Are you carrying a weight on your shoulders? Is there something with which you’ve battled for years but feel like you can’t break free? It feels like a stronghold—a prison—and no matter how hard you try, escape seems impossible.

In Luke 13, Jesus sees a woman who “had been crippled by a spirit for eighteen years. She was bent over and could not straighten up at all,” (Luke 13:11b).

Imagine where this woman was mentally regarding the anticipation of healing. She was crippled 18 years. 18! To put some perspective on it, 18 years ago would put us in 2001. Did she believe the healing was possible, or had she come to accept her burden as normal? This passage in Luke doesn’t specifically say; however, she was in one of the synagogues where Jesus was teaching.

I think some of us are like this woman. The enemy fought to keep us crippled for so long. He wants us to be unable to straighten up—unable to stand as the men and women of God that we were created to be.

Jesus saw this woman in the synagogue that day, and when he did, “he called her forward and said to her, ‘Woman, you are set free from your infirmity.’ Then he put his hands on her, and immediately she straightened up and praised God.” (Luke 13:12b-13).

Your battle is not hidden from Jesus. He sees you and is calling you to come forward—to approach Him. Come close so He can touch you.

Sometimes, we try to fight our battles alone. We become comfortable with the way the enemy has crippled us and accept it as normal. Jesus wants to set us free, but He won’t force us to come to Him. He won’t force us to trust Him. He won’t force us to choose Him.

He sees you and is calling out to you. Will you walk towards Him?

When Jesus put his hands on the woman, she straightened up immediately and praised God. Breaking the enemy’s grip is not hard for God. His power is more than enough, and His love for you is abundant. He wants you to walk in the life He has for you, free from sickness, disease, or any other burden you may be carrying.

Will you choose to approach Jesus today—to obey His voice, and open your heart to Him? Are you standing in faith for His freedom in your life?

What is impossible with man, is possible with God.

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