Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom]. And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 AMP
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. Freedom from bondage to sin and religion. Sin is anything that is not in line with God’s will. Religion is a works based approach to trying to be righteous. Neither one is living by faith.
True faith sets you free. You receive the Lord, the Spirit of the Lord, and become a temple of the Holy Spirit. We are no longer obligated to go to the temple to worship. We have become the temple. Wherever you are, there the Lord is. And where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
Are you walking in freedom? Are you alive in the Spirit? Has God broken all the chains of sin and shame that want to entangle you? You’ll find freedom in Jesus.
Everything you’ve ever done is covered by the blood of Jesus. Have you ever done anything wrong? The Lord forgives you. It’s free. It’s a gift. Just confess your sin as sin and be healed in Jesus’ Name. Unconfessed sin and harboring resentments are a sure fire way to quench the Spirit’s movement in your life.
As a culture, we like to call out other people’s sin and conceal our own. That’s hypocrisy and God hates hypocrisy. God loves the truth. Even the ugly truth. When we confess our sins, we are aligning ourselves with God’s truth and His healing and forgiveness are always available.
This is true because of Jesus. If Jesus had not made the atoning sacrifice, we’d all still be in a world of hurt. Believe me when I tell you, God can heal you and set you free from anything. Especially the things that you are powerless to change.
I’ve learned that if I’m struggling with something and I don’t know how to deal with it, I can give it to the Lord. He is more than capable of working miraculously.
For example, there was a time when I had a very contentious relationship with my family. There was no peace, only arguments and resentments. I asked the Lord, “What am I supposed to be learning here?”
He said, “Pray for them.”
We all had our reasons to be in conflict, yet God called me to be a peacemaker. I had to swallow my pride, forget about my rights, and pray for the souls of my family members. Something changes when you pray for people. You can’t hold them in judgment anymore. You have to genuinely want God’s best for them to intercede effectively.
Now, my relationship with my family is more harmonious than it’s ever been. It seems we actually care for each other. I have chosen to forgive. And why shouldn’t I?
I have no trouble accepting God’s grace. I used to be a professional sinner. I did everything wrong. Then, God opened my eyes and changed my heart. I’m a new creation in Christ.
I keep that knowledge in the back of my mind at all times. If God can radically change my life and forgive me of all my sins, He can do it for anybody. Sometimes, it’s the people closest to us that we have the hardest time forgiving. We know they’ll mess up again, in much the same way, either today or tomorrow. Yet, God forgives and so must we.
Freedom has a name. His Name is Jesus. In Jesus, we have the forgiveness of sin. We have the grace to make it through the day. We have the power to overcome and resist temptation. Will we fail? Assuredly. Will we get back up again? Without a doubt. Should we model grace and mercy in our relationships? I think so.
God is changing us from glory to glory. Do not lose heart. Do not be discouraged. We are passing through a fire. The fire purifies us. Don’t run from the fire. Endure. He is faithful to complete the good work He began in you.
It’s okay to rest. God is in control. Whether we live or whether we die, God’s will will be accomplished. So relax and enjoy the ride. In Jesus’ Name I pray. Amen.
Igniter Ministries 