Embracing Freedom: Living Transformed in Christ
Summary
### Summary
Today, we explored the profound truth that Jesus came to set us free, not just in the afterlife but here and now. Freedom in Christ is not merely a ticket to heaven; it is a transformative power that liberates us from the chains of sin and bondage in our daily lives. We often hide our struggles and put on a facade, much like Adam and Eve did with their fig leaves. However, God calls us to bring our issues into the light, to be transparent and authentic, so that we can experience true freedom.
The journey of knowing God, finding freedom, discovering purpose, and making a difference is not a linear path but a cyclical one. No matter how much we know God or how free we feel, there is always more to discover and more freedom to experience. The Apostle Paul, despite his spiritual stature, admitted his struggles with sin, showing us that even the most devout believers face challenges. His transparency encourages us to confront our issues rather than hide them.
Walking in the Spirit is the key to overcoming the desires of the flesh. It is not a spooky or mystical experience but a practical discipline of yielding our decisions to the Holy Spirit. By focusing on the things of the Spirit, feeding our spirit through prayer, the Word, and fellowship, and following the Holy Spirit's guidance, we can live a life animated and motivated by God.
We must also recognize that freedom is already ours in Christ. Just as the slaves in Galveston were free but didn't know it until it was proclaimed, we too are free, and we need to live in that freedom. This freedom allows us to confront and overcome our struggles, whether they are anger, addiction, or any other form of bondage. By bringing our issues to God and allowing His light to shine on them, we can break free from the chains that hold us back and help others do the same.
### Key Takeaways
1. Freedom in Christ is for the Here and Now: Jesus came to set us free from the chains of sin and bondage in our daily lives, not just to secure our place in heaven. This freedom is available to us now, and we must embrace it fully by bringing our struggles into the light and allowing God to work in us. [49:19]
2. Transparency Leads to True Freedom: Like Adam and Eve, we often hide our struggles out of shame. However, God calls us to be transparent and authentic. By confronting our issues and bringing them to God, we can experience true freedom and break the cycle of hiding and shame. [50:20]
3. Walking in the Spirit is Practical, Not Spooky: Walking in the Spirit involves yielding our decisions to the Holy Spirit and living a life animated and motivated by God. It is a practical discipline that helps us overcome the desires of the flesh and live a life of freedom. [56:29]
4. Freedom is Already Ours in Christ: Just as the slaves in Galveston were free but didn't know it, we too are already free in Christ. We must live in that freedom, confront our struggles, and allow God's light to shine on them, breaking the chains that hold us back. [01:02:12]
5. Feed Your Spirit to Overcome the Flesh: To walk in the Spirit, we must feed our spirit through prayer, studying the Word, and fellowship with other believers. By focusing on the things of the Spirit and starving the desires of the flesh, we can live a life of true freedom and victory. [01:18:25]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[46:56] - Introduction and Greetings
[47:34] - Dive into the Deep
[48:18] - Called to be Free
[49:19] - Freedom from Bondage
[50:20] - It's Okay to Not Be Okay
[51:00] - Cyclical Journey of Faith
[51:42] - Transparency and Authenticity
[52:29] - Confronting Our Issues
[53:22] - Relating to Paul's Struggles
[54:53] - Personal Struggles and Transparency
[56:29] - Walking in the Spirit
[57:21] - Practical Steps to Walk in the Spirit
[01:02:12] - Living in Freedom
[01:18:25] - Feeding Your Spirit
[01:24:37] - Declaring Freedom and Liberty
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. Romans 7:15-25 - "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do. And if I do what I do not want to do, I agree that the law is good. As it is, it is no longer I myself who do it, but it is sin living in me. For I know that good itself does not dwell in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For I do not do the good I want to do, but the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. So I find this law at work: Although I want to do good, evil is right there with me. For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body that is subject to death? Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in my sinful nature a slave to the law of sin."
