IS IT REALLY ON ME?

story by: lisa petrarca

I was sitting in church, oblivious to what was lurking directly above me. As we began singing, someone behind me gave me a sudden, hard, push to the side. Confused I turned around to see who was shoving me, when she pointed at a spider, dangling from a web, almost resting on my shoulder. My husband who turned to see what was going on, swatted it, swinging the web & spider directly in front of me, as it disappeared somewhere. The rest of the service, I found myself, squirming, itching, and inspecting, I felt like it was on me. I couldn't relax or feel comfortable.

The enemy is just like that spider...sneaking up on you while you are completely oblivious. Just like I thought the spider was still on me, the enemy's lies can trick you into thinking there's no hope. Putting thoughts in your head, making you feel insecure, scared, doubtful...leading you down paths that you shouldn't go, through his lies and manipulation. He began with Eve in the Garden of Eden and continues to this day. Eventually, you find yourself squirming, feeling as though you're unable to get the sin off of you. That's where he'd like you to stay...in self condemnation and sorrow, yet another way to control you. But what you need to remember is the enemy can't hold you in bondage unless you allow him to.

The Lord has promised you something more. A way to be completely forgiven, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He's promised to help you remove the "old man" and put on the "new man," freeing you, saving you, releasing you from the self made prison and lies the enemy has held you in. You need to be aware that you are free, you are forgiven. You are a new creation in Christ. Call out to the Lord today, allow him to show you HIS TRUTH.

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them and he has committed to us the message of reconciliation." 2 Corinthians 5:17-19

"Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." Psalm 105: 4

"Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them from their distress. He brought them out of darkness and the deepest gloom and broke away their chains." Psalm 107:13-14

Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:22-23

How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!" Hebrews 9:14