Good Morning!
Did you know that "Freedom" is God's purpose for our lives? Galatians 5:1 tells us that boldly.
"Christ has liberated us into freedom. Therefore stand firm and don't submit again to a yoke of slavery."
That is a bold statement and easy to understand. One day I was preaching on Red Square in front of Lenin's tomb. I was told there were several thousand people gathered to hear what we had to say. A police officer drove his police car from the opposite side of the square to stop our rally. He came to me and said, "You do not have the freedom to gather like this in our country." I knew that law had changed in Russia and what we were doing was not illegal. I told him that information and he debated with me the issue. He told me that he was going to take me to jail until the issue was settled. My interpreter was holding the microphone and translating everything to me while she was being amplified so the entire crowd heard the conversation. One person yelled at the police officer and said, "We want to hear about the American God. Leave him alone!" The officer's will to restrict our freedom was being challenged by a large crowd. Graciously, he turned and got back into his car and drove to the other side of Red Square...where he got out of his car and listened to our message of the Gospel. (As a side note...When I gave the crowd the opportunity to pray and by Faith receive Jesus into their lives and indicate their Faith by coming up as close to me as they could...the officer got into his car, parked near to the crowd, took off his hat and came near me to receive Jesus into his life!)
Initially, the officer wanted to restrict our freedom. There are people all over this world and through history who have desired to restrict the freedom of people. At the time this event took place in Russia they were just beginning their journey of freedom from a Socialist government. Why do people have the desire to take away our freedoms? Simply stated, it is the desire of their god...Satan! Since Satan is the prince of this earth.
"Wherein in time past you walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now works in the children of disobedience:" Ephesians 2:2.
So, leaders in government and schools, and workplaces are attempting to hoist themselves into a position to rule over you and take away your freedom. They are empowered by the "prince of this world" but you are empowered by the King of Kings who reigns over all powers. By the way, the King pulls rank over the prince every time.
Who are you going to give your allegiance to? I choose the King. Look at what Revelation 12:9 reveals about Satan:
"So the great dragon was thrown out—the ancient serpent,
who is called the Devil and Satan,
the one who deceives the whole world.
He was thrown to earth, and his angels with him."
Satan is working daily to deceive every one who will listen to him. Power looks and sounds good to government leaders and authority and Satan uses them especially to steal the God-given freedoms from people so they can exalt themselves. I pray that every believer has the intelligence to see this deception and turn from it. Don't elect them into office. Don't give place to their deception. They can be a good person by looking good and speaking eloquently. They may even desire to give to the poor, but, the truth is they would like to make you poor so they can be your hero also. These are the disguises of Satan. He desires to remove from you the freedom that God gave to you.
The writer of Galatians makes the fact known that God has made you free. He says to "Stand in your freedom..." Don't go back into a life of slavery to sin. Don't return to your life before you received Jesus into your life. You are free because of God. No person has the right to take that freedom away. No government has a right to shut you down or steal your freedoms. God rules and He has made you free. I have a question. Why would you have a desire to go back to what you were before Christ changed you? What would be powerful enough to draw you back into a life without God? I do realize the power that Satan has on people by dressing up sin to make it attractive to the flesh. But...you have already experienced what it means to have a life of freedom from Satan's power and eternal life in God. With the people that Paul was addressing in Galatians, he said, "I don't know what to do about you." 4:20b.
When you submit yourself back into a life of Satan's influence you are again controlled by the law and not a life of Faith. In fact, Paul says that "You who are trying to be justified by the law are alienated from Christ; you are fallen from grace!" 5:4.
That is a terrible place to be..." fallen from grace!" We'll take up that passage in full tomorrow.
As of today...live in the freedoms that God has given to you and enjoy it. It's refreshing. Especially during a Pandemic. With God's freedom, you are never locked down or shut down because "If the Son sets you FREE, then indeed you are FREE!" John 8:36.
May God Bless You!
Don Betts
DBEA/campus320
DBEAWINNING.COM
TO GOD BE ALL GLORY!