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. (Galatians 5:1 NIV)
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love (Galatians 5:13 NIV).
Have you ever stopped to ask yourself, “Why does God want us to be free?”
Does He want us unhindered and therefore more productive, so He can get more from us? No way! Certainly, God wants us to bear fruit in our lives but He is not just trying to get more productivity out of us. Scripturally, it is very clear that God wants His children to be free because God loves Freedom!
He loves freedom so much that He even allows people the freedom to walk away from Him! Freedom is one of the greatest gifts that God has given to people, because of His great love for us. God is not trying to get us to conform to a list of rules and regulations. He wants us to conform into the image of Christ. Christ was the most free person to ever walk on the planet.
- Christ had no sin, He had no separation from God the Father
- Satan had no power over Him
- Religion had no power over Him
- Fear had no power over Him
- He could not be controlled or manipulated
Because Jesus was truly free it caused those religious and political leaders, who had an interest in exerting control over people, to be afraid of Him. He had 100% relational unity with God the Father and He had 100% freedom. This is God’s will for you and Me!
Sometimes “rebels” are celebrated as being “free”, acting tough as though nothing can restrict them. Yet many times people who act like this do not always realize how bound up they truly are inside. Bound internally by fear, by sin, by shame, and by an inability to connect deeply well with others. They live in a constant state of reaction. They are unknowingly being manipulated by fear, living in reaction to perceived threats. Never at peace, never at rest. This is not God’s will for mankind.
The freedom that God has for us in Christ enables us to live free and on purpose. Free of being impacted by manipulation and fear. Free of shame or retribution and punishment.
Heavenly Father, thank you that you bring me into the freedom of Christ. Help me live in unity with You and in full freedom from shame, fear, manipulation, and any tactic of the enemy that tries to exert undue influence on my life. Help me live free as you created me to.