2. Galatians 5:16-18 - "So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law."
3. John 8:36 - "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
### Observation Questions
1. According to Romans 7:15-25, what internal conflict does Paul describe? How does he express his struggle with sin? [52:29]
2. In Galatians 5:16-18, what does Paul say is the result of walking by the Spirit? How does this contrast with living according to the flesh? [56:29]
3. What does John 8:36 declare about the freedom that Jesus offers? How does this align with the sermon’s message about freedom in Christ? [01:02:12]
4. How does the sermon describe the cyclical journey of knowing God, finding freedom, discovering purpose, and making a difference? [51:00]
### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Paul in Romans 7:15-25 feel like a "wretched man"? How does he find hope despite his struggle with sin? [54:01]
2. What practical steps does the sermon suggest for walking in the Spirit, and how do these steps help in overcoming the desires of the flesh? [57:21]
3. How does the concept of transparency and authenticity, as discussed in the sermon, relate to experiencing true freedom in Christ? [50:20]
4. How does the sermon illustrate the idea that freedom is already ours in Christ, using the example of the slaves in Galveston? [01:04:11]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a personal struggle you have been hiding. How can you bring this issue into the light and seek God’s help to overcome it? [50:20]
2. What are some practical ways you can yield your daily decisions to the Holy Spirit? Can you identify a specific area in your life where you need to walk more in the Spirit? [57:21]
3. Think about a time when you felt ashamed of your struggles. How can you practice transparency and authenticity in your small group or church community to experience true freedom? [51:42]
4. How can you remind yourself daily that you are already free in Christ? What steps can you take to live out this freedom in your everyday life? [01:02:12]
5. Identify one specific way you can feed your spirit this week through prayer, studying the Word, or fellowship with other believers. How will this help you overcome the desires of the flesh? [01:18:25]
6. How can you support someone else in your community who is struggling with bondage or addiction? What practical steps can you take to help them experience freedom in Christ? [01:03:33]
7. Reflect on the cyclical journey of knowing God, finding freedom, discovering purpose, and making a difference. Where are you currently in this journey, and what is your next step? [51:00]
Devotional
### Day 1: Embracing Present Freedom in Christ
Description:
Freedom in Christ is not just a future promise but a present reality. Jesus came to set us free from the chains of sin and bondage in our daily lives. This freedom is available to us now, and we must embrace it fully by bringing our struggles into the light and allowing God to work in us. Often, we hide our struggles and put on a facade, much like Adam and Eve did with their fig leaves. However, God calls us to be transparent and authentic, to bring our issues into the light so that we can experience true freedom. This transformative power of Christ liberates us from the chains that hold us back, enabling us to live a life of victory and purpose. [49:19]
Bible Passage:
"For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1, ESV)
Reflection:
What is one area of your life where you feel bound or restricted? How can you bring this struggle into the light and allow God to work in you today?
### Day 2: The Power of Transparency
Description:
Transparency is a crucial step towards experiencing true freedom in Christ. Like Adam and Eve, we often hide our struggles out of shame. However, God calls us to be transparent and authentic. By confronting our issues and bringing them to God, we can break the cycle of hiding and shame. The Apostle Paul, despite his spiritual stature, admitted his struggles with sin, showing us that even the most devout believers face challenges. His transparency encourages us to confront our issues rather than hide them, allowing us to experience the transformative power of God's grace. [50:20]
Bible Passage:
"Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working." (James 5:16, ESV)
Reflection:
Think of a struggle you have been hiding. Can you take a step towards transparency by sharing it with a trusted friend or mentor today?
### Day 3: Practical Steps to Walk in the Spirit
Description:
Walking in the Spirit is not a spooky or mystical experience but a practical discipline of yielding our decisions to the Holy Spirit. It involves living a life animated and motivated by God. By focusing on the things of the Spirit, feeding our spirit through prayer, the Word, and fellowship, and following the Holy Spirit's guidance, we can overcome the desires of the flesh and live a life of freedom. This practical approach helps us to stay grounded in our faith and to continually seek God's guidance in our daily decisions. [56:29]
Bible Passage:
"But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh." (Galatians 5:16, ESV)
Reflection:
What is one practical step you can take today to yield a decision to the Holy Spirit? How can you incorporate this practice into your daily routine?
### Day 4: Living in the Freedom Already Ours
Description:
Freedom is already ours in Christ, much like the slaves in Galveston who were free but didn't know it until it was proclaimed. We too are already free in Christ, and we must live in that freedom. This means confronting our struggles and allowing God's light to shine on them, breaking the chains that hold us back. By recognizing and embracing the freedom we have in Christ, we can live a life of victory and help others do the same. This freedom empowers us to overcome our struggles, whether they are anger, addiction, or any other form of bondage. [01:02:12]
Bible Passage:
"So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:36, ESV)
Reflection:
What is one area of your life where you need to embrace the freedom you have in Christ? How can you live out this freedom today?
