Christian Training

Prison Imprisoned
A place of confinement or captivity. To put in or as if in prison.

PATSY COLE & WILL THOU BE MADE WHOLE
M I N I S T R I E S

Therefore, put on the whole armor of God, so that when the evil day
comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have
done everything to stand; stand firm then with the belt of truth
buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in
place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from
the Gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of
faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil
one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the Word of God. And pray in the Spirit on all occasions
with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert
and always keep praying for all the saints.
Ephesians 6:13-18

Why Must We Be Trained in Order to Reign?

In Biblical times, a belt or girdle was what held a person's outfit all
together. Robes and tunics were tied at the waist with a belt or girdle. It
held the clothing against the body and all in place. So it is with truth.
When a Christian lives, speaks, and breathes truth at all times, this
truth that the Christian lives by, keeps the various facets of his or her
life all together and functioning smoothly as a unit. Lies and falsehood
make a Christian's life fall apart. Truth keeps it all together.

A Christian can go far and do things he or she might not normally be
able to do, with proper faith. Faith in God, faith in God's Son (Christ), and
faith in ourselves and our fellow true Christians, is an essential tool in
resisting unrighteous temptations and desires. Scriptures abound in
the Bible describing what one can accomplish with faith; and likening
faith unto a shield with which we block out, or ward off, the desire or
temptation to do wrong. Shields, in ancient times, were used to block
incoming spears, rocks, and arrows. The shield of faith will quench all
the "burning arrows of the evil one."

Soldiers of these times wore greaves on their lower legs to protect
them. If a man's legs become too badly injured, he can't stand. If a man
can't stand, he can't fight, and becomes more or less totally helpless in
the face of his enemy's onslaught. The Gospel contains God's Word.
There is a little song, sung in many Churches around the world every
Sunday, that goes, "Thy word... is a lamp unto my feet, and a light...
unto... my path." The Gospel, when the feet are shod with it, lights up
the narrow but well-marked pathway leading to the Kingdom of God,
and makes it easier to walk down that path without wandering off it.

A helmet was worn in battle in order to protect the head. All it took was
an injury to the head and the fight could come to an end. The head
includes the mind, which also consist of our thought life. The helmet of
salvation protects and helps us to bring every evil thought into captivity
and maintain the mind of Christ.

Understanding Your Armor

God's Word is like a double-edged sword that always cuts to the heart
of the matter, throughout the Bible. There isn't a better weapon we could
use to fight against principalities and demonic forces of the devil.

Prayer is our form of communication with God. We can cast our cares
upon Him, and wit thanksgiving, let our request me made known unto
Him.

Remember, our sword is the Word of God. We must
always have the sword in our hand, always ready ,
always prepared to use it to smite back the forces of
darkness. Timing is of the essence when we're coming
up against the enemy. Therefore; we can't be caught off
guard while trying to sheathe the sword or rest for even a
little while; nor will we have such time until the
Kingdom of God arrives on Earth.

In ancient times, a breastplate was strapped over the chest to protect
the whole front of the torso. Later, breastplates had a plate in back to
protect the back as well. This important piece of armor protects one of
the most important parts of the body-- the heart. Since a Christian's
character is measured by what is in his or her heart, it is important to
keep the intentions of the heart righteous and holy. If a Christian's
heart is righteous, it is shielded from desires and to do unrighteous
things. Any time an unrighteous desire or temptation tries to enter a
righteous heart, the conscience, or breastplate, keeps it out and
insures that the heart stays pure.

These things I have
spoken to you, that in
Me you may have
peace. In the world
you will have
tribulation; but be of
good cheer, I have
overcome the world.
John 16:33

The Word of God
assures us that in
Christ we have the
victory over every
challenge we
encounter. "We are
"more than
conquerors through
Him who loved us."
Don''t run this race
of life as one who
has no hope.
"For whatever is
born of God
overcomes the
world. And this is
the victory that has
overcome the
world- our faith."

