Puppetry is one of the oldest forms of art and entertainment dating back to 4000 years ago according to Wikipedia. There is something amazing about an inanimate object all of a sudden coming to life and dancing about while telling a story. A puppet controlled by strings or wires is called a marionette and the person controlling it is called a marionettist. The marionette has strings connected to 9 different points on his body that all lead back to a device called the control. The marionettist takes the control in his hand and begins maneuvering it about in a certain way to make the puppet walk and talk exactly how he wishes. It takes a lot of skill and it's very pleasing to watch, unless you are the one attached to the strings.
If you think back to a time in your life before you met Christ, then you should be able to relate with the puppet. Before Christ came into our lives we were the puppets, the power of Sin was the puppeteer, and the strings attached to us was our developed flesh – our programming. As we walked through life's circumstances the power of Sin wielded the control by feeding us lies that formed a belief system that held us in captivity. In other words, our belief system was formed from feelings skewed by lies, instead of being formed from truth. Therefore, whenever Sin said to jump, we asked how high. The power of Sin pulled all the strings in our life.
But then, Hallelujah, along came Christ! If you realized the hopeless condition you were in by having Sin as your master and in utter desperation, you called upon the name of Jesus. Then, my friend, He came into your life and performed a miraculous work that must be understood. Jesus cut you loose from every string Sin had attached to you and He placed your wooden puppet body in the grave. He resurrected you with a brand new spirit that is alive to God and dead to Sin. Here are some verses from God's word that support this truth.
We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin.
Romans 6:6-7 ESV
And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.
Ezekiel 36:26-27 NLT
The trouble though is that this rebirth happens deep within our spirit and most of the time our soul (mind, will, and emotions) doesn't realize it. This is why the single most important thing we can do as followers of Christ is to begin feeding our minds a strong daily helping of truth. Truth that we find in God's word about who He is and who we are in Him. This truth is necessary in repetition form in order to form a correct belief system to enable us to walk in freedom according to the new spirit God placed in us.
Please understand the magnitude of this discipline; without it you will have been made alive yet still walking in deception and living according to the flesh. Though there are no longer any strings attached to you, your memory bank is infiltrated with thousands of associations between sin, your feelings, and your actions. The spiritual warfare we all have to endure takes place here within our mind, will, and emotions. This is why in Romans 12:2 NLT Paul says, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Paul understood that in order for what was accomplished in our spirit to have any effect in our lives here on Earth, then our minds had to get on board.
Please take some time today to evaluate your own life. Have you truly surrendered your life to the one who gave up His for the sake of you being able to find your true life? If not, then now is the time. If you have surrendered, then are you standing firmly on these truths and doctrines? Or do you believe that Sin still has strings to pull? Good teaching and good discipleship will have you walking in freedom and singing just like Pinocchio did.
I've got no strings
To hold me down
To make me fret
Or make me frown
I had strings
But now I'm free
There are no strings on me!
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