“When God Strips You to Save You!
- The Ekklesia Women
- Aug 18
- 5 min read
Updated: Oct 23
By Alisia — Founder of The Ekklesia Women | Certified Christian Relationship Coach
Years ago, I remember living a wretched life—just sinning against God and never even acknowledging that there is a God whose eyes are always upon me (Proverbs 15:3) The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Watching the evil and the good [in all their endeavors].
My mindset was, “This is my life, and I’ll do what I want to do with it!” Haha what a joke! Everyone around me was doing the same thing, I thought this was normal living, this is life and I didn’t want to feel left out.
Looking back, I now realize I was unknowingly driven by lust and envy—wanting the life other women had. I was unfulfilled and searching for happiness in all the wrong places to fill the empty void in me, I thought, “If I had the right man, the car, or the house, then I’d finally be happy.”
But then a season came that shook everything I thought was secure. I lost the best-paying job I ever had because the business closed down. The man I thought was mine walked away and eventually, I had to move out of the home because there was no money to pay the bills.
Whew! What in the world was going on? The control I thought I had was gone. Everything I tried failed. I couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep. My back was against the wall, and I felt completely lost. Like literally Lost!
I didn’t know that my identity had been tied up in a man, in accomplishments, and in material things. When it was all stripped away, I had no idea who I truly was.
Losing Myself in Him
Sis, I couldn’t even think for myself. That man thought for me. Everything revolved around him. But behind it all was heavy verbal abuse—words that tore down my soul— not to even mention the physical abuse.
If I dared to speak, I was mocked, called a fool, or slapped in the face. Over time, I shut down. I lost my voice. I lost my identity. And the worst part? I thought that was okay. I can’t blame the man for anything, because we were two young broken people who found each other, he didn’t know better.
It now became “normal” to be silenced, unseen, and undervalued. What I didn’t realize was that the enemy was using this relationship as a weapon to steal my voice and destroy my worth (John 10:10) The thief comes only in order to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it in abundance [to the full, till it overflows]
A Divine Appointment
One day, after losing everything, I needed to get into town. I stood by the side of the road waiting for a taxi—not so sure if I had the fare that day. After a few minutes, one finally pulled up.
As soon as I got in, I noticed I was the only passenger. This was no coincidence. It was a divine appointment—just like when Jesus met the woman at the well (John 4:7) Then a woman from Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink”
The driver, led by the Spirit of God, ministered the Word to me the entire ride. I couldn’t hold back—I cried like never before. Conviction hit my soul, and that very day, I surrendered my life and was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.
Glory to God!
Stripped to Be Saved
Sis, here’s what I’ve learned: sometimes God will allow us to be stripped of everything He never gave us in the first place. He removes the false comforts, the idols, and the distractions so He can lead us into the wilderness, where His voice becomes clear.
Hosea 2:14 says,“But then I will win her back once again. I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her there.”
I didn’t realize that the man, the job, and the accomplishments had become my gods. But our God is a jealous God. Anything we put before Him—whether it’s a person, position, or possession—becomes an idol. Exodus 34:14- for you shall not worship any other god; for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous (impassioned) God [demanding what is rightfully and uniquely His]
Now I understand: it’s not wrong to have accomplishments, but it is dangerous when accomplishments have us. Left unchecked, they control us and silence the voice of God in our lives.
Today, I thank God that He called me in such a powerful way. He stripped away everything that didn’t represent Him, and now I see that everything I have is truly from Him. The “things” no longer control me—I simply use them for comfort while I am here on earth. My identity is no longer in man, money, or material gain, but in Christ alone.
Hallelujah to the Lamb of God!
Reflection Question
1. How did God call you, or is he calling you now? 2. Have you ever found your identity tied to people, possessions, or accomplishments instead of God?
3. What might God be calling you to release so you can hear His voice more clearly?
4. Can you look back on a time when God stripped something away, only to draw you closer to Him?
Prayer
Father, in the mighty name of Jesus, thank You for being a God who calls us out of darkness into Your marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9). Thank You for loving us enough to strip away the idols and distractions that have taken Your place in our lives.
Lord, forgive me for every time I put people, accomplishments, and things before You. Today, I surrender all that I am and all that I have back into Your hands. Heal my broken places, restore my voice, and remind me daily that my identity is found in You alone.
I declare that I will no longer be bound by false identities, silenced by the enemy, or trapped by idols. From this day forward, I choose to walk in freedom, purpose, and wholeness in Christ Jesus.
In Jesus’ powerful name, Amen!
Sis, can you relate to this? Has God ever stripped something away to bring you closer to Him? Share your story below—I’d love to hear it. Don’t forget to like, share, and join the Ekklesia Women community as we grow together in faith.
And if you’re ready to go deeper, book me as yourCertified Christian Relationship Coach—let’s walk this journey together!
Thanks for sharing your story sis!! One day at a time is what you take. God will always lead you even through the hard times. When we think he isn't looking, he is. He's guiding you on his terms.
Thank you for sharing sis. As women, we can all attest to the fact the at some point we thought we needed validation from someone else besides God. It is only after fully surrendering to Him, that the fog in our minds cleared so we could finally see that the only validation we needed was His. Hallelujah thank You Jesus!!!
Oh wow! What a great article and it is definitely relevant and needed in society today. I can relate to this same scenario before I found Christ and even after I found Christ I still struggled with relationships and that was. because Ii didn’t fully give that part of me to God. I gave Him everything else but only a portion of that part. You see I wanted to still be in control. But I kept seeking Him and eventually He delivered me from the mindset of needing validation from man. The only validation I needed then and now is from God. I thank God for deliverance. I thank Him for not giving up on me. All I…
I love this post! Thank you for sharing your testimony. God knows what’s best for us. I also was in an abusive relationship and had it not been for God severing that relationship, I still would have been in a terrible situation. After that learning experience, I try my best to make sure I’m not idolizing relationships, jobs, money etc. God is a jealous God and he will strip us of anything that comes before him.