Happy Freedom Day

On July 4, 2025July 4, 2025 By happyreignIn HeatherLeave a comment

I do not want to be a nice, socially acceptable, liked Christian. The basic beliefs of Christianity are offensive to every spirit and force that opposed Jesus Christ as Lord of the earth. I think I am tired of any fear of man that entertains the idea that a good Christian is a reasonably tolerable human being who never holds controversial convictions. Someone I spoke with recently said they are done being silent. I like this idea too for myself, but from the perspective that Christianity is not a normal and common lifestyle that looks no different from the adjacent unbeliever. I don’t want to blend in, and so in basic Christianity 101, I am addressing a topic that maybe is seen as fringe by the general public but I assure you it’s the power of God – deliverance.

Most people when they think of deliverance think of a kooky stage performer who is possibly styled weird with a mad grab for attention and probably involves theatrics, but in its origin, deliverance was Jesus loving people by delivering them from the suffering they so desperately felt powerless to escape from. Nowadays the general public suffers from the same afflictions but we have fancy words for them, scientific explanations, and societal modifications for their integration. Some people’s identity gravitates around that which afflicts them, sometimes adopted as a form of bragging rights for attention, sometimes people suffer silently alone without telling a soul what they feel or experience in their bodies, minds, or souls that they can’t seem to get free from.

These tendencies of affliction that are scattered among us affect the destinies of lives. More first responders last year took their own lives than died in the line of duty. Wives are abandoned, abused, or smothered. Marriages disintegrate, and criminals commit offenses against other humans. These are all symptoms of thoughts and diseases of the bodies and souls of men and women. Jesus does not give false hope.

When Jesus says the truth shall set you free, he does not mean in a fanciful Zen way that simply restructures how we look at a current affliction. He does not mean that re-posturing our heart and perspective is the solution he’s offering as we continue to suffer. I believe in the power of God. I believe in the authority of Jesus Christ here on earth. I believe that demons exist, are among us, and are influencing our world and daily lives. And I believe that God’s kingdom has dominion over them here and now. This nuance of hierarchy reveals not only the existence of God and his dominion but of his love.

Understand that God is not using his power, his authority, his position of divine leadership to cause suffering. He is not using his authority to oppress, to bind, to rob, and to steal. It’s unfathomable. He is good. And he is using his authority for our best. The cool part is he’s not only ruling from a position of love, but he’s given that authority to us. To me and you. Here and now. To also RULE in this world. This in no way means dominate, control, or manipulate for selfish purposes, but this means to rule in love, and relief, and service, and aid, and …deliverance, freedom, and release from chains.

So getting on to it. The basics of deliverance are that 1) if you have unforgiveness you are imprisoning yourself in suffering so you have to get rid of that NOW. Forgive. It’s the only door Jesus gives us and if you don’t want to, he says he’s going to use your standard for others on yourself. It’s your choice. 2) Our behaviors, words, experiences, thoughts, and choices can invite, welcome, or create agreements with demonic forces. Does this always look evil? No. Fear, worry, anxiety, doubt, unbelief, discouragement, guilt, shame, insecurity can all look 100% normal, socially acceptable, and perfectly reasonable. Even some crimes and relational redefinition are not only acceptable but are celebrated. Are demonic powers being exalted here? Yes, just because something is chosen by an individual doesn’t make it good, or redefine what kingdom it originates from.

Moving on, let’s go to Luke 11. Starting at verse 14, some editor for the bible translation I’m using named this section Jesus and the Prince of Demons. Let me lay it out here for people who don’t have their bible on hand then we’ll continue. Lots of red words in this section, for those of you who don’t know, red words in a bible indicate Jesus talking, as in, pay attention. I can only do color by block here so please ignore the red tag lines that indicate who’s speaking.

Jesus and the Prince of Demons

14 One day Jesus cast out a demon from a man who couldn’t speak, and when the demon was gone, the man began to speak. The crowds were amazed, 15 but some of them said, “No wonder he can cast out demons. He gets his power from Satan, the prince of demons.” 16 Others, trying to test Jesus, demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

17 He knew their thoughts, so he said, “Any kingdom divided by civil war is doomed. A family splintered by feuding will fall apart. 18 You say I am empowered by Satan. But if Satan is divided and fighting against himself, how can his kingdom survive? 19 And if I am empowered by Satan, what about your own exorcists? They cast out demons, too, so they will condemn you for what you have said. 20 But if I am casting out demons by the power of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. 21 For when a strong man is fully armed and guards his palace, his possessions are safe— 22 until someone even stronger attacks and overpowers him, strips him of his weapons, and carries off his belongings.

