Jesus welcomed the people, taught them about the Kingdom of God and healed those in need. Luke 9:11

Seeds of the Kingdom

Walking with Heads Held High

by Paul Watson

“I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high”.
Leviticus 26:13, NIV

I enjoy a variety of sports. Whether it’s in rugby, or soccer or cricket, when a commentator notes that the players on one team have dropped their heads, we all know that they are losing.

Just pause for a while and watch people walking along the street. So often it seems that people have their heads down, moving along, lost in their own problems, hurts and difficulties.

Sadly it also appears in the Body of Christ. I recall being involved in the music group in my local church, playing and singing the lively song ‘We are a people of power, we are a people of praise’. But when I looked at the posture of the congregation, (singing with shoulders slumped and heads lowered), I thought to myself, ‘Really? It doesn’t look like it’.

In our ministry centre, we see many Christians coming to us for healing retreats with their heads down – slumped over with fears, emotional pain and the heaviness of bondages to the enemy.

However, we have the great privilege and joy of seeing those same people leave the retreat with new levels of hope, joy and freedom. What effects the change? The answer is actually about Who effects the change. It’s through His Son, Jesus Christ, that God the Father brings about the lifting of our heads. It’s Jesus who has broken the bars of the yokes of bondage. It’s He who has come to bind up the broken-hearted, bring freedom for the captives, and release from darkness for the prisoners. It’s Christ Jesus who has destroyed the works of the evil one. As we apply the finished work of Jesus on the cross to our lives, we receive new life, new freedom, and a whole new posture.
We can walk with heads held high!

Prayer: Father I thank You for rescuing me from the bars of my yoke – the yoke of sin, the world and the devil. By Your Holy Spirit I pray that You would reveal to me any areas of bondage that are still in my life, and that I might be open to the healing and releasing power of Jesus to receive new levels of freedom. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.

Paul Watson At the end of 2020, Paul stepped down from his role as Centre Director of Ellel Pierrepont in the UK, and with his wife Diane, returned to live in Western Australia. They are enjoying having a break and spending time with their family. Paul and Diane are still on the Board of Ellel Ministries Australia.

 

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