Revelation Through Captivity

Today’s scripture:

But now thus says the Lord, he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. (Isaiah 43:1-2)

It was September 2^nd 2013 and the steel doors slammed shut and the loud sound of the electronic locks making you very aware you are not going anywhere for a while. Hours and hours go by with nothing but your own thoughts to keep you company. Those thoughts that tell you that you are in a heap of trouble and there is no way out of this one. You are stuck there and there is no way of getting out.

As I lay down on that steel bed at about 2am with the lights shinning as if it were mid-day, I cried out to God from the very depths of my soul. I was hurting bad. I began to break. I never thought I would experience jail. Of course I had done some pretty horrible things in my past before I gave my life to Jesus. I just never got caught. And now that I am a Christain, I’m not supposed to be in a place like this, unless of course I’m ministering to inmates. At least that’s what we tend to think anyway.

Then the Lord spoke to me as clear as anything I have ever heard in my life. He said, “Doug, my son, I love you and I know you are hurting right now. And even though you won’t understand this right now, I had to allow you to get arrested so that I can speak to you. I am right here with you experiencing the same pain with you. I know this hurts terribly but its exactly what you need right now. There is something big that I want to accomplish in you and because it is so deeply rooted, it’s going to need major spiritual surgery. But remember, I am right here next to you and I will not go anywhere. I choose to be locked up with you!”

Anytime we go through trials in our lives, it is an opportunity to worship God, to give thanks and to allow Him to do something in us. There are two ways we face trials. We either go through them because God wills it and it is brought to us by nothing we have done or we simply go through it because we messed up. However, either case God allows that trial and He will use it to do something wonderful in us… that is, if we let Him. But first we need to choose humility and embrace it to the best of our ability.

Now there are many different levels of trials. There can be a category 1 trial of loosing your car keys to a category 10 trial of the death of someone very close to you. However, I believe in EVERY situation (no matter how small) God has us go through it for a purpose. There is something in that trial we need to learn.

For me, going through a time of separation from my friends and family for 45 days in jail and experiencing some very scary things was extremely sobering to say the least. They weren’t scary because I was in jail, but it was scary because I had to face some very ugly demonic things in me. It was about a week in jail God told me that I was there because He wanted me to let Him work on my fear. Fear that has caused me to try and control other peoples lives. Fear that said, “I don’t trust You God”. Now, there are many other purposes in me going to jail but that was a major one. Now, months later I sit in my home with my family living out my faith with a new beginning of casting all my fears on Him because He cares for me (1Peter 5:7). God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and a sound mind (2Timothy 1:7).

This is something that I have NOT learned; rather it is something I am learning. I know that I have the power to embrace any situation. I know I can claim God’s love for me that will give me strength in any trial. But, to do that I need to let Him have His way and worship Jesus through it.

Reflection:

James 1:2-4 says “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” Trials are meant to work good things in us. They produce the gifts of the spirit. Now, if your going through a category 5 or more, the last thing you want to hear is someone preaching what trials can do for you. Dear beloved, in the harder trials, go to the cross. Touch Jesus’ hands and feet and know those holes are meant for you. Claim His love for you and just fall at His feet giving up on yourself and just let Him have His way with you. He will care for you.

Challenge:

What kind of trials have you had lately? Category 1 or more? Talk to Jesus, won’t you? Tell Him what you’re experiencing and just let Him have His way. He knows how to get you through it. Beloved, whatever you do, choose to worship Him using that trial. Even if you don’t feel like worshipping Him, do it anyway and soon those feelings and desires will change for the better. Most of all worship Him because He is worthy of it.

-Doug McGowan