I am free to run.

On Thursday, I learned about cages.

 Jesus showed me a cage I have been comfortably sitting in for the majority of my life. It was a cage of insecurity. For as long as I can remember, I have never given myself credit for any of my successes, but I was quick to blame myself for all of my failures.

I wasn't good at cheerleading, but somehow I made varsity. We won state, but how much did I really contribute? I wasn't that smart, but somehow I made straight A's. Somehow I got academic scholarships. I wasn't well-liked, but somehow I was elected to officer positions in student government.

My whole life was me making excuses for my success.
"I got lucky on that test," or "the coach has a false idea of my true abilites." For years I have been making these excuses. Nothing I accomplished was anything I felt I deserved. I just got lucky.

But in reality, I had been speaking lies over myself completely convinced that the words I were saying were the truth.

But Jesus told me they were lies. And this is what he said: "You have built this cage of insecurity so high that you can't see a way out. You look up and you see bars for miles. But child, there is a door right in front of you. If you just stop looking up at your fear, doubt and insecurity and look out,you will see me. The door has been there all along, and because you are in relationship with me, its not even locked. The enemy has no power over this place. You have such value. You deserve it. You deserve me."

I was not made to live in a cage. Cages make me restless and worried. Cages make me feel stuck. Jesus wants more for me. In Him I am able to run. I have no limits. I can dream.

When I was stuck inside a cage, I hit a wall everywhere I tried to run. I got discouraged. I lost sight of my dreams. But now, I know the lies. I know the enemy's tricks.

I know that in Jesus, I am free to run.
So I will.

There will be a day...

            2 Timothy 3:5 warns of people “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.”

How often is that representational of me? Yes, I love Jesus. Yes, I believe in his power. But do I REALLY believe it? Do I truly have faith that He can do anything and everything? Do I live in a way that recognizes his power? 

What if everybody walked with a faith level believing he can do all things? Just think, isn’t that what heaven will be like? There will come a day when everyone we are surrounded with are fully aware and faithful in the power of God. 

But until that day, lets bring heaven to earth. 

We’ve seen his power. 

We’ve seen people saved and people healed.

We’ve seen promises fulfilled and we’ve witnessed miracles. 

So how do we ever doubt his power? How do we forget all the ways we’ve seen him work? 

Jesus came and brought heaven to earth, so that we would be able to know what it will be like. I don’t know about you, but that taste of heaven leaves me wanting more.

What would Waco, Texas look like if we all walked in the fullness of believing, wholly surrendered to Jesus’ abilities and to the power of the Holy Spirit? We would see huge things happen. We would reach a whole new level of faith and new expectancy. 

Live this day in remembrance of the power of the cross. Remember all he has done for you, and get your life changed.

New outlook. New perspective. New Life.