Finding Freedom In Jesus Christ

The first step to finding freedom in Christ Jesus is to realize that Satan is a defeated enemy. His only power is the lie; his only control is what we allow him to have. The truth of the Holy Bible exposes all of Satan's lies; therefore, we as Christians, need to believe, declare, and act on the truths of God's word.

Prior to the cross, Satan was not a defeated enemy. He had power in this world, lots of power. However, Satan was defeated at the cross of Calvary, by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is defeated. He has no control over believers. We don't have to fight the battle, Jesus has already fought it, and won! We just need to believe!

When we find a promise in God's holy Word, we should claim it. When we find a commandment, we should obey it. And when the Holy Bible tells us the truth of who we are in Christ, we should believe it!!!

* We need to believe that Jesus is in us, and we are in Him. Jesus himself said: "At that day you shall know that I am in My Father, and you in me, and I in you." (John 14:20)

* We need to believe that we have been given the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. Jesus said: "Because I live, you shall live also." (John 14:19). Eternal life is not something we get when we die; it is what we receive the minute we are born again!

* We need to believe that our salvation is secure. Contrary to what Satan would have us believe, he cannot take eternal life away from us, because he cannot take Jesus Christ away from us, or us away from him. God said He would never forsake His people, (see Deut. 31:6, 8 and Heb. 13:5) Jesus himself told us: "And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of My hand. My Father, which gave them to me, is greater then all, and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and my Father are one." (John 10:28-30)

* We need to believe who we are in Christ. Who we are; not who we're going to be, but who we already are. The Bible says: "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God" (Rom. 8:14) and also, "The Spirit itself bears witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God; And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ;" (Rom. 8:16-17).

* We need to believe we are free from condemnation. "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit." (Rom. 8:1) We often allow Satan to put a load of guilt and shame on us, believing his lies that we are unworthy. We ARE worthy, through Jesus Christ.

* We need to believe what we are, as well as who we are. We are righteous, through our faith Jesus Christ, our Lord. "For with the heart, man believes unto rightousness, " (Rom. 10:10) "For He has made Him, who knew no sin, to be sin for us, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (II Cor. 5:12) We are justified through Him. "And such were some of you; but you are washed, but you are sanctified, but you are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." (I Cor. 6:11)

Three things are mentioned in that verse, each having a different effect in our lives. What do these words really mean?

WASHED: cleansed, made clean, all dirt and defilement removed; purged or obliterated.
SANCTIFIED: made holy or rightous; made free from sin; cleansed and purified, set apart for God's purpose.
JUSTIFIED: proved to be just, desirable, warranted, or useful; to be vindicated; to be confirmed, supported, and verified. Judged free from all guilt and blame, absolved. Judged, regarded, and treated as righteous and worthy of salvation. Freed from all future penalties of sin. Just as if I'd never sinned.

These are truths to be believed, not something we have to strive for. First, we could never achieve these things on our own, anyway. These are all gifts we receive through Jesus Christ our Lord. We cannot do for ourselves something that Jesus has already done for us. And even if somehow we could, why would we even want to?

It's important to understand that when we are born again, our old thought patterns and behaviors are not automatically erased. During our earliest and formative years, we had neither God's presence in our lives, nor the knowledge of His ways. We are born sinful and selfish creatures, and, although we are made new creatures, we still have those traits when we are born again. Our old carnal nature still wants to please only itself; but our new spiritual being wants to please God. That's why we are told: "And be not conformed to this world {the old sinful, disobedient behavior patterns and selfish character traits that we all possess before being born again}; but be transformed {changed} by the renewing of your mind...." (Rom. 12:2) We are also told: "So I say unto you, walk in the spirit, and you will not fulfill the lust of the flesh." (Gal. 5:16) and also, "And those who are Christ's have crucified the affections and lusts of the flesh." (Gal. 5:24)

The truth is still the truth, whether we believe it or not. Just believing something does not make it true, but neither does disbelief make God's word untrue. And we do not make anything true by our own experiences. It is not what we DO that determines who we are; rather it is who we ARE that determines what we do!

We don't labor, hoping that maybe God will one day accept us. God has already accepted us, and that is why we labor! We need to believe that we live in victory through Jesus Christ. "In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace:" (Eph. 1:7)

If we see the enemy in relation to ourselves, we will fail. However, if we see the enemy in relation to the Almighty God, we will be victorious. We need to look at our battles with the realization that "Me plus God equals the majority" !!!

So then why aren't we as Christians living victorious lives? It is because we allow Satan to deceive us with his lies. He is a liar, and the father of all lies. (John 8:44) He roams the world like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. (I Peter 5:8) If we believe that he can devour us, that he can take away our salvation, that he has some kind of power over us, that we are failures, unworthy of God's love and grace, then we are believing his lies, and we do not live a victorious life.

However, if we live with the knowledge that we are children of God, who has already defeated Satan with Christ's resurrection, then we can have victory in our lives! The Bible tells us:

"You are of God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world."
(I John 4:4)

Remember the words to that old hymn, "Victory In Jesus"? Don't go through life as though he may have the victory and you are the defeated one. Don't believe Satan's lies. Believe who and what you are in Jesus Christ, and live in freedom and victory!!!

To learn more, read "The Bondage Breaker" by Neil T. Anderson.