Freedom is a beautiful thing and privilege but usually comes with a great price that somebody or others have paid and sacrificed to pave the way for true liberty. Men and women at war fighting for their nation to defend their freedom. Let us look at this subject on a personal level and not as a political discussion. The irony of somebody behind bars or enslaved such as the use of drugs, alcohol, or even sex trafficking can put a person into some deep bondage without any escape.
Slavery comes in many forms, but we usually do not notice it. One who goes to serve a life prison sentence behind bars. There was a billionaire who supposedly took his own life in prison had enslaved many young girls and women as victims of sex slavery. The other side of this sickness is the people who pay to have sex or are addicted to pornography. Internet pornography is known to be a multi-billion-dollar industry. Some are taken captive by the use of drug and alcohol addiction which can also be in the form of prescription drugs and not just illegal drug use. Others are just taken captive by other measures such as gossip, envy, jealousy, anger, and hate.
The Bible or Scripture has been used to control people such as living under the law and not walking in God’s grace. Paul the Apostle even dealt with Corinthian believers in Christ how they wanted to revert back to the laws of Moses or the flesh than walk and live in the power of the Spirit of God. Paul even said, “The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life,” (2 Corinthians 3:6). When the letter of the law kills such as legalism, it sucks the joy right out of a person as a believer. The carnal mind takes over then the contention, faultfinding, backbiting, gossip, even sexual sin can drive your life right to the ground. The heart can become hardened, and we try to impress the outward external appearances, or the status quo of our job, career, etc.
“Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty – FREEDOM!” Freedom and victory can be found if you are willing to allow God’s richest grace to work in your life. Christ Jesus paved the way for salvation, deliverance, and freedom from sin. Jesus paid the ultimate price once and for all!
You may have experienced freedom years ago, but now find your life being shackled with besetting, entangling sins. You may be miserable thinking this is life, but that's a lie. It’s time to rise up and let go and let God work in your life once again!
“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” -Hebrews 12:1 NKJV
“Are you so foolish and senseless? Having begun [your new life by faith] with the Spirit, are you now being perfected and reaching spiritual maturity by the flesh [that is, by your own works and efforts to keep the Law]?” -Galatians 3:3 AMP
To become effective and live victoriously we must turn from our addictive ways and allow the work of the cross to help us forgive and walk in the Spirit, where true freedom is found. There are no formulas, but a true work of God’s love and grace in your life.
“Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.” -Romans 7:25 NIV
Pastor Andy Provitola