Have you ever felt like you lived in a word dungeon? No light. No sustenance. Just mean words inside your head assaulting you and keeping you from living a freely beautiful life?

Take heart. Oh, dear one, take heart.

God sees.

He knows.

He takes note.

I’ve been in those dark places, longer than I wanted. I’ve tasted depression, reveled in the pain of the past, even though that seems paradoxical. I’ve let words spoken over me define who I am today. Even as I type this, angry voices assail me, telling me how awful I am, how little I deserve freedom, how I should expect failure because that is what I am.

That’s a dungeon, those words.

And sometimes I can’t get them out of my head, and my mind becomes that dungeon--a dark place where sad memories and enemy-like folks remind me of my worthlessness.

Jesus said the truth sets us free. But we often feel like the lies spoken over us are truth, so we camp there in the prison of those painful words.

• You’ll never amount to anything.
• Who are you to think you’re worth affection?
• You are a deceiver.
• God doesn’t want you to have abundance.
• You will never be set free from that memory. It will haunt your life forever.
• You are unimportant.

These have passed through my head. Instead of dismissing them, I’ve invited them into my dungeon for tea and crumpets, entertained them until I believed their truth.

But no more.

God has not intended us to live in these kind of mean words dungeons. He intends us to live with abundance, with freedom, with joy, with victory, with hope. We cannot live free if we’re shackled to the mean words of the past. (Click to tweet this.)

Today, let Jesus speak words of life over you, the kind of words that help you taste freedom, that entice you out of the dungeon.

Here’s the truth: the door is open. There is no lock. You can step out freely. You have to WANT to. You have to decide that those mean words no longer have power over you. You have to be open to hearing freedom words:

• You’ll amount to much, thanks to the power of the Holy Spirit.
• Because you’re a child of God, you are worthy of His affection and the affection of others.
• You are a truth-teller.
• God wants to bless you with the abundance of His presence.
• God will set you free from that memory.
• You are important to the Almighty.

Let this new David Crowder song wash over you, bring truth to light. You are healed. You are pure. You are free.

Here’s my heart, Lord
Here’s my heart, Lord
Here’s my heart, Lord
Speak what is true

I am found, I am Yours
I am loved, I’m made pure
I have life, I can breathe
I am healed, I am free
You are strong, You are sure

You are life, You endure
You are good, always true
You are light breaking through

You are more than enough
You are here, You are love
You are hope, You are grace
You’re all I have, You’re everything

Q4u: What lies have locked you in the dungeon? What is the truth?