Living In Freedom

Photo by Synergy Photography

You broke my bondage and You gave me my liberation

The choir sang those words Sunday. Lyrics are my favorite part of songs, and I usually try to determine how or if they apply to my life. So as I sang those words, I thought of my own story, as well as those of friends.

God has broken my bondage and given me freedom. But sometimes I travel back to those chains, pick them up and toy with them.

The same is true for so many.

Yes, God has broken the bondage of sin and has given us freedom in Him. But how many of us actually live in that place? How many of us live in freedom? Sometimes we put ourselves in bondage, and sometimes we allow others to bind us.

But...

Jesus came to give us life. And not just life... but life abundantly!

I've experienced freedom. He's led me out of the spiritual graveyard. To return to captivity would be to dig my own grave.

What about you? Has He broken your bondage and set you free? Or are you still walking around with your spirit in shackles? If yes, what shackles bind you?...

Guilt?
Shame?
Anger?
Sadness?
Regret?
Unforgiveness?
Someone else's unforgiveness?

The Spirit of God, the Master, is on me because God anointed me. He sent me to preach good news to the poor, heal the heartbroken, announce freedom to all captives, pardon all prisoners. God sent me to announce the year of his grace - a celebration of God's destruction of our enemies - and to comfort all who mourn, to care for the needs of all who mourn in Zion, give them bouquets of roses instead of ashes, messages of joy instead of news of doom, a praising heart instead of a languid spirit. Rename them "Oaks of Righteousness" planted by God to display his glory.  
(Is. 61:1-3, The Message)