SO, DO YOU REALLY WANT TO BE FREE FROM YOUR BONDAGES?

You can be!  Listen to Christ’s astounding promise: “If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free… So if the Son liberates you [makes you free men], then you are really and unquestionably free.”  (Jn. 8:31, 32, 36 – Amp.)

How is this possible? Let me share from personal experience here.  Back in my 20’s a godly old man graciously pointed out to me how offensive my speech was; laced as it was with self-centeredness, off-color statements, exaggerations, insensitivity, etc.  I have to tell you, I was grieved when I realized the truth of his statement.  But try as I may, I could not break the pattern.  So, I thoroughly studied what the Word of God had to say about speech.  Then I picked out a half a dozen or so key verses or passages from that study and determined to prayerfully memorize them over a 6 – 8 week period.  As I memorized, I prayed fervently that God would plant His Truth in my heart and liberate me from my enslavement.  To my utter amazement the grip this vice had on me diminished and died.  I was liberated!

Over the next several years, I repeated this process in every other area of bondage in my life.  Today, I can tell you, I am free!  I do not mean that there are not skirmishes from time to time, but the enslavement to sin in these areas has been broken.

So, would you like to be free of fear?  Anger?  Defeating sexual issues?  Envy? Gossip, etc? Take Jesus at his word and attack your bondages with the liberating power of God’s word.  Claim the promises in John 8:31,32, 36 above.

For starters, here is a sampler of Scriptures in four critical areas:

FEAR:  “…Do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”  (Isa. 41:10)  Also: Gen. 15:1; Deut. 20:1-4; 31:6,7; Josh. 1:7-9; 2 Chron. 20:17; Psa.23:4; 27:1; 46:1,2; Isa. 51:12, 13; 54:14; Rom. 8:31-39; 2 Tim. 1:7; 1 Jn 4:18.

ANGER:  "In your anger do not sin": Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry…Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.”  (Eph. 4:26, 31)  Also:  Psa. 37:8; Pro. 12:16; 14:17, 29; 15:1, 18; 16:32; 17:14; 19:11, 19; 25:28; 27:3, 4; 29:22; Ecc. 7:9; Matt. 5:22-24; Col. 3:8; Jms.1:19, 20.

LUST:  “For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do--living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. They think it strange that you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation, and they heap abuse on you. But they will have to give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.”  (I Pet. 4:3-5)  Also:  Exo. 20:17; Job 31:1, 9-12; Pro.4:22-27;  6:25-29; Matt. 5:27-30; Rom. 8:1,2; 1 Cor. 9:24-27;  Eph. 2:1-6; 2 Tim. 2:22; Tit. 2:12; Jms 1:12-15. 

PRIDE:  "…Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD.”  (Jer. 9:23, 24)  Also: Lev. 26:19, 20; Deut. 8:11-20; 1 Sam. 2:3,4; Psa. 10:2-6; 12:4; 18:27; 31:23; 52:7; Pro. 6:16, 17; 11:2; 12:9, 15; 13:10; 15:25; 16:5, 18, 19; 18:12; 20:6; 21:4; 25:27; 26:12; 27:2; 29:23; 30:12, 13; Isa. 2:11-17; Matt. 20:24 – 28; 23:6-8; Mk. 10:43-45; Lk. 1:51; 1 Cor. 3:18; 2 Cor. 10:12, 18; Gal. 6:3; Phil. 2:3-8; 2 Tim. 6:17-19; Jms.. 4:6; 1 Pet. 5:2-4.

A couple of closing thoughts:  The battlefield is in the mind which must be transformed into a godly mindset.  Carefully analyze Romans 12:1, 2; 2 Cor. 10:3-5; and Ephesians 4:23,24.  And don’t forget the empowering role of the Holy Spirit in liberating us  from sin’s bondages. In this regard, carefully study Romans 8:1-27; John 6:63;  and Galatians 5:16.