Boulders in the Backpack

by Marijo Phelps⁽¹⁷⁹⁾ Red Star

This will be a quick overview of what might just become a new series.

In my mind’s eye I see a scene. It is sunny, a gorgeous day in Everytown. There are many, many walking on the streets which have the hanging baskets of pansies and petunias cascading down from the lamp posts. Bright sun is lighting the sidewalks but wait, there are nets all over, some people are struggling to take a step and becoming more and more entangled.

The people with huge backpacks are having the worst time with their heavy loads and then laden down with the backpacks too. I see others who have taken off their backpacks who struggle to hoist them overhead, just as they do a huge hand comes down from the clouds to lift the heaviness from them.

Stop, it is incredible, those who give their weighted down packs to that “hand” are no longer touching the pavement, nor susceptible to getting their feet all tangled up in those awful nets. They are actually floating, no rising off the pavement with flaps of their wings? Wow, once they give that heavy and weighted down “backpack” to the “big hand in the sky” they can actually fly. They no longer have to walk from place to place but can fly above it all, above the congestion, crowds and those awful snares. They seem to have lightness and freedom and you can even see the release just looking at their faces. What is going on here?

OK. The scriptural basis for this would be many, I am including just a few below.

Isaiah 40:31

But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint. (NKJV)

Psalm 124:7

Our soul has escaped as a bird from the snare of the fowlers; The snare is broken, and we have escaped. (NKJV)

Psalm 141:10

Let the wicked fall into their own nets, While I escape safely. (NKJV)

Matthew 18:27

Then the master of that servant was moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. (NKJV)

Is our debt to God forgiven? I can say an empathic YES, if you have asked His forgiveness and been given a “new life”.

If you haven’t then there is definitely no better time than right now. Jesus paid a terrible price on that cross and He did it just for you (and for me). He is God and without sin and can totally set you free if you but ask. Please ask Him to forgive you and be your Savior to know this awesome gift even today.

Our debt is forgiven, ALL of it. If we sin after we are “saved”, and who hasn’t sinned daily? HE is righteous and just to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness, we need to bit ask. Our heart’s desire should be not to sin but to walk as close to our Jesus as possible.

What’s up with the backpack so often filled with bounders? I am defining bounders as things that should be given to Jesus, things which are not ours to carry.

For example: those people you hurt really badly back then. Maybe you had an affair and hurt not only your spouse but also the person who participated with you. You are still feeling condemned even though you have asked forgiveness. This comes back to haunt you over and over in the daytime and even in the night when you wake up. Maybe it even interferes with your sleep. This would be a boulder.

The enemy is the accuser of the brethren, that means you if you are part of the Body of Christ and “born again”. This affair or any other thing he might try to condemn you with is made “white as snow”. The blood that the Lord Jesus Christ shed at Calvary was for ALL your sins, past, present and future. Yep, the affair is no surprise to Him, yes, it broke His heart but he died to set you free. Can you give that to Him and allow Him to take that “boulder” out of your back pack? He already died for it. There is no further price to pay. There is nothing you did that was a surprise to Him since He knows the end from the beginning.

Whatever is in your backpack He says that the “bill” in paid in full. Not by you being good, not by anything you (or I) can do or did but by Jesus, period. The enemy will tell you that your sin was worse than anyone else’s and that there is nothing that can set it right. I guess we get a choice at this point to either believe the enemy or the Lord Jesus Christ. That looks like a pretty simple price.

That is what those people were doing when they took off the weighty backpacks and handed them upwards to that big hand coming down from the clouds. GIVE those boulders to the Lord. His blood has made you a new creature. You are covered with His robe of righteousness.

You no longer have to listen to the condemnation of the enemy. There are times when I even agree with him. Yes, I did do those things and I was a creep but Jesus paid my penalty, the DEATH penalty just for me! Quote scripture like Jesus did in the wilderness. Satan cannot stand to hear praises or the Word of God and he will leave. The Bible tells us to submit yourself therefore to God and resist the enemy and he will flee from you. The promises in the Word work.

James 4:7

[ Humility Cures Worldliness ] Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (NKJV)

When you “rise up with wings of eagles” you truly are above the sidewalks, congestion and the snares that would otherwise entangle your feet. No mystery here, you fly above all of that and come closer to God in the heavenlies. I don’t know about you but that sounds like a glorious, smart and tactically wise thing to do. Again, this is another promise from the Word of God. His Word is faithful and true.

This is going to be at least two parts because I haven’t yet touched upon “burdens”. Burdens are things which w are supposed to carry. Burdens in prayer, things the Lord gives us to stand strong in the battle ground for, lots of times on behalf of someone else.

I will write and post that one soon!

(C) Marijo Phelps all rights reserved. Use with proper credits.

Article submitted Monday, April 19, 2010 & read 166 times.

