Right now, you may find yourself chained in some way. You may feel like you have insufficient power to live according to how you feel you should be living. You may feel enslaved to one or more things. You may feel like anger controls you, or fear, or loneliness, or depression, or eating, or drinking, or drugs, or smoking, or porn, or whatever else.
The Lord visited me some time ago and gave me the following vision:
I was sitting, imprisoned, with many thick metal chains wrapped around me. I saw many others around me in the same state. I grew up in this state, and just assumed that we were all trapped by the chains....I assumed because everyone else was sitting in chains without trying to escape that I couldn't either. He asked me why I was sitting there. I told him. He encouraged me to test whether that was the case or not. I stood and broke the chains off of me like ripping through a wet paper bag. The Lord then spoke to me and said "I have forged you in my word. No weapon can prosper against you."
I am grateful for this personal experience, but I share it because there is nothing about it that isn't available to all of you. That promise appears in Isaiah 54:17. It says: "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn..." (Isaiah 54:17) God gave me this promise, but not because of anything special about me. It is only because I trust him and I obey his word in all things. You can do that, too. He said this promise is to all who serve God: "...This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord." (Isaiah 54:17)
8 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:
12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.
13 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
15 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.
17 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.
19 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.
20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
21 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! (Psalm 107)
There isn't a chain that is too strong for God to break, if you will just trust him. No matter what you face, I can assure you that his power is sufficient to free you if you will trust him by seeking to learn more from him and trust him enough to do it.
3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. (2 Corinthians 1)
Perhaps you doubt that what I have faced is sufficiently bad for me to have the ability to certify that God can free you from what it is you face. That is fine. Believe Jesus has. And because the tools he has were sufficient for him to overcome all things, they will also be sufficient for you and me and everyone else.
You are the sons and daughters of God Almighty--or at least you can be, if you will seek him and obey him in all things:
20 Yea, even he commanded them that they should preach nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people.
22 ...And thus they became the children of God. (Mosiah 18)
You are free.
The Lord visited me some time ago and gave me the following vision:
I was sitting, imprisoned, with many thick metal chains wrapped around me. I saw many others around me in the same state. I grew up in this state, and just assumed that we were all trapped by the chains....I assumed because everyone else was sitting in chains without trying to escape that I couldn't either. He asked me why I was sitting there. I told him. He encouraged me to test whether that was the case or not. I stood and broke the chains off of me like ripping through a wet paper bag. The Lord then spoke to me and said "I have forged you in my word. No weapon can prosper against you."
I am grateful for this personal experience, but I share it because there is nothing about it that isn't available to all of you. That promise appears in Isaiah 54:17. It says: "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn..." (Isaiah 54:17) God gave me this promise, but not because of anything special about me. It is only because I trust him and I obey his word in all things. You can do that, too. He said this promise is to all who serve God: "...This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord." (Isaiah 54:17)
8 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
9 For he satisfieth the longing soul, and filleth the hungry soul with goodness.
10 Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron;
11 Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High:
12 Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help.
13 Then they cried unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses.
14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder.
15 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!
16 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.
17 Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted.
18 Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death.
19 Then they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.
20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.
21 Oh that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! (Psalm 107)
There isn't a chain that is too strong for God to break, if you will just trust him. No matter what you face, I can assure you that his power is sufficient to free you if you will trust him by seeking to learn more from him and trust him enough to do it.
3 Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
4 Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
6 And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
7 And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. (2 Corinthians 1)
Perhaps you doubt that what I have faced is sufficiently bad for me to have the ability to certify that God can free you from what it is you face. That is fine. Believe Jesus has. And because the tools he has were sufficient for him to overcome all things, they will also be sufficient for you and me and everyone else.
You are the sons and daughters of God Almighty--or at least you can be, if you will seek him and obey him in all things:
20 Yea, even he commanded them that they should preach nothing save it were repentance and faith on the Lord, who had redeemed his people.
22 ...And thus they became the children of God. (Mosiah 18)
You are free.
...Shake off the chains with which ye are bound, and come forth out of obscurity, and arise from the dust. (2 Nephi 1:23)
The truth makes you free. Seek the truth with all your heart, might, mind, and strength:
"Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." (2 Nephi 2:27)
The Lord Jesus has overcome all things. If you follow him in all things, at all times, and in all places, he will teach you everything you need to know to do likewise. If you submit to him in all things, nothing will have power over you:
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
Nothing will be able to separate you from his love, which is the greatest of all things:
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8)
Come and feast on the truth, whose price has been paid for you:
"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." (Isaiah 55:1)
Seek the Lord with all your being:
"And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold, he is the life and the light of the world. Behold, he is the word of truth and righteousness." (Alma 38:9)
"Wherefore, men are free according to the flesh; and all things are given them which are expedient unto man. And they are free to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men, or to choose captivity and death, according to the captivity and power of the devil; for he seeketh that all men might be miserable like unto himself." (2 Nephi 2:27)
The Lord Jesus has overcome all things. If you follow him in all things, at all times, and in all places, he will teach you everything you need to know to do likewise. If you submit to him in all things, nothing will have power over you:
"These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." (John 16:33)
Nothing will be able to separate you from his love, which is the greatest of all things:
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8)
Come and feast on the truth, whose price has been paid for you:
"Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price." (Isaiah 55:1)
Seek the Lord with all your being:
"And now, my son, I have told you this that ye may learn wisdom, that ye may learn of me that there is no other way or means whereby man can be saved, only in and through Christ. Behold, he is the life and the light of the world. Behold, he is the word of truth and righteousness." (Alma 38:9)