Getting Off the Ride and Walking In Victory!

What if we imagined the work of the enemy in the form of an amusement park? This park would be filled all sort of rides and games such as the “Roller Coaster of Insecurity”, “Tilt-My-World with Fear”, “The Bumper Cars of Dysfunction”, “House of Mirrors Reflecting My Past”. While it was never our intention to visit the park, there is something about the rides that just feels comfortable. We step up to the counter and say, “One ticket to the Roller Coaster of Insecurity, please!” We buy our ticket, get on the ride, buckle in as best we can and hope we make it to the end of the ride.

This might sound ridiculous to some. But being a person who has not only bought a ticket in the past, I think I might have held season tickets to some of these “attractions”.

One of the platforms I feel passionate about is seeing women set free from the past and walk out the destiny God has planned for them…in stilettos, of course! I have met literally thousands who struggle with overcoming the past and realizing that God’s heart is for them to live victoriously. Just as important is the realization that we are daughters of God. We are His girls. He loves us. We have such a hard time really embracing both of these truths.

As I was meditating on this, the Lord gave me a visual of an amusement park with the rides I shared above. Not only do we feel comfortable in this type of “park”, we purchase tickets and believe we have to revisit the past over and again in order to really overcome. Weapons from the enemy such as fear, insecurity, shame, guilt, regret, etc., etc. are typically present in this cycle. Not only do we accept this cycle, we choose to then become identified by it.

For instance, when someone who struggles in this area introduces themselves to me they might say, “Hi, my name is _____, I’ve been divorced for ten years”. It’s almost as if “I’ve-been-divorced-for-ten-years” becomes their last name. This always makes me sad because it’s as if they have to reveal their feeling of failure so I won’t judge them. The truth is they are continually judging themselves and have allowed this feeling to failure to become their identity.

Isaiah 43:18-19 (AMP)
18Do not [earnestly] remember the former things; neither consider the things of old. 19Behold, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive and know it and will you not give heed to it? I will even make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

God is the creator. He is about creating newness and bringing life. He's also the God of forgiveness from our past. He can heal and bring new life from our past. The hard part is our ability to truly take steps to release the past and experience His healing.

If there is something / someone to forgive:then forgive and move on. If there is a relationship that needs healing: pray about it, do what God says and then wait. If you feel badly about your self- image: then act! If there are traumas or more in-depth healing that is needed, seek wise counsel for help. Instead of being comfortable in these areas which bear no fruit – decide to embrace the freedom that comes with forgiveness, walking out your destiny and loving others and yourself! It’s the way God intended us to behave because He loves us and died for us to have this freedom.

And, when the enemy offers a ticket to one of his emotional roller coasters of the past, instead of buckling in and trying to endure the ride – refuse the offer and walk in freedom. Pretty soon the acceptance of grace will become the new way of life.

Stephanie Henderson
Stephanie Henderson Ministries
www.stephaniehendersonministries.com