Galatians 5:1 -It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
What a powerful message for the Believer to grasp! Jesus set us free so that we could be free!! Now this seems like a simple message that everyone should easily grasp, but that is not so!
Paul is letting us know that when we were set free from the bondage of sin by Jesus, it was so that we could live free! Free from drugs, free from pornography, free from alcohol, free from lying, free from stealing…you get my drift!
In the Young’s Literal Translation it reads, “In the freedom, then, with which Christ did make you free — stand ye, and be not held fast again by a yoke of servitude;”
Some teach today, that we cannot truly be free or live free from sin or the bondage of sin. But Paul didn’t agree with that! He said we could, and we should! Christ Jesus set us free so that we could live free. Not free to sin, not free to do what we want the way we want, but free from the entanglement of sin. That’s why he encouraged us to not allow ourselves to get yoked again in the bondage of sin, because we most certainly could! But He gives us the ability to live free from it! It is our choice!!
The 4th of July is this week. Americans celebrate the day the 13 colonies declared their independence from Great Britain. They had to fight for about 5 more years to have Great Britain to see them as independent, but they decided that they were free that day! And they did everything in their power to obtain the reality of it and to enforce it. It wasn’t long before they were truly free from the control of Great Britain, but here we are hundreds of years later still free!
When we are born again, we are free from the power of sin. And what we have to do is make a conscious decision to agree with the “Declaration of our Independence” in the Word of God, that we are free! “Whom the Son sets free, is free indeed!” (John 8:36) Jesus said that! And then we stand against the forces of darkness that try to stop us from living out that freedom. We may have to fight (by walking away from some things, and staying away from some places and people, and fasting and praying, and attending church…) but we fight knowing we are free, not to get free! That’s the difference!
One is a position that says, “Devil, you can’t have what belongs to me!” I don’t have to lie anymore because I am free from lying; I don’t have to sleep with her anymore, because I am free from that…) The other is a position that says, “I’m doing all I can to get free!” (I tried not to lie, but I could’t help myself; I really didn’t want that drink, but my friends were all pressuring me…) The first position is a place of confidence in Jesus, while the other is a reliance on self efforts! I can tell you that self efforts, or flesh, is no match for the devil; but the devil is no match for Jesus! Hallelujah!
My fellow sisters and brothers in Christ, Jesus declared you free! There are several scriptures in the Word of God to reiterate what He said, letting us know that it is so obtainable in Him. He doesn’t want His family bound in any type of addiction or bondage. That’s why He died at Calvary! He wants you free! He wants me free! Yes, we may have to keep reminding the enemy of our salvation that it is true, but the Holy Spirit is there to help you to walk in that freedom. I cannot possibly address this isssue adequately, but I suggest a bible study on being free in Jesus; and there are some powerful messages out there on the internet. Just make sure the Bible is being taught!
Let this Independence Day, truly become a day of Independence in Christ. Then you can celebrate Independence Day every day! Happy Independence Day in Christ Jesus! Wonderful Jesus!
Wonderful Jesus! 