Alright, I know that you guys are just hanging on the edge of your seat waiting for part 2 of the blog I posted last week, but today has been an interesting day and I really feel lead to share it with you. To give you a little background I will tell you that I have a younger brother who has gotten himself into somewhat of a situation. He has struggled heavily with drug addiction and with that addiction comes bad decision after bad decision.
Today is a day that we have dreaded for quite some time. He was due to appear in court and enter his plea for a 10 year sentence. The last few months he has been staying with me while out on bond and I have had the opportunity to start to rebuild a relationship that has been broken for most of my adult life. He’s been clean for the last few months and it’s been nice to get to know the brother that I knew existed in there somewhere. This is his 3rd prison sentence. We’ve been down this road before, but this time is different. In our time together the last few months we’ve discussed God a LOT. He believes in God. I think he always has to a certain degree, but when you find yourself in the darkest of places you wonder. This morning I woke up extra early so that I could spend some time with him before I had to head out for the day. I try to start my morning off with a little Jesus. So I’m in my bathroom getting ready and my brother comes in. I am listening to a message preached by Steven Furtick entitled “The Way of Escape” (if you haven’t heard it please look it up) and he’s talking about the ways that we try to escape eventually become our prisons. He’s talking about drug addiction, sex, food, exercise …..Anything can become our personal prison if we allow it. He asks what I am listening to and says “Let’s hear what he has to say”. After a few minutes he leaves and I am able to join him on the patio to talk for a bit before I have to leave.
I will spare you the details of the conversation because it’s both a little too personal for a blog and this is already going to be long enough as it is. If you’ve read this far stick with me. I leave him with a bit of encouragement, an “I LOVE YOU” and a reminder that God’s got this. I get into the car to start my daily commute and this is the time I take to pray usually. I am praying for peace and comfort for my brother. You know, the prayers we pray when we really don’t know how to pray for someone who is in a situation we’ve never personally experienced. Then I hear God’s voice so definitely tell me to stop talking for just ONE second so He can get a word in edgewise. I’m like “Alright Lord….whatcha got?” He tells me we have got to stop praying for peace and understanding and start praying with authority to break the chains that bind him so tightly. I have always known that my brother has a call on his life. I have questioned time and again and plead with God to change his heart. This isn’t about a change of heart. His heart is there. This is about praying with the authority that God gave us to bind the devils at work. God so clearly explained to me that He has given my brother a gift so powerful and Satan is twisting and distorting that power in such a way that it doesn’t seem Godly at all. It’s funny, I always think of Satan as using doubt and lies to prevent us from fulfilling our purpose. I never really considered that he would use the very gifts that God gave us and twist them to use against us, but he is willing to use whatever hold he can get on us to prevent us from fulfilling Gods call on our life.
Today is not a day to dread. Today is the beginning of his redemption story. I claim victory in Jesus name. The chains of addiction among others WILL be broken.
If you are struggling know that no matter how far you’ve strayed, no matter what kind of mess you have created God is right there to clean it up. You can try to clean it on your own and you may make some progress, but in order to be good as new only God can do that. My God is a God of forgiveness and mercy. You only have to ask and allow Him to do the work. There’s not a mess too big for God.