Who Cut In On You?

“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery...The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love...You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?” Galatians 5:1, 6-7.

I remember when my father-in-law lived with us his final year with Alzheimer’s. It was an impossible time as far as the emotional, mental and spiritual toil it took on me. I was reminded of this tough journey while at one of my best friend’s home the other day. For me, I would wake up early, spend time in deep prayer and study God’s word as my oxygen for the day. For two hours each morning I would arm myself for battle because the war waged against me wasn’t my father-in-law or his illness...it was war the enemy waged against me. I have never battled so hard against my emotions as I did during that time. The enemy tried cutting in on me at every turn telling me how selfish my thoughts were about my comfort. He ran me off the road a million times, and a million times the Lord would have to remind me of who I am in Him. Every day I would pick up the enemy’s mirror and once again take his yoke, the yoke of condemnation...the yoke of failure...the yoke of heaviness.

God’s love and reminder of who I am was the only thing that got me through that time. I had to have faith in His expression of love to me, and truly believe His truth. The truth that I can walk in freedom when my circumstances say otherwise. The truth that I am not who my emotions say I am. The truth that I am not defined by my flaws but made strong in His strength.

We cannot allow the enemy to take away conquered land and cut in on our spiritual property. We must stake our claim in the land where God has set us free. To reclaim previously conquered land is like losing the same 5 pounds over and over. One of Satan’s greatest weapons is to use our own brothers and sisters in Christ to cut in on our journey. The truth is as believers, we are all family in Christ and the only thing that counts is the love we are called to express through our faith. When we walk in the Spirit instead of the flesh our attitudes will display the fruit.

‘So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature...But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control’ Galatians 5:16, 22