The Gift of Freedom

The Gift of Freedom

The Gift of Freedom
 
Psalm 146:7b “The LORD sets prisoners free,”
 
[Right from the beginning of our lives we are all imprisoned by sin, for the web of Satan has everyone ensnared in its sticky strands of lies, fear and violence. Just being born into a broken and twisted world results in quirks and knots in our personalities that bring problems, difficulties and oppression.
 
Our upbringing and family culture instill further dysfunctional thoughts, feelings and desires into us. And our culture’s worldview and its internalized values lock us into destructive feelings, desires and goals.
 
All these lead us to emotional pitfalls, to accepting false answers to the great human thirst for love and approval, for significance, security and belonging. These wrong answers then produce fear: fear of man, fear of the future, fear of failure, fear of pain, loss and hurt. Satan uses all these to oppress, control and in the end to kill all he can.
 
But You, Lord Jesus, you have made a way out of this prison of oppression, opening the door to the cell of hopelessness. You have called us to step out of the darkness of fear into the light of your Love, into the rich and warm relationship with you where our fears can be washed away in the river of your goodness and grace and glory.
 
Through your great sacrifice and work, you provided all we thirst for: in you we belong, in you we have significance, security, acceptance and approval.
 
In you there is the certainty of your shepherding us through every dark valley of life into the wonder of your everlasting dwelling in Heaven. You have provided all that is needed for us to follow you in freedom: Your “divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life…” (2 Pet. 1:3).
 
You, Lord Jesus, are the great Deliverer, the mighty Shepherd, the everlasting King. You are worthy of endless honor, praise and exaltation; you are worthy of all obedience, glory and thanksgiving.
 
I praise you for your constant, deep, compassionate and lovely presence in my life, convicting me of the next sin so I can be set free from it; drawing me on to greater surrender; protecting me from my own foolishness; guiding and empowering me to live more and more worthy of you.
 
So, I lift you up, praise your Name and exalt your Word above all things. Use me today to bring honor to your gracious and glorious Name.