Fear No Fear

(All scripture from Lexham English Bible, Copyright 2012 Logos Bible Software)

“For freedom Christ has set us free. Stand firm, therefore, and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.”

Galatians 5:1

Bondage is poverty. Plain and simple. We are captive to things that we were never meant to be tied to. Good example? Plants. “And Yahweh God took the man and set him in the garden of Eden to cultivate it and to keep it” (Genesis 2:15). We were meant to have dominion (positive and wise stewardship) over plants. Yet every day MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of people are slaves to the coffee pot, the tea pot, the cocoa bean, and more. We are addicted to PLANTS. It was not meant to be. I am not saying there isn’t goodness or pleasure to be had with plant products, but we were NOT meant to be ADDICTED to them. Being tied to something as a captive is ALWAYS downward motion. We were meant to overcome and SOAR, not get pulled down and mired.

Poverty robs us of what is ours by RIGHT. Adonai meant for us to be the leaders, shapers, and keepers of this world. We gave that up and let ourselves become blinded to the truth. Jesus came to reverse that condition by releasing the captives. “Then Jesus said to those Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” They replied to him, “We are descendants of Abraham and have not been enslaved to anyone at any time. How do you say, ‘You will become free’?”  Jesus replied to them, “Truly, truly I say to you, that everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. And the slave does not remain in the household forever; the son remains forever. So if the son sets you free, you will be truly free” (John 8:31-36). They LIED to Jesus’ face. They claimed they were never enslaved. Apparently, in spite of having a major festival they celebrated about it, they had forgotten Egypt. In their self-righteousness they claimed to have always been free, choosing to ignore their historic captivity. Jesus came to save them from that back then, and Jesus had come to save them from their spiritual captivity through His death and resurrection. That release from captivity is available to us today as well. There is NO EXPIRATION DATE on freedom from captivity in Jesus. The question – which is linked closely to tomorrow’s study – is whether or not we see the need for release.

“Consequently, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what was impossible for the law, in that it was weak through the flesh, God did. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and concerning sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the requirement of the law would be fulfilled in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit” (Romans 8:1-4). Jesus was the ONLY worthy sacrifice (Revelation 5) and He did it by His own personal choice (John 10:18). He made a covenant with His Father and invites us into it (Luke 22:20). But we do not always see it (John 3:16-18). The devil blinds us to it (2 Corinthians 4:4). It is only through Jesus’ efforts and the work of Ruach HaKodesh that we can hear and respond to the Father’s call (John 6:44). We don’t notice we are bound because we’re blind to it. This is the truth, though. Whether your bondage is rusty chains and iron bars, or satin robes and a gilded cage, it is still captivity. It is only in Jesus that we experience ANY kind of TRUE freedom.

“Live as free persons, and not using your freedom as a covering for evil, but as slaves of God” (1 Peter 2:16). Freedom isn’t a covering for sin. Freedom isn’t an excuse to sin more because we know we are able to get forgiveness. Truly, we are only forgiven when we REPENT – and repentance means being disgusted by the sin and changing your thinking about it and striving not to do it because you are repulsed by it to your core. You can’t expect forgiveness to be some kind of free pass to not changing your thinking about sins (Romans 6:1; 12:2). Freedom is being changed. Realising that something was holding you back from what Adonai has for you. Realising that there is so much MORE available in Him than is available anywhere else. Realising that the world’s freedom is watered down orange drink, not the full and rich banquet that Adonai has prepared for us (Isaiah 25:6). He is the God of MORE THAN ENOUGH. We’re not supposed to live on crumbs! We’re not supposed to have a window seat with a great view and a comforting breeze. We’re supposed to be walking in security, resting in good places, and having ALL that He has said we can have (Psalm 23).

Once we are free, we should strive to stay free. So many people get saved, clear their lives of all the junk that was weighing them down, and then slowly bring it all back. We compromise with our flesh because we enjoyed something or something else feels good or we see everyone else partaking. Adonai NEVER said that bad things don’t feel good. Or that the pleasures of the world are pleasurable. Instead, Ruach HaKodesh speaks to us about the price you pay for the pleasure. Or the worth of worldly pleasure compared to what Adonai has for us. He tells us the TRUTH instead of focusing on a FEELING that is always fleeting and can cover up the damage being done. I frequently notice slight abrasions and cuts that I get when I do some physical job, but can never say for sure when exactly I got them or how. I simply do not notice at the time of their arrival. I only notice later, when it is too late to avoid them. When I have to deal with them to keep them from getting worse (such as infected). That is how worldly pleasure is. It can be great in the moment, but it is fleeting. And only later do you notice the wound it afflicted. Because it ALWAYS wounds. There is ALWAYS pain. It is always another link to the chain that binds us.

Ruach HaKodesh reminds us of everything Jesus said. That means the entire Word. If we will get it into us, we will have a defense against the chains. If we let Him, Jesus will unlock and remove from us all the chains that bind us. All the shackles that keep us down. All the everything that was engineered to keep you walking in shadows, seeing the Light, but not experience it. We all carry chains. Too many chains. Jesus can take care of them one by one, if we let Him. If we’ll cooperate with Him. If we will be corrected. If we will change course and get His mindset about them. Sometimes painless, sometimes uncomfortable, but ALWAYS freeing. ALWAYS releasing. ALWAYS the right decision. Let Him unchain you. Listen to Ruach HaKodesh’s guidance. He’ll take you right to the Key Master and get that shackle unlocked so that Adonai can remove it as far as the east from the west. Let Him help you every time He shows you that you have a little something there holding you down.

Daily Affirmation of the Goodness of Elohim: James 4:10

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” Adonai doesn’t want to keep you down. He doesn’t want LACK in your life. Adonai HATES poverty. What Adonai wants is MORE for you than YOU want for you. But we CANNOT get it in the flesh. OUR efforts produce nothing lasting or truly good (John 15:5). We NEED to be in Adonai’s place to receive Adonai’s BLESSING. He doesn’t ship it out. Jesus made the Way so that we can get and stand there. We HAVE to humble ourselves and submit. It isn’t burdensome (Matthew 11:28-30). It isn’t a hardship, but TRUE comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3-5). If WE will submit to the One it is proper to submit to, HE will lift us up (Isaiah 40:31). We can have TRUE Sabbath Rest – not a sabbath restricted to a day or a behavioural pattern (Hebrews 4:9-11; Matthew 12:8). Sabbath living is the result of trusting in Adonai for ALL things at ALL times. It was MADE for us. It was DESIGNED for us. And Jesus makes it FREELY AVAILABLE to us in HIMSELF. If we will follow Him, He will show us so much more than we can imagine. We will experience so much more than we can conceive of. When Jesus is the Lord of your life and you are seeking to know more of His Love, there is literally NO END to the BLESSING. What a GOOD God!

Your Daily Confession of Elohim’s Goodness:

I taste and see that Yahweh is good; I am blessed because I take refuge in Him.

Psalm 34:8