Free at Last
(some more thoughts that I shared with MOPS group on Friday, January 20th)
Freedom……what does that mean to you? We live in a country where freedom is at the core of what our country was built upon. However, what about freedom in Christ? Are you free in Christ?
Galatians 5:1 says “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.”
How many of you want more of God in your life but you don’t feel that anything is happening?
How many of you feel that you need to squash your desires and push them down in order to get closer to God?
How many of you are in bondage to different things in your life that are keeping you from having the kind of relationship that you would like to have with others and especially God?
God is a merciful God who loves us so much. He wants so much more for us but we have to be willing to reach out and grab what God has for us. We have to be willing to let go of past hurts and pains in order to step in to the fullness of God.
So do you want freedom in Christ?
Galatians 5:16- 26 says….
16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. 19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.
There are three things that I believe are critical to our relationship with God and attaining freedom in Christ:
1. We must accept God’s grace every day (Amazing Grace video)
a. Definition of grace – mercy; clemency; pardon - a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior
b. Daily – this is not a one step program and when you become saved and accept God’s pardon and salvation. We must believe that God forgives us over and over again.
2. We must allow God to break the chains in our life and we must pray that our desires become God’s desires
a. Bondage – what are areas in your life that are bondages that are keeping you from God? Take index card(s) and write them down and date them. On other side of card write down what you believe God will do in these different areas in 2012. Let’s pray together to see miracles in 2012.
Have we allowed bondages in our lives to keep us from walking in the fullness of what God has for us in life? Imagine chains on your hands and feet……would it be difficult to walk? What about the simple things in life like eating and drinking? Would that be easy or hard? Then imagine these chains on our hands and feet and we are trying to walk with God. It would be a lot easier for us if we allowed God to break those chains and bondages in our lives….we would walk so much easier. We used a visual example of handcuffs and asked the question of "How difficult would it be to do typical daily stuff with handcuffs on?" except we live life with handcuffs on. We also spoke about the show "The Biggest Loser" and in one of the episodes at the end where the contestants have to chain weights on to themselves that are equivalent to the weight that they have lost and then they have to try and run a race and how difficult it is. However these contestants got so used to carrying around the extra weight for so many years and it was a part of their comfort zone. Once they lost weight, they were out of their comfort zone. Some bondages could be inherently good things as well.
Have we allowed bondages in our lives to keep us from walking in the fullness of what God has for us in life? Imagine chains on your hands and feet……would it be difficult to walk? What about the simple things in life like eating and drinking? Would that be easy or hard? Then imagine these chains on our hands and feet and we are trying to walk with God. It would be a lot easier for us if we allowed God to break those chains and bondages in our lives….we would walk so much easier. We used a visual example of handcuffs and asked the question of "How difficult would it be to do typical daily stuff with handcuffs on?" except we live life with handcuffs on. We also spoke about the show "The Biggest Loser" and in one of the episodes at the end where the contestants have to chain weights on to themselves that are equivalent to the weight that they have lost and then they have to try and run a race and how difficult it is. However these contestants got so used to carrying around the extra weight for so many years and it was a part of their comfort zone. Once they lost weight, they were out of their comfort zone. Some bondages could be inherently good things as well.
b. Desires - why do you believe that the world is so unhappy with all the material things of this world? It may be because nothing is satisfying their soul. Do you feel like you have to squash your desires down in order to make room for God? How about pouring out your desires and laying them down at the Lord’s feet and then asking the Lord to pour in his desires in to you? This then means that your desires have now become the Lord’s desires. This is a lot easier than trying to push down your own desires and then trying to pour the Lord’s desires on top of them.
c. Free at last – we must walk with freedom which means with our heads held high and not walk around in despair and sadness
3. We must be filled with the Holy Spirit
a. Pouring out - we need to pour out our confessions and our concerns to God (Galatians 5:16-26)
b. Pouring in – we need to allow ourselves to be filled with the Holy Spirit – being empty is a great risk (Ephesians 5:18 - 18 - Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.)
c. Pouring forth – we are competent ministers of Christ (2 Corinthians 3:5-6 - 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
Do you want to live in total freedom in Christ? You must lay everything down at the cross of Jesus daily. Watch Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone) – by Chris Tomlin.
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