When Jesus delivers us from sin, we are no longer slaves (Galatians 4:7). In that very moment, the chains fall, the prison door opens, and we are free. My life is no longer dictated by satan or by my flesh, but I now have the choice to serve whom I please.
John 8:36 tells us, “He whom the Son sets free is free indeed!” That statement cannot be changed nor refuted. It is an absolute truth. Therefore, when God delivers me from addiction, delivers me from sin, I am no longer forced to do these things against my will, but instead, I can resist temptation and remain free. The choice is mine.
Liberty is your choice
Where the spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17). My liberty is my choice. I can either choose to give into the flesh or I can choose to surrender to the Lord. Satan can’t force me to sin. He can’t bind me up or wrap me in chains. It’s up to me to maintain the freedom that I have in Jesus.
From the moment I’m delivered, the chains will no longer be on my wrists, but the prison cell that I walked out of will remain open. This will allow me the choice to either run into that cell or shut the door for good. Until I shut it for good, it will remain open, allowing me the opportunity to go back to the person I used to be. It will beckon me to return to my old ways, to get comfortable, and to stay for a while. And, while I live in grace, I will have the chance to flee that prison cell if I find myself in it again. But if I’m not careful, my life can end while in the cell, or judgement day will come and the prison door shut, leaving me without a choice to flee.
Time to make decisions
I must make the choice today to choose the blessings and not the curse. I choose freedom over bondage. I choose to run away from that prison and shut the door behind me. I choose to maintain my freedom by prioritizing my relationship with Christ, by making the effort to be in his presence as often as I can, and by praying and reading his word daily. Every day that I choose Jesus is another day that I remain in the freedom that he has given me.
Thank you Jesus for freedom!
Click here for Pastor Joshua Dane Butler’s quick thought on how to maintain freedom.
