Part II: Taking dominion while abiding in ChristJUST RELEASED: A Free Man’s First Steps to Ministry
Part II: Taking dominion while abiding in Christ I began this series with a look back. First and foremost, looking back on my deliverance from the bondage of sin, possible only by placing full faith in Jesus Christ, who died in my place and was resurrected by the power of God so that He may go and prepare a place in eternal paradise for all who believe in Him. Second, I looked back on the blessings of incarceration. It’s easy in prison to spend time in the Word of God and in prayer, easy to find brothers to Bible study with, and easy to line up at the door every time an officer called for church. The challenge is carrying over those same habits to the “free world.” There are worldly needs I knew must be satisfied as soon as possible following my release from John R. Lindsey State Jail - legal transportation and a job chief among them. But I also knew my relationship with God must remain my top priority even while fulfilling these needs. It’s about taking dominion of my life while still surrendering each day to Christ. It’s about walking with HIm in all that I do, instead of trying to squeeze him in when it’s convenient. And as I’ve done this, as I’ve maintained my early morning Bible study time, as I’ve continued to go steadfastly to HIm in prayer for all things, as I’ve attended church faithfully in the weeks since my release, I’ve already been immeasurably blessed. With my father’s help, my car has new tires, headlights and wiper blades, a new bumper cover, and its oil and all fluids have been topped off. Yes, the ‘ole Toyota Camry has been through a lot, but she is now properly insured and registered and is purring like a kitten while cruising down the road. Most important, there is nothing illegal in that car, because there is nothing illegal in my life. Jesus Christ freed me from bondage to all that, and every day I can see that in walking hand in hand with HIm, I don’t find myself in places where I’m face-to-face with that devil. The job search was frustrating at first, as two prospective employers turned me down because of my criminal history. But just this week, glory to God, I secured employment, and did so with firm boundaries in place to protect my church attendance. I am finding as I walk closer to Christ each day, that my discipleship is opening doors, not closing them. Do I drive my dream car? Am I beginning my dream job? No on both accounts. But I can accept these humble new beginnings, trusting that if I am faithful in what is least, the day will come when I am trusted to be faithful also in much. Of course, Luke 16:10 doesn’t end there. It goes on to say that he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. I’ve been unjust with little and with a lot. That led nowhere except federal then state confinement. So as I move forward, walking freely in Christ, I know I must live by the words of Paul, who wrote, “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall.” (I Corinthians 10:12) For me, taking heed means following the basic instructions of the 15th and 101st Psalms. To abide in Christ I must walk uprightly, work righteousness, speak truth, do no evil to my neighbor, despise all that is evil, and honor those who fear the Lord. I must behave wisely, set nothing wicked before my eyes, and refuse to let the work of those who fall away cling to me. David ended the 15th Psalm saying, “He who does these things shall never be moved.” As “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14), that is, as I press toward fulfilling my calling to share the gospel, especially with prisoners confined by the same criminal justice system from which I was recently released, the next step is proving the concerns of the world - my new job, relationships, etc - will not move me away from the One who saved me, the One who delivered me, the One who is preparing an eternal home for me. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. “ (John 15:5) I am daily discovering how taking dominion of my life is much easier when I abide in Christ, the very vine that has supported me through so much. Part I: Looking Back On The Way ForwardThe start of a new year inevitably brings about new resolutions, goals, plans and more. Having been released from the John R. Lindsey State Jail in Jacksboro on December 21, the new year truly is, for me more than most, a time of new beginnings.
While in many ways I am beginning anew in the “free world,” the process of starting over actually began while still incarcerated. Many see incarceration as the storm they are going through, but I saw it as time to recover from the storm I was living in. I saw it as a time to be restored, to heal, to truly surrender to the Lord the last parts of my fleshly life I was clinging to and allow His Spirit to regenerate me. I look back and see many reasons my incarceration was a blessing. I have an extended period of sobriety to build on, numerous unhealthy relationships have been naturally severed, and healthy, Godly relationships with select family and friends have been restored. I talk to God on a different level than before, and He graciously reveals His Living Word to me in new, exciting ways every day. A great Bible promise I have found myself going back to time and again during the final weeks of my incarceration and in my initial two weeks of freedom is found in Isaiah 41:15, where God, speaking of the restoration ahead for the people of Israel, said, “Behold, I will make you into a new threshing sledge with sharp teeth; You shall thresh the mountains and beat them small, and make the hills like chaff.” No doubt, many obstacles lie ahead, but I have faith I can thresh - or pulverize, as translated in the NASB - those mountains. I believe that with the faith of a mustard seed I can “...say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible…” (Matthew 17:20, NKJV). Time slows down on the “inside,” and while that weighs heavily on many inmates, for me it meant hours of daily Bible study and fellowship with like-minded men in a faith-based dorm. I told my father once on the phone that strange as it may sound, I actually needed to be diligent to live in the free world as I was living “behind bars,” continuing to end each day closer to Christ than when it began. Observing this, I have marked this Scripture as a key reminder as I move forward: “...To the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.” -Philippians 3:16 (NKJV) I have attained great discipline in studying the Word daily, in spending time in meditation, prayer and praise, and in being an ambassador for Christ among fellow inmates. So, to this degree already attained, I must walk by the same rule in the “free world,” and I must be of the same mind - the same SOBER, God-centered mindset that has helped me come so far in my relationship with Christ. So the first step to ministry for this free man is not looking forward, but instead glancing back and taking note. I do not mean looking back longingly on a life of bondage to sin, but simply taking pause to reflect on the blessings of incarceration and on the mercy and grace God has afforded me. Before turning my focus too far forward, I must remember what got me here. I must always live in heartfelt gratitude for the blood Jesus shed to deliver me from my sins. In looking back on that deliverance, the path forward becomes more clear. |
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