It Was For Freedom that Yeshua Set Me Free!

True freedom isn't found in my control.

Satan is always enticing us to false freedom, which is the vain idea that if I control my time, money, opportunity, reputation, etc., I am somehow free. Everyone was born with this logic in our programming and Satan knows how to expertly exploit it with fear... the fear of not being free later if I obey God now. This lie makes up the walls of the prison of our own self leadership.

Only God, in our day by day decision making, can lead us step by step into true freedom. BUT, I have to trust Him when the steps to freedom aren't the ones I would choose. Freedom isn't necessarily what we choose to walk in when God begins to set us free.

1 Peter 2:16 For you are free, yet you are God’s slaves, so don’t use your freedom as an excuse to do evil.

Galatians 5:13 For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

My brain, on its own, can believe in the freedom I have in Jesus, and still use that very idea of freedom to stay in the prison of self leadership!

Yeshua set me free to be free from what was leaving me selfish, anxious, fearful, controlling, and unsatisfied! If I don't use that freedom to begin giving my leadership over to HIm, then I'm not really free. Yes, He opened the prison door, but I still need to walk out. He won't make me.

He is willing to justify me, but I have to say yes.
He is willing to sanctify me, but I have to say yes.
He is willing to glorify me, but I have to say yes.

I work out my own salvation by learning to not buy into the enemy's well-crafted lies about what freedom is and is not.

Philippians 2:12-15 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; (13) for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. (14) Do all things without complaining and disputing, (15) that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

I've missed many opportunities God was trying to give me for freedom by not seeing God's way was different than my way to freedom. These doors to freedom are often disguised as losing arguments, apologizing, owning my weakness, giving away time and/or money on the front end (to always find it on the back end), taking on responsibilities that I don't want to, doing small and hidden things that no one else wants to do. Over time, I am learning more and more that God's route to freedom is much more expedient and satisfying. Only a few steps past a difficult decision to obey God and I already feel lighter, cleaner, more supported, less alone. Less selfish.

Sometimes the thing I think is free is not. Sometimes the thing that looks like too much obligation is actually my flesh fighting the freedom God is arranging for me.

Being short-sighted... wanting immediate gratification... figuring things out and calculating the odds/risk... not letting God lead me through things, only to them... this is a guaranteed recipe for future disappointment. I reap what I sow. Always. If I don't sow the small seeds (prayers and the small and big decisions that eventually go with them) into freedom, I'll literally never be free.

Real freedom is found in becoming a child, letting God take me through the things He leads me to, and letting Him define what is free. This is the only way out of prison. God knows the true future. I don't and I am not supposed to! Even prophecy is an inviation to be wowed, not right.

Jesus left His flesh THROUGH the cross. We are supposed to see the cross was the right choice.. it was good. It didn't destroy the Messiah, death was defeated by HIM as He choose a freedom His flesh didn't want. He is forever free.

Matthew 26:39 He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, "O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will."

This is practical. We only overcome, or work out our salvation in the day to day choices to see freedom through God's eyes and not our own. For some, freedom has meant literally going to prison. For others it was leaving a career, or a home, or loved ones. Freedom is found on the narrow road few find. Many claim to "love God" but they never leave the prison of their own self leadership, their calculations of what is best, and managing their 'christian' appearance before others because they know deep down they aren't free at all. They aren't free and, honestly, everyone who really knows them knows that about them. Its heavy to be burdened while claiming to be free. Super heavy.

But a few.. they really are getting free. Their lives are buoyant... radiant... vibrant. They don't waste time managing thier appearance of freedom. They are just free. They are honest. They are thankful. They are thoughtful, kind, and listeners... even in the midst of their own problems, they have an overflow of grace.

The truly-being-freed have challenges and problems just like eveyrone else, but they are actually becoming free. It is the choice they make in the challenges that is leaving them more and more free. They die and find life... more and more.

Galatians 5:1 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.