My Name Is Victoriousনমুনা

Driving through Temecula, California last year I spotted some longhorn cattle. Now, being a Texas girl, I’ve seen my share of cows. Boatloads, in fact. But I had never seen any like this. 

The cattle were meandering with their heads dipped so low that one horn actually drug on the ground as they walked. I asked one of the locals what was wrong with the cattle. Were they sick? Were they injured? No. He said their horns were so heavy they were no longer able to hold their heads high as they walked. 

I knew right then that I had spent years with a posture just like that. I so heavily carried the burden of names that pushed me down and held me back that I was no longer walking with my head held high either. 

Jesus didn’t come to earth, live a perfect life, die a sacrificial death with nail-pierced hands, sword-pierced side, and thorn-pierced brow, and raise from the dead so we could remain burdened by the yoke of slavery.

He didn’t free us from our sin, from our past, and from our pain so we could reattach the chains of our sin, our past, our pain, and all of those old names we keep hauling around with us. 

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. 

How do we find freedom to walk with our heads held high? We've got to start letting go of the old names that have haunted us.

Maybe it was the playground bullies that made fun of you, and you took on the name Worthless.

Maybe it was a parent who abandoned you, and you took on the name Insecure.

Maybe it was a terrible decision you made, and you adopted the name Not Enough. 

Maybe your kids are making choices that are breaking your heart, and you claim the name Broken. 

I don’t know what hurt you’ve encountered and what names you’ve taken on, but I’m absolutely confident that God doesn’t want to leave you in that hurt. He wants to usher us into healing in our lives. Your name is Free.