Take Your Stand

 

Galatians 5:1 (MSG)
“Christ has set us free to live a free life. So take your stand! Never again let anyone put a harness of slavery on you.”

"UGH…I dread the thought of going home because I know he’s going to be there!”

I used to feel this way and make this statement driving home after work every day. I had been married less than a year, and the thought of going home to my husband had become overwhelming for me; it was utter dread. I remember one evening, it took me almost three hours to get home – a drive that even with bad traffic was only a twenty-minute drive. I pulled into the driveway and my husband was outside on a business call. As he stood in the yard pacing back and forth, laughing with one of his colleague’s, I put my car in reverse and left. I knew it was going to be another day of mental abuse, and I just couldn’t stomach it anymore. I knew in that moment that I could not stay married to him.

There are different kinds of domestic violence and abuse. Although, I was not violently abused physically, the mental and emotional abuse was violent. It was extremely difficult and taxing on every aspect of my existence. The mind games, manipulation, and the tactics to keep me fearful and to undermine my confidence and self-esteem were constant. I could never trust the few times that he was calm or amenable, fearing that he was only plotting to be even more abusive towards me. This was bondage, and when you’re in it, you can feel as though you might not ever be free. This is what the devil wants us to believe, but it is a lie, and we must know the truth. Through the Apostle Paul, God reminds us that Jesus Christ has rescued us from bondage. Through him, we can be free. 

Make no mistake about it, an abusive spouse is vexed in his or her mind, and they are extremely troubled in their hearts. They have been bamboozled by satan to believe that they are entitled to overpower another person. It is up to us to discern what is happening spiritually so that we can begin to stand in the authority that Jesus Christ gives us. He said in John 12:46(NLT), “I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark.” The light of Christ is the power of his unconditional love. There’s nothing in all the universe that can compare to it. You and I don’t have any strength, power, or righteousness to call our own. God gives us the strength to make it from day to day. We might be terrified to do anything to get ourselves out of a domestic violence and abuse situation. We may not know what to do, but God has all power in His hands. He tells us in 2Corinthians 3:5 that He is our Source and Sufficiency. Our job is to lean on Him for help. He is faithful, and He will never let us down.

When it comes to dealing with domestic violence and abuse, some people have said, “I don’t understand why they just don’t leave!” Sometimes it’s not that simple. I’ve witnessed many family members tell their loved ones not to leave but try to stick it out. They tell them that things will get better. And the reality is that it’s possible to go through some good days in an abusive situation where you think things will change on their own. But this doesn’t happen often. God knows everything there is to know about us, and He knows everything there is to know about the person that is causing us so much pain. We need to pray about every decision we make, and have faith that when we move in Him, liberty will always be the outcome. ■

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

“Take Your Stand”, written by Kim for https://rescuefromdomesticviolence.blogspot.com© 2021. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.