### Day 5: Feeding Your Spirit to Overcome the Flesh
Description:
To walk in the Spirit, we must feed our spirit through prayer, studying the Word, and fellowship with other believers. By focusing on the things of the Spirit and starving the desires of the flesh, we can live a life of true freedom and victory. This involves a conscious effort to prioritize spiritual nourishment and to seek God's presence in our daily lives. By doing so, we strengthen our spirit and gain the power to overcome the desires of the flesh, leading to a life of freedom and fulfillment in Christ. [01:18:25]
Bible Passage:
"But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil." (Hebrews 5:14, ESV)
Reflection:
What is one specific way you can feed your spirit today? How can you make this a regular part of your spiritual routine?
Quotes
1. "Give God one year where you give him your absolute best, where you do everything the church is asking. You do small group. You go through the growth track classes, and you start serving in the ministry, and you actually come to church every time you get a chance. And I promise you, you'll look back one year later, and you will not be able to believe how far God has taken you. Because if you give God everything you got, watch this. He's got even more to give back to you." [47:34] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Jesus came so that even while we're walking the face of the earth, watch this, we can be free from anything that the enemy has tried to cause us to be in bondage to. Anything and everything that doesn't represent heaven, Jesus wants us to be free from it. And I said this earlier. I said again, the church as a whole, I don't mean Hope City Church. I don't mean any particular church, but the church of the Lord Jesus Christ as a whole has unintentionally taught us how to be ashamed of our struggles. And hide our issues." [49:19] (30 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "No matter how much you know God today, there's still more of God to know. We have not gotten God figured out. No matter how long you've been walking with God, there's more of God for us to come to know. But watch this, no matter how much freedom you are living in today, there's still more freedom that God wants us to experience. God never intended for us to be saved and walk in as Christians for 10 years and 15 years and still have the same struggles today that we had 15 years ago." [51:00] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "What I want to just deposit into you today is number one, that God knows us inside and out. And number two, God wants you to grow to the place where you don't have to feel like you've got to hide and be ashamed of your issues. He wants us to bring our issues to him. Watch this. So he can help us not just be good at covering them, but finally be good at getting free from them. Give me a good amen, somebody." [52:29] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "A big reason why so many believers don't experience full freedom is because we can never control what we will not confront. God wants us to get better at confronting the areas in our lives where we know we still need to have victory." [52:29] (16 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
6. "Walking in the Spirit is not a spooky, weird spiritual exercise. Walking in the Spirit is learning how to use... Yield our decision-making to the power of Holy Spirit instead of our own mind, will, emotions. Instead of the popular opinion of what social media has to say. Instead of my own personal desires. Walking in the Spirit is a spiritual discipline that every believer has the ability to achieve." [01:02:12] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
7. "If you're still struggling in an area, if you still find yourself up late at night on the computer and you're going to sites you know you shouldn't be going to, or you're looking at pornography on your phone, and the enemy has just taught you that you need to... You need to hide that and make sure nobody ever finds out about that. And when you look in the mirror and you know that you're a man of God or a woman of God and you feel ashamed about it, and the tendency is to put some fig leaves together so that I can just hide it and keep it from anybody else, what I'm trying to say to you is that God wants you to come out of hiding." [01:03:33] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
8. "No matter how difficult things are right now, no matter what's not working out, can I just tell you this? God has still been good to you. And I need you to take about a minute to give him a praise like he's really been good. Come on. Nope, I need you to praise him like he's actually been good." [01:14:53] (15 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
9. "If I keep feeding a wrong belief, it's going to eventually, essentially change how I see myself. If I got a wrong belief about my marriage and what I should be getting from my spouse, if I keep feeding that wrong belief by listening to the wrong girlfriends and letting my mom and them talk to me about my marriage, it's going to change how I see my spouse. If I keep listening to that little gossip, no one's always got something to say about the worshiping. They should have did that like that. If I was up there, I would have been past the Korean. If I keep listening to that little gossip, watch this and letting that, watch this, just letting that little poison seep into my ears, getting the wrong belief, it's going to change how I see my church." [01:17:56] (42 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
10. "We feed our spirit by spending time in prayer, number one. Jesus said in John 16, up until now you've asked me nothing, but ask in my name and you will receive so that your joy might be full. I also feed my spirit by spending time studying the word of God. Jesus said to the Jews that believed on him, if you continue my word, you really are my disciples. You will know the truth and the truth will set you up. We also feed our spirit by spending time, watch this, with other believers." [01:18:58] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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