“John”-Teenth

Theme: Live the life Christ died for!

The battle is Won, by the Son

Luke 4:18 NLT

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free,

18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free,

John 8:32 NLT

32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

Juneteenth is like a spiritual “John”- teenth

History of June Teenth

June-teenth - Slaves in America continued to live in bondage for years, even after the Emancipation Proclamation DECLARED their freedom the Civil War WON their freedom!

Until their freedom was NOTIFIED and ENFORCED by the liberating army.

John - teenth is really God- teenth

Civil war - 1861 to 1865

freed the slaves

Emancipation proclamation - Sept 22, 1862

June teenth - June 19, 1865

Enforce the victory

Irony - the outcome of the war had to be enforced by its own army

General so and so - Texas

The “ARMY” Enforced the “LAW” - that was written after the VICTORY for freedom was won!

The law for freedom was Enforced in 2 ways:

INFORM the slaves (and their former owners) of their new life of freedom and the changes it brought:

The blacks were no longer PROPERTY but PEOPLE with rights.

From slaves to citizens.

Could no longer be FORCED against their will

Have a RIGHT to be COMPENSATED for their time and energy.

Given EQUAL OPPORTUNITY

Saved But Lost

Unless enforced, a freed-man lives no differently than a slave

Blacks were free but lived as slaves - they were known as the “FREED men”

In America, the slaves were SAVED, but LIVED as LOST

Living below their rights and privileges - as human beings and citizens.

Live the prodigal, he was a son but was living like a swine, until he came to his senses and returned home.

Hosea 4:6 NLT

6 My people are being destroyed because they don’t know me. Since you priests refuse to know me, I refuse to recognize you as my priests. Since you have forgotten the laws of your God, I will forget to bless your children.

Jesus won their healing, but ignorance keeps God’s people sick.

Jesus won their prosperity, but ignorance keeps God’s people poor

Slaves Are Unaware of Options

Slaves never saw farther than their own hand

A slave mentality never considers spiritual answers to their problems, such God, Bible, prayer, blood of Jesus, church.

The slaves were not aware they had equal opportunity.

They thought all they saw was all they would ever have.

Work at a dead-end job and live on a dead end street

The slaves self-limited their own options based on experience vs the freedom they now legally have.

The slaves developed a “Gave up” mentality of passivity - broken spirit - or else there would have been a riot of slaves.

Religion Enslaves - Bible Blocked

Slaves were deliberately kept in ignorance - censorship, cancelled education, no access to literature, including the Bible.

Slaves were not allowed to read or have an education -

Those that could read rarely had a Bible.

The slaves that had a Bible were given a special edition called the Slave Bible.

“The Slave Bible, as it would become known, is a missionary book. It was originally published in London in 1807 on behalf of the Society for the Conversion of Negro Slaves, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of enslaved Africans toiling in Britain’s lucrative Caribbean colonies. They used the Slave Bible to teach enslaved Africans how to read while at the same time introducing them to the Christian faith. Unlike other missionary Bibles, however, the Slave Bible contained only “select parts” of the biblical text. Its publishers deliberately removed portions of the biblical text, such as the exodus story, that could inspire hope for liberation. Instead, the publishers emphasized portions that justified and fortified the system of slavery that was so vital to the British Empire.”

https://www.museumofthebible.org/exhibits/slave-bible

The slave Bible was edited by man removed the Book of Exodus

Exodus records the story of freedom of the Jewish race from Egyptian slavery.

10% Old and 50% New Testament remain

The work omits the books of Leviticus, Numbers, Joshua, Judges, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Psalms, Song of Songs, Jeremiah, Lamentations, Ezekiel, and 10 of the 12 Minor Prophets.

Censoring the Bible kept the slaves from believing God for freedom of the black race from American slavery.

The Bible had a vital role during slavery in man’s struggle for freedom.

The book of Revelation says that anyone who takes away from God’s Book of the Law, God will remove his part from the Kingdom of Heaven.

When man removes God’s Word, God removes man

only three known copies of the Slave Bible exist today. One copy can viewed in Museum of the Bible in Washington DC.

Today - 10 commandments- removed from schools, made kids slaves to sex, drugs, violence

Today - fight in Louisiana to restore it.

Critics claim that someone would read them and act on it.

Today, many ministers keep people in bondage - ignore the Old Testament, miracles are not for today, the Bible is not to be taken literally, there is no hell, etc.

Slave Mentality - Surrenders to Circumstances

Even while there were legally free, the slaves were convinced they had limited or no options:

Generational curse = broken family history

A defeatist mentality can come from generations of hopelessness caused by the trauma of the broken spirit of their ancestors by their captors.

Roots - Kunta Kinte was beaten by his captors until he accepted his new slave name of Toby.

Children are taught they will be nothing because their parents did not succeed - college etc.

The preaching of negativity becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The Path to Freedom - INFORM and ENFORCE

Get it - keep it

Know the truth vs simply Saying that “I know the truth”

Know the truth in your Heart vs only in your head

Slavery knows in the head but doubts in the heart

God’s Truth will make you Free in HEALTH

Freedom from Sickness

Many things that are labeled as “generational curses” are simply learned bad behavior, more so than the devil.

Example - I continue my daddy’s anger, fear, laziness, etc. by having watched him for years.

Hereditary disease is based on Faith more than fact. The faith becomes disease.

The slaves thought the only options were non-existent, or limited to how their parent’s lived

A slave mentality say you will die early, but the truth of Psalms 91 says God will satisfy you with long life!

family disease

Doctor

From Coping to healing

From Pain management to pain FREE

From BOUND by addiction to FREE and clean

God’s Truth will make you Free in WEALTH

Borrower - slave to lender - Prov 22:7

Proverbs 22:7 NLT

7 Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender.

A slave mentality can only see limited financial options such as:

fixed income, welfare, social security, food stamps, government assistance, public housing, dead-end job

heavy load vs easy yoke and light burden

hardship vs

employee vs freedom of business ownership

from a RECIPIENT to a CONTRIBUTOR

UN employed to SELF employed

From Job TAKER to job MAKER and wealth CREATOR

God’s truth will bring freedom from generational welfare

Religion teaches a financial slavery mentality by saying that we are to barely get by and never become rich

But Jesus wants you to have financial freedom and live financially independent - by living debt FREE!

John 10:10 -Jesus came that we would have abundant life, to the full, until it overflows!

John 10:10 NLT

10 The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life.

Deut 28 - Lend and not borrow

God’s Truth will make you Free in SPIRIT

Spiritual freedom

Son sets free - indeed

John 8:36 NLT

36 So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.

For all mankind from slavery

From death, disease

When Messiah comes - already here!

Jesus’ Truth Sets Free the Spirit - for You

Did not hear of the Holy Spirit

12 men Spirit filled at Ephesus

Acts 19:2 NLT

2 “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” he asked them. “No,” they replied, “we haven’t even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

Acts 19:5 NLT

5 As soon as they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

Acts 19:6 NLT

6 Then when Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in other tongues and prophesied.

YOUR PART - Be the army, that enforces God’s Law of freedom

The battle is Won by the Son

Great Commission - spread the GOOD News

People do not have to live defeated lives

Circuit rider

Occupying force

West Virginia - fought for freedom - birthday close to June teenth

WV - June 20, 1863 - 161 years

Our Marching orders

One – receive Freedom.

Two - tell others