Total Freedom
Text: JOHN 8:2 5-36
Memory Verse: And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:32
Introduction: This year (2004) had been proclaimed under God by our leader as
the year of Total Freedom. We thanked God for the reality of this some of our
lives already but in the fast majority, the word proclaimed is yet to have a
real foot hold in our lives. The question is why is the problem? Is God not
ready to give us as he promised? Or is anything wrong with us? In this study we
shall examine some points that will result into the essential knowledge of the
truth that make free. No freedom can come and say with us if we lack the
essential knowledge of things we need to know. Remember Hosea 4:6 and reject
destruction.
(1) THE NEED FOR FREEDOM: Gen 1:26-29, 2:8-15, 15:19-20, 3:9-11, 16-19
In order to see the need for freedom one may have to look back to see how we
started and when things began to go wrong. God in His wisdom created Adam and
Eve in the garden of Eden. He made them to have dominion over every thin He had
earlier created. Infact it was Adam that gave names to all other creatures. He
was very wise and full of authority. He could walk on land and water. He was
only a little lower than the angels full of glory and honour (Ps. 8:4-8).
Man was enjoying all these privileges and blessings until sin came to his life.
From that day the history of mankind changed His glory was taken away for he
fell short of the glory of God (Rom 3:23). All the dominion he used to have
became history. He began to be fearful and infact he was diven out of the
presence of God without any opportunity for personal effort to return. Angel
kept guard of the garden with flaming sword which turned every way (Gen 3:22-24)
From that moment man had been in perpetual bondage that unless something is done
by God himself there was no hope for man to survive the predicament. Also from
that point men become problem to one another, enemy of one another. Terrible
things began to be experienced by man. Sickness, disease, lack, pain, poverty,
failure, affliction, boundage etc became the lot of man. If man will therefore
need to enjoy what God had plan for him from creation, it very necessary for him
to gain freedom from all the powers that are against him (Eph 6:12).
(2) THE ENEMY OF FREEDOM: 1 Peter 5:8; Eph 6:11-12. The principal enemy of the
life of freedom is the devil. He is the brain behind every boundage. Be it
sickness, nor disease, nor failure, nor poverty, or any other difficulties in
life, devil is the one at work. He however uses situations, demons and even
other human beings to achieve his purpose. No wonder Jesus said “a man is foes
shall be they of his own household” Matt 10:36; Micah 7:5-6; Remember, it was
Midian (also a descendant of Abraham) that stood against the children of Israel
in Judges 6:1-6. Jesus delivered a daughter of Abraham who the devil put in
boundage for good 18 years (Luke 13:15-17. Another enemy of our freedom and our
soul is this world, the world system James 4:4; Any act of enemity against God
put is in boundage. The most terrible enemy of our freedom however is flesh
which work all form if sins. (Gal 5:19-21 for he do not only enslave in this
world but he cause man to end up in hell fire.
(3) THE WAY OF FREEDOM: Gen 3:15 Though we have been long in boundage yet it
mist be realized that God, right from the beginning when man fell had provided a
way out for him. His promise- Gen 3:15 was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. He did
this i.e the work of deliverance by all he sustered for us (Isaiah 53:1-10) And
no matter how long you have been a pray in the hand of the mighty the freedom of
God will be yours (Isaiah 49:24-26). To enjoy this that bad been wrought for you
the memory verse must be a reality in your life (John 8:32) some of the truth
you need to know include the following:
(i) You died with Christ and died to the power of sin’s rule over your life (Rom
6:1-6)
(ii) You are free from condemnation (Rom 8:1)
(iii) You are free from sicknesses and diseases because of his stripes (1 Peter
2:24;
3 John 2)
(iv) You are delivered from poverty (2 Cor 8:9)
(v) Freedom from bareness (Ex 23:26; Gal 4:27)
(vi) You aare not under any curse of law (Gal 3:13) What about deliverance and
freedom
from failure, joblessness etc? Discuss these and others and the relevant
promises
in the bible.
(4) THE MAINTENCANCE OF FREEDOM:
Our continuity in the blessings of freedom is based on how long are remain in
the Lord and the truth. As long as we remain or aside in the Lord and keep the
knowledge of His word not post in mental recitation or mere confession but in
believing in our hearts all He did for us, we are bound to continue to enjoy his
freedom. The issue of knowing the truth is a continuous one. Any time we forget
the truth or we deliberately ignore it, the devil will have upper hand (Ex
17:14). Remember that the Galatians had terrible experiences because they did
not maintain their understanding in the Lord (Gal 4:8-17). No wonder Jesus said
“if ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples needed”. This also hold for
freedom for it is only His disciples that are free indeed.
CONCLUSION: All that God needed to do has been done, the matter of your freedom
lie largely in your hand. You must be determined to see the reality of your
freedom the Lord. God bless you.
Rev Debo Adeyemo ppraise@skannet.com