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» left by Linda DeWitt (2 years 27 days ago.)

Good article Marijo. We need people like you to keep reminding us of the things we forget. Thanks for sharing.

» left by Marijo Phelps⁽¹⁷⁹⁾ (2 years 27 days ago.)

Thanks Linda = we need o give the enemy a black eye - so to speak. Jesus death was definitely more than enough. I struggled with this for years, being condemned and not forgiving myself. My big sister in the Lord finally looked at me and said "Marijo, what you seem to be saying is that Jesus could pay the price for many but that what you did was SO bad that His death didn't quite cover the cost for you so you have to keep paying and paying...." well, when she put it that way what could I do but tell the enemy to leave in the most mighty name of Jesus! AND start praying for the salvation of the one the enemy was beating me over the head with - wow! It worked and I now realize "there is now therefore no CONDEMNATION to those who are in Christ Jesus and walk according to the Spirit and not according to the flesh! Yahoo! I'm free because of Him!

» left by Michelle Mackin (2 years 27 days ago.)

Hey Mom,

I thought they called you Big Book Linda? You don't seem to forget encouraging scripture for me when I need it.

I love you,

Michelle

» left by Michelle Mackin (2 years 27 days ago.)

Beautiful Marijo as always.

I really enjoy the uplifting versus. We have a coffee mug with Isiah 40:31 and it always makes me sure that He will carry me through whatever ails me as long as I wait upon Him.

Love, hugs and blessings,

Michelle

» left by Marijo Phelps⁽¹⁷⁹⁾ (2 years 27 days ago.)

AMEN! Thanks for your encouragement as always!

» left by Tickler (2 years 27 days ago.)

Great article Marijo. More of us need to surrender "our weighted down packs to that “hand”". Keep up the good work. The Lord blesses you.

» left by Marijo Phelps⁽¹⁷⁹⁾ (2 years 27 days ago.)

Thanks so very much for coming by and reading this one! Your comments are appreciated.

» left by Jose Condemarin (2 years 27 days ago.)

Marijo,

Very uplifting article, as we go on life and if we are always closer to the Lord Jesus Christ. he will help us by taken out the burden we carries in our shoulder. and make our life a little bit easier, we need to lay our thrust on the Redeemer.

Thank you,

» left by Marijo Phelps⁽¹⁷⁹⁾ (2 years 26 days ago.)

You are writing articles with your comments here - looking forward to a devotional from you soon or more on relationship1 as He leads you! Marijo

» left by Suzy-SW (2 years 25 days ago.)

A most enlightening read, Marijo, and may God continue to hold those in the palms of his hands as we walk through trials and tribulations. It's challenging to recognize that after he has walked with us through those trials, our roots will be deepened and strengthened ~ not carrying any boulders thank goodness. Blessings! Suzy

» left by Marijo Phelps⁽¹⁷⁹⁾ (2 years 25 days ago.)

Thank you my sister - glad you came to read and appreciated your amplified comments!

» left by Ella from Texas (2 years 25 days ago.)

Good metaphor Marijo- Since Jesus often used metaphors in his teachings,sometimes called parables, it must be the right way to get something across. Thanks - Always- Ella

» left by Marijo Phelps⁽¹⁷⁹⁾ (2 years 25 days ago.)

Maybe I am a visual learner - word pictures always make something come alive for me! Thanks Ella for coming by and your comments!

» left by HyunSoung Kim (2 years 23 days ago.)

I like this one really much!

Psalm 141:10

Let the wicked fall into their own nets, While I escape safely. (NKJV)

I would only add after escaping safely I shall return and free them from their own nets.

» left by Marijo Phelps⁽¹⁷⁹⁾ (2 years 23 days ago.)

Thanks for reading and adding your comments! I do appreciate your coming by!

» left by Kim Condemarin (2 years 23 days ago.)

Marijo,

It is interresting, this particular word picture (which you do so well). What a wonderful feeling it is to finally give those boulders over to the Lord. It took too long before I did that though, because I try to do it myself. Thanks so much.

» left by Marijo Phelps⁽¹⁷⁹⁾ (2 years 23 days ago.)

I think we all try to do it ourselves and almost break our backs and then realize what he means about his yolk being easy and his burden light (because he carries so much for us!)

» left by Terri Atwell (2 years 17 days ago.)

Very nice article, Marijo! I learned a long time ago that if ever I felt overwhelmed with life's problems, I would just say "please take this from me, God, I can't handle it anymore." And almost instantly the weight was lifted from me. The problem didn't go away but I had the knowledge that someone bigger than me would deal with it in His own way which of course is always the best way!

» left by Marijo Phelps⁽¹⁷⁹⁾ (2 years 17 days ago.)

I totally agree - HE is so able and some of those things we were not meant to obcess over at all but to yield.

We appreciate your comments!

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