Freedom is Found in Christ
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· 13 viewsOur freedom is found in Christ Jesus
Notes
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36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Intro:
Today is Independence day here in America. On July 2nd 1776 the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later delegates from 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence which is why we celebrate July 4th as Independence Day.
And while there were several reasons why America desired to become independent of England the overarching theme was that of freedom.
Freedom -a state of liberty that results from not being oppressed or in bondage
Freedom -a state of liberty that results from not being oppressed or in bondage
And from the Puritans as early as the 1620s seeking religious freedom from the Church of England to the over taxation of the colonists without representation in the English parliament to the desire of our founding fathers to have a government by the people and for the people, early Americans desired freedom from the oppressive English monarchy and were willing to take action despite the consequences in the hope for a better life for themselves and generations to come.
As Christians we too are a people who desire and have attained true freedom and this freedom can only be found in Christ Jesus.
And while we have a confident hope in Christ it is entirely appropriate and necessary for us to be reminded of and celebrate the grace of God that when we were still lost in our sins that Jesus loves us so much He paid the price He did not owe on Cavalry's Cross.
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
So today as we celebrate America and the freedoms we are blessed to have, I want to remind you and celebrate with you the true freedom which only Jesus Christ offers.
What is Biblical Freedom?
What is Biblical Freedom?
This may seem like a strange question to ask as in many cases biblical freedom is the same as freedom in the world meaning to have liberty that comes from not being oppressed or in bondage. But as is the case with all things when we look deeper into the living and powerful word of God our understanding of even simple concepts are expounded.
Biblical freedom -occurs after God by His power and might removes any and all things that seek to block us from our created purpose. This applies to all areas of our life both in the natural and in the supernatural.
Biblical freedom -occurs after God by His power and might removes any and all things that seek to block us from our created purpose. This applies to all areas of our life both in the natural and in the supernatural.
And what is our created purpose you may ask? It is simply to know, love, worship and enjoy God forever. And also to love and treat others as we would like to be treated.
Jesus confirms this in
36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”
37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.
38 This is the great and first commandment.
39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”
How Do We Achieve Freedom?
How Do We Achieve Freedom?
The answer simply is that we cannot earn this freedom because it was won for you and me an every mother’s child by the life, death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Only by our faith in Him can we be saved from the penalty of our sins and have true freedom.
The Apostle Paul gives a great explanation of this in
1 Once you were dead because of your disobedience and your many sins.
2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil—the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God.
3 All of us used to live that way, following the passionate desires and inclinations of our sinful nature. By our very nature we were subject to God’s anger, just like everyone else.
4 But God is so rich in mercy, and he loved us so much,
5 that even though we were dead because of our sins, he gave us life when he raised Christ from the dead. (It is only by God’s grace that you have been saved!)
6 For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.
7 So God can point to us in all future ages as examples of the incredible wealth of his grace and kindness toward us, as shown in all he has done for us who are united with Christ Jesus.
8 God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God.
9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it.
10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.
You see brothers and sister God’s freedom is perfect and a gift we receive when we put our faith in Christ Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
And Jesus Himself promises us that when He sets us free that we are truly free.
36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
Total Freedom
Total Freedom
Praise God that we have freedom from sin and death Amen!
The Lord is so gracious and loving not only have we been given victory over the penalty of sin but we also have freedom from the grip of sin.
19 They promise freedom, but they themselves are slaves of sin and corruption. For you are a slave to whatever controls you.
Some sins are obvious sins and other times it is more subtle but anything contrary to God’s word and anything that controls you is sin. And listen to me today that applies not just to your actions but also the thoughts you choose to meditate one.
27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’
28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Hear me clearly this morning Christians it is a choice what you meditate on. Yes the devil will put a thought in your mind but you immediately bind it and cast it down replacing it with the word of God and then move on with your life. However, if you choose to meditate on the lies of the enemy instead of the truth of God’s word that is sin.
I realize this can be extremely difficult for some people but what you choose to think about, what you choose to allow your eyes to see or your ears to hear or what false realities you create and meditate on what places you go, how you spend the money God has blessed you with, how you treat other people even if it is just a hardness of heart is a choice and we need to make good godly choices that line up with His word.
You see, the devil is a liar and the father of lies and he will always try to entice us to stop following God’s ways and instead follow what our flesh, thoughts or culture tell us to do. Following these behaviors which do not line up with the word of God is not freedom and will only lead to destruction.
But I have some great news for you today which is that when you put your faith in Jesus Christ you were sealed with the Holy Spirit.
13 And now you Gentiles have also heard the truth, the Good News that God saves you. And when you believed in Christ, he identified you as his own by giving you the Holy Spirit, whom he promised long ago.
14 The Spirit is God’s guarantee that he will give us the inheritance he promised and that he has purchased us to be his own people. He did this so we would praise and glorify him.
You see brothers and sisters you have God living inside of you and there is no greater power than God. So when the devil tries to entice you to sin then by the power of God’s word and the power of God’s Spirit you can walk in victory.
4 Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.
So whatever it is that the devil is trying use to shake your faith and make you stumble will not succeed if you trust the Lord and walk in His ways.
There is not a demon in hell or the devil himself that has any power over you today. Hallelujah!
Do you need financial freedom today?
Well God is Jehovah-Jireh the God who provides and He will provide all our needs according to His riches and glory in Christ Jesus!
Do you need freedom in your health today?
Well God is Jehovah-Rapha the Lord Who Heals and there is not a injury, plague or disease that He does not have authority over.
Do you need freedom from depression or loneliness today?
God hears your prayers and is already working things out on your behalf.
17 When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.
18 The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.
If you are grieving this morning the Lord hears your cry.
If you are struggling with addiction this morning the Lord has given you the power to defeat the devil and get clean.
Simply put no matter what the devil is trying to throw against you today he has no power over you or your situation. He is a defeated foe.
Jesus Christ hears your prayers and help is on the way. He will give you everything you need to not only survive but thrive and accomplish His greater plans and purposes.
You don’t have to carry your burdens any more but lay them down at the feet of Jesus Christ and rest in the freedom that He given you.
Trust in the Lord, keep moving forward and just watch what He does in our lives. Hallelujah!
Prayer