Embracing True Freedom: A Journey in Christ
Summary
### Summary
Good morning, everyone. Today, we conclude our series inspired by the indecisiveness many Christians face. We've discussed being complete in Christ, dealing with offense, and maintaining fellowship with God. Today, we focus on freedom—what it means to be truly free in Christ.
Freedom is often misunderstood. Many believe freedom means doing whatever they want, but this can lead to enslavement by circumstances, people, and even our own minds. True freedom comes from Christ, who sets us free for a purpose. However, maintaining this freedom requires our active participation. Jesus said, "You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free." This freedom is not a one-time event but a continuous journey of living and applying the truth.
We explored the story of Gideon in Judges 6. The Israelites were oppressed by the Midianites because they turned away from God. When they cried out to the Lord, He sent a prophet to remind them of their disobedience. God then called Gideon, who was hiding in fear, a "mighty man of valor." This shows that God sees our potential even when we don't. Gideon was instructed to tear down the altar of Baal and build an altar to God, symbolizing the need to remove idols and align our lives with God's proper arrangement.
We also examined the enemies of our freedom: the devil, the world, and our flesh. James 4:7-10 teaches us to submit to God, resist the devil, and avoid friendship with the world. Our internal desires can also lead us astray, but God provides the strength to overcome these challenges.
Ultimately, God calls us to get up from our places of fear and bondage and take the next step in faith. He equips us with everything we need to live in freedom, but we must choose to walk in it. The question remains: To be or not to be free?
### Key Takeaways
1. True Freedom in Christ: True freedom is not about doing whatever we want but being set free by Christ to live according to His purpose. This freedom requires us to actively live out and apply the truth of God's Word in our daily lives. [04:48]
2. God Sees Our Potential: God calls us by our potential, not our current state. Just as He called Gideon a "mighty man of valor" while he was hiding in fear, God sees what we can become through His strength and guidance. [26:25]
3. Enemies of Our Freedom: The devil, the world, and our flesh are the primary enemies of our freedom. We must submit to God, resist the devil, and avoid conforming to the ways of the world to maintain our freedom in Christ. [15:39]
4. Active Participation in Freedom: Maintaining our freedom in Christ requires active participation. We must tear down the idols in our lives and align ourselves with God's proper arrangement, just as Gideon was instructed to tear down the altar of Baal. [41:12]
5. God's Provision and Strength: God provides us with everything we need to live in freedom. He calls us to get up from our places of fear and bondage and take the next step in faith, trusting in His strength and provision. [45:21]
