Guard Your House!

Yesterday's sermon text was Mark 3:27 (Contemporary English Version).  I had to share what I got from this message:

"How can anyone break into the house of a strong man and steal his things, unless he first ties up the strong man?  Then he can take everything."

How often have you let yourself get tied up by the opinions of others about you?  How often have you been tied up by limiting your potential because you were too scared to do something new?  How often have you been tied up because you didn't have the faith to ask God for direction and guidance and you tried to do things in your own strength, only to end up more entangled in the mess you created?

We do it all the time.  We rob ourselves and allow ourselves to be robbed.  This is a strong man's house we are talking about.  There's a reason we have to be tied up for things to be stolen from us.  If we weren't tied up we would defend what is rightfully ours.  It's because we are strong that we would have to be tied up.  Had it been a weak man's house the robber could just walk in and take what he wanted because he wouldn't see the weak man as a threat.

People can only steal from us if they break in, we let them in or we let our guard down.

We need to recognize our strength and we need to  have a defensive mindset.  The devil is roaming around like a raging lion, seeking whom he may devour.  He wants to bind you and keep you down so he can rob you of every good thing God has given you and of what He has in store.  But in the same way that he wants to tie you up, understand that through Christ you have the strength to do all things - including tying up the robbers in your life!  That includes the devil himself and anything or anyone he uses to keep you bound.

The lyrics of one of my favorite songs says that "there is power in the name of Jesus to break every chain."  If you feel like you're tied up in chains, the key to your release is your faith and your willingness to call on One who can deliver you. You don't have to sit there, struggling to break free, watching all you have be taken from you and feeling powerless to stop it.

What God has set apart for you is for you.  Don't let anyone take that away.  There is a Purpose for your Life and your Gifts are tied to that Purpose. Guard your house!