-Galatians 5-
13 For you, my brothers, were called to freedom;
only do not let your freedom become an opportunity for the sinful nature,
but through love serve and seek the best for one another.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
As the verse states above, you have been called to freedom. As a child of God, our direct calling is to be free! From the very moment that you accepted Christ as the Lord and Savior of your life, through believing in Jesus Christ as the son of God, confessing your sins and receiving forgiveness for it all, you have received a new calling in your life now! It is due to God’s perfect, loving nature that He desired to free us from all of our sins once we have a restored relationship with Him through salvation. Then, as a Christian, given knowledge and power through the Holy Spirit, now it is up to us to continually walk in that freedom everyday!
“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 NIV
After accepting Jesus, you are COMPLETELY FREE. I mean, all chains are destroyed now. Addiction is destroyed now. Bad habits are destroyed now. Negative behavior chains are destroyed now. Whatever used to have a hold on your life, it no longer can. It doesn’t have permission to direct you or control you any longer. You are filled with the Spirit of God now, and that Spirit is of power, love and of a sound mind; not of bondage (2 Timothy 1:7)! The only spirit that should be controlling you now is the Holy Spirit. This verse is urging us not to go back to slavery. This means, that is it possible, for us to choose slavery over a right relationship with God, even as a Christian. We can give permission (legal grounds) to old burdens and old demons. How you ask? That happens through our participation in sin and welcoming old and new sins into our lives. That is what fuels Man’s (endless) Burdens. Sin habits. Habitual sin. Who has interfered to make this happen?
“You were running [the race] well; who has interfered and prevented you from obeying the truth? This [deceptive] persuasion is not from Him who called you [to freedom in Christ].” Galatians 5: 7-8 AMP
What person, place, or experience has changed your mind about what God has said about your freedom? Who’s ideas/beliefs are you placing above God’s truth and word in your life? What messages are you believing about yourself or others that are simply not true and that don’t align with God’s word? What did God speak to you and tell you about yourself, but you chose not to believe it because someone else told you it wasn’t true? If you do this dear ones, if you push out of the voice of God, you will certainly be burdened and live a life void of self control. All of the world’s attributes will become yours if you live in it and participate in it’s ideas. Worry, doubt, sin, fear- these things fuel Man’s burden and give it life and all these things eventually lead to destruction.
So then, what is the cure for Man’s burden? THE CURE IS: walking habitually in the Spirit. This is the cure.
“But I say, walk habitually in the [Holy] Spirit [seek Him and be responsive to His guidance], and then you will certainly not carry out the desire of the sinful nature [which responds impulsively without regard for God and His precepts].”
-Galatians 5:16-
Read this verse over and over again until you believe it dear ones. You CANNOT carry out man’s burden if you are walking in the Spirit; habitually and consistently, every day. It is a spiritual law! We can have so much peace in knowing that! Be a consistent Christian, not just a Sunday one. It’s about your daily walk with Christ, do not ever forget that!
“For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but a new creation. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.” Galatians 6: 15-16
This verse says that human actions can’t do anything on their own… only a new creation is what accomplishes anything. A new creation is a person activated in the Holy Spirit constantly. Through Him, we can accomplish all things (Philippians 4:13). We can’t buy His freedom or do anything special to obtain it. You have power now that you are a new creation, all you must do is walk with God. Brothers and sisters, please discipline yourself and intentionally cultivate lives that are pure and righteous before God. God craves pure worship and does not want to see His children in the same old chains He’s already removed from them. No one can be effective with chains around their necks, hands and feet. You were called to freedom, peace and mercy, and you still are. Those are the true promises from God. If you walk with Him: daily, habitually, continually; your life will begin to transform in ways you never thought it could. As you seek Him and His righteousness, all of these things will be added to your life (Matthew 6:33). No more having to strive in your own strength! No more battling yourself! You are no longer, “your own worst enemy.” You are a friend of God and all you need to do now is simply walk this life out, hand in hand with our tender and merciful Lord.
This is the solution to Man’s burden: To be so in love with God, that we put Him first and seek Him first. To ask His opinion about what we should do on a daily basis. Let Him lead us. Keep our minds stayed on Him and heavenly things. And do not worry, but praise God in all things, for He has done great things for us already and given us a life of freedom. You have already been given all of the freedom available to you if you are a Christian with a relationship with God. It is now up to you, to walk in that freedom. I heard a pastor say recently, “you can’t have control and freedom.” We must let go of our control and allow God to have full control of everything that we do. That is pure freedom. That is walking with Christ. That is my prayer for all of you.
~Stay Blessed~
Lifted Vision Ministry 