07/04/2024
July 4, 2024 – Independence vs. Freedom
Sitting here in His presence this morning I have been contemplating the glory of the freedom we have been given as born-again believers. Galatians 5:1 (TPT) says, “Let me be clear, the Anointed One has set us free—not partially, but completely and wonderfully free! We must always cherish this truth and stubbornly refuse to go back into the bo***ge of our past.”
And then in Galatians 5:13-14 (TPT) Paul states, “Beloved ones, God has called us to live a life of freedom in the Holy Spirit. But don’t view this wonderful freedom as an opportunity to set up a base of operations in the natural realm. Freedom means that we become so completely free of self-indulgence that we become servants of one another, expressing love in all we do. 14 For love completes the laws of God. All of the law can be summarized in one grand statement: “Demonstrate love to your neighbor, even as you care for and love yourself.”
This freedom is the reward of faith in all Christ accomplished on the cross, paying the ultimate price, His precious blood, for our eternal redemption and relationship with YHWH! Oh, what freedom! Freedom, not to be used to serve our flesh but freedom to serve God and one another “expressing love in all we do.” I believe that means whatever we do should be expressing the love that set us free to set them free. Releasing them from bo***ge and leading them into true freedom in Christ.
Today, Americans celebrate the independence from the tyranny of an earthly king. Believers do not celebrate independence but freedom. Freedom from what? The tyranny of one who was called the prince of the power of the air. The greatest slavery was imposed on man, not from a king but a prince, when we gave this prince our authority in the beginning through choosing to live at the tree of the knowledge of good and evil rather than the Tree of Life.
Yet today, we can be free through faith in Christ. Not independent from a King but submitted to a True Lord, Savior and King who empowers us through grace to live free and righteous in this world no matter the condition of a country’s leaders. Our life is not theirs or ours to order. We are free through our surrender to the one who bought us with His blood. Jesus “the Anointed One has set us free—not partially, but completely and wonderfully free!”
So, in response to this freedom, we will live completely and wonderfully free, using our freedom to serve all the “one anothers” God places in our life, through love.
I am thankful for America and the freedoms we have because of those who have watered the tree of liberty with their blood. We are the land of the free because of the brave. It is time that the church arise and be the righteous freedom fighters in the Spirit putting down that dog of a prince that would deceive us into thinking that freedom is only a political fight in the governmental mountain. This is a fight in the heavenlies and that is where we will see victory first before we see it manifest in the freedom of our country. Remember we are “in” not “of” this world. We are here to bring Heaven to earth and that will be accomplished as we battle the correct enemy on the right battlefield with the strategies of the Spirit of Counsel, the Holy Spirit of God.