My Chains are Broken

Oh LORD, rebuke me not in your anger,

nor discipline me in your wrath.

Be gracious to me, O LORD, for I am languishing;

heal me, O LORD, for my bones are troubled.

My soul also is greatly troubled.

But you, O LORD – how long?

Turn, O LORD, deliver my life;

save me for the sake of your steadfast love.

For in death there is no remembrance of you;

in Sheol who will give you praise?

I am weary with my moaning;

every night I flood my bed with tears;

I drench my couch with my weeping.

My eye wastes away because of grief;

it grows weak because of all my foes.

Depart from me, all you workers of evil,

for the LORD has heard the sound of my weeping.

The LORD has heard my plea;

the LORD accepts my prayer.

All my enemies shall be ashamed and greatly troubled;

they shall turn back and be put to shame in a moment.

(the version that I read back then said at the very end… it will happen suddenly, instead of in a moment. This brought me great peace. That the Lord heard me and that relief is coming soon. And quickly.)

Hours later… (maybe 3 hours)

I was on the internet with my mom one night at the SHE house. Some of the girls came home from the bars and went to bed. It was pretty late. Di came downstairs after a while of being in bed. She came down to where I was and started kind of walking around, pacing a bit. I asked her, “what’s up?” She said she felt like God told her to pray for me. She said she didn’t know what to pray for, so she’ll start in the Spirit.

When she was praying she felt I had something to let go and talked of God sweeping me into His arms. I heard God say that He never shakes His head at me in disappointment. He loves me. Then I saw this chain link armor (male) long sleeve shirt type thing. A shirt of chains. Like the ones back in renaissance days that the knights would wear under their armor for protection. God was showing me that each link was something I put on myself: situations, experiences, weight, guys, sex, lies, etc. It was heavy!

Then I saw this wire cutters or big sheers start cutting through the chains from up at the neckline and I heard, “Tink, Tink, Tink,Tink”. Each of the links were being broken. The armor fell off and my head fell back to the head rest of the chair I was sitting in and there fell upon me the most amazing peace. Moments of it I didn’t think I was even breathing. My heart was slowed and it was so peaceful. After praying Di mentioned she that she was praying for His peace to fill me, (during her praying in the Spirit I didn’t know she was praying for that) but I was definitely experiencing His peace and it was good. Wow!

I later wrote on my arm, Your Chains are Broken – You are Set Free! (if I can find the pict from my mom I will post that…)

I shared with my mom what had happened and off and on while talking to her I had asked God for some Scripture. I don’t really know why I felt the need for Scripture, especially after I had received this amazing vision from Him and a peace that surpasses all understanding.

But what I kept hearing was Ephesians 6. I thought to myself, that can’t be it. It must just be a familiar Scripture in my mind because we prayed it every time we went out to the bars for protection. The armor of God. I disregarded it and went on working whatever it was at the time. But I couldn’t shake the need for Scripture. Like I wanted it to back up what I had just seen or something. I don’t really know. Which Ephesians 6 is completely appropriate but like I said so familiar I didn’t bother to read it. Then I said, ok God show me what Scripture you want me to read and I randomly opened the Bible and chose a verse. I don’t remember what I turned to but it wasn’t something pertaining at all to the events of the night. A while later I couldn’t get Ephesians 6 out of my head. So I read it…

Ephesians 6:10-20

Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, having done all, to stand firm. Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and, as shoes for you feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

As I read this, God said, “You had armor on Rachel, but the wrong kind of armor, now put Mine on. It wasn’t as effective before because it was hindered by yours.” Your chains are broken from your past and you are set free. “But now you are an ambassador in chains, that you may declare boldly as you ought to speak.”

I was weighed down by the chains I had on of old self and old ways of being and thinking. I am now chained to God as an ambassador to carry out His will for my life. To walk in His ways. To speak of His goodness, and the freedom that comes with Christ. To speak boldly and honestly about life, its trials and testings… its victories and hope in Christ.