Living Unhooked: Embracing Freedom in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: True Freedom Through Knowing God's Word

True freedom begins with understanding and internalizing the truth of God's Word. This knowledge is not merely intellectual but must penetrate our hearts, leading to a transformation in how we live. Paul emphasizes that what we don't know can hurt us, but what we know can set us free. This freedom is a practical reality that we can live out daily, and it starts with knowing the truth of God's Word. When we allow this truth to transform us, we experience the freedom that comes from being unhooked from sin and led by the Spirit. [42:23]

John 8:31-32 (ESV): "So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'"

Reflection: What specific truth from God's Word do you need to internalize today to experience true freedom? How can you make this truth a part of your daily life?

Day 2: Beliefs That Lead to Actions

It's not enough to know the truth; we must also believe it in our hearts and let it guide our actions. Paul uses the term "reckon" to describe this deep, heart-level belief that leads to a change in behavior. Our actions are the true indicators of our beliefs. When we truly believe in the truth of God's Word, it will naturally lead to actions that reflect that belief. This transformation is evidence of a life that is unhooked from sin and led by the Spirit. [46:45]

James 2:17-18 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."

Reflection: What is one belief you hold that needs to be more evident in your actions? How can you take a specific step today to align your actions with this belief?

Day 3: Overcoming the Internal Struggle

Romans 7 describes the internal conflict between our flesh and our spirit. Paul acknowledges this struggle but reminds us that we are not condemned and that we have the power through Christ to overcome our sinful nature. This struggle is part of our spiritual warfare, but it is a winnable battle. Through Christ, we have the power to overcome our sinful nature and live a life that is led by the Spirit. [01:00:01]

Galatians 5:16-17 (ESV): "But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the desires of the flesh are against the Spirit, and the desires of the Spirit are against the flesh, for these are opposed to each other, to keep you from doing the things you want to do."

Reflection: What is one area of your life where you experience the internal struggle between your flesh and your spirit? How can you rely on the power of Christ to overcome this struggle today?

Day 4: Living by the Spirit and Bearing Fruit

When we are led by the Spirit, we naturally produce the fruits of the Spirit, such as love, kindness, and self-control. This fruitfulness is evidence of our unhooked life, a life free from the bondage of sin and full of the Holy Spirit. Living by the Spirit leads to a life that is not only free from sin but also full of the positive attributes that come from being led by the Spirit. This fruitfulness is a testament to the transformation that has taken place in our lives. [01:09:40]

Galatians 5:22-23 (ESV): "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Reflection: Which fruit of the Spirit do you feel is most lacking in your life right now? What practical steps can you take today to cultivate this fruit in your life?

Day 5: The Holy Spirit as Our Spam Filter

The Holy Spirit acts as a "spam filter" to help us discern and reject the temptations and lies of the enemy. Just as we block spam calls, we must also block the enemy's attempts to lead us back into sin. This requires active participation and obedience to the Spirit's guidance. By relying on the Holy Spirit, we can discern and reject the lies and temptations that come our way, ensuring that we remain unhooked from sin and led by the Spirit. [01:06:44]

1 John 4:1 (ESV): "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world."

Reflection: What are some of the "spam" messages or temptations you need to filter out of your life? How can you actively rely on the Holy Spirit to help you discern and reject these today?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we explored the concept of being "unhooked" from sin and living a life that is Christ-centered and Spirit-led. Over the past weeks, we've delved into the seriousness of sin, but today, we focused on the freedom that comes from being unhooked. This freedom is not just a theoretical concept but a practical reality that we can live out daily. We examined Romans 6, 7, and 8, where Paul masterfully explains what it means to be unhooked from sin and led by the Spirit.

Paul emphasizes the importance of knowing the truth, as true freedom starts with understanding God's Word. This knowledge isn't just intellectual but must penetrate our hearts, leading to a transformation in how we live. We discussed how our beliefs should lead to actions, and how the Holy Spirit acts as a "spam filter" to help us discern and reject the temptations and lies of the enemy.

We also touched on the internal struggle between our flesh and our spirit, as described in Romans 7. Paul acknowledges this struggle but reminds us that we are not condemned and that we have the power through Christ to overcome our sinful nature. Romans 8 encourages us to live by the Spirit, assuring us that there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus.