23 “Anyone who isn’t with me opposes me, and anyone who isn’t working with me is actually working against me.

24 “When an evil spirit leaves a person, it goes into the desert, searching for rest. But when it finds none, it says, ‘I will return to the person I came from.’ 25 So it returns and finds that its former home is all swept and in order. 26 Then the spirit finds seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they all enter the person and live there. And so that person is worse off than before.”

27 As he was speaking, a woman in the crowd called out, “God bless your mother—the womb from which you came, and the breasts that nursed you!”

28 Jesus replied, “But even more blessed are all who hear the word of God and put it into practice.”

Basic worldview understandings implied here: demons exist. They are spirits. They enter humans. They inhabit humans and dwell within them. Demons can be cast out. God exists. Satan exists. They both have kingdoms. Their kingdoms have organization and measures of power. Humans have value that is fought over and are resting places for spirits (made to be a resting place for God’s spirit).

God’s kingdom, (now where all authority has been given to Jesus – who also a HUMAN) holds no contest against demonic influence on other fellow humans. Jesus just shows up and demons have to flee. Just like light and darkness. You turn on the light switch and light and darkness don’t actually fight for the room. Once light–an actual substance of particles and waves–arrives, darkness no longer remains.

Jesus said it is better that he leave after he was resurrected and he ascended into heaven BECAUSE he was sending the HOLY spirit. Another spirit – not a demon – but the spirit of God, that is also meant and designed to rest within us. And live through us. And influence our thoughts, our hearts, our behaviors, all in intimate fellowship, divine exchange, and union with God. This spirit, who is love, who is peace, who is joy, is the spirit we want to influence our lives by CHOICE, not other spirits who want to hurt us, to steal from us, and want our death. God’s spirit is our life.

Earlier in this writing piece, I left off at step number two in basic deliverance. Here’s three 3) renouncing our agreement with these demonic influences on our lives. You don’t want them there? Then use the voice and authority God has given you and say out loud and mean that you renounce your agreement with them. Want some ideas of things that may be influencing your life for starters that generally aren’t fun to deal with or have around in life?

Fear of man, cowardice, timidity, insecurity, abandonment, restlessness, affliction, sickness, torment, disease, agitation, confusion, doubt, double-mindedness, guilt, shame, self-hatred, addiction, idolatry, witchcraft, cursing, vulgarity, lewdness, licentiousness, rejection, defensiveness, self-protection, unworthiness, worthlessness, suicide, death, religious spirits, betrayal, recklessness, covetousness, lying, gossip, slander, adultery, promiscuity, waywardness, vulgarity, bitterness, discouragement, hopelessness, stinginess, fear of lack, foreboding, terror, torment, injury, spiritual attacks, word curses, foul spirits, unclean spirits, mis-sexuality, distraction, wantonness, insomnia, rage, anger, hatred, violence, and more!

Don’t want these things around influencing your mind, your day, your life? Then renounce them and your agreement with them for starters. 4) Then tell them to leave you. Leave your body. Leave your home. Leave your family. Leave your life. Now. In Jesus’ name.

Jesus has authority, and Jesus’ name has power. Call me crazy, go ahead. It’s true. This is true. This is the difference between people standing around and having a conversation about ideas versus experiencing a solution. Am I saying this will fix everything? Maybe. God has faith in your purpose, in your value, in your worth, in your instrinsic valuableness. You really do. And God wants you to experience life in its fullness. Life as he intended. Remember who you are. Remember what God has spoken over your life. Remember your authority. You are not a victim here. Christ reigns through you. Have faith in him, in Jesus’ cross and resurrection power over even death.

What replaces all these negative things that leave? What happens when we turn to Christ exercising the authority he has shown us and taught us and sent us out to do unto others? Peace, rest, stillness, calm, settling, freedom, hope, joy, love, generosity, soundness of mind, clarity of thought, inspiration, creativity, insight, wisdom, truth, feeling comfortable in our own bodies and our own homes, loveliness, gentleness, patience, goodness, thoughtfulness, consideration, faithfulness, strength, healing, listening, openness, ease of laughter, light heartedness, obedience, worship, righteousness, well-being, desire to do good, revelation, presence of God, divine truth, light.

Invite these things into your life, your heart, your mind, your spirit. TRUST GOD. Enough with running around in your spirit already. Refuse that restlessness and resign yourself to God’s sovereignty and care over your life. Refuse to NOT trust him anymore. Stop trying to manage your life independent of your ABSOLUTE dependence on God. Let him take care of you. Let him provide for you. Trust his timing. Trust what he’s already told you. Listen to him. Listen to him again. Spend time with him. Enjoy being alive already. Have fun. Enjoy other people. It’s time to stop being a victim and become a child of God again.

