Receiving FREEDOM and walking out that Freedom
Isaiah 61:1
“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners.”
Freedom is not about being able to DO what YOU want. As Christians, we need to learn to answer these 4 questions regarding FREEDOM:
- What have I been set free from?
- What is the purpose of my freedom?
- How do I walk into this freedom?
- Who has God sent to help me?
God establishes our FREEDOM, but there is responsibility on us to WALK INTO that Freedom that God has established for us.
I want to reference 3 different biblical stories relating to freedom that may teach us what questions to ask to ensure we walk in greater freedom.
3 Biblical examples around FREEDOM.
- Freedom from?
- Freedom for?
- Freedom how?
- Freedom through?
A. Israelites being set free from Egypt.
- Freedom from: Israel were slaves to a tyrant, who kept them in poverty. God came to break the control of the tyrant, the abuser, the controller. They could not walk in the fullness of relationship with God when they were slaves of another King.
- Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place”. Exo 13:3
- Freedom for: God wanted them to step into FREEDOM to WORSHIP/SERVE him. To step into becoming THE PEOPLE OF GOD, his holy (set apart) nation. And to fulfill His promise of taking them to their promised land.
- Freedom how: God did all the supernatural miracles (10 plagues) to break the control of the abuser, the slave controller. Freedom was established in a day – Israel literally walked out of Egypt. But full freedom required them to establish a new way of life – that turned out to take 40 years. How did God choose to lead them into that?
- In one magnificent night they were set free. It took one night to get Israel out of Egypt. It would take much longer to get Egypt out of Israel. Almost immediately following their exodus, Israel began disbelieving, lusting, grumbling, scheming, tempting, and seriously angering the Lord.
- Freedom through: God used a leader, Moses, to lead the people into their freedom. Once outside of Egypt, the people needed leadership, guidance and wisdom to navigate the desert. They needed to become a people with new way of doing life, according to God.
B. Jesus resurrecting Lazarus – John 11: 38-44
- Freedom from: Lazarus was dead. So first God gave life to a dead body. The enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. We may think our marriage, career, dreams, finances or health is “dead” or barely alive – but God can resurrect them again – bring them into freedom from “death”. But back to Lazarus – Once the Jesus resurrected Lazarus, he was still not living normally because he stood infront of the grave, with GRAVE clothes. Grave clothes represent BONDAGE – it’s the old self (Ephesians 4:22-24: “You were taught with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires… and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness.” So for us, Jesus came to give NEW LIFE through his blood sacrafice but also to give FREEDOM from grave clothes – this can be old traditions, habits, wrong beliefs, thinking.
- Freedom for: Life! Jesus came to give life and life in abundance. That’s eternal life, but also fullness of life here on earth. God’s freedom is that we may have eternal life with HIM (to know God the Father and His Son), but also abundant life over the natural things of our lives here on earth. Old ways or bondages, limit our ability to enjoy Him fully, obey Him fully, be used by Him fully. Freedom has a purpose – it’s so that we can be fully free to love God and obey Him. Freedom to have RELATIONSHIP, with man and with God in holiness. Grave clothes restrict relationship.
- Freedom how: God completed the supernatural miracle of resurrecting Lazarus to life, but the fullness of new life was to be WALKED OUT and for that, Jesus chose the involvement of a community.
- Freedom through: God chose in this story to instruct the community to execute His will for freedom for Lazarus. . Jesus gave the instructions of what needs to happen:
- “Unbind him” – which means to UNTIE and RELEASE him (FURTHER usage of the word in New Testament also include: DESTROY, BRAKE . Used for donkey to carry Jesus into Jerusalem).
- “Let him go” – this means RELEASE, SEND AWAY, FORGIVE. This is what God said needs to happen, but God did not miraculously do it himself.
Jesus’ blood sacrifice and forgiveness, cleanse us from all sin, but some remnants of our old selves must be taken off with the love & encouragement of a community.
- It takes others to encourage you when you are struggling.
- It takes others to pray for you when you need wisdom.
- It takes others to graciously help you see grave clothes that you can’t see, remnants of your old life that remain.
- It takes a village to raise a child and sometimes God uses a community to mature a Christian.
