I HEAR CHAINS BREAKING…
It is time we make a conscious effort to RELEASE ourselves from TOXIC RELATIONSHIPS. Those relationships that have a tendency to drain us spiritually, morally, physically and emotionally, and allow God to do a work, where we can not. Those that desire true freedom, will eventually rid themselves of toxic relationships. As you shut down toxicity, Those that are toxic will creative a false narrative, of the one who tried to escape, within the old circle. This is a tool used by the enemy to keep the toxic relationship in motion. A type of calling the victim back into toxicity.
If you are THE VICTIM, you deserve to live a life free of another’s TOXIC behavior.
If you are THE GO BETWEEN, protect yourself from their TOXIC fiery darts. The old saying rings true… “you’re a product of what you subject yourself to”. If not, you will find yourself convicted of TOXIC GUILT by TOXIC ASSOCIATION. Note 1 Timothy 6:11 – But you, Timothy (enter your name in his place), are a man (or woman) of God; so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness.
I like to call it a #SPIRITUAL_INVENTORY… I look to the words of Paul in Galatians 5:7-13, to ask myself, simple questions that require a lot less negative energy.
7 You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth?
~ Ask Holy Spirit to reveal, WHEN did this destructive behavior begin?
~ Ask Holy Spirit to reveal, WHO steered you off the path of righteousness?
8 It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom.
~ The day you accepted Jesus into your life.
9 This false teaching is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough!
~ Anyone intentionally speaking down on another, to get you to side with them or justifying their actions, is part of the dough (or circle).
10 I am trusting the Lord to keep you from believing false teachings. God will judge that person, whoever he is, who has been confusing you.
~ The “false teacher” can be anyone in your circle. We are all called to spread the living changing message of JESUS. Therefore, anytime, we attempt to go against His message of Love (UNLESS, to warn others of FALSE TEACHING) we are not acting on behalf of the anointed one, but are in fact playing the devils advocate.
11 Dear brothers and sisters, if I were still preaching that you must be circumcised—as some say I do—why am I still being persecuted? If I were no longer preaching salvation through the cross of Christ, no one would be offended. 12 I just wish that THOSE #troublemakers who want to #mutilate YOU by circumcision would #mutilate_themselves.
~ I know Paul seems harsh, but so are the evil things TOXIC people are repeating or listening to, rather than choices to shut it down.
13 For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.
~ If by chance the information you are receiving about a specifically named TOXIC individual is found to be common among the brethren… THERE’S YOUR DIRECTIONAL SIGN (or leading) to BRING IT TO THEIR ATTENTION aka righteous correction, with the intent to steer them BACK to JESUS.
14 For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
~ Love them enough to be honest about their shortcomings or toxic behavior. Truth is sometimes painful, but righteous pain delivers us from the snare of the fouler.
15 But if you are always biting and devouring one another, watch out! Beware of destroying one another.
~ You may very well, be showing someone their error in LOVE (in private)… They may very well reject or deny your pointing out their toxic behavior, as being a reality, even by trying to defend themselves and/ or justifying their actions. IF SO…
ASK HOLY SPIRIT…
“Is this my purpose? Am ‘I’ called to plant seeds of right-standing in “this garden” or do I need to walk away and allow this individual to grow, strickly by your DIVINE PRUNING?”
Allowing God, to fight your battles (2 Chronicles 20:15), brings with it an amazing ability to #LIVE_LIFE_FREE according to the PROMISE of John 10:10 (NLT)
10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.
If you are TOXIC to those closest to you, you will find that you have slipped into a realm that you seemingly can not escape. Immediately you will be bombarded with negative thoughts; internalizing and justification. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO STAY BOUND. FREEDOM IS AVAILABLE, TODAY!
LET US PRAY…
“Lord Jesus, I’m tired of the sin struggle of toxicity I’ve allowed into my life. I feel I don’t have Your true, “Life-Changing Peace”, that I often hear others refer to. This makes me feel distant from You. My choices have not led me to your presence. I’ve listened to the whispers of my enemy instead of Your words in Scripture, and the result has been confusion.
I once walked with you, my heart tender to Your leading. Yet little by little, I exchanged Your truths for temptations and deceit that led me away from You. Instead of taking thoughts captive and confessing them immediately, I allowed them to grow totally out of control. Repentance was not in actions, but only my constant repetition of ‘I”m sorry’. Blame, cover-ups, or trying to reason and rationalize sin never work. They only give birth to deeper sin entanglements.
You created me in Your own image, Lord. You know my thoughts before I speak them. You x-ray my heart and see through my excuses and intentions. Holy Spirit warned me, but I ignored Him. Disappointment and discouragement have taken their toll on me.
So today I’m confessing my desperate need of Your forgiveness, through Your blood-bought sacrifice. Only you can clear and cleanses my slate. I desire to be in your presence where you can heal every area of my brokenness and fashion me back into your beautiful creation. You have promised that if we will confess our sin, You will forgive us and make us clean again. Lord, I truly need Your forgiveness. I desire to turn around, head back towards you and walk in step with your word, Lord. But I need your help, Lord, as I press into Your chest and move to the beat of Your heart.
Just as You created the world out of nothing, Lord, create a clean heart out of my “nothingness.” You paid for my sin with your own death. Restore my life and the fellowship we once shared together. You don’t condemn me, and You won’t disown me; I am Your child forever. But I take all the blame—I own my own sin. I am the one who broke fellowship with You and am crushed over the way I treated You and Your name.
Lord, root out the darkness and light up my life with Holy Spirits presence. Help me understand what went wrong. Show me how my destructive patterns first began. What did I allow to become more important than loving and honoring You? Why did I seek satisfaction in others or other things than You? You are the only One Who provides all my needs. You fill up the soul with deep-down joy and peace beyond all understanding.
Lord, may your restoration include new boundaries around my life. I can’t flirt with sin and not be hurt. In restoring me Lord, teach me how to say no again to things which could harm myself or my testimony. If my actions have wounded others, show me where and to whom I need to ask forgiveness or how to make amends. Help me to surround myself with other God-fearing, Jesus following, Holy Spirit led individuals, who will hold me accountable and lead me to Your Word for correction. Help me to die daily to the flesh and my own stinking thinking.
I understand that my repentance won’t eliminate the consequences of my sin. As there is no consequence that could ever be as painful as knowing how my sins have hurt You or perverted Your Message of the Cross.
Thank You, Lord, that sin does not disqualify us. Instead, like a runner who has fallen but who gets up again, I, too, am willing to start again and finish the race You have set before me.
With Your Restoration Power, Lord, perhaps I can help others find their way back to You too. I refuse to continue giving the enemy victory. Instead, I accept Your Victory and seek Holy Spirit, to fashion my heart after yours and mold me into Your Beloved Son/ Daughter, once again. May I live the rest days, as a good steward, of the life you have gifted me, ever eager to obey Your Voice. Knowing your only desire is to help me arrive back home and to be able to say, “You’ve done well my good and faithful servant”.
Thank You, Jesus, that TODAY, I AM FREE. You have loosened the shackles of my intended defeat, through your life saving shed blood. I draw from You everything I need to be victorious, in exchange for all my brokenness.
Unchned... 