Testament Tuesday -- Break The Chains

There’s a song that’s been on my mind a lot here lately. “Chain Breaker” by Zach Williams, if you’ve never heard it I suggest you go check it out. The opening line says this “If you’ve been walking the same old road for miles and miles” and it always hits me. This was the song I would listen to on my way to my weekly blood draws for 14 weeks. It was my anthem then and it’s still been one of my go-to’s today. We all have chains, struggles and bondage of some sort. Some are visible, while others are more internal and are seen as “normal”. These can be irrational thoughts, fears, lack of self-control, worry, or procrastination. All of those are forms of bondage. Bad habits that we’ve allowed to work their way into our lives. For me, it’s worry and anxiety. My chains are visible in my miscarriage journey, but they’re also internal with my constant struggle with worry.

These chains are not serving me. They’re only holding me back from living the very life I was created for. In the song it’s said “If you've got pain, He's a pain taker. If you feel lost, He's a way maker. If you need freedom or saving, He's a prison-shaking Savior. If you've got chains, He's a chain breaker.” Only God can break our chains, set us free, and conquer our fears.

Do you know the story of Paul and Silas in jail in Acts chapter 16? They were stripped, beaten and thrown into prison. They were chained, literally chained up and locked away. Don’t you think they felt angry? Worried or anxious? I mean they had every right to feel that way right? But do you know what they were doing instead?

They were praying and singing hymns. These two men were physically in bondage and yet they were still praying and rejoicing to God. They weren’t consuming themselves with their fears over their circumstances, worried about what was going to happen next. Their impossible chains that had them bound were broken. They were set free.

What set them free? PRAYING AND PRAISING. They chose to turn to prayer and praise instead of worry and doubt. Isn’t that just amazing? Our prayers have the power to signal God to break our chains. Our praise literally summons Him to be with us, to set us free.

What’s been holding you back? Like I said before, for me it’s anxiety, worry, and fear. But know this, whatever has been holding you back, burdening you, chaining you up – you can set yourself free by prayer and praise! You can summon the one and only God almighty to break your chains. God doesn’t want us to be stuck in this cycle any longer. He doesn’t desire for us to battle constant fear, anxiety, or worry. He desires us to be free, without those chains.

John 10:10 says “The thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”

Every time we let our chains hold us down, we are allowing the thief into our lives. That’s his goal, he wants to take us out of this life – to chain us to our fears. I hear his whispers every day, I hear him try to convince me that we will be stuck in this situation forever. But I know that’s not true, I know I don’t have to listen to his lies for even a second. It’s when I hear these whispers that I put on the song mentioned above and say NOT TODAY SATAN, NOT TODAY!

It’s time to claim our lives back. No matter what the chains look like in your life. No matter what the struggles or worries or fears are. Claim your freedom through PRAYER AND PRAISE. Jesus is a chain breaker, a life changer, a way maker. He will set us free.

Pray and praise Him. Step out of those chains and into the beautiful life created just for you.