Christ’s authority doesn’t fade, doesn’t diminish, and doesn’t go away.

Happy Freedom Day

Joshua the Unlikely Ruler

On April 14, 2019October 6, 2019 By happyreignIn Heather, Reflections & MusingsLeave a comment

Are you familiar with the feeling of doing something you’d rather not do? Are you familiar with the feeling of having to fulfill an obligation no one could pay you enough to fulfill? Have you felt like the victim of your own barrage of thoughts that are zapping your energy? These are tiny of glimpses of slavery and are foreign to your true self. You, in essence, are created to live without any other king but you and your God as the best of friends basking in the glorious responsibility of true freedom.

There’s a man named Joshua in the bible, torah, and koran who is Moses’ right hand man while the whole clan of Israelites have just been divinely freed from slavery in Egypt for 430 years. We are introduced to Joshua in the desert after their release and we see him believe God when few others did, in the tent of meeting with Moses. We are introduced to him as a free man, but Joshua too, grew up as a slave. Just like every other short-sighted, fear-based Israelite who couldn’t believe in God’s goodness beyond their own past experiences, Joshua grew up a slave. However this man, unlike Moses and almost all Israelites, did cross over in to the promised land. Joshua was able lead others that had only tasted freedom into God’s promises, despite having grown up in a culture of slavery.

We often eliminate ourselves for so many things. We look back at our lives and say, “But I’ve done this, or this happened to me, or I endured this,” and we have these road blocks in our minds to believing our own happiness, our own strength, our own victory. We tolerate slavery in little ways, we endure being emotionally or mentally kept into places we want to leave, but why? Joshua is a man that had every excuse like everyone around him had to stay in his slave mentality. All of his peers. Comparison. Justification. Do you see how we’ve been treated? Do you see what we’ve been through? But he carried no excuses in his soul to not believing God was everything he imagined he could be and more. You see God never joins in slavery with us. Even as Christ in flesh, Jesus was not a slave to anything. God never tolerated being pushed around. It’s not who you are even if its where you’ve come from.

Your experience with slavery does not disqualify you from leading yourself and others into God’s promises. It does not disqualify you from achieving the impossible. It does not negate your unearned inheritance.

Joshua, the slave who acted like a king. The man who had slavery as the norm in his culture of origin. But he spent time with the never-slave God. The free God who spoke, interacted, and existed without being forced to be or do anything but who lives as love and calls us to the glorious freedom of the same. Your origins are free of all slavery.

Moses! Of course Moses was chosen to lead the exodus, he grew up in the kings house, he experienced the kings freedom, he saw the world from the perspective of ruling since birth. But the one who led the people into the land of inheritance, Joshua, was the one born a slave who believed God enough that he became a king in his inner man. By that I am inspired.

Maybe Joshua was given the command of being courageous because he doubted. Maybe was given the command of being strong because he was familiar with feeling weak. “Be in my likeness,” God was inviting Joshua, “You don’t have to stay in the likeness you’ve come from or see being displayed around you. Listen to me, I’ve invited you, come and lead in what it feels it feels like to be free.”

No Man’s Land. Life Beyond Church

On September 18, 2017September 29, 2017 By happyreignIn Heather, Reflections & Musings2 Comments

I wanted to write about this subject three weeks ago but am just getting around to it now. This subject is “unbiblical” to the conventional Christian. There is no life beyond church they would say. I have even heard people within the church call people who have left their church “bastards.” Yet here is where so many people find themselves. And so… I write.

I am not going to spend time here defending this topic, I am going to go right into writing about it. I remember asking God about his body, the church years ago which began a 15-year journey of seeing the ins and outs of church creation, growth, development, leadership, failure, hypocrisy, glory, strength, and blessing. If the church were a closet full of clothing, I have worn almost every outfit in different seasons where I felt God leading me through relationship with people.

And yet I find myself, and other people I both respect and would call people of great faith, outside of regular church participation at the moment. I will not group these people into people who are rebellious, hurt, bitter, or prideful. These are beautiful, servant-hearted, prayerful, joyful, faithful, creative children of God.

So why do we find ourselves here in this field of spirituality beyond where the paved road ends? Could there even be purpose in this? God of course lives within the walls of his church but I think he is also moving his body, his people beyond not only church walls, but Christian culture. There are so many people who carry the love of God and the ways of his kingdom into so many places; the home, business, arts, media, entertainment, education, etc.