Finally, we talked about the importance of being fruitful. When we are led by the Spirit, we naturally produce the fruits of the Spirit, such as love, kindness, and self-control. This fruitfulness is evidence of our unhooked life, a life free from the bondage of sin and full of the Holy Spirit.

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Key Takeaways

1. level belief that leads to a change in behavior. Our actions are the true indicators of our beliefs. [46:45]
3. The Internal Struggle is Real but Winnable: Romans 7 describes the internal conflict between our flesh and our spirit. Paul acknowledges this struggle but reminds us that we are not condemned and that we have the power through Christ to overcome our sinful nature. This struggle is part of our spiritual warfare.

4. Living by the Spirit Leads to Fruitfulness: When we are led by the Spirit, we naturally produce the fruits of the Spirit, such as love, kindness, and self-control. This fruitfulness is evidence of our unhooked life, a life free from the bondage of sin and full of the Holy Spirit.

5. The Holy Spirit as Our Spam Filter: The Holy Spirit acts as a "spam filter" to help us discern and reject the temptations and lies of the enemy. Just as we block spam calls, we must also block the enemy's attempts to lead us back into sin. This requires active participation and obedience to the Spirit's guidance.

### [46:45]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[40:04] - Introduction to Being Unhooked
[41:12] - Journey Through Romans 6, 7, and 8
[42:23] - Knowing the Truth
[43:23] - The Power of Scripture
[44:10] - Example of Knowing the Truth
[45:01] - Believing in Your Heart
[46:45] - Beliefs Lead to Actions
[47:44] - Practical Example of Faith
[49:22] - Hiding God's Word in Your Heart
[50:39] - The Importance of Heart Input
[51:56] - Practical Steps to Being Unhooked
[52:53] - Legalism vs. Lawlessness
[55:56] - Presenting Our Bodies to God
[57:31] - Walking in the Spirit
[60:01] - The Internal Struggle
[62:30] - No Condemnation in Christ
[63:52] - Living by the Spirit
[65:07] - The Holy Spirit as Our Spam Filter
[69:40] - Being Fruitful
[72:28] - The Free Life
[73:21] - Declaration of Freedom
[76:08] - Praise and Worship
[79:53] - Final Encouragement and Dismissal

Bible Study Guide

Observation Questions

According to Romans 6:3-11, what does Paul say about our old self and its relationship to sin?
In Romans 7:15-25, how does Paul describe the internal struggle between the flesh and the spirit?
What assurance does Romans 8:1-2 give to those who are in Christ Jesus?
How does the Holy Spirit act as a "spam filter" according to the sermon? ([06:44])

Interpretation Questions

What does it mean to be "unhooked" from sin according to Romans 6:3-11 and the sermon? How does this concept impact our daily lives? ([41:12])
How does Paul’s description of the internal struggle in Romans 7:15-25 resonate with your own experiences? What does this struggle reveal about the nature of sin and grace? ([01:00:01])
Romans 8:1-14 speaks about living by the Spirit. How does this passage define the difference between living according to the flesh and living according to the Spirit? ([01:02:30])
The sermon mentioned that the Holy Spirit helps us discern and reject temptations. How does this align with the role of the Holy Spirit described in Romans 8:1-14? ([01:06:44])

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when knowing the truth of God's Word set you free from a particular sin or struggle. How did this knowledge transform your actions? ([42:23])
The sermon emphasized that beliefs lead to actions. Identify one belief you hold about God that you want to see more evident in your actions. What steps can you take this week to align your actions with this belief? ([46:45])
Paul talks about the internal struggle between the flesh and the spirit. What practical steps can you take to overcome this struggle in your own life? Consider specific actions or habits you can adopt. ([01:00:01])
The sermon described the Holy Spirit as a "spam filter" for temptations. What are some practical ways you can activate this "spam filter" in your daily life to avoid falling into sin? ([01:06:44])
Think about the fruits of the Spirit mentioned in the sermon. Choose one fruit (e.g., love, kindness, self-control) and plan a specific action you can take this week to cultivate this fruit in your interactions with others. ([01:09:40])
The sermon highlighted the importance of being fruitful. How can you ensure that your life is producing the fruits of the Spirit? Identify one area in your life where you can be more fruitful and describe a concrete step you can take. ([01:09:40])
Reflect on the concept of being "unhooked" from sin and living a Spirit-led life. What is one area of your life where you feel "hooked" by sin, and how can you seek the Holy Spirit's guidance to become unhooked? ([41:12])

