Freed For Freedom
Galatians 5:1 ESV says, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.”
The moment you receive freedom in Christ, the fiery arrows of the enemy are at the ready. There will be an endless invitation from the forces of darkness to give up your freedom, but Christ has called you to stand firm in his power and presence.
Not all freedom is created equal. Freedom from imminent danger is different from freedom from transient danger. If you got your foot caught in a trap, freedom means escaping this one snare. However, the sovereignty of a nation surrounded by enemies maintains its freedom by standing with a strong military and a loyal citizenry. In that case, the threat of slavery and invasion is continual, and complacency is an anti-freedom stance.
In Christ, our freedom is both a divine jailbreak and a persistent empowerment from the Holy Spirit to live for the glory of the Father. I was always puzzled by what Paul meant when he said, “For freedom Christ has set us free.” Isn’t that a bit redundant? Yet it is packed with truth. Christ didn’t just set us free from our chains; he gave us the power to live in freedom.
If we only receive one portion of this promise, we are sure to submit to the yoke of slavery. Believing only part of the promise all but guarantees we will fall into the traps of sin, oppression, and deception that the enemy speaks over us.
If you believe that Christ has freed you from the power of darkness, but you doubt his promise to sustain you with his presence, you are left defenseless against every attack waged against you. If you believe God has given you power and authority, but you reject his deliverance in pride, it is only a matter of time before you get caught in a trap without a lifeline.
Instead, when we must see that God both frees us and enlists us in his army of freedom fighters. He didn’t free you so you could get off the hook. He freed you for an eternal purpose of freedom. Christ takes us out of the prison cell and hands us a job description that reads, “Live in my freedom.”
So what are you waiting for? Are you afraid of the battle that rages? There is assurance for you. Yesterday’s devotional reminded us that no power or entity in all creation separates us from God’s love. If you feel unworthy, I hope you can see God’s vision for his people more clearly. Every single Christian God called to greatness and holiness was once in a prison cell of sin, and God freed them.
You are no different. Respond to God’s call to freedom today by opening your heart to his deliverance and salvation. Then go into your day with the confidence that God has called you to live in freedom. Trust that God always supplies the grace for what he has called us to.