### YouTube Chapters
[0:00] - Welcome
[00:58] - Recap of Previous Weeks
[01:47] - Prayer and Introduction
[02:44] - Misunderstanding Freedom
[03:28] - The Truth Sets Us Free
[05:14] - Jesus' Role in Our Freedom
[05:42] - Purpose of Our Freedom
[07:14] - The Story of Gideon
[08:51] - Israel's Disobedience
[10:26] - Bearing Fruit for God
[13:00] - Compromises and Consequences
[15:39] - Enemies of Our Freedom
[18:24] - Internal Struggles
[20:11] - Gradual Enslavement
[25:55] - God's Call to Gideon
[32:17] - God's Promise and Our Response
[41:12] - Tearing Down Idols
[45:21] - Taking the Next Step in Faith
[46:13] - Closing Prayer and Reflection
Study Guide
### Bible Reading
1. John 8:32 - "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
2. Judges 6:1-16 - The story of Gideon being called by God.
3. James 4:7-10 - "Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you."
### Observation Questions
1. What does Jesus mean when He says, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free"? How does this relate to the concept of freedom discussed in the sermon? [04:48]
2. In Judges 6, why were the Israelites oppressed by the Midianites, and what was God's response to their cries for help? [08:51]
3. According to James 4:7-10, what are the steps we must take to resist the devil and maintain our freedom in Christ? [15:16]
4. How did God address Gideon when He first called him, and what does this reveal about how God sees us? [26:25]
### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the story of Gideon illustrate the importance of removing idols and aligning our lives with God's proper arrangement? [41:12]
2. What are the implications of Jesus' statement, "You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free," for our daily walk with Christ? [04:48]
3. How do the enemies of our freedom—the devil, the world, and our flesh—manifest in our lives today, and what strategies can we use to overcome them? [15:39]
4. What does it mean to actively participate in maintaining our freedom in Christ, and how can we apply this in practical terms? [05:14]
### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt enslaved by circumstances, people, or your own mind. How did you seek freedom, and what role did your faith play in that process? [02:44]
2. Identify any "idols" in your life that may be hindering your relationship with God. What steps can you take to remove these idols and realign your life with God's proper arrangement? [41:12]
3. How can you actively resist the devil and avoid conforming to the ways of the world in your daily life? What practical steps can you take this week to draw nearer to God? [15:16]
4. Think about a situation where you felt God calling you to step out in faith, but fear held you back. How can you overcome this fear and trust in God's provision and strength? [45:21]
5. In what ways can you apply the truth of God's Word to maintain your freedom in Christ? Choose one specific area of your life where you can start this week. [04:48]
6. How does recognizing that God sees your potential, even when you don't, change the way you view your current struggles and challenges? [26:25]
7. What are some practical ways you can submit to God and resist the devil in your everyday interactions and decisions? [15:16]
Devotional
Day 1: True Freedom in Christ
True freedom is not about doing whatever we want but being set free by Christ to live according to His purpose. This freedom requires us to actively live out and apply the truth of God's Word in our daily lives. Many people misunderstand freedom as the ability to do anything they desire, but this often leads to enslavement by circumstances, people, and even our own minds. True freedom, however, comes from Christ, who sets us free for a purpose. Jesus said, "You shall know the truth, and the truth will set you free." This freedom is not a one-time event but a continuous journey of living and applying the truth. [04:48]
Galatians 5:1 (ESV): "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery."
Reflection: What is one area in your life where you feel enslaved by your own desires or circumstances? How can you actively apply the truth of God's Word to experience true freedom in that area today?
Day 2: God Sees Our Potential
God calls us by our potential, not our current state. Just as He called Gideon a "mighty man of valor" while he was hiding in fear, God sees what we can become through His strength and guidance. The story of Gideon in Judges 6 illustrates this beautifully. The Israelites were oppressed by the Midianites because they turned away from God. When they cried out to the Lord, He sent a prophet to remind them of their disobedience. God then called Gideon, who was hiding in fear, a "mighty man of valor." This shows that God sees our potential even when we don't. [26:25]
Judges 6:12 (ESV): "And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, 'The Lord is with you, O mighty man of valor.'"
Reflection: Think of a situation where you feel inadequate or fearful. How might God be calling you to see yourself through His eyes and step into your potential?
Day 3: Enemies of Our Freedom
The devil, the world, and our flesh are the primary enemies of our freedom. We must submit to God, resist the devil, and avoid conforming to the ways of the world to maintain our freedom in Christ. James 4:7-10 teaches us to submit to God, resist the devil, and avoid friendship with the world. Our internal desires can also lead us astray, but God provides the strength to overcome these challenges. Understanding these enemies helps us to be vigilant and proactive in maintaining our freedom in Christ. [15:39]
James 4:7-8 (ESV): "Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you."
Reflection: Identify one way the world or your own desires have been pulling you away from God. What steps can you take today to submit to God and resist these influences?
Day 4: Active Participation in Freedom
Maintaining our freedom in Christ requires active participation. We must tear down the idols in our lives and align ourselves with God's proper arrangement, just as Gideon was instructed to tear down the altar of Baal. This act of tearing down idols symbolizes the need to remove anything that takes God's place in our hearts. It requires intentional effort and a commitment to align our lives with God's will. By doing so, we can experience the fullness of the freedom that Christ offers. [41:12]
1 John 5:21 (ESV): "Little children, keep yourselves from idols."
Reflection: What is one "idol" in your life that you need to tear down? How can you begin to remove it and realign your life with God's will today?
