. As you go, proclaim this message: ‘The kingdom of heaven has come near.’ 8. Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy, drive out demons……..

Yup! That sounds like a lot of work. As a disciple under Jesus, let us list out their responsibilities:

• Go to the lost sheep- evangelism
• Proclaim this message- preach
• Heal the sick
• Raise the dead
• Cleanse those with leprosy
• Drive out demons

These are definitely not easy tasks to do but still, He gave it to them. One man that fully understood the amount of responsibility that comes with freedom was Paul. Paul was a Roman citizen so he had a lot of freedom but he never lost sight of his responsibilities. Paul in 1Cor.8:9-13 said:

9. Be careful, however, that the exercise of your rights does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10. For if someone with a weak conscience sees you, with all your knowledge, eating in an idol’s temple, won’t that person be emboldened to eat what is sacrificed to idols? 11. So this weak brother or sister, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12. When you sin against them in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. 13. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother or sister to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause them to fall.

Paul in Rom. 14:13, 15-18 & 21 (NIV) (I would advise you to read the entire Rom. 14) said:

“13………Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. 15. If your brother or sister is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love. Do not by your eating destroy someone for whom Christ died. 16. Therefore do not let what you know is good be spoken of as evil. 17. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, 18. because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and receives human approval… 21. It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or to do anything else that will cause your brother or sister to fall.”

Some might say that it is extreme. He went as far as saying that he would deny himself meat just to make sure his brother does not sin. In modern times, we can look at the British royal family. Despite their wealth, they try to be exemplary in their lifestyle as a result of the awareness of their duty to the people of Great Britain. As children of God, we are no longer living for ourselves but for God (Rom. 14:7) and if we are living for God, we have to live a life that does not deny another person the opportunity to live for God. When you follow this school of thought, you will realize that freedom from the chains of the devil comes with the responsibility of ensuring others are freed from their oppression. When you begin to think of this, you will realize the number of things you’ll have to deny: alcohol; secular music; certain types of clothes; movies ... the list is endless really and it goes as far as denying meat which is sweet to eat. What are you willing to deny yourself for the sake of a brother or sister?

I end Part 1 with this pearl of wisdom from an uncle to a superhero: with great power comes great responsibility. When we receive the right to be called children of God, we also receive the power that comes with that name and when we receive the power that comes with that name, we get responsibilities. 

- Sage

Sage is a graduate of human resource management and a 24/7 salesman. A clay in the hands of the Potter, he is on a journey to knowing God and becoming the man God has called him to be. He has a passion for football and society at large. In his quest for knowledge, he has recently restarted his passion for reading books. He lives in Lagos, Nigeria.

Dealing with Emotional Trauma as Christians

"God heals the broken-hearted..." (Psalm 147:3). 

Have you ever had a traumatic experience? An experience where you struggled with your emotions? Such experiences include:

1. An experience that has led you to become aloof in your demeanour
2. An experience that has led to anxiety, panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, withdrawal from others, making further wrong decisions
3. A bad experience you're not letting go of
4. A feeling of disconnection from the outside world
5. Having nightmares, agitation, frightened to go out
6. Being startled easily
7. Having flashbacks, avoiding the things that remind you of the trauma, dependence on alcohol, unable to trust others, etc.

Emotional trauma is the result of extraordinarily stressful events that lead people to become vulnerable. Some of the stressful events usually lead to emotional trauma when they occur unexpectedly, when we are unprepared for it, when we felt powerless and when it happened repeatedly.

Should Emotional Trauma be unheard of among Christians? 

Jesus encouraged his children not to fear, He said he has given us the spirit of love, power and sound mind. Is it then abnormal when Christians go through emotional trauma? No, it's not unusual when Christians experience emotional trauma, however, it is how the emotional trauma is dealt with that is pertinent. 

No matter the kind of trauma we suffer or how it affects us, there's ALWAYS hope and a solution in Christ Jesus.

  A few ways to deal with emotional trauma as a Christian;

• Confront your fears with the Word of God. An antidote to trauma is reading the life-transforming Word of God. It has the power to change lives
• Ask God for help
• Admit your feelings to someone trustworthy, an empathetic and loving person that can help you (Talking therapy). A Christian Counsellor who is very informed. You may seek help from your doctor if need be.
• Consciously reject negative thoughts by confessing the Word of God
• Write out and meditate on relevant scriptures
• Write down your feelings
• Listen to inspiring music
• Do not be in denial of your feelings
• Do not see yourself alone. The Holy Spirit is with you and He will see you through.
• Remember that every trial brings a better character. Every experience is to transform you to someone better. The bible says our tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint (Romans 5:3-5).
• The trial is most likely to come with pain but it will build you up. If you feel overwhelmed managing your emotions, as previously mentioned, seek help from a trustworthy Christian counsellor.

How do you support a fellow Christian that has experienced or going through emotional trauma? 

It can actually be difficult to know how to support someone to deal with emotional trauma as it means taking our time to understand from their perspective. As a Christian,

• Pray for them. Consciously take out time to pray for them
• Be patient with the person's pace of recovery. Don't judge your loved one's reaction against how you would react to a traumatic experience. Be patient with them should they isolate themselves from you
• Offer practical support, ask if they are okay to be visited, ask if they need any help. Someone that is going through a traumatic experience is unlikely to ask for practical support until you initiate it
• Do not immediately put blame on your loved ones. Be empathetic and sensitive
• Support your loved ones to socialise, visit them, engage in activities that your loved ones will enjoy
• Don't be offended by their reactions. Your loved one may become angry, emotionally distant and withdrawn, do not take it personally, learn to be patient with them and be persistent and never give up on them
• Shower them with your love and time. Be available for them and continuously offer your listening ears. Do not let your loved ones feel alone
• Send your loved ones encouraging bible scriptures 
• If the emotional trauma becomes severe, advice your loved ones to seek professional support if possible.

I pray the Lord will heal every broken-hearted. He has said that you should cast ALL your worries upon Him for He cares for you (1Pet 5:7). May God also place His love in your heart to support those that are going through emotional trauma. I leave you with this bible scripture:

“Do not be afraid—I am with you! I am your God—let nothing terrify you! I will make you strong and help you; I will protect you and save you.” (Isaiah 41:10 GNT) 

- Myss Lafunky

Photocredit: http://www.recoverycapitalconference.org/