December 28, 2009, "Syndrome"

TRIUMPHANT VICTORIOUS REMINDERS
Inspired by the Holy Spirit
Written by: Teresa Criswell

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the physical and spiritual captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord [the year of His favor] and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn."
~ Isaiah 61:1 & 2 Amplified Bible ~

Violently kidnapped. The victims have no memory from where they came. The choices they make seem to be filled with normality. The path of destruction is broad, wide and there seems to be a great 'celebration' when truly there is great violation, imprisonment, demise and great sorrow.

After lightly researching the history of a sociological pattern; I found that when the captured have been emotionally (a.k.a. as the soul) attached to a captor; it has been identified as an actual syndrome called, 'Stockholm Syndrome'. The interesting part of the syndrome is they say it is a "prime example of the defense mechanism of identification" (N. Kato). Think about this...it's about identification.

This leads me to our identification in Christ. Have our minds been captivated and captured by the enemy? Or are we in our rightful place knowing our identity in Christ? To know our identity in Christ, we MUST know who He is. Our heritage is from Who He is.

Do we know our heritage from whence we came? We are created in the image of our God...wow...what an exciting and wonderful reminder. In this reminder, God made a way to come back to Him as He sent His Son Jesus Christ. He didn't send Buddah, or Muhammed, or any other person to redeem us or bring us back into relationship with Him...He sent Jesus Christ His Son; He sent His Word, Who became flesh. He became poor for us in becoming a human being, giving up His true Heritage. The Power of His obedience in becoming 'one of us', He was obedient unto death. Jesus was given a Name that is ABOVE every name (Philippians 2)!!!!

This ongoing, aweing, powerful, majestic reminder leads me to the question, "Do I suffer from 'Religious Syndrome' or am I living the life God has called me to live? Am I a "Liberator of the captives" because of what Jesus Christ has done for me?"

In Isaiah 61 it is written as it was proclaimed by the prophet Isaiah by the power of the Spirit of God, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed and qualified me to preach the Gospel of good tidings to the meek, the poor and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up and heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the physical and spiritual captives and the opening of the prison and of the eyes to those who are bound. To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord [the year of His favor] and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn."

I am reminded that today I must be free of any 'soul attaching syndromes' that attempt to abduct me from where I truly belong. In this freedom, we are to enact freedoms and reveal that life giving liberty upon others. What a reminder and a blessed responsibility to be vessels for God's glory in revealing His awesome liberation from the grips of the enemy.

Let's go out today and proclaim with God's Love who they truly are, revealing who they are not. Let's walk the narrow road of righteousness leading others as we are led by Who He is and by His power and might! Hallelujah!