Day 98
Alive
to Freedom
“…and
you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They
answered him, “We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to
anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”
Jesus
answered them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a
slave to sin.”
John 8:32-33
~~~
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ost of us,
regardless of our age, share something in common with every rebellious teenager
on the planet: we don't want anyone to tell us what to do. We call
this a desire for freedom, but what actually happens when we are given our own
way is not freedom at all. The end result of what we believe is a
utilization of free will turns out to be a trap that enslaves. As Romans
6:16 says: "Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone
as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin,
which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness?
"
We’ve heard it said that human beings can't be free, that we will either
serve sin or serve God, but the truth goes deeper than that. God created us to
be free, and then made freedom possible by sending us a Savior, the Lord Jesus
Christ. It is Satan who wants our servitude. The Lord desires our
freedom; indeed, He delights in our freewill choices—the ones that are made for
His glory—just as a parent delights in a three-year-old who displays unexpected
dexterity in assembling a puzzle. Sin represents bondage and robs us of
free will, but the freedom we have through Christ enables us to make an
unfettered choice to serve righteousness. Our choice is not between two
sorts of servitude. We choose between slavery to darkness versus the
precious privilege of doing Kingdom work for the Lord under no other obligation
but that of love.
It is important that we see sin within us as being separate from
ourselves, from who we are in Christ. As Romans 7:17 says, “…it is no longer I
who do it, but sin that dwells within me;” it is sin that makes stupid,
self-defeating choices. Sin propels us to in-the-moment gratification and
gives no thought to consequences. Sinful impulses don't have to be
followed, that is the freedom we have through Jesus. Those impulses are
inconvenient, but they don't have to be crippling because, through Christ, we
are free. We don't have to bow to the dictates of disobedience and fear.
Fear is a potent inhibitor of our freedom in Christ. We fear what might
happen in the future and this drains present resolve and energy. We even
fear the past, because when separated from the clarity of the Lord’s
perspective, our memories can’t be trusted. Apart from faith we remember the
events, but not the sweetness of the Lord's sustenance. We must trust and
know Him in our present in order to believe Him in our past.
Our challenge is to walk in the
Lord's freedom, which cannot be compromised because it is His and not ours. By
submitting to God in obedience, we gain higher ground, above the ability of the
enemy to broach. We don’t have to succumb to the devil's fear tactics. It
isn’t that we need to abide more closely to the Lord so as not to feel fear,
but that fear needs to go so we can abide more closely. This can only
happen through obedience borne of faith.
When we walk according to His will, the Lord Himself sustains and
protects in ways we could not have anticipated or provided for ourselves or for
those we love. Freedom doesn't come through striving, but is a gift
appropriated by faith. The gift is already given.
Pray: Dear Lord, help me to separate my perception of myself from the
entity of sin within me. Help me to recognize that sinful impulses have to do
with Satan’s desire to control and enslave me. Guide me to align my will with
Yours because I trust in Your love for me.
Help me to recognize when sin is influencing my will. Lord thank You for Your forgiveness and grace
that covers me when I sin, but please help me to stop falling to the enemy’s
tactics against me so I may participate more fully in the freedom You purchased
for me on the Cross. Amen.
~~~
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm
therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
Galatians 5:1
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