When I think about the frustrations I’ve had in my life, I realize most of those frustrations stem from limits that I have placed upon myself or upon God. Can you relate? I have even placed limits on other people. And, believe it or not, what is even possible in the Kingdom. It placed a roadblock in my life when it came to my personal life, my professional life and especially my spiritual life.
Many times, the limits we put on ourselves, and on God come from baggage and unhealed wounds from issues in our lives. As a young man, I developed certain coping methods that stemmed from dealing with unhealthy patterns of living and negativity that spanned generations of rules and religion-based households. It skewed the way I began to see authority, and even how I saw God.
Even years after I left the situation, I carried that baggage into every aspect of my life. From my marriage to my ministry. Everything was affected. It wasn’t until I took a good look around me that I realized that not everyone was living with the same limitations I was. They were having breakthroughs and I wanted mine.
The Lies of the Enemy
But the enemy lies to us. Suddenly, we’re thinking we’re not good enough or spiritual enough. We’re too big of a sinner. Sometimes we may even think God is blessing others because they led a different life than us. All of that doubt and baggage starts to eat away at our vision for what is possible.
And instead of praying with gratitude and working to align ourselves with what God has for us, we end up being full of shame. Shame leads to fear. And fear to control. Before we know it, we’re trying to control everything, making sure that shame and fear don’t show. This way we aren’t rejected and found to be less than by our peers. Or, even worse, by God.
Walking in Healing
If we really want to stop perpetuating the illusion of limitations in our lives, the number one thing we all must do is to begin to walk with the Holy Spirit and allow Him to heal our wounded hearts. We need to take those ungodly beliefs from our past and allow God to lift them off of us. After all, these beliefs aren’t true; at least not according to God’s Word. They are only true because you’ve come to believe them as your own personal truths. They literally form a lense through which you see every situation and opportunity in life.
When we allow the Holy Spirit to heal us, moment by moment, situation by situation, we begin to recognize the lies of the enemy. Then we can begin to replace them with God’s Word. Only then do the old patterns that were used to create limits on God, limits on ourselves, limits on others, become the very vehicle that God uses to bring freedom in our lives.
How to Start
Would you like this to be your story? One that shows for the goodness of God in and through your life? One where you’re walking in His purpose, abundant grace and provision? You can! I encourage you to use this quick 3-part strategy:
- Recognize: Take every thought captive and examine it in the light of God’s Word.
- Replace: For those thoughts that align with God’s Word, plant them in your heart like a seed and watch them produce. For those that don’t, get rid of them quickly (come out of agreement with them and repent if necessary for agreeing with them) and replace them with the truth of God’s Word.
- Reinforce: Once you recognize the lies and replace them with God’s truth, reinforce those truths at every opportunity, especially when the enemy comes at you with more lies. Don’t be surprised, that’s what he does. Over time, you WILL start to see more clearly, feel differently and see your life change.
I hope this has been a big encouragement to you. If this article has been a blessing to you, take a moment to share it with a friend.
Thanks for reading!
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