The Importance of Freedom
That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies Might serve him without fear (Luke 1:74 KJV)
The first thing the Lord does when He calls us is to set us free from bondage so that we can live or serve Him. Therefore, He first brought Israel out of Egypt before bringing them into the promised land( Debt. 6:23). Similarly, Simeon spoke about this divine pattern when Jesus was brought by His parents into the Temple: “He would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve Him without fear.”.
We cannot serve God effectively until we are set free from “our enemies.” Jesus put it another way: “no man can serve two masters .” Picture Israel attempting to serve God while still in bondage in Egypt. The Egyptians would have controlled what they would say or do, and the loyalty of the Israelites would have been divided between God and their Egyptian masters.
What are these “enemies,” “bondages,” or “masters” that God does not want us to serve? Simply stated, bondage is anything or anyone that has control over our will and compels us to do what is usually against our will, often with accompanying suffering, leaving us in a state we wish we could come out of, but we find no power to break free. Think about a man watching pornography, possibly with tears in their eyes, knowing how this addiction is destroying their life, damaging their family, or ruining their relationship with their wife or with God. They want to be free, yet they cannot seem to find the power to stop themselves. They just keep doing something they do not want to do, but they just can’t stop. This addiction is an example of bondage, an “enemy” or a “master.”
Sin is the grandmaster of human bondage. Our walk with God began with deliverance from sin because sin is a master that competes with God. For example, the Lord might tell us not to do something but sin will ask us to do the opposite, and we get caught between these two masters, often choosing sin and ending up with death—hurts, shame, sorrow, etc. Yet we just cannot stop sinning except the Lord helps us!
Although sin as a spiritual entity was dealt with at the new birth, sinful behaviors continue to stalk us. Furthermore, the emotional or mental list of bondages is almost endless —fear, anxiety, worry, shame, guilt, self-condemnation, bitterness, etc. As if these bondages are not enough, add health and financial bondages, and then demonic oppressions. Who amongst us will choose poverty or sickness if given the freedom to choose? We do not want these things, yet we do not have the luxury of just saying no. This is the misery of human bondage on earth. But there is hope.
God sent Christ to save, deliver and set us free. He wants our freewill to be free to choose Him and live for Him. He does not want to command us to do something while poverty commands us not to do it because of insufficient funds! Or maybe He commands us to forgive, yet bitterness( another master) says no. Or He possibly commands us to be holy in body, yet lusts, not God, is the master that reigns in our lives. A healthy Christian walk truly begins with freedom. The Lord wants us free. He knows we cannot serve two masters. He knows we cannot live or serve Him effectively as long as there is something in our lives that has greater control over our will than Him.
As we prepare to enter this cloud of glory invading the earth, the Lord will first send a wave of deliverance to cleanse us and set us free. He is not condemning us but instead wants to liberate us! He wants us free.
NB. There is an arm of our ministry called “Deshen Mountain of Freedom” which is yet to be launched. Please do keep this in prayer for the Lord to provide the wisdom, and make available the time and resources to fulfill this aspect of what He has asked us to do.
What is bondage? What is freedom? Why is it essential for us to be free?
It takes power to be set free. I remember when the Lord delivered me from fear and lustful thoughts as a teenager. The power in the Word broke those chains off my hands. But after those chains were broken, other chains surfaced that still needed to be broken in my life! What area do you need deliverance or freedom? That resurrection power is still available today. Let Him set you free so that you can serve Him without fear!
Ask the Father to send a wave of freedom into His house!
Read & Watch
Freedom from Bondage
Freedom in His Presence
What is deliverance?
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