HEARTLIGHT ® Magazine: Just for Women: "For Freedom We've Been Set Free"

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For Freedom We’ve Been Set Free!
by Michelle Velez
 
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. (Galatians 5:1)

We need Christ if we are going to be saved from those things that have us chained. We need to be freed from the things that control us, and control the way we think and the way we act. In order to be liberated from our bondage, we must recognize those things that are enslaving us and determine the areas in our life that need liberation.
We should take a look at the preoccupations in our lives:

What am I worried about?
What is giving me anxiety?
What is consuming my thought life?

As we ask these questions to our lives, let’s also ask God to show us those areas in our life that need liberation.
Money, career, our significant other (or our lack of a significant other), fear of being alone, fear of the unknown, and the fear of death can all crowd into our hearts and enslave us. Computers, the Internet, shopping, video games, and television can not only consume our time, energy and thoughts, they can also potentially enslave our mind and our hearts. Whatever consumes our time, energy, strength, and heart can also hinder us from experiencing the freedom that Christ wants to give us.
Once we recognize these things that are enslaving our life, then comes the hard part — disengagement. This is where we need the strength of Jesus’ resurrection to overcome the control these objects have in our lives. We must pray for wisdom to know how to disengage from these things and consider ourselves a voluntary slave to Christ. We place our life in GodÕs hands. We admit to Him we have lived for ourselves in the past, but now we are ready to live for Him. The Lord will help us follow His Spirit on a new path where our happiness and our fulfillment are not solely focused on a certain object or thing.
In order for God to enact His plan for our lives, we need to be freed from all things that will keep us from following His lead. We offer ourselves to God as his “slaves” only to find he then gives us our freedom to find life that is truly fulfilling and satisfying. So let’s surrender our will to Him and follow the Spirit as he leads us out of our bondage to things and into the glorious and liberating “slavery” to Jesus as Lord.
We pray, Lord God, for your Holy Spirit to reveal to us the areas in our lives that are in chains and are in need of your liberation. We seek your strength, God, to break free from these unhealthy ties. Help us Lord Jesus, to completely depend on you and your strength so that we may please you in everything that we do. As creatures of habit, it is very difficult for us to break these chains of oppression. Please give us confidence that anything is possible with You as our strength. Help us to turn to You always, but especially in our weakest moments. Thank You in advance, Lord God, for freeing us from all those things that oppress us. We thank you because we know that only with you are we truly free. In the name and by the power of Jesus we thank you. Amen.