Sermon Clips

1. "When we are unhooked it means that we are no longer a slave to sin of what Jesus did. We're not a slave to that and it means he was a slave to sin he was not a slave to that so we need to talk to ourselves and that's what this book is about if you want us to be unhooked it means we need to have faith that we are really disaff peuple cheating that we both have this FTB branded demons under me that believe God does return on everyone's property rights does back on who's responsible for I want to be unhooked. I want to be full of the Holy Spirit. And I want to be fruitful." [40:04] (49 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "Paul points out a few places, and I accentuated them so that we know he wants us first to be unhooked in our mind. Do you not? Do you not know? We know. We know. He keeps talking about what you need to know. And even though we may kind of skip over that, the Greek word for that is very powerful. It means to understand, to learn to know, to come to know, to get knowledge of, to get the information. And Paul is telling the church in Rome, and he's telling us that your true freedom starts with you knowing the truth. Because what you don't know... What you don't know will hurt you. And what you do know can free you. So you have to know the truth. And that knowing starts with the word of God." [42:23] (55 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "Scripture is inspired by God. This is what Paul was telling Timothy. It teaches us what is true. It helps us realize what is wrong. It teaches us and corrects us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people. What you don't know will hurt you. But what you know can keep you unhooked." [43:23] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "When you know something in your heart. Verse 8 through 11 in Romans. This is what he says. Now if we have died with Christ. We believe that we will also live with him. We know, there's the know. That Christ being raised. Raised from the dead will never die again. Verse 11. So you must also consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ. Now, I think it's pretty straightforward with that word believe. Because when you believe something, you operate in that thing. You understand it to be true. You are persuaded of it. You give credit to it. You place confidence in." [45:56] (50 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "If a rich man walked up to you and you know he's rich, you know he has money. And he has money. And he gave you a $500 gift certificate to Gucci or Bloomingdale's. I don't know where y'all shop. Nordstrom or Ross. I don't know. Some of y'all shop at Ross. TJ Maxx. It doesn't matter. Gucci. Based upon who gave it to you, you wouldn't go into prayer and say, well, you know, I hope the thing work. Oh, God, make it work. Oh, God. You wouldn't be. No, no, no, no. You believe it because of who gave it to you." [47:44] (41 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "If you don't like the output of your life, start looking at the input of your life. Everything isn't against you. Everyone isn't against you. You have to say, what am I feeding my heart? Because out of my heart is coming the things that I experience. And people can go through the same exact situation and have two different experiences. You can be content even in hard times. If you are feeding yourself and your heart tells you to read, the scripture says, whether I abound or abase. Whether I'm up or down, I will in this be confident. I will be content in this situation, knowing in our heart." [50:39] (54 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "There are some things you can change in your life right now. You don't need a prayer line. You don't need to call all the intercessors. You don't have to go on a fast. There are some decisions you can make that can change, again, the output of your life. He's saying, say no with your body. When it comes to sin and addiction and issues, and then say yes to the Lord with that same body." [54:50] (37 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "Salvation does not come through our actions or inactions. Holiness does not come through our actions or inactions. We work out our salvation through our actions. We dispel. We display what Christ has done through our actions. Does that make sense? Paul is saying, present the same body you used to give to sin, hand it over to God. This is never about behavior modification. You couldn't save yourself and you can't keep yourself." [57:31] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "An unhooked life is a spirit-led life where we listen. We trust. We obey. And then we are full of the Holy Spirit. And not only are we full of the Holy Spirit, he makes us fruitful. That's where we're trying to go. Being unhooked means we are away from sin. We don't answer that. But then we just want to leave fruit everywhere we go. We are so full of the Spirit that over here we leave some love. Over here we leave kindness. Over here we leave gentleness. We are fruitful when we are led by the Spirit." [01:08:44] (46 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "I want to be fruitful. My hope is that you want to be so unhooked that you are full of the Holy Spirit and full of fruit. So much so that when people encounter you, you're just dropping fruit everywhere. In meetings at work, you're just dropping fruit everywhere. With your friends, you're just dropping fruit everywhere. Even when it comes to some tough times, the fruit, one of the fruit of the Spirit is self-control. All of a sudden, even though you don't want to, you just run. I just need that. I need to take this way of escape and I run." [01:11:25] (35 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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