“For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
– 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NLT)
Could you use a little freedom today? That’s what I thought.
Today, we’re going to look at a scripture that you have probably heard a lot, but maybe never looked into. The scripture is 2 Corinthians 3:17, “Now The Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of The Lord is, there is freedom.” First things first: it says, “Where the Spirit of The Lord is …” Now when we get born again and ask Jesus to come into our hearts, the Holy Spirt comes and lives inside of us. So if we have The Holy Spirit in us, and wherever the Spirit is there is freedom, then that means that freedom lives on the inside of us.
I hear Pastor Steve Munds say all of the time, “If someone says they are working on their love-walk, then that just means they are working on their God-walk, because you cannot separate God and love.” That is the same for freedom! You cannot separate the Holy Spirit and freedom. I hope that opens your eyes to see that no matter what you say, what you do, or how you act, freedom lives in you.
So, I decided I should probably go look up some definitions of freedom.
Freedom: liberty, free from care or bondage, a state of being free, choice.
Now all of these are great but there was one word that stood out to me and that is choice. It may not seem that simple, but…IT IS!!! Freedom is a choice, which means (sorry ’bout your toes) bondage is too.
Bondage is the opposite of freedom. Let me give you an example: Back in middle school, I began to sit on the front row at church and one day I was afraid to put my hands up. I kept having thoughts like What are people going to think? or They’re going to judge you! But Laci Bredahl said to me once, “Randi, when it comes to thoughts, it’s so black and white. Would God tell you that or would the devil tell you that?”
…
Ding, ding, ding! That’s exactly it! God would never make you feel bad for raising your hands to praise Him. So one day I decided I was going to make a choice. I raised my hands, and come to find out, nobody had judged me for anything, at all.
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So, I leave you with this challenge today: if you’re at school, work, anywhere, and a situation comes up where you can make a choice, remember not what, but Who lives on the inside of you and choose freedom!
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“Father, today, in Jesus’ name, I thank You that I now know that freedom lives inside of me, and I thank You for the strength to choose freedom in every situation. I thank You that no bondage, fear, intimidation, or thought can keep me from expressing my true identity of freedom! I pray this in Jesus’ name. amen!”