STEPPING Into FREEDOM
1. Know that Jesus the Christ came to set you free, and always remember that Jesus loves you even when you are in bondage.
(Matthew 9:12-13 NKJV) When Jesus heard that, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. {13} "But go and learn what this means: ’I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
God is moved by His compassion, and His compassion is drawn to humility. Like a river of love, God’s compassion flows to the lowest point in your life, your greatest need, your greatest weakness, and your greatest failures. Whatever you lay low before the Lord He will be drawn to that area of your life. God gives grace to the humble, and His strength is made perfect in your weakness.
(Isaiah 61:1-2 NIV) The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, {2} to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn. It is the anointing that breaks the yoke of bondage. God desires that you not only receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit for your self, but also that the holy Spirit would flow through you setting other people free also.
(Romans 5:8-9 NIV) But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. {9} Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! Apply the Blood of Jesus to your bondage by declaring verbally that you are set free by the blood that Jesus the Christ shed on the cross for you. Apply the blood of Jesus to your self, your home, and your family by speaking out loud and declaring that these things are covered by the Blood of Jesus Christ.
(Revelation 12:10-11 NKJV) Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. {11} "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.
2. Focus on God not the problem
(Jude 1:24-25 KJV) Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, {25} To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen. God has the power to keep you from falling! With every temptation remind God that He can keep you from falling and He will.
God always makes a way of escape in every temptation we face, look for the way of escape, the door, and remember that Jesus is the door. Jesus says in (John 10:9 NKJV) "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. (1 Corinthians 10:12-13 NKJV) Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. {13} No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
Remember that every decision and behavior is either led by God’s Holy Spirit or not, thus every decision and behavior takes you closer to God or further away from Him. Every temptation is an opportunity to demonstrate your love for God, and every act of love for God will have eternal rewards. Whenever you offer to God the sacrifice of obedience to Him the more difficult it is shows the more that you love Him. Every temptation is a great opportunity to please God.
(Hebrews 12:1-4 NKJV) Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, {2} looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. {3} For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls. {4} You have not yet resisted to bloodshed, striving against sin.
(Psalms 16:7-11 NIV) I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. {8} I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. {9} Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, {10} because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. {11} You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
(2 Corinthians 10:3-5 NIV) For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. {4} The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. {5} We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
3. Desire God more than anything else.
(Colossians 3:1-4 NIV) Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. {2} Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. {3} For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. {4} When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
(Psalms 51:10-13 NIV) Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. {11} Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me. {12} Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. {13} Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you. You need to make sure in your heart that you want to be free for God’s benefit and not just your own benefit. Pray that God will change your heart so that your desire will be toward Him only, and that you will hate all sin. Grace is God’s divine influence upon the heart, He can change your heart if you ask Him to.
(Hosea 10:12 NKJV) Sow for yourselves righteousness; Reap in mercy; Break up your fallow ground, For it is time to seek the LORD, Till He comes and rains righteousness on you.
For more information about making God your hearts desire go to Your Desire
4. Prayer and Fasting
Fasting is healthy for your mind, body, and soul. Fasting helps remove toxins from the body, helps a person to gain control over their flesh, and shows God that you are very serous about what your are praying for.
(Mark 9:28-29 NKJV) And when He had come into the house, His disciples asked Him privately, "Why could we not cast it out?" {29} So He said to them, "This kind can come out by nothing but prayer and fasting." Prayer and fasting that is led by the Holy Spirit can greatly increase a persons spiritual power thus breaking the control of great demonic strongholds that bind a person.
(Isaiah 58:6-11 NIV) "Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? {7} Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter-- when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? {8} Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the LORD will be your rear guard. {9} Then you will call, and the LORD will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. "If you do away with the yoke of oppression, with the pointing finger and malicious talk, {10} and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday. {11} The LORD will guide you always; he will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen your frame. You will be like a well-watered garden, like a spring whose waters never fail.
The kind of fasting that God desires is not that you just do self sacrifice but rather that you would sacrifice for the benefit of other people such as giving the food that you do not eat to the hungry. As you meet the needs of other people God will take care of your needs also.
5. Praying in the Spirit
Praying in the Spirit is being led by God’s Holy Spirit in your prayer. Compassion moves God and as you take the time to pray for other people in compassion He will have compassion on you. (Matthew 5:7 NKJV) Blessed are the compassionate, For they shall obtain compassion.
(Jude 1:20-21 NKJV) But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit, {21} keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
6. Meditate on God day and night
(2 Corinthians 3:16-18 NIV) But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. {17} Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. {18} And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. As we focus on God directing our heart, mind, and body toward Him we are transformed into His image.
Let your mind and thoughts be transformed by the mercy of God. (Romans 12:1-2 NIV) Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God--this is your spiritual act of worship. {2} Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will.
(Philippians 4:6-8 NKJV) Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; {7} and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. {8} Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy; meditate on these things.
7. Enlist the help of other Christians
(James 5:16 NIV) Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. You can send us a prayer request and we will agree with you in prayer.
(Ephesians 6:18 NIV) And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.
8. Continue To Walk In Freedom
Once you have been set free strive to maintain your freedom. Remember it is only by God’s help that you are set free so don’t think that you can just walk in and out of bondage by your own choice. Because you can choose to fall into bondage but it is not easy to come out of it again. When you are in bondage you have to wait for God to move in and set you free it will be His choice when you will be set free again. God will set you free when you hate the sin enough to continue walking in the freedom that He gives you. (Psalms 97:10-12 NKJV) You who love the LORD, hate evil! He preserves the souls of His saints; He delivers them out of the hand of the wicked. {11} Light is sown for the righteous, And gladness for the upright in heart. {12} Rejoice in the LORD, you righteous, And give thanks at the remembrance of His holy name.
(Romans 6:16 NIV) Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? If we are not serving God then we are working against Him. It is such a privilege to have the Creator of the universe make use of you, and include you in His plans. The greatest job in the world is to be the servant of the Most High God.
(Luke 11:23-26 NKJV) "He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters. {24} "When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ’I will return to my house from which I came.’ {25} "And when he comes, he finds it swept and put in order. {26} "Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first."
It is very important that once you are set free from a bondage that you occupy that empty space and time in your life. Occupy the space by being filled with God’s Holy Spirit. And occupy the empty time with blessing God and blessing people. (Ephesians 5:17-18 NIV) Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is. {18} Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.
(Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV) Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children {2} and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Love when we put the benefit of God and the benefit of others before our own benefit then we are moving in Love and we will then experience the fruit of the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-25 NIV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, {23} gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. {24} Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. {25} Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.
(Genesis 4:7 NKJV) "If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it."
(Hebrews 12:1-2 NKJV) Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, {2} looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
(James 1:21-25 NKJV) Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. {22} But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. {23} For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; {24} for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. {25} But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
(John 8:31-36 NIV) To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. {32} Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." {33} They answered him, "We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?" {34} Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. {35} Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. {36} So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
(Galatians 5:1 NIV) It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.
