by Kathi Pelton
I remember the day as a young woman when I heard an audible voice that shouted over me, “Daughter, choose life!”
I had come from a very difficult childhood and as a young Christian I still had propensity towards self-harm and addiction. As I grew in my walk with Jesus as my Savior, I somehow continued to drag these things from my former life into my new life. My mind needed renewing and my choices needed to change. Though there was no “obviously outward blatant sin”; what was present was many agreements with death, with lies and with the identity that the enemy had scripted for my life. It was hidden sin that denied Christ’s redemption in my life.
When I finally realized that I could not thrive and grow in Christ with these agreements and behaviors I invited the Holy Spirit to transform me into who He created me to be.
One of the issues that comes with living in agreement with an identity scripted by the enemy is that it will cause you to compromise. Lies, self-hatred, victim mentalities and shame will lead you to drink from polluted cisterns. These deceptions must be fed and “nurtured” to remain in the life of the believer. I fed these lies through bulimia, negative self-talk, self-harm, shame, etc.
In the midst of my early years in Christ I would spend hours a day reading the scriptures aloud. I prayed constantly and only listened to worship music. I was battling for Jesus to have His way in my life but I had not yet “chosen life!” Often after spending hours in prayer and the Word I’d return to the idols of my past and end up throwing up all night and dwelling in thoughts of self hatred and shame. It was so confusing and defeating.
The day that I heard the words, “Daughter, choose life!” became my turnaround day. In the midst of choosing Jesus I was entertaining and believing things that were partnered with a spirit of death…death to true identity, destiny and blessings.
I knew that I had read the words, “Choose Life”, somewhere in the Bible so I searched it out. I found the words in Deuteronomy 30:15-20,
“See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in obedience to him, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.
But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.”
I had crossed into the land of promise when I asked Jesus into my life but I brought Egypt with me. I was living like a slave in the land of freedom. I was bowing down to the idols of fears, lies, addictions that were continually usurping my freedom and kept me a “captive in Canaan.”
Then the Lord led me the the verses in Deuteronomy 11:26-28 that say,
““Look, today I am giving you the choice between a blessing and a curse! You will be blessed if you obey the commands of the Lord your God that I am giving you today. But you will be cursed if you reject the commands of the Lord your God and turn away from him and worship gods you have not known before.”
I not only needed to choose life but I needed to choose blessings! It was time to believe that He is who He said He is and to believe that “He makes all things new!” It was time to let go of the spirit of death that was killing truth and my identity in Christ. It was time to stop cursing my life while worshiping the Lord. I could no longer continue to bow to the lies that had become more powerful than the voice of my Beloved.
The day that I made a choice for life and for blessing I intentionally put the curses and death under my feet and under the blood of Jesus (and all the attributes, actions and beliefs attached to them). I began to walk in truth which meant that I had to walk away from the habits and actions associated with death and curses. I no longer feasted at the table of the enemy but began to eat from the table of the Lord each day (refusing the constant invitation to return to the foods of shame that I had developed an appetite for). I began to obey the Lord and repented of mixture and idolatry (idolatry for me was to bow daily to something that was not Christ!)
Immediately my life began to change and transform. The blessings that opened before me were almost too many to comprehend. Doors opened before me, honor came like a flood upon me, favor surrounded me and blessings overtook me. Within two years of that moment of “choosing life” I found myself traveling internationally and walking in the identity that the Lord has intended for me…His original intent for my life was being lived out.
If you are struggling with not seeing the promised blessings upon your life; perhaps ask yourself if you are choosing life and blessings or if you have agreed with the lies associated with death and curses. If so, there is no shame but there is a choice that you need to make. Choose life! Choose blessings! Choose Christ and His original intent for your life. Cast down every lie that goes against the Word of God and begin to walk in truth. Truth will align your steps with obedience and will stop compromise. It will release life, favor and blessings that cannot be contained upon you!
Today is the day of life and of blessings!
—————————————————
If this ministry has been a blessing to your life will you prayerfully consider giving a financial gift of support? The holiday season is often a difficult time for support based ministries and your gift would be greatly appreciated. To give go to: https://www.inscribeministries.com/
Also, go check out our new hardbound Christmas book that will become tradition to read with your family through the month of December. It will bring you back to the manger, back to the star of promise and back to Jesus as the reason for the season!
The Sounds of Christmas by Jeffrey & Kathi Pelton https://amzn.to/2NDmWoS
Oceans in the Desert 