Living Unhooked: Embracing Freedom in Christ

Devotional

Day 1: Freedom in Christ

Understanding and internalizing the truth of God's Word is the foundation of our freedom in Christ. This freedom means we are no longer slaves to sin but are free to be used by God in any capacity He chooses. Paul emphasizes in Romans 6 that our freedom begins in the mind, knowing and understanding the truth of God's Word. This knowledge must move from intellectual understanding to heartfelt belief, which then translates into action. When we truly believe in our hearts that we are dead to sin and alive to God, our actions will reflect this belief. This heartfelt conviction leads to a lifestyle that honors God. [39:52]

Romans 6:17-18 (ESV): "But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness."

Reflection: What specific truth from God's Word do you need to internalize today to experience freedom in Christ? How can you begin to live out this truth in your daily actions?

Day 2: Heartfelt Belief

True freedom is not just about intellectual knowledge but also about heartfelt belief. When we truly believe in our hearts that we are dead to sin and alive to God, our actions will reflect this belief. This heartfelt conviction leads to a lifestyle that honors God. Paul teaches that our freedom begins in the mind, knowing and understanding the truth of God's Word. This knowledge must move from intellectual understanding to heartfelt belief, which then translates into action. We must reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to God, fully trusting in the promises of God as if they were tangible gifts. [47:12]

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: In what ways can you demonstrate your heartfelt belief in God's promises through your actions today? What steps can you take to ensure your faith is not just intellectual but also practical?

Day 3: Internal Struggle

Paul acknowledges the internal struggle between our sinful nature and our redeemed spirit. While our flesh may still desire sin, we are not obligated to follow those desires. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome the flesh and live a life that pleases God. This internal struggle is a common experience for all believers, but we are called to live by the Spirit, which empowers us to overcome the flesh. The Holy Spirit acts as a spam filter, warning us against sinful desires and guiding us towards righteousness. [59:15]

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 specific desires of the flesh are you struggling with today? How can you rely on the Holy Spirit to overcome these desires and live a life that pleases God?

Day 4: Spirit-Led Life

Living unhooked means being led by the Spirit in all aspects of life. The Holy Spirit acts as a spam filter, warning us against sinful desires and guiding us towards righteousness. By listening to and obeying the Spirit, we can live a life that is free from sin and full of God's purpose. This Spirit-led life is marked by the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Everywhere we go, we should leave evidence of the Holy Spirit's work in us. [01:06:19]

Ephesians 5:18-21 (ESV): "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ."

Reflection: How can you be more attentive to the Holy Spirit's guidance in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to ensure you are living a Spirit-led life?

Day 5: Fruitfulness

A Spirit-led life is marked by the fruit of the Spirit. Everywhere we go, we should leave evidence of the Holy Spirit's work in us. This fruitfulness is a testament to our freedom and our commitment to living a life led by the Spirit. It demonstrates that we are truly unhooked from sin and are living for God's glory. Paul teaches that our freedom begins in the mind, knowing and understanding the truth of God's Word. This knowledge must move from intellectual understanding to heartfelt belief, which then translates into action. [01:10:04]

Colossians 1:10 (ESV): "So as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God."

Reflection: What evidence of the Holy Spirit's work can others see in your life today? How can you cultivate more of the fruit of the Spirit in your daily interactions and decisions?

Sