During our time of prayer for our Healing Path group last Monday night I had this clear picture of a wild horse with a bit in it’s mouth. There was a hand firmly gripping that “bit” pulling as hard as it could to tame the beast within. For those of you that don’t get pictures during your times of prayer I know this sounds a little edgy. I have found that the Holy Spirit reveals images to my “sanctified imagination” during these times then gives me deeper revelation.

At first I felt like it was a picture of men being held back by the “bit” of Satan and his desire to rob us of the fullness of life. The Holy Spirit revealed to me that it was actually our masculinity. Guess I better define that: it is the power to approach life and to prevail over difficulties. The ability to discern truth and commit oneself to it, regardless of the cost. True masculinity liberates the capacity to initiate and give form to structures that enable the truth to be reckoned with corporately—in our relationships, families and churches, and from there into the world.

The “bit” represents our fears, shame, pride and Satan’s lies about our manhood that keep us from running wild in our masculine strength. By running wild I don’t mean a life that is out of control. But a life that is set free from all the lies, fears, shame, pride and past wounding that has disabled us to live out of our true selves.

It would be good for us to identify the bit in our mouths that keeps us from living our lives with this kind of “wild” strength. Name it and share it with a friend. Then pray God remove that bit.

John Eldredge in his book Wild at Heart captures so much of what this image represents. So does Gordon Dalbey in his book Healing the Masculine Soul.

Lastly, thanks to Andy C.