The Oppressed Mind

I was thinking the other day, what keeps us stuck? What could cause us to lose hope when we have faith in God? We know God, we believe in him and what He can do but we stay stuck in our lives and attitudes. A lot of times God is asking us to come up higher in our thinking and living and it is at that precise moment that it seems everything comes together to keep you in that old way of existing in this world. But even with everything working against us we absolutely have all we need to learn, let go and overcome. So why don’t we? Why do we operate on a level that is so beneath God’s will for our lives? Is it because we are operating in an oppressed state of mind? We may have gone through traumatic experiences or may have been born in or raised in an oppressed environment with no vision for the future or hope for one. For whatever reason we cannot quite catch the vision for our lives or the direction in which it should be going. The oppressed mind is powerful and at the same time debilitating. It stifles your hopes, dreams and aspirations. It can even destroy your relationships. The oppressed mind creates barriers, puts up roadblocks and locks you in when God long ago released you.

Makes me think about the children of Israel in the book of Exodus. They waited for hundreds of years to be freed from slavery. God used a man named Moses who was raised with royalty, found out he was not really one of them, went back to be with his people, out of anger did the wrong thing for the right reasons, got in trouble, had to leave, then just wanted to live a simple life and be left alone. But God had other plans……

You don’t have to know the plan, just be open to it. You don’t have to be considered influential, God will make those that need to hear you, hear you, He made Pharaoh listen to Moses and let his people go. Moses wasn’t sure what to say and God told him. He wasn’t particularly eloquent and God gave him Aaron to speak for him. Moses didn’t feel powerful and God gave him power in something he already had, a rod. All Moses was required to do to live out God’s plan for his life was to say yes. As a result of that yes the children of Israel were not only freed but their oppressors were made to bless them with riches and treasures. What they had prayed for had finally come to pass. But once freed they found themselves mumbling and complaining constantly. Not happy with the accommodations, the food and the uncertainty of their future. They had lost faith in the same God that had freed them from oppression and that was still providing for them in the wilderness. They couldn’t be grateful for the future they now had and could see no vision for it either.  Although free they were still looking back, still living in an oppressed state of mind. They were vulnerable to bad advice and susceptible to evil suggestions to worship things instead of God, to give in to evil desires and to go with what they knew instead of God’s way of doing things. And it doesn’t end well for them. Thousands were doomed to pay for their sins and only two ( Caleb and Joshua) of that original generation that left Egypt, only two of the millions that witnessed miracle after miracle, only two that were told by Moses to  “fear not, stand still and see the salvation of  the Lord”  made it to the promised land, the land flowing with milk and honey.  Along with only those under twenty years old. Millions were never able to lay claim to what God had for them because they didn’t say yes Lord, I will follow your lead. Moses didn’t make it either. He disobeyed God while trying to do good for Him. Once again doing the wrong thing for the right reasons. Go figure. After everything Moses had experienced with God he fell into that same old trap of out of control anger. And it cost him.

We cannot afford to be arrogant and think we are above being caught in our own traps. It happens everyday…..publicly, privately, obviously or with subtlety. We must be vigilant not only of the threat that comes from outside but we must be very aware of the threat from within. God still honored Moses and loved him but he never got to experience everything God had for him. Don’t get stuck in the wilderness, don’t be a victim of unbelief, don’t suffer the consequences of disobedience.  Walk in the promise, step over into the promise land. It is yours for the taking. Take heed Beloved, we cannot get there disregarding and downplaying the power of God, we have too much to lose. The time is now.

Joshua and Caleb fully committed to the Lord and His way of doing things and had complete faith He could do what He said He could do no matter what it looked like or what the circumstances were. And they were rewarded for that faith, trust and obedience. We serve an awesome, capable, powerful God. He is more than able to give you what you need, to get you were you’re going. I don’t know who or what has trapped you in an oppressive mindset but I do know God has already given you the victory.

The oppressed mind is dangerous. Stop living like you are bound. You have been set free. Act like it. Say yes and walk in God’s plan for your life. No excuses, no complaining, no doubts. And if by the grace of God you are not oppressed, than be someone’s Moses…say yes to God and do what He is instructing, help set someone free, help free them from oppression. You may not know what to say or do, you may not know if they will listen but that’s okay. Sometimes all it requires is overcoming your own oppression, letting your light shine and leading the way. Listen to God, accept his help, walk in the power He has given you and don’t fall in those old traps.

Be Blessed…you have the victory!

Love,

Ms. Wanda, GAC