Can I be a Christ follower without walking in American church culture and vocabulary? Of course I can. I hope we are sharing God’s culture, how he loves us and sees us, with people and nations. I’d like to make the argument that this can happen 100% outside of meetings and buildings set aside for this purpose. People can experience hearts and homes of heaven.

I don’t think there is necessarily a wrong reason that people have quit participating in a church regularly. I do think there is a fullness of God’s people operating as a kingdom of priests as he originally intended. His children have full union with the father.

Church family commitment is like marriage, you get involved because of what you have to give, what you have to offer, not what you have to get from it, or how they can serve you. Community is beautiful and I think this can be found outside of a church governing structure and weekly scheduled meetings. But…

What I’m seeing even more of is people who are very much on relative islands of preparation and intimacy right now. Little pockets of service and relationship more based solely out of energy spent on building/maintaining healthy family relationships. I do think it’s beautiful when the role of a mother and father are one and the same as the pastor and priest. That discipleship and family are one and the same with no definitive line between the love of God and the love of family.

Not being understood and being judged is a regular occurrence of life and I’m being reminded over and over again to not care what other people think. Especially people who care more about what my life looks like rather than wanting to hear my personal experience.

Being outside of a church structure doesn’t mean we quit learning about God as we live life with him.

I just wanted to write a bit of encouragement to those who find themselves in no man’s land. Or not operating in the fullness of their giftings at whatever church they find themselves in. You are not broken, you are not failing, and you have not been ‘taken out of ministry.’

God is so much bigger than our little religious mindsets of what freedom and spirituality look like. He grows things inside of us we don’t even know need growing and often times they have nothing to do with external appearances. Although God is in religious meetings every week, he is just as much at the dinner table, in the nursery of your house, at the grocery store, and in your office.

I love that the presence of the awareness of God is naturally felt at all hours in all places. Our existence is one with his. You are the church my friend, you couldn’t leave who you are. You are his temple and the only building he cares about. He’s never left the meeting of your life and God is not finished being in love with us wherever we are, whatever season we find ourselves in. Joy is in his house, in his bride, and in his family. Blessings to you, all the beautiful sons and daughters of God who find themselves in No Man’s Land.

Joy

On June 19, 2017January 13, 2018 By happyreignIn Heather, Kingdom ConceptsLeave a comment

He keeps turning my eye here. I try to focus on other things in this world or his kingdom and he keeps pointing me to this thing called happiness, this thing called Joy. Perhaps the wide road is the one of worry, fear, anxiety and frustration and the narrow road of heaven we’re actually invited to traverse upon could just be the road of trust, peace, contentment, love, rest and joy.

Joy somehow sparkles with glory and a supernatural existence; it is a gift of heaven without limit and often overlooked. Joy has a lowly state. It is often seen as ignorance or immaturity. Serious, urgent things are looked upon with esteem and great importance. But Joy is not news. It is not urgent. It does not fight for power. Joy is meek and unassuming. It is persistent and unexpected, playful and a welcomed guest.

There are things we must chose to not give attention to in order to participate in Joy. We must look away from the fears of our own condition and any worries ahead. We must turn away from decisions gone awry behind us. Joy requires us, or allures us rather to be entirely present once again. We must let go of performance in it’s company. It is participation with someone wholly other than ourselves. A different source from which this magical river flows; Jesus’ side.

It is God’s expressed desire for our Joy to be full, not finding lack in our experience of this wonderful gift of heaven. But the realist would ask, what is Joy’s purpose? How is it productive or long lasting? Joy is a fruit to be enjoyed, not to be made into a gadget for a machine to use. It’s expression is as purposeful as the beauty of a flower. It is meant to be enjoyed.

The treasure map to finding joy is clearly shown in scripture. Psalm 16 says the fullness of Joy is found in God’s presence. Everlasting pleasure is found at his right hand. Not on this earth or in a thing or an activity or a person, but in God’s company. His nearness, his friendship. Where can you find his will for your emotions? In the goodness, safety, commitment and gladness of himself!

So many things can happen in life that deter our hearts from this child-like track. Perceived failures, tragic losses, disappointed expectations, and hurtful betrayal are just to name a few. The eternal part of joy is that we don’t derive it from what we see around us, what people are saying, or doing. We derive it from his presence within us. It is truly powerful and absolutely unassailable. Nothing has truly threatened or will ever be able to take away this gift of Joy that has been given to us through Christ Jesus. He has overcome everything that claims to have overcome his presence in your walk with him in this life. His Joy is yours. His Joy is mine. And it endures.