The I-FactorSample

One of the most powerful stories I know about breaking free from mental entrapments come from a story about a man who found himself in a Middle Eastern jail centuries ago. He was the apostle Peter, known for his intense devotion to Christ and his fiery temper. Peter found himself locked up and in line for decapitation (Acts 12). His fellow disciple, James, had been beheaded not long before his imprisonment, so Peter knew that King Herod and the opponents of the gospel he preached were serious about silencing him.

Not only was Peter in prison; he was also in chains and confined to a cramped cell with sixteen soldiers standing guard around it. In addition, to his right and to his left, he was chained to soldiers assigned to guard him, just in case he somehow tried to break free. All this happened on the eve of a trial, which would no doubt end in a death sentence.

Everything in Peter’s environment was bad for him; it was designed to keep him confined, keep him still, and keep him alive until the executioners were ready to kill him. In the midst of this misery and anguish, Peter went to sleep.

As he slept, the story took a dramatic turn. “Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He struck Peter on the side and woke him up. ‘Quick, get up!’ he said, and the chains fell off Peter’s wrists” (Acts 12:7). . . .

The chains fell off Peter’s wrists. The angel did not touch them; they miraculously dropped to the ground. And the soldiers right next to Peter did not even wake up! (Acts 12:7).

I believe that’s what will happen in your life as you break free from negative mind-sets and limiting thoughts about yourself. If you will ask God for the piercing revelation only He can give, He will be faithful to show you what you need to see about yourself and how your thinking needs to change. If you will learn from the pain you’ve suffered and allow it to be a catalyst for change instead of a snare that keeps you trapped in your past, you will be equipped for a better future than you’ve ever imagined.

If you will choose to walk boldly into your future with a mind-set that says, “Everything is possible for him who believes” (Mark 9:23), then the chains that have held you back will fall to the floor and you will find yourself free to fulfill your destiny, live your dreams, and experience the greatness for which you were created.