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Ground-Tied

by | Oct 18, 2014 | Comfort, Freedom in Christ

In the days of the old west, it was common for people to “ground-tie” their horses. They would leave the long reins dangling, and if the horse tried to walk forward, he would step on the reins. This would put pressure on the bit in his mouth, which would hurt. The horse would quickly learn to not try to move around. A well-trained horse would stand ground-tied for hours, never moving, until his master returned.

How, you may ask, does this work? The reins weren’t attached to anything! All the horse had to do was turn his head so that the reins are no longer under his feet!

It works because the horse believed he was attached.

Something similar is practiced in the elephant world. Baby elephants are attached to metal stakes in the ground via a chain that in turn attaches to a metal collar around one of their hind legs. They quickly learn that they can’t move about, because they aren’t strong enough to break the chain or uproot the stake, and pulling makes the metal collar cut into their leg. They never forget this lesson, and even an adult elephant remains a prisoner to that chain around its leg.

How, you may ask, does this work?

It works, because the elephant believes that the chain is still strong enough to hold him.

These facts recently came to mind as I watched my cat. She loves to go outside, and to keep her safe from predators, we keep her on a leash attached to the base of our clothesline.

The other day the leash broke, up by the clothesline, and the cat was free to roam at will. But she didn’t. She remained within the circle of her leash.

Why?

Because she didn’t realize that she was no longer attached.

These three stories remind me of so many Christians. We feel like we are being controlled by the devil, that we are but pawns in his hands. We are prisoners to chains of addiction, false doctrine, oppression, etc. We feel hopeless and helpless, as if there is nothing we can do but sit and wait for our miracle.

Why? After all, Jesus came to set us free! “If you abide in my word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31,32).

If Jesus set us free, then why are we still ground-tied? Why do we worry about the chain on our foot? Why don’t we run away with our unattached leash dangling behind?

Friends, this freedom that Jesus speaks about isn’t something that “can be” ours, it is something that is ours! “You SHALL know the Truth, and the Truth SHALL make you free…”

But we remain enchained because just like the elephant doesn’t know that he is no longer a prisoner to that chain, we don’t know the Truth. Just like the horse doesn’t realize it isn’t really tied to anything, we don’t realize that the Truth has already set us free. We are no longer attached to that addiction, that oppression, that false doctrine!

Freedom in Christ doesn’t mean the chain will be gone. It doesn’t cut the reins from the bridle. It doesn’t take the leash away. It simply means that those things can no longer control us!

Let’s remember that in our battle with the devil, we are not fighting an undefeated foe! We are fighting one that is already defeated: “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1). One whose only power over us is that which we give him by believing in his chains and leashes and reins!

It’s true that the Bible describes the devil as a “roaring lion” (See 1 Peter 5:8), but let’s remember the Bible doesn’t say he is a “roaring lion”, it says he walks around “like” a roaring lion. In reality, he has no actual authority over believers. He is a liar, the father of lies (See John 8:44), and he wields deception as his strongest weapon. But he wields it well, for as long as he can keep us believing that he has power over us, we give him the power he craves.

But this isn’t truth. Truth is this: When Jesus gave His life on the cross, He redeemed us from Satan’s power and dominion over us: “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” (Col 2:15). Consider also this verse: “…For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.” (1 John 3:8).

Friends, the devil will try to control us in any way he can. But let’s remember that these chains don’t have to control us anymore! They are defeated by the blood of the lamb!

Let’s walk in victory today!

In His love,
Lyn

Lyn Chaffart, Speech-Language Pathologist, mother of two teens, Author and Moderator for The Nugget, a tri-weekly internet newsletter, and Scriptural Nuggets, a website devoted to Christian devotionals and inspirational poems, with Answers2Prayer Ministries.

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