I once caught four baby raccoons who had lost their mom. I tried to keep them, but after a few days, it was clear it wasn’t going to work out. They bite! Not to mention my mom was having none of it.
So, I drove to a wooded area, opened the cage, and set them free. And then the most amazing thing happened. They ran away. Not a single raccoon ran back into captivity.
When you enter a personal relationship with Jesus, you are set free and no longer a slave to your former captor, sin. The Bible says, “A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” (John 8:35-36)
That means that true freedom is already yours in Jesus Christ. You no longer have to be bound to your old hiccups and hang-ups. They have no hold over you.
Have you ever felt like you just couldn’t move forward? And you couldn’t figure out what was holding you back? Do you know what’s holding you back? You are!
The Bible sums it up pretty well when it says, “You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom.” (Galatians 5:7-8)
God is never the one holding you back. You do that to yourself when you choose to run back to captivity instead of running the race. Jesus came to break the cycle of captivity in your life so you can experience true freedom.
That’s why it warns us when it says, “So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery…” (Galatians 5:1)
Do you want to know how to stay set free? Here’s how:
- Do whatever it takes to make Jesus the priority of your life. What’s getting in the way of your relationship with God?
- Grow spiritually. Healthy things grow. And if you’re not growing, it means you’re not feeding yourself the right spiritual food. It’s time to learn God’s word.
- Make yourself accountable. Jesus died to build his church. And in his church are people who are ready to help and encourage you.
- Be part of God’s family. There’s no such thing as a lone ranger in the kingdom of God. We are a family of believers. And you’re not meant to be without a spiritual family.
- Eliminate the temptation. What keeps calling you back into the cage? It’s time to end it. Get it out of your life. You are set free.
Here it is in a nutshell. “Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes.” (Ephesians 4:21-23)
Remember, “If the Son sets you free, you are truly free.”
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