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As a neuropsychologist, I’ve met thousands of patients interested in finding freedom from what ails them. Just the word “freedom” has a liberating sound to it. What I have found is that we will never find freedom unless we seek it from the God of breakthrough.
I recently chatted with my friend, Jennifer Watson, author of Freedom! The Gutsy Pursuit of Breakthrough and the Life Beyond It, on an episode of Your Hope-Filled Perspective (Finding Freedom and Breakthrough), about her gutsy pursuit of freedom with the God of breakthrough.
Jennifer shared her story and how she now not only lives in freedom, but also how to pursue it. I’ve asked her to share a bit more with us here.
There’s a Book Giveaway so be sure to read to the end!
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Finding Freedom from the God of Breakthrough
By Jennifer Watson
“We all have a story and a majority of them are messy ones, but each one can lead us to the intersection of breakthrough and letting go.” #FreedomBook
I wrote Freedom! The Gutsy Pursuit of Breakthrough and the Life Beyond It after going through a long season of being stuck and circling the same issues. I was ready to get to the root of the issues and make real progress in my life. Something shifted in my heart and mind when I realized that I wasn’t just celebrating my brokenness- I was magnifying it.
I was ready to do whatever it took to live all the way free, not the pseudo-freedom I was settling for. I traded the internal train wreck that I had welcomed as my norm for unwavering peace that was waiting on the other side of my bloody battle. I broke rank, took back enemy territory, and prayed that I would be able to help other women to do the same thing.
This is not a pull yourself up by the bootstraps message, or a jump through a million hoops to be worthy enough message. It’s a battle cry.
Our natural tendency is to run and hide instead of facing our battle.
It’s not the wins that make a warrior, it’s the bruised knees and the sheer determination to get back up. Everything that has happened to you becomes something that makes others beam with pride at how far you have come.
Each painful moment in our life should lead to some kind of breakthrough.
Most of the time we give up right before our life-changing breakthrough happens.
Why?
Because this is when it hurts the most.
But, breakthrough is hope moving forward even when life hurts. That moment that hurts and cuts you to the core can be your starting place where the ultimate destination is wholeness of soul.
God never wastes our pain and he sees us like no one else can – whole and wholly his. Brokenness is not our destination, wholeness is. No matter what we have been through in life, the Holy Spirit will always be more powerful than the moments that try to break us.
3 Truths for Difficult Times
If you feel stuck, here are three truths that can anchor us when we are going through difficult times:
- What I am facing is temporary.
- What I am feeling is temporary.
- Good things will come from this pain, even though I can’t see them yet.
When we surrender our brokenness and pain to Jesus, we not only open the door to conquering our setbacks, we also unlock the gate to our true purpose in life. Where the enemy of our souls tries to shame us, the power of God wants to shine through us. We are beacons of hope, not damaged goods. Before each breakthrough you will find a decision point: Will you keep going or shrink back?
The enemy targets those things we are actively working on. He is not creative; his tricks are the same thing on repeat. Where the enemy tries to destroy, the God who is on your side desires to employ you. You can move forward in confidence and stand on this promise:
“In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” (Ephesians 3: 12)
It’s not about what happened to us; it’s about how God wants to use it to draw us closer to Him and redeem each hard thing for our good. Those memories, scars, and tears aren’t just battle wounds- they are how warriors are made.
About Jennifer Watson
Jennifer Watson is the author of Freedom! The Gutsy Pursuit of Breakthrough and the Life Beyond It. Jennifer is a pastor’s wife, mother of two teenage daughters, and national speaker.
Jennifer has been in full-time ministry for twenty years and is passionate about investing in others.
To connect with Jennifer Watson:
Website / Instagram / Facebook / Twitter
Book Giveaway!
In conjunction with this post and the podcast interview on Finding Freedom and Breakthrough, Jennifer Watson is giving away two free copies of her book, Freedom! The Gutsy Pursuit of Breakthrough and the Life Beyond It. If you’ve ever been stuck and yearned for freedom, you’ll want to enter this book giveaway.
Leave a comment below sharing with us one new thing you learned from this post about finding freedom that you can apply to a situation and you will be entered into a drawing to win one of two copies of Jennifer’s book.
You could also share this blog post on Facebook or Twitter then comment here to tell us where you shared it and you’ll also be entered into the drawing. The winner will be selected at random and announced next Tuesday, September 3, 2019, here on this post. Continental United States only.
“All things work for good” is my least favorite verse in the bible. I knew Jesus and was born again when he allowed me to be raped at knife point. Jesus was with me then. But nothing Good has ever come fom that trauma. My soul is still saved and well, but my body and mind are now broken. I know I will be healed in heaven. I am waiting for that glorious day when I will be whole again. But Good things on earth are few. My life is just suffering and surviving and I am tired.
Thanks for giving us a chance to win.great blog post.help to believe and know Roman 8:28 so important
“It’s not the wins that make a warrior, it’s the bruised knees and the sheer determination to get back up. Everything that has happened to you becomes something that makes others beam with pride at how far you have come.”
Getting back up was one thing people always commented about me, growing up. It might of taking me a few days to digest, but I got back in the game. That is what I did. Until two years in my early forties, after the birth of my second child, I was hit with depression. Not just baby blues, but stare at the walls depression. It took awhile before we found the right combination of meds and therapy. But it wasn’t until I rekindled my faith in the Holy Spirit that the darkness of depression truly lifted.