Day 5: God's Provision and Strength
God provides us with everything we need to live in freedom. He calls us to get up from our places of fear and bondage and take the next step in faith, trusting in His strength and provision. Just as God equipped Gideon with what he needed to lead Israel to victory, He equips us with the resources and strength we need to overcome our challenges. The key is to trust in His provision and take that step of faith, knowing that He is with us every step of the way. [45:21]
2 Corinthians 12:9 (ESV): "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.' Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Reflection: What is one step of faith you feel God is calling you to take? How can you trust in His provision and strength to take that step today?
Quotes
### Quotes for Outreach
1. "The funny thing about freedom is a lot of people don't really understand what the word freedom means or the purpose of being set free. Now, I've met people, including myself, who boasted in the freedom that I have. Most of my life, I thought I answered to nobody. I did what I wanted, when I wanted. Therefore, I was a free man. But I found out that, contrary to being free, I was enslaved to everybody and everything in every circumstance of my life." [02:44] (29 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "Jesus says, you shall know the truth and the truth will what? Set you free. Now, that may or may not be a one-time thing. Not only does the truth set me free, but it's walking out and living the truth and applying the truth the rest of my walk with Christ that keeps me free. You agree to that? All right." [04:48] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "Do you know our God will give you what you want? James says if you draw near to him, he'll draw near to you. If you want God, he'll give you himself. But if you want other ways, ways of the world, if you want other things in your life, he also will let you have them. Our God is not a forceful God. Our God is not standing there with the rulers slapping you to keep you in place." [07:14] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "You think that he just wants a little bit from you and he wants you to think that he wants a little bit. But if he can get in there on that little bit, he will still kill and destroy everything in your life. And we are no exception. I set you free. I set you free from the Egyptians. I set you free. I set you free from the hate. I set you free from the guilt. I set you free from the addiction. But you didn't want all of it." [13:38] (38 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "The next president or the last president is not going to be going to set you free. It's not who's in office that's going to set you free. It's who's on the throne that's going to set you free. And regardless of who's in office, Jesus is still on the throne. There's your answer." [16:22] (17 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
### Quotes for Members
1. "The fruit that's produced is the following in faith of God. You know that, right? The fruit that he's talking about, the fruit that we're talking about is what the Holy Spirit does in you. The attributes of God displayed in your own unique personality. But he says, I set you free that you could glorify me by showing everybody who your God is." [10:26] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
2. "You know God's word answers everything? Everything in your life, there is nothing that that can't be found in God's word. It even tells us every enemy will ever face in our life is written in bold text. And we can find that in the book of James. And I want to start with this particular verse and I want to read them backwards. I want to start right here in James 4-7. Therefore submit to God. Resist who? The devil. And he will flee from you." [14:30] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
3. "You think you have to be strong to prove to God that you can do this? And God says, you are robbing me of my glory and I do not share my glory with anybody for I am a Jealous God. My name is Jealous. Look it up in Exodus. That's one of God's names. He's Jealous. He don't need you glorifying how strong and mighty you are and how you can work through this and how you can make things right and God's grace is going to help me." [34:40] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
4. "The father, the father gave us the son. The son gave us his life. Right? Ultimately leaving us the Holy Spirit. It's God's plan. It's God's power. It's God's strength. And it's God's might, but it's got to be you that gets up out of the wine press. All of this, all of these are the resources God is willing to give you." [44:44] (40 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
5. "I preached it in the first message, the complete fullness of every spiritual blessing, that God has to offer becomes yours the moment you're born again. You don't have to wait to power up certain stages of your spiritual walk in order to face the challenge that you're in right now. When God says everything has been provided for you, but I just need you to get up from where you're at and to take the next step under the strength and the power that I'm willing to demonstrate in your life to fulfill the promise of I am." [45:21] (34 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)
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