"Flying Free"

"Flying Free"

Written by Mary Ann Nguyen
adapted from a concept from Larry and Brenda Bauer

I want to introduce you to a concept. It is called "old tapes and new tapes." 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” When you invite Jesus to be Lord of your life, the old self really and actually dies. You just can't be the old creature anymore. You're no longer a caterpillar, you are a butterfly. You fly - you don't crawl on your belly anymore. And it is wondrous to fly so FREE, is it not? In comparing the two, going back to caterpillar-belly-crawling is foolish. So is the halfway point of being a cocoon, which is immobile, dormant and useless. But though we do become new creatures overnight, we have been living life in a certain manner so long that it is difficult for those old habits to disappear overnight. Old habits die hard. So does old thinking.

Now "old thinking" for some people tell them that they are ugly, worthless, untalented, incapable, worthy of rejection, not worthy of attention, not worthy of love; others are better, others are greater, you don't compare, you can't compare! Things like that. The "old thinking" comes from past things in your life - past events, past hurts, past rejections, etc. (Some have old thinking that is the exact opposite: i.e. that they are the best thing since slice bread -- and that's a result of past triumphs & acclaim.) As a result of all of these years of thinking these thoughts, these thoughts always continue to surface. These are the "old tapes." Somehow they keep playing and playing over and over again like broken records even though you try to shove the needle off it's track... and you become paralyzed by them and quite hindered from having a victorious life.

But you are not without hope. Those may be the old tapes, but in Christ there are "new tapes." These are the truths and the REALITY that is your life in Christ. These truths, of course, are from His Word, the Bible. The truth is, you are worthy of love. You are deserving. You ARE loved. You are wonderful. You are special. You are precious. You are honored. You are a crown of beauty and a royal diadem in His hand. He delights in you. He rejoices over you with singing. He wants you to rest in His love. So close, so intimate ~ right between His shoulders! You are a prince(ss), a child of God. A co-heir with Christ. You are a saint. You are beautiful. He knows every intricate part about you... and loves each part because He created them. These are the new tapes.

When an old tape is played, you must press stop and play a new tape. EVERY time an old tape is played, play a new tape! Satan wants to stumble you and trip you up by making you feel small and worthless and uneasy and insecure, but those are all LIES. Remember one thing: satan's defeat is not "coming,” it already happened 2000 years ago at the cross. He walks around like he can devour you, but the reality is that his fangs were removed and he was declawed long, long ago. He can NOT change your position in Christ… but he can affect your daily victory. Don't you dare let him.

Below are a list of verses... Do a study on them. Read each of the verses, summarize them, and then in the end, take stock of which verses stick out to you? Why? Which promises and truths are most difficult for you to grasp? Ask the Lord to make those truths radically change your life. He can do that. Trust me. =)

New Tapes

(God loves me)

Lev 26:9:13

Deut 33:12

Ps 84:11

Isaiah 40:11

Isaiah 43:1-5

Jer 31:3

Zeph 3:17

Rom 5:6-8

Rom 8:38-39

Rom 8:32

1 Jn 3:16

(My significance is in Him)

Ps 139:1-4

Isaiah 42:5-7

Isaiah 62:3

Jn 1:12-13

Rom 8:16-17

(He wants to help/heal/have compassion)

Exodus 34:6-7

Deut 33:26-27a

Isaiah 30:18

Hosea 14:4

(Nothing to fear, He is with me)

Josh 1:9

Ps 27:1-4

Isaiah 41:10

Isaiah 55:8-9

1 Jn 5:5

(The world – won’t last)

Ps 37:1-2

Ps 103:15-18

1 Cor 10:13

1 Peter 1:3-5

1 Jn 2:17

(I am forgiven)

Isaiah 1:18

Isaiah 44:21-22

Hebrews 10:17

1 Jn 1:9

Commit these promises and truths to memory in your mind and in your heart and in your life. Play the new tapes and not the old. You are, after all, a new creature... and an Overcomer in Christ. J

Hope this is helpful.

Your sister in Christ,

Mary Ann

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Created: January 1, 2000

Last Modified: May 14, 2002

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