Breaking Free from Spiritual Captivity: Reclaiming Sovereignty Beyond Religious Strongholds
It has become clear to me that not everyone in the church (or within religious communities in general), truly understands or embodies the psychospiritual freedom that Jesus offers, and instead, many use religion as a means to control, burden, and bind others under the weight of spiritual captivity. One would think that if people went to church or immersed themselves within a spiritual community, they would actually take their spirituality seriously, but more often than not, what we find are people that have completely conformed their identity to religious strongholds, covert AND overt forms of authoritarianism, a superficial identity that lacks any true depth, toxic positivity, co-dependency with the church (and the people in it), and the sacrifice of their own spiritual sovereignty, personal autonomy, & the ability to critically think, where they seek to place those same burdens onto those around them. And when we look at things from a higher perspective, these dynamics run entirely counter to what Jesus teaches when He says, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”, where the rest Jesus promises isn’t just a physical relief—it’s a visceral spiritual renewal, emotional peace that’s surreal, and a sense of being unburdened by things that were never meant to weigh us down. Yet, what I often see from the very same people from within the church who say they’ve found Jesus, is the complete opposite, where they seek to impose onto others heavy demands, rigid expectations, and endless spiritual and worldly performance, all under the guise of devotion and righteousness (where they just want an excuse to control others and to maintain power over their lives). So, rather than being a source of rest and healing, these communities pull people deeper into cycles of psychospiritual dysfunction, guilt, obligation, fear, and religious conformity—where they aren’t leading people into freedom—they are corralling them into a spiritual prison.
From within the confines of the church (across the board), it is truly disheartening to witness the way in which many individuals or communities take it upon themselves to wield authority over others’ spiritual lives, where they assume the role of spiritual gatekeepers and present themselves as the sole arbiters of who gets to connect with God. In doing so, they manipulate the narrative of their prescribed faith to suit their own agendas, creating the illusion that the only way to access divine connection is through adherence to their specific religion, doctrines, practices, and interpretations, where the message is clear: unless you conform to their standards, your connection to God is invalid or incomplete. But what’s striking about all of this is that many of these individuals and communities aren’t even connected to the true essence of divine energy themselves; instead, they are tethered to religion, traditions, rituals, and performances (that lack any true depth), leaving them aligned with something superficial and stagnant rather than transformative and life-giving. On the outside looking in, they have anchored themselves in a version of religion that is hollow and performative—focused more on appearances and control over others, than on fostering a genuine, transformative relationship with the divine. And because they aren’t connected to the essence of God’s presence, they have nothing real to offer except the weight of tradition, rules, and empty shallow & superficial practices.
To be completely honest, at first, the weight of these religious systems may seem light, but over time it grows into a heavy burden that becomes draining and exhausting to the spirit. So, even after attempting to meet all the external expectations of these religious systems (and cultures of superficiality), beyond the outward appearance of devotion and compliance, individuals within these communities are left feeling empty, disconnected, and trapped in cycles of guilt, shame, and spiritual fatigue (as the true essence of spiritual freedom and genuine connection with God is lost). But what makes these dynamics even more insidious is that the religious and superficial strongholds that these systems want to imprison us in, as well as the sense of dominion & control they want to have over us, it often comes disguised as care, which can lead us into believing that submitting to their authority is in our best spiritual interest. And rather than fostering genuine spiritual growth and freedom, these individuals and communities impose a heavy yoke onto those surrounding them, insisting that we perform, comply, and meet all their expectations (where our efforts will never be enough). So, the yoke they offer is not light; it’s loaded with the pressure to conform, to meet their unrealistic and ever-changing shallow standards, and to suppress our authentic connection to God (all in favor of religious appearances and being subjugated under a paradigm of control, fear, and spiritual manipulation that keeps us trapped in cycles of performance and guilt). And for those who buy into these oppressive systems, it’s an endless cycle of doing more, giving more, and trying harder, yet never truly arriving at the rest and freedom Jesus spoke of.
Digging deeper into these toxic spiritual environments, what I’ve come to recognize is that many of these gatekeepers are operating from pharisaic, jezebelic, or ahabic dynamics, whether they are aware of it or not. To speak briefly on each of these dynamics, the first of these toxic dynamics is pharisaic in nature, where pharisaic tendencies tend to show up through rigid legalism (which is a fixation on rules, rituals, and outward compliance), an unyielding adherence to tradition, and an obsession with superficial appearances and controlling others, all the while neglecting the heart. The second of these dysfunctional dynamics ties in with the first, which is the spirit of Jezebel that manifests through manipulation, control, and domination, seeking power over others rather than empowering them to connect with God directly (in their own individuated connection with God). The third of these poisonous dynamics is the spirit of Ahab, which are tendencies that reflect passivity and complacency, where those with this spirit enable toxic behavior and turn a blind eye to the pharisaic and jezebelic tendencies within others (that like to manipulate, dominate, and corrupt the spiritual environment). Together, these dynamics create a religious environment that’s heavy, oppressive, and stagnant, where the focus becomes more about maintaining systems of power, appearances, and control—rather than fostering authentic inner transformation, healing, and freedom.
In addition to the oppressive structures and the unhealthy dynamics that reign supreme at the core of these environments, adding to the overall burden, it’s frustrating and unsettling to realize just how much some of these communities will try to make us feel as though we need their permission or approval to connect with God—as if our relationship with the divine is contingent upon their validation (or upon complete conformity to their religion.) But at the end of the day, beyond all their posturing, manipulation, and false authority, the truth is that God isn’t confined to their institutions or bound by their rules, as Jesus (within the context of their belief system), didn’t come to establish a religion or a hierarchy of gatekeepers. Therefore, we are not required to meet religious quotas, conform our identity to churches or religious communities, sacrifice our own spiritual sovereignty, or jump through hoops to experience God’s love and connection. Yet, despite the reality of being able to connect with God beyond pharisaic, jezebelic, and ahabic religion, these individuals and communities, disconnected from the truth of authentic spiritual freedom and divine connection, they operate as though they have the power to control our spiritual and personal lives, when in reality, they are only projecting their own fear, insecurity, and need for control onto others. And so, the deeper truth of the message I’m trying to get across is that authentic connection with the divine actually transcends human-made systems, and that God is actually inviting us into an individuated relationship that is rooted in psychospiritual freedom, authenticity, and inner peace, which is something no religious gatekeeper can give or take away.
In conclusion, no matter how much control they try to exert over us, the freedom that Jesus offers (according to their belief system), is not something that can be regulated by religious leaders, pharisaic members, or contained within church walls. It’s a direct relationship that exists beyond doctrines and dogma (or the superficial culture of their communities), and when we align ourselves with this truth, we realize that we don’t have to carry the burdens that they try to place upon us. So, in reclaiming our spiritual freedom, by choosing to walk in the light of our own spiritual sovereignty and our own individuated relationship with the divine, their expectations (in all of their rigidity, superficiality, and conditionality), no longer dictate our sense of self-worth as they once did before, nor do their rigid structures define our relationship with God. And what matters most now is the peace and rest we find within ourselves as we step into our own direct connection with God, which is a connection not weighed down by obligation or burdened by pharisaic, jezebelic, and ahabic religion, but it is one that flows from a place of heavenly lightness and freedom, where we are not called to suffer & labor under heavy yokes, but to walk in the lightness & the true psychospiritual liberation that Jesus (in the context of their belief system) offers.
