What does freedom mean to you?
The Wikipedia definition of freedom is the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.
As we have recently celebrated the 4th of July (U.S.A.’s Independence Day), I think of what freedom means in our lives. I think of the sacrifices so many of our soldiers made to fight for and protect our freedom here in the United States and how grateful we are to all who serve and have served in our Armed Forces. I think of being able to choose what sports I wanted to play if any while growing up, what profession I wanted to pursue, and whom I wanted to marry – and what a great choice I made! I think of our freedoms at our barbeques on the 4th – do I choose a hot dog, hamburger, bratwurst, or any combination of these?
More importantly, I think about having freedom of religion here in the United States. I think of our biblical freedom: freedom from sin’s power and the ability to live as God intended. This is a gift from God available to all mankind and can only be achieved through a relationship with Jesus Christ. Satan uses sin and temptations to get in the way of our relationship with God, but because of the saving power of Jesus, we can have freedom.
Galatians 5:1 says, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by the yoke of slavery” (NIV). Freedom in Christ is the most powerful thing we can have because with it, we have the promise of eternal life. Christ died to save us from our sins and that gives us true freedom.
Acts 13:38-39 says, “Therefore, my brothers, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses” (NIV).
God gives us free will – freedom to continually and willfully choose Him daily, to follow His guidance, to ask for His help, and be grateful for His mercies every day. He wants a relationship with all of us but does not force himself upon us. Revelation 22:17 says “The Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let him who hears say, Come! Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life” (NIV). Finding freedom in Christ starts with seeking and living out God’s plan for our lives and not being slaves to sin and the riches of the world. We are free because we seek the Lord and seek to do His will, not our own. As we are going through our current sermon series on the Lord’s Prayer, “your will be done” is about asking God to do what He desires as we trust in His knowledge and thus we submit to His plans and ways asking Him to empower us to accomplish it.
As followers of Christ, we are meant to share the freedom we know because of God with family, friends, and all whom we encounter daily. Isaiah 61:1 says, “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor, to comfort the brokenhearted and proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed” (NLT). The first step to true freedom is honest prayer and devotion.
Whatever you are going through, you don’t have to go through it alone – God is with us! He promised He will never leave us or forsake us. Know that where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
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