Proclamation of Personal Freedom

My life is a gift, given to me.

What I do with my life is 100% my responsibility; therefore it is 100% within the realm of my control.

I do not control you, and you do not control me.

I have influence with you, and you have influence with me.

I determine how much and what kind of influence you have with me.

I refuse to be influenced in ways that ravage my heart or diminish my life.

I choose to love.

My love is free.  It is not determined or controlled by any human other than myself.  You cannot make me love you, and you cannot make me not love you.

My inner being is determined by God and God alone.  This is my choice.

I am not determined, defined or controlled by any human.  That would be idolatry.

Under God, I and I alone am the master of my soul.

I freely choose to give, serve and love.  No one, under God forces me to do these things; and no one, under God, other than myself, determines how I do these.

I am not a victim.  In Christ, I am more than a conqueror over all the dark forces of this world.

I do not allow myself to be influenced by manipulative criticism or contempt, and I refuse to be manipulative or contemptuous.

I know that I am not perfect; nor am I totally enlightened.  But I am loved and forgiven by God; and He, above all, knows what He is doing.  I do not presume upon God’s grace, nor do I deserve it; but I receive it with immense gratitude, because He has made it clear that He desires me to.  I will live in the Light of His love and forgiveness.  I will not allow my mistakes to be used against me, and I will not live under the cloud of my past mistakes.  I will learn from them, and move on.  If you hold on to my past mistakes, I will leave you behind, with them, because I am following Christ, Who forgives and does not condemn or criticize.

My relationships with all people are determined by my relationship with God, Who is free, and Who calls me into His freedom.  I will never allow a human relationship to become more important to me than my relationship with God.  And I will never allow a human to be a more powerful determiner of my inner being than God.

In Christ, I am safe for all people.

And, in Christ, I am safe from all that is unholy in others and myself.

As the Light of His goodness, truth, freedom and love shines brighter and brighter within me, there is less and less opportunity for me to be used, controlled or hurt by the evil forces in the world.

I am thankful and free in Christ.

You are free to be whatever you choose.  But if you do not choose to take responsibility for the darkness that is in you, you become unsafe for me, and I will have to protect myself from the darkness in you.  If you fail to let God open your eyes, you will perceive my taking care of myself in this way, as not loving you.  But even if you take that understanding to the grave, I will always know that protecting myself from the darkness in you is God’s will for me.  And I will never hate you.  I will love you with God’s love.  But if you do not open your heart to God, in spirit and truth, that love will never satisfy you, because it is free – out of the realm of your control.  I am sorry for all who get lost in the darkness; but I will not hang around in the darkness trying to get them free.  In Christ’s love, freedom and peace and joy have the final word.

Mark F. Graham, 11/05