Life can be very abusive! Ok, not life really, but the people & systems we do life with! It is easy for easygoing people to play nice & go with the flow of life. That makes a sad life a little liveable & unbearable situations a bit bearable. They become appeasers & pacifists while journeying on, in quiet desperation! And the more they bend, the more life keeps demanding for more contortion. But then, they’ve been conditioned to think that saying ‘NO’ is not an option! 
The trending stories of brave ladies who fought back against their ‘sex for favour’ lecturers is heartwarming, but the truth may be that the number of those who simply give in or give up are much more! It’s the same with marital abuse, where spouses just submit to it & keep it quiet – either because of their religious beliefs, their ‘confess no negative’ faith model or just to avoid the shame & stigmatisation that may go with the public acknowledgement of their marriage situation! 
It’s still a negotiation! 
Life negotiates! Every time life comes to you with something you know enough not to accept, just remember that you’re in a negotiation! What is at stake? Your power! Your self worth! Your capacity for self definition & determination! Your assertiveness! Your mental toughness! Your willingness to be graceful & yet forceful! No, it is not negotiating your response to the other person, but your response to you! It is asking one question: ‘can you be trusted to be true to you!’ 
Godly people, who can be trusted to be true to themselves are meek, but never weak! Meekness is strength under control. Meekness is the horse allowing you to mount it, but reserving the right to dismount you, if mistreated! Meekness is being agreeable, while agreeing to disagree! It is saying to someone; “I believe in you, I respect you, I want our relationship to work, I will make sacrifices to make things good, but, I will never submit to be abused!”
Most people lose the negotiation! 
It’s really easy to give negative people & influences too much power over your life without noticing! 
-i- you permit people to guilt trip you into submission! 
-ii- you excuse ‘friends’ who disrespect your boundaries! 
-iii- you let people’s mood swings determine your happiness! 
-iv- you accept manipulations that steal resources from you! 
-v- you drop your convictions to fit into funny relationships! 
-vi- you smile through something & cry about it when alone! 
-vii- you pretend in civility while being deeply embittered! 
-viii- you allow people to provoke you into indecent reactions! 
Be the you that you are! 
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”  – 2 Tim 1:7 

Yes, it’s not just about taking back your power, it’s about taking back your person! It begins with building up yourself, spiritually, emotionally & relationally! You may need to open up to a mentor! Also, decide to live up to your godly ideals. And sometimes, taking back your power may involve reaffirming your boundaries, distancing yourself from certain people, speaking up, reporting to constituted authority, or just going public with an issue! Be strong & do it! 
Prayer: 
Your destiny is the topmost top! The Lord bring you out of every darkness of life! May you work in the fulness of his purpose for your life! Live strong! Go forward! Achieve greatness in Jesus Christ name! 
Much Love
George Izunwa Lead Pastor