We need community to grow and mature. We need community to walk in our new selves.
C. Peter released from prison (Acts 12:5-10)
- Freedom from: Herod had just killed James and saw that it pleased the Jews, so he would probably have proceeded to execute Peter after Passover. So Peter received freedom from CAPTIVITY and possible DEATH. What is keeping us captive?
- Freedom for: God still had significant purpose for Peter to build God’s church. Freedom has a purpose.
- Freedom how: God miraculously unbound Peter’s chains and supernaturally opened prison doors and numbed/dumbed down the guards. God’s POWER ENABLED freedom, if Peter was prepared to WALK INTO IT.
- Freedom through: God chose in this story to send a spiritual being (angel) to give Peter instructions on how to obtain FREEDOM. Interestingly, the angel had to give Peter a rather harsh WAKE UP CALL. Sometimes we receive a bit of slap in life, which God uses to wake us up and invite us into freedom from captivity. The angel then gives specific instructions which relates to being dressed/equipped. But all this happened through the messenger of God. Today God’s daily messenger is HOLY SPIRIT to instruct and equip us how to WALK INTO THE FREEDOM, that God has made possible for us. There are FREEDOM journeys where we just need to listen to HOLY SPIRIT to be able to WALK in obedience and see the supernatural power of God open doors and break chains.
Application:
We need to ask Holy Spirit to show us :
What is He setting us free from? We need to understand what has been holding us back, keeping us locked up or subdued or limiting our growth, derailing our relationships or making us ineffectiveness in God’s kingdom. I’ve recently been HEALED of a soul wound, that has kept me in prison of anger and offense. Because I now know what the enemy has kept me in, I can identify when he want’s to draw me back into captivity because I recognize the smell of the enemies slave camp (Israel), our grave clothes(Lazarus) or our prison(Peter). Here are a few examples of things we’ve been set free from:
- Punishment, hell, condemnation, judgement (this all has to do with salvation)
- Fear, rejection, insecurity, self-full-ness, laziness
- Who have you been serving/ who was your slave master? Ambition, success, acceptance, recognition.
Whatever we bring to the light, looses it’s control over us. John 1:4 “the LIGHT drives out the DARKNESS”
What have you been set free for?
Freedom has a PURPOSE.
- 2 Corinthians 3:17-18
17 Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 18 But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as [a]by the Spirit of the Lord.
- 1 Peter 2:16-17
“Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.
- Romans 6:18
“You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.”
- Galatians 5:13
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
Through the BLOOD of Jesus Christ, we have been set free for a purpose:
- To allow God’s spirit to transform us from the inside
- In order to become servants of the living God
- Who serve from a place of right standing with God
- And to also serve those around us.
In plain language: Jesus sets us free, so that we can become more like Him.
- Freedom how: Declaring the blood of Jesus over specific areas of bondage is what brakes the yoke of slavery.
- Freedom through: Who is God position around you to help you walk into the Freedom He has provided for you. Jesus obtains your freedom, but sometimes we miss the role people play in our journey to walk OUT that freedom. Allow Holy spirit to lead and watch if he chooses to use specific people.
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.”
| Israel | Lazarus | Peter |
Freedom from | Slavery to: o to fear (failure , man, insignificance), o insecurities, o anger o control things o offense | Death& Bondage over: o Relationships o Health o Finances o Dreams o Purpose | Limitations / Ineffectiveness o Negative words spoken over you o Lies you believe about yourself |
Freedom for | So that you can Serve God and His kingdom more effectively – not being enslaved by other things. | o Eternal life with God o Abundant life on earth: · Truth · Joy · Peace | Purpose: o Love God and people o Be effective in your space |
Freedom how | God’s power – Blood of Jesus breaks: o lies o strongholds/ patterns o addictions | God’s power: o Divine life to body o Every spiritual blessing through Jesus Christ for all godliness. | God’s power: o Work of cross o Power of Holy Spirit to break lies by bringing truth |
Freedom through | A leader: o Spouse o Mentor o Parent o Church / small group leader | A community: o Church o Connect groups o Godly friends | Holy Spirit – He is: o Truth o Wisdom |
