Summary: <br> God is taking you somewhere. The enemy is trying to hold you back from going. God has a great plan for your life. The enemy has the opposite plan for your life. You’re either actively seeking God’s plan, or you’re passively settling for the enemy’s. This morning we will look at a story in the bible of a man being unleashed and set free and we’ll apply 3 lessons from this story to the chains which bind us today.<br> Peter was the apostle who walked on water with Jesus. He’s my favorite because he wanted more out of life, he wanted to experience it all, however he was always getting himself in trouble by talking before thinking. Anyone else relate to Peter?<br> In Acts chapter 12 we read about Peter being in jail. In verse 6-8 it says “The night before Peter was to be placed on trial, he was asleep, fastened with two chains between two soldiers. Others stood guard at the prison gate. Suddenly, there was a bright light in the cell, and an angel of the Lord stood before Peter. The angel struck him on the side to awaken him and said, ‘Quick! Get up!’ And the chains fell off his wrists. Then the angel told him, ‘Get dressed and put on your sandals.’ And he did. ‘Now put on your coat and follow me,’ the angel ordered.”<br> And there they are, 3 steps for you and I to follow today to break free of that which holds us back: Get up, get dressed, go. And before you dismiss this as elementary and way to simple for the serious chains you’re dealing with, I promise this applies to you.<br> 1. First, Peter is told, “quick, get up!” and the chains fell off his wrists. Notice Peter was told to get up while the chains were still binding him. Ahhhh, he had to get up first. He had to put some effort in. He had a responsibility in his freedom. Quick get up, then the chains fell off. How often we lay around and wallow in our mess saying, “God, please help me – pick me up – set me free” but we aren’t willing to first get up.<br> What if the chains holding you back will only be broken after YOU get up. Get up when you don’t feel like it. Get up when it’s not fair. Get up when you fear you’ll be knocked right back down again. Get up. Chains don’t fall off when you’re just laying there. You have a responsibility in this freedom you seek. It’s not just going to magically happen for you as you do nothing. Will you be willing to get up BEFORE you feel better? Before you feel there is a change? Before you know for sure you can stay up?<br> Over the past week I’ve received messages from my podcast listeners who are undeniably incredible women. Strong, capable women filled with potential. But these women are chained to something that is hindering that potential. For one it is her bottle of pills, for another it is her bottle of wine. Another it is marijuana, while another it is pornography. Some are in toxic relationships or deep dark life-threatening depressions, or struggling with haunting details of the past.<br> And for each one, there is help. And let me be real clear, that help most often comes in the form of Jesus working through a professional. There are others just like you and you need to know that. You’re not alone. The enemy wants to convince you that deep dark nasty little secret of yours will isolate you and leave you alone, and it will, if you listen to him. Understand the voice that tells you you’re beyond repair, no one could ever understand and you’re without hope or help … that’s the voice of a defeated liar and he doesn’t know what the heck he’s talking about. He’s talking straight out of his butt ya’ll!<br> The truth is there are groups of people struggling with the same thing you’re struggling with. They are gathered to encourage one another and offer accountability.
