Oppression

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Oppression and the African American Population

By Michelle Obasi

 Oppression is defined as a sense of heaviness or obstruction in the mind or body. Today, some of our oppression is manifested in the physical such as police profiling and brutality. However, we are not wrestling against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, the authorities, the powers of this dark world, and spiritual of evil in the heavenly realm (Ephesians 6:12). Our enemy, Satan, has always employed evil spirits against us, but most importantly he has also used systems. Although slavery is viewed by some as an economic system, the stratagem of the enemy was to oppress a mighty remnant of God’s people. Today, Satan uses the welfare, cradle to prison, educational (miseducation), judicial (3 strikes), unemployment, mortgage and lending, banking, gentrification, child support, etc. as systems to continue to oppress God’s people. Again, all of these “governmental” and private business programs/practices are used to obstruct the works of God in the lives of His people. Our minds and bodies have become bound under these conditions so much so that many of us have become stagnant in our development and even tyrannically oppressive.

Solutions: Jesus tells us in Mark 3:27, that no one can enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possession unless he first ties up the strong man, then he can rob his house. This is the reign of Japheth. However, God is ready set the captives free, but we must be willing and able to be in the position to get free. We must fellowship with God, imitate Christ, acknowledge and receive the Holy Spirit, unify as a people and accept the real truth about ourselves, families, communities and break the generational curses.

I have listed some signs of oppression (Resource: http://www.sw-mins.org/oppressi.html). Take some time and reflect on how this may relate to your life in aim to take your power back!

COMPULSIVE THOUGHTS

• Extremely low self-image (unworthy, a failure, no good – a constant undermining of the self-identity.)
• Inability to believe (even when the person wants to)
• Violent thoughts (suicidal, homicidal, encouraging self-abuse, etc.)

 

COMPULSIVE FEELINGS

• Irrational fears – panic attacks – phobias
• Irrational anger – rage
• Irrational guilt – self-condemnation to the extreme

COMPULSIVE BEHAVIOR

• Desire to do what is right (inability to carry it out)
• Sudden personality and attitude changes (severe contrasts – appears schizophrenic)
• Lying, exaggerating, or stealing compulsively (often wondering why)
• Irrational violence – compulsion to hurt self and/or someone else

 CONSCIOUSNESS PROBLEMS

• Loss of time (from minutes to hours – ending up someplace, not knowing how you got there – regularly doing things of which there is no memory)
• Voices are heard in the mind (they mock, intimidate, accuse, threaten or bargain)

 ABNORMAL MEDICAL PROBLEMS

• Seizures (too long and/or too regular)
• Pain (without justifiable explanation – especially in head and/or stomach)
• Sudden interference with bodily functions (temporary) – buzzing in ears, inability to speak or hear, sudden severe headache, hypersensitivity in hearing or touch, sudden chills or overwhelming heat in body, numbness in arms or legs, temporary paralysis

Can you identify with at least 5? Remember, this is not a fight with flesh and blood, so medication may not be your first line of defense. We are not meant to suffer oppression and depression. We are tested to prove our loyalty and faithfulness, but God does not burden us to the point that our minds and bodies are obstructed from the plans that He set forth for us.

For historical classes & workshops to be taught in your church or organization, Book Michelle Obasi, Founder of Waters for Chocolate [email protected][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]