Are you a slave?

Last night, my husband and I watched the movie 12 Years a Slave.   It was a great movie-not because the actors played their parts well(which they did), but the message of the movie(to me) was extremely powerful.  Here we have the main character, who was a free man, that was sought out by “artists” who told him they were marveled by his talents.  They had dinner, a few drinks and then Solomon woke up in a dark room with chains.  The next day, he’s beaten-and made to take a bath amongst other men and one young boy.  The young boy, begins to call out for his mother and Solomon calms him, reassuring him he would see his mother.  The mother enters the room the next day, and is held captive as well.  I’ll stop here, since I don’t want to spoil the movie for anyone that has yet to see it.

A couple of things.  1.) Solomon was well-known due to his amazing talents, education, he was neatly dressed, prestigious, and wealthy-yet became a slave(physically). 2.)Elza, the young boy’s mother was also well off, educated, and while she began as a slave, she was quickly brought out(mentally).

  Where am I going? 

  Solomon was extremely educated, and was extremely capable of holding his own.  Being placed in that circumstance, could have made him crack and break-while those are all great attributes to have, there was something more that kept him together.  His FAITH, LOVE for his family and his HOPE that he would one day be free.  See, Solomon never had the slave mentality, he was  placed in an unfortunate situation, but mentally he refused to succumb to it.  Being enslaved is one thing in the physical sense, but a totally different when you become enslaved in your mind.  When you believe you are enslaved, your mind will begin to believe that this is who you are.  You begin speaking a certain way(only engaging in negative conversations, gossiping, etc.) you begin thinking a certain way(negatively, thoughts of defeat etc.) you begin behaving a certain way(negatively, doing things that bring shame etc.) See the trend.  Everything you do, will have some sort of negative impact.

  I know you’re wondering, how did you get all of that from this movie- God is everywhere and in everything if YOU allow him to be.  I am uncertain of where the author of the book , or the director of the movie is with their faith-BUT, I am certain where I am.  No matter what I do, I invite God in.  If I’m reading, watching a movie, cooking, baking, speaking etc.  I invite him in.
 
After watching the movie-God began speaking to me telling me that I needed to release everything that was in my heart to him, there were some things that was enslaving me still that I needed to release.  I prayed a powerful prayer and immediate began to feel a shift.  As I am typing, I am reminded of a beautiful song that my cousin used to sing in church.

  I’m free, praise the Lord, I’m free. I’m no longer bound.  There no more chains holding me.  My soul is resting, it’s such a blessing.  Praise the Lord, Hallelujah, I’m free.

    The scripture that comes to mind is one of my favorites.  Mark 9:17 Neither do men put new wine into old bottles: else the bottles break, and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish: but they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved. 
 
When God spoke to me last night, HE said.  I have so much for you, but I need you to release what’s in you first, so that when I fill you up-you’ll be able to take it all.  God is AWE-some. 

  What is enslaving you?  Is it a situation, a person, or just your way of thinking?  Whatever it is, release it.  Give it to God. Allow him to empty you of  YOU and fill you up with HIM.

  Free yourself, Love yourself, and TRUST GOD while doing it!