I loved the interview you did with Jennifer Watson. Oh it blessed me to hear how the breakthrough will come and our lives do not have to be stuck. I never want to be stuck when it comes to the things of God. This part of the message jumped out at me. Where the enemy of our souls tries to shame us, the power of God wants to shine through us. We are beacons of hope, not damaged goods. Amen!!! I love that statement and it encourages me so much. I want to be that Beacon of Hope for others who need freedom from fear!! I am not stuck in that cycle anymore but I still have to choose to believe truth, the truth of the Word concerning the freedom that is mine. Thank you for this!!!
A family member recently stated the Bible verse that says “God will not give you more than what you can handle.” I gave a type of ha ha laugh that means “ya right”. I’ve been through so much poverty during childhood and in the last 7 years. I did some work at home for someone and a portion of the money I put away; I used that money getting into a business partnership with another female I totally felt I could trust. Ha! that partnership just came to a close and I’ve lost all the money I had to do online business. I thought I’d get money for my birthday, as I asked God in prayer for that, so I could put up an inexpensive website which came with hosting, strongly told me of by a high up successful author. Nope, that didn’t happen and I’ve been left in a form of confusion and so many emotions attacking me. . .yet Jennifer says ”
Most of the time we give up right before our life-changing breakthrough happens.” So I won’t give up, I’ll just continue to take one day, one step at a time on my path with extra helps like Jennifer.
It gave me hope to read. “Good things will come from this pain”
I am beginning to realize that my emotions are not my reality. They can change on a dime. God is my reality. He chose me before the foundation of the world. I am the daughter of the King. My prayer is that I fight the lying emotions with God’s promises.
I think this sounds interesting. I have been in a battle to freedom so I could use a little nudge from a helpful book.
Thank you so much. Lots of good information but this “But, breakthrough is hope moving forward even when life hurts. That moment that hurts and cuts you to the core can be your starting place where the ultimate destination is wholeness of soul.” hit home. Been going through really difficult times. 55. Divorced. Empty nest. Two children, one lives on one coast and the other one’s girlfriend want him to move on the other. Have a grandkid I never see and another one on the way. Have had this ongoing chronic grief that will not stop. I work as a CNA so work with the elderly through end of life. It is too late to get any type of education that will not leave me in debt at retirement age. I really have no friends left where I live. My parents live close and one sister but other than that, have little time for social activities and work most weekends and even holidays. Yes, I need a breakthrough. I am ready. It has been a long painful haul.
“It’s not about what happened to us; it’s about how God wants to use it to draw us closer to Him and redeem each hard thing for our good. Those memories, scars, and tears aren’t just battle wounds- they are how warriors are made.” Like so many many women, I feel like I am one massive scar from abuse, physical afflictions, my own sinful behaviors and the consequences of them. And honestly I’m tired of it all. I have to remember that God can and will use me in spite of my failings.
Oh! How redemptive to remember that the thing that consumes our minds is really only temporary after all.
Blessings to you!
Michelle and Jennifer, I love the concept of “temporary.” I say all the time, “This is only a chapter of your story. It is NOT the whole book!” Thanks for another wonderful post.
Pinned.
Thanks for linking up at InstaEncouragements!
It does sound good. Praying we can release all the bitterness and anger that continues to try and oppresses. He really has done more to free us if we only knew.
I love the statement that breakthrough is hope moving forward. This is a great post, and definitely a topic I want to learn more about! Thanks so much for sharing!
Thanks, Cheryl, He is our hope.
I know this book will be neat/helpful to read. In May I stopped working somewhere where they put me down because of my personality. It hurt big time.
I know that feeling but Jesus knows, thanks for visiting me.
Three truths for difficult times. Never really thought about it from those perspectives. I’ve been doing a lot of self work and focusing on my walk with God so this is certainly in alignment with that. Life isn’t easy for sure but God is faithful and has lessons for us.
It’s not about what happened to us; it’s about how God wants to use it to draw us closer to Him and redeem each hard thing for our good. As I work through some grief, this is a remi der of where my focus should be… On Him.
I really enjoyed this blog post. I need to remember the following…
“If you feel stuck, here are three truths that can anchor us when we are going through difficult times:
What I am facing is temporary.
What I am feeling is temporary.
Good things will come from this pain, even though I can’t see them yet.”
Amen and Amen!
Love this post. Love Jennifer. There are a lot of things I could just feel God tapping me on the shoulder over. What hit me most is: “The enemy targets those things we are actively working on. He is not creative; his tricks are the same thing on repeat. Where the enemy tries to destroy, the God who is on your side desires to employ you.”
I’ll be honest…friendships scare the snot out of me. Women scare the snot out of me. I have been attacked in relationship most of my life, but I also know that as a person who works in ministry and as a DJ, God uses me exactly in relationship. I am a helper in heart mending, but I am afraid of inviting anyone to the place of my own mending needs because of past hurts.. I believe that I need to keep pushing through even though every cell in my body is pulling away. “Good things will come from this pain.”
This is temporary
Watching as my adult children continue to struggle I love the reminder that the enemy isn’t clever and will use the same tricks on the very things we are working on. Even more I love that God will use our pain for good! I’ll be adding Eph 3:12 to my verses to memorize! And I shared on Facebook.
I’m reminded that though I have a rather mild temperament, after going through things in my life like: divorce, back injury, disability, career loss, loss of plans and dreams, abandonment, betrayal.. and the things most of us go through, God has used it to turn me into a strong warrior! A warrior against the devil in my life and spiritual battles, as well as to help others: defend, support, protect and love others. He came to love me so that I would love others. ?♥️?