Two hundred years ago when slavery was going on it was illegal to educate a slave, particularly to teach them to read. Why do you think that was? Because when you educate a man, you liberate a man.

Freedom is not reserved for those unwilling to fight for it.

God may not always will for us to be physically healed in these earthly bodies or tangibly prosperous, but He always wills for us to be free from strongholds.

Let's consider a series of lessons that lay the groundwork for our discussion of breaking free. I will list them as nine lessons about captivity and freedom. LESSON 1 The people of God can be oppressed by the enemy.

Christ came to set the captive free—no matter what kind of yoke binds them. He came to bind up the brokenhearted—no matter what broke the heart. He came to open the eyes of the blind—no matter what veiled their vision.

Your injured heart will be protected by your doing what is right until you feel what is right.

If we offer what we've experienced to Him, in all its horror and ugliness, and receive His offer to redeem all that occurred, He will bring fruit from it. This has been the single most healing aspect of my recovery from childhood victimization. This is my prayer for that precious little girl. And my prayer for you, too, if you've experienced something similar.

For the Lord has called you, like a wife deserted and wounded in spirit. Isaiah 54:6

Christ has liberated us into freedom. Therefore stand firm and don't submit again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1

Father, Your Word says that it is for freedom that Christ has set us free. With all my heart I desire to stand firm, then, and not let myself be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (Gal. 5:1). Lord, I am helpless on my own. Empower me with the strength of Your Holy Spirit. Please help me, Lord!

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17, emphasis added). This is an especially profound and life-changing Scripture, and

Jesus, Your Word says that You came "to proclaim liberty to the captives" and "to set at liberty those who are oppressed" (Luke 4:18).