Countless Christians have emotional and spiritual blocks that keep them in bondage. Sexual abuse and other traumatic events in the authors childhood kept her a victim rather than a victor, but eventually her journey brought her to the feet of Christ, where she experienced release.

Today Alice Smith offers hope, healing and practical help to others struggling with issues. Alice Smith paints a powerful and practical picture of what it looks like to move from victim to victor in Christ.

You too will face giants. The Almighty is commanding you to release anointed stones in the power of His name. Let them fly. Your giants will fall as you step out in faith!

Pastor James and his family had a devasting experience at his last church. The verbal abuse they suffered left them weak and tired as vicious lies circulated. Unable to deal with it all, he quietly resigned.

James decided to find secular employment until he and his family recovered from trauma. With his business degree, it wasn't hard to find work with his qualifications. His heart was to pastor, but that would have to wait.

Eventually the family found a fine congregation to join, and they sat quietly in service for months. One year later, James went to the Senior Pastor and offered to serve as a Sunday School Teacher. He was gifted, with a vast wealth of Bible knowledge, and many in the church appreciated him. His attendance was so large that the room routinely overflowed.

One Sunday afternoon the associate pastor called to tell James he needed to submit all his material to the senior pastor for approval before teaching it. No other teacher had to do this, but he had nothing to hide, so James submitted his outlines each week. A month later, he was asked to step down from teaching - someone in the class had reported to the staff that he was promoting false doctrine. Dishonored again, James returned weekly to sitting in a pew.

Whether its battery, betrayal, accident - proneness, dishonor, injustice, poverty, abandoment, or one of the various forms of mistreatment: abuse is abuse. Jesus is acquainted with our grief. He hurts when we hurt: "Whatever you did for one of the least of these...you've did it for me" (Matthew 25:40).

Jesus Christ is the strong one to whom you can hold and who will hold on to you!

We may believe the Lord abandoned us in our trauma, therefore He can't be trusted. (Not true). The author is surprised by the number of people at the altar asking for prayer, yet admitting they can't trust God with their lives, past experience has caused them to be cautious and defensive. God didn't abandon you - He grieved with you.

I AM THE SPIRIT OF DEPRESSION! I will enter any one, anytime, any way when the gate of his or her life is unguarded. Dr. Bob Moorehead, Words Aptly Spoken (Kirkland, Wash. : Overlake Christian Press), 164 - 166.

After evaluating a man who sought him out and made an appointment, the psychiatrist concluded, "sir, you're suffering from a classic case of depression. My prescription, though, is rather unorthodox: I want you to attend the circus that's in town.

The man dropped his had in disappointment and sighed. "You don't understand, Doc. I am that clown in the circus.

So many of us have become skilled at redirecting and disguising. Anxiety disorders are the number one mental health problem in the world. Neil Anderson and Rich Miller, Freedom from Fear (Eugene, Ore. : Harvest House, 1999), 41.

The Greek word for "heal" is iaomai, meaning to "cure." Jesus gives this glorious promise: the Spirit will cure tormenting traumas and cycles of victimization if you will permit Him to.

The author is sharing her experience only the Spirit can reach into your subconscious mind, where the painful memories have been planted from your past, and then illumine them with the truth to deliver you from the dungeon where you've been chained.

During recovery from surgery, the author was listening to an Arthur Burk tape on setting boundaries, the author heard, "You'll never fulfill your kingdom purpose as long as you continue to live as a victim." Immediately the author realized she needed to stop making excuses for not fully acknowledging the open doors God had given her, and to move forward toward her destiny without intimidation.

One of the author's favorite stories as a young girl was Cinderella, a tale that she came to see has several interesting parallels to our sacred marriage with Christ.

Father God has a son, Jesus Christ, who paid the ultimate price to have a bride of His own.

The noble's sad daughter was to do all the drudgery of house cleaning, to attend the kitchen fire, and had to sleep on the heap of cinder, and that is why they called her Cinderella.

Drift back to the familiar tale, there appears a "fairy godmother" who saw Cinderella's wounded state and offered her the chance to attend the ball.

The fairy godmother said to Cinderella, "well, you have what you need to go to the ball; are you not pleased with it?"

The godmother then touched her, and her clothes instantly turned into cloth of gold and silver, beset with jewels. She gave her a pair of glass slippers, the prettiest in the whole world.

All it took was one touch from the godmother (a person who protects and nurtures), and Cinderella was seen to be a beautiful, adorned princess. Our grief may have been the result of loss, rejection, abuse, loneliness, or even secret sin. The Holy Spirit, our nurtuting Protector, gave us revelation of a great Prince and His kingdom.

Even as the prince waited with expectancy for the princess nobody knew, Jesus was waiting for you!

The author, Alice Smith is an internationally known conference speaker. She is a regular contributor to magazines, including Charisma, Ministries Today, Spirit - Led Woman, and Pray! and makes guest appearances on numerous shows, including The 700 Club.

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