This article was meant to go live on September 11th—a date in American history heavy with the memory of captivity, rupture, and our communal longing for true freedom.
This year, the resonance was even sharper: on 9/9, my conversation with Tom Snow aired—a candid account of surviving trauma, church splits, spiritual bondage, and finally tasting the kind of freedom that doesn’t come from any system or slogan. Then just one day later, on 9/10, the shocking news broke that Charlie Kirk was assassinated—a jarring, tragic reminder that captivity and violence are not just history, but living and present forces still prowling our world.
I could sense how the show’s themes—breaking free, confronting what binds us, seeking liberty beyond rhetoric—were landing at exactly the right time. So it was fitting, perhaps even necessary, for this Thursday Series reflection to post on 9/11. Yet in another ironic twist: when I went to download Tom’s transcript for writing, a technical glitch blocked me, forcing an unplanned pause and delay.
I’ve learned not to ignore moments like this. Sometimes, freedom and wisdom emerge less by our plans and more in the interruptions—when time itself requires us to sit, wait, and reflect. Just as spiritual release rarely arrives when or how we expect, the pause is, perhaps, as much a part of the story as any breakthrough. In a week bookended by public violence and subtle, private delays, Tom’s five lessons struck me as both more necessary and more humbling than ever.
More than ever, I’m mindful that the path to freedom—personal, spiritual, communal—is rarely linear, tidy, or delivered on our schedule. Sometimes we are delayed for a reason. Sometimes what feels like a glitch is mercy.
Five Uncomfortable Truths from Tom Snow’s Spiritual War Stories
Tom’s life is a case study in struggle: terminal illness, broken relationships, leadership roles in divided churches, and, ultimately, a fierce battle against external and internal chains.
More than anything, his story is about everyday people: stuck in unseen cycles, aching for something authentic, and—more often than not—told to settle for church culture or conformity as “enough.”
I couldn’t help but think of my friend and recurring guest, Pastor Barbara Brehon (Favored by the Father)—host of the “Unboxed On Purpose” podcast.
She knows the church’s blessings and limitations from the inside; Tom critiques them from the outside.
So here’s my public recommendation: Barbara, invite Tom onto your show and stress-test his convictions against your pastoral witness. Honest unboxing (on purpose) is what we need most right now.
Here are five hard-won truths from Tom’s journey—and mine—for anyone seeking liberation in a world of distraction, division, and too many boxes.
1. Breaking Free Isn’t a Slogan—It’s a Relentless, Messy Process
Tom is blunt:
“There are good things in good churches... there’s a lot of garbage.” He details years spent in leadership, belief systems, and movements only to recognize that, for most of us, “the chains are on the inside.” It wasn’t doctrine or ritual that freed him—it was failing, wrestling, giving up pride, getting honest, and finally learning to hear God’s voice directly.
The work of freedom is still daily. “Sanctification is a lifelong process until the day we die. Anybody who says, ‘I’m sanctified’ is either dead or a liar.” Repentance isn’t a one-time “testimony” but a pattern—a willingness to return, admit wrong, and stay in process.
2. The Wilderness Is Your Teacher—Not Your Punishment
Tom describes decades spent in “many little wildernesses.”
Whether you end up there by crisis, loss, or simply life’s unpredictability, that’s where God does some of His best work. “Wilderness is actually good for you,” Tom says. “Nobody wants to go into the wilderness.” Those desert seasons strip away the old, break addictions to comfort or certitude, and teach dependence on a God we cannot control or define.
My own “forty years” looked different, but the pattern fits: growth usually comes in the detours, not the destinations.
3. “Demon-inations” and Splits: Division Thrives Where Humility Dies
Tom doesn’t mince words:
“There’s about 47,000 denominations”—and he calls them “demon-inations” quite intentionally: “Demons over nations... they say ‘we’re right, you’re wrong,’ and then they split. The devil’s laughing his tail off while we fight and diversify.” Church division, for Tom, is more than tragedy; it’s spiritual warfare, fueled by pride, accusation, and ego.
The challenge: seek unity, learn from difference, and put relationship above being “right.” “By this all men will know you are my disciples, if you love one another”—not by your denomination.
4. Four Voices, One Real Choice: Discerning God in a Noisy World
Tom frames discernment as the art of sorting among four voices:
“God, the devil, yourself, and other people.” Most are “trained by the enemy.” Knowing scripture is necessary, but not sufficient, since “the devil knows the Word better than we do.” Real spiritual maturity means testing what you hear, checking it against the Spirit, and never presuming you’ve arrived.
In my own ministry, the hard work is still staying silent and humble long enough to listen—rather than projecting, assuming, or defaulting to groupthink.
5. Guilt—and Freedom—Are Both Real. Denial Isn’t Discipleship.
Tom’s confessions cut deep: guilt over his mother’s death, hate for his father, plans to self-destruct.
“I was dying. I knew it. Full of hate and rage. Planning to blackmail my father and drive my Harley off the Grand Canyon.” What changed? An encounter with the love of God that suffused and broke through every defense: “All of a sudden, I knew the God of the universe was in there. He had been there all along... When we ask the Lord in, we’re sealed with the promised Holy Spirit.”
There’s no shortcut here—no “baloney sandwich” (as Tom likes to say) of fake religiosity. Repent, confess, forgive, daily. Freedom can’t be feigned—it must be lived, and endlessly reopened.
Where Do We Go Next? (Unboxing On Purpose)
Had I met my deadline, perhaps I’d have missed part of this lesson: freedom rarely cooperates with our schedules, and honest wrestling is more of a gift than a glitch.
Tom’s books are expanding, his story invites dialogue.
And I’ll say it again: Pastor Barbara Brehon, your “Unboxed on Purpose” podcast was made for conversations like this. What needs unboxing next? The church, the soul, our assumptions about community and liberty.
Freedom isn’t efficiently delivered—it’s discovered, received, and, most often, delayed until we’re ready. Pause, reflect, and step forward anyway.
You are created in the image of God. And God loves His creation.
— Wade
About The Guest
Tom Snow is a dedicated conservative believer who embraces a unique perspective as a Jewish Christian. With a profound conviction that there is one God who created all and recognizes the equality of all within His creation, Tom stands firm in his faith. He believes in the essence of the True Church, identifying it as the Body of Christ, which encompasses all genuine believers.
Here are some useful links to stay in touch with him:
"The Daily Stand" on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DPNFRW3T
"Set the Captives Free" on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FCJ2Z2LN
@just2beclear FB: https://www.facebook.com/just2beclear
@just2beclear1 IG: https://www.instagram.com/just2beclear1
Next on Created in the Image of God
Next week, I'll sit down with Dan Parr—a Bible publisher and narrator who has made it his work to “reword and simplify” Scripture for wider accessibility.
We’ll ask together: how simple is too simple? What does it mean to make the Bible open to all—and does something get lost (or found) as we “unbox” God’s word for a new era?
It’s a conversation about language, courage, and the risks and rewards of making truth plain—without letting it lose its power.
Tune in Tuesday, 8:00 PM Central. You won't want to miss it.
If this article unboxes anything for you—or if you’ve ever been delayed in your own journey toward real freedom—share your story, comment, or subscribe. And if you know someone who needs to embrace the slow, unscheduled liberation God so often brings, pass this along, and join us again next week.