No one is born-again knowing everything. Even JESUS' disciples realized this. At one
point of time they said to Him: "Teach us to pray..." ~Luke 11:1 Our Bible is our manual;
in it is presented everything that we need to know: How to properly use the Sword. How
to conquer any obstacle satan and his demons throw our way. How to develop unlimited
confidence in our Commander-in-Chief which is God. How to get into shape and stay
that way. It even teaches us how to respond to orders. The Manual also reveals that our
Commander wants all Warriors to be a unified force. The 1st is how to put on our
heavenly armor. We cannot take it for granted that it is on, we must positively make sure
it is. Because putting it on is not just a recommended procedure...
it is heavenly commanded!

In Prison? or Imprisoned?

The Texas prison system grew faster than any other in the country over the past decade, and one out
of every 20 adults in the state is under the watch of the criminal justice system, according to national
study released in the year 2000. In addition, Texas also has the nation's largest populations of
probationers and parolees. As a native Texan, I find these statistics very alarming; but as a witness
for the gospel of Jesus Christ, I feel somewhat responsible. I've often pondered , "How many prison
inmates are there in Texas alone, that have never been presented the message of salvation?" The
answer to that question still remains a mystery; however, I feel confident in saying, "we haven't
seized every opportunity to offer others the eternal life plan." Although I'm bringing a personal
indictment against myself, I have had the blessed opportunity to participate in Prison Evangelism for
a period of four years. As a matter of fact, those were some of the most rewarding times in my
Christian journey. After ministering at Carswell Federal Prison for Women in Fort Worth, Texas, I
not only observed some things about the physical location, but received what I consider a great
revelation concerning "captivity". I witnessed on many occasions the "yoke destroying, burden
removing" power of God move throughout the services, and heard several victorious testimonies of
how God had "set women free for real". It was then that I realized,
"you can be free while in prison; likewise, "you can be free from the prison system,
yet imprisoned in your mind".

Trained to Reign

Imagine being in prison behind bars, or in a small cell. Think about the limitations, the confinement,
and all the restrictions. This is the same feeling experienced by millions of people who suffer the
“emotional imprisonment” of their existence. Someone once said, "It’s a self-made prison with
transparent bars, and your only awareness of it is your own immense sorrow, and you suffer the
bewilderment of its unknown origin". People have pursued many avenues in their effort to avoid and
deny their circumstances. There is a long list of ways for us to run from ourselves. A partial list may
include: alcohol, drugs, eating, sex, pleasing, perfectionism, compulsive shopping, anger,
workaholic, and religion, just to name a few. Sadly, people choose many things as their ticket to
run-to run from the insanity of whatever is causing them pain. By run, I'm referring to emotional
escape as a remedy from the pain. I pause to ask, "What ticket are you using?" We not only numb
ourselves with these "tickets to run", but we also escape emotionally from ourselves and our
surroundings. Ultimately, we become frustrated and depressed because of the unresolved issues
and feelings we experience.

As an avid reader and a Professional Educator, it would please me to tell you that I read this
information in some non-fiction novel; or it was located between the pages of a collegiate textbook.
The truth is, I was one of those people behind "transparent" bars. I ran down so many streets and
alleys trying to escape pains of the past without anyone even knowing. It's quite amazing how often
we mask the hurts and pains of yesterday-only to still stare them in the face today. I even found
myself using "religion" as an antidote for my pain-which introduced me to even more bondage.

But thanks be unto God who is able to "set the prisoner free"!
One day I purchased a ticket that led me right into the presence of God! I'm a firm believer that you
can't enter into the presence of a Holy God and stay bound! The lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh,
not even a religious ceremony can provide you with the key to unlock the
prison of your mind.
You need a personal relationship with your creator.
The Holy Spirit will lead you down the pathway to Freedom!
I'm a Witness! I've Been Set Free!

Pray This Prayer

Heavenly Father, I thank you for the power of your Word. I confess my sins and accept the finished
work that was obtained at Calvary by Jesus Christ. I ask you to release me from the bondage that
has held my mind captive. I no longer want to pursue after the lust of the flesh nor the lust of the
eyes. Help me to be transformed daily by the renewing of my mind. I cast all my cares upon
you...the pains of my past and the wounds of my present. I desire to have the mind of Christ
whereby I can walk in total victory...Mind, Body and Spirit!
You said if I decree a thing, it shall be established.
Today I make a declaration that by the power of the blood of Jesus Christ,
I am set free!

Whom the Son Sets Free is Free Indeed!

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