“Get out of this house” I screamed. Now I am not one who yells, but in this case my friend was dawdling. I had just entered this house and released him from his cell. I did not really know in the dream how I knew he was there, but I knew where he was when I arrived at the large home. I had walked in through a service entrance and I knew exactly where he would be found. When I found him he was pale and thin but overall looking okay. I opened the door and got him to the outside. I pointed to a small stand of trees in the distance and said, “run and do not look back!” As we ran it was slow at first, but as his legs got used to the motion we ran.Despite my thoughts that we could be attacked from behind or shot, I never looked back. That house was pure evil. It looked amazing on the outside and even on the inside it was nice, but the people who owned it often had people who came, never to leave.
(Cue Hotel California…)”Relax,” said the night man, “We are programmed to receive. You can check-out any time you like, But you can never leave!” Well, maybe not… But I had just escorted my friend out of there. A few years ago I had the same type of dream in the same house. Two of my friends were trapped. One was in a wheelchair and I had to lower him to the ground with his chair by rope. Why the same dream? I am not totally sure.
My night was not a “peaceful” or comfortable night. It was not nightmares, but it was filled with things that caused me to wake up and wander about the house at 3 or so thinking. I actually woke in pain from my entry into this house I rescued my friend from. Not emotional or spiritual pain, but physical pain. My body felt like (And still does.)it had been through a war.
Yesterday, I thought we have eased up on pushing away the attacks from the devil. We have thought to stand but we have forgotten some of the battle. Freedom is more than a word. It is a place. “Resist the devil.” Janis Joplin sang “Freedom’s just another word for nothing left to lose.” Perhaps she meant there is freedom in not being tied to something. Not held back. Not holding on. But freedom is the antithesis of everything demonic or evil. Those things are out to control. When you move into a place of needing control you are moving away from the tree called LIFE. There needs to be a stand against evil.
My friend needed freedom. I realized as I prayed for relief in my body, I had come up against the spirit of legalism. The spirit that connotes “looking good on the outside” thinking, while the inner self can be dying on the vine. Legalism is ruled by the book and not by the relationship. It is out of the relationship I have with Him that I have total freedom. Too often in the free fall, the run to freedom, the temptation is to look back to where you “had it all together”. But when we are really honest, we recognize that our life had been empty, devoid of feelings and emotion, often running on autopilot. (A rule is a rule until it fails and then it brings condemnation.) Freedom looks to the future through faith.
The more life seems to be out of control, (And in fact it may be out of control.) the more people want to hang their hat on a rule or a law. Even developing new laws or rules in their mind. (”I will only eat 3.” And then you eat 4 and condemnation comes. The empowerment of sin is found in the law. Any law. Not just the Bible. If you put a law or a rule into your life, you will begin to fear it, fail to get close. Your freedom becomes limited. Your outlook on life diminished. Character, integrity and life all flow out of freedom. Not rules or laws.) My experience with legalism and its “house” in the dream left me in pain, unable to move. “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” So much easier!
Do not let the leaven of the Pharisees into your life. “Beware” Jesus said. Matthew 16:6 What was their leaven? They had clever ways of convincing people by guilt, fear and just plain spiritual manipulation. Legalism is founded in pride. Freedom is founded in humility.
Today, I believe is a day to let freedom ring.
Written by Lee Johndrow
Lee is the Senior Leader of Abundant Grace Fellowship Church in Keene, NH
He is the father of five wonderful children. Married for over 26 years to his wife Tina. Loving life with family, friends, faith, fun and food!
How true. Love and grace extends freedom, and freedom is scary to those who’ve been slaves. I guess that’s why people fall back to adding another rule or law, but more condemnation enters when you break it and a vicious cycle continues. Where the spirit of The Lord is, there is freedom. There is no condemnation in Christ Jesus. The law was a tutor to point us to Him, so we could get out of that vicious cycle. But when we hear that whisper of fear we need to stand against it because it’s the enemy not wanting us to step into the freedom and grace that He has for us. Fear produces more rules and laws to keep a sense of control. Which ends up controlling you in bondage instead. A twisted and broken perception . That’s why some people make the comments of “grace is a license to sin” or talking about needing to balance law with grace. They’re listening to that fear and trying to keep a sense of “control” and haven’t stepped into the fullness of His grace, and love which is freeing. Well Jesus “you can ring my beelllll, ring my bell”, (Anita Bell)!
Thanks so much for the comment! Blessings!