I am my worst enemy. I second-guess my decisions; find fault in what I’ve said, written or done; I push myself to do more than God has asked me to do, etc. When I think of freedom, I often think of freedom from myself! While I enjoy a great deal of God’s freedom in many areas of my life, I can see how the Holy Spirit has been continuing to lead me to greater freedom. Where do you need greater freedom in your life?
The primary message Jesus preached was NOT Jesus saves or heals, as much as we tend to think that was the case. If you analyze everything Jesus taught, you will find His most dominate message was the kingdom of God. It was the only thing Jesus called “good news” or the gospel. We don’t hear much about that teaching, and when we do, preachers and teachers often put a VERY different spin on what the kingdom of God means or represents.
Indeed, Jesus came to set the captive free, but we tend to think the captives are those in prison, addicted to something, in some handicap or other form of bondage. If you look closely at what the freedom Jesus taught, you will find He is referring to the results of the bondage Adam placed us in: freedom from our independent way of life which influences the way we think. We have grown so used to living with our sin depraved nature that it has become normal to us—as normal is for a child raised in a ghetto with drug addicted parents. Their toys are limited to empty bottles, sticks, hubcaps or whatever they find lying around. His/her eyes are blind to any other way of life.
When the apostle Paul preached the kingdom of God on his missionary tour, he was accused of preaching allegiance to a king other than Caesar (Acts 17:7). That was how radically different the truth of the kingdom of God was in Bible days and is still the same in our day. Do you essentially obey what you prefer or what our King has commanded in His book or whispered to your inner being? When Jesus is truly King of our lives, Jesus said out of love for Him we will obey everything our King commands (John 14:15).
We live in a democracy that is government by the people for the people. This basically gives us freedom to do whatever we convince ourselves to be best for us. This has led most Christians to think Christianity is also a democracy rather than a kingdom where the King writes the rules, determines the penalty and goes so far as to judge His servant’s attitudes towards obeying His laws.
To be crystal clear, God is not as concerned with our behavioral choices as He is with our attitude that determines how we respond AFTER we violate what He has taught in His word. He doesn’t require a sinless life, but He does require a humble and repentant heart after we sin. His Spirit will continue to transform our lives PROVIDING the attitude and passion of our hearts are to love Him with all we have and are.
As you look at your life, can you say your daily decisions are governed by the rules of the kingdom of God or more by what you prefer or what is right in your own eyes? I fall far more than I like. But because my heart is passionately desiring to know God, His ways and values in a more intimate way, I have confidence His Spirit will continue to change me into His likeness. Is the condition of your heart for God the way you want it to be? Do you need greater freedom in some areas of your life? What do you have to do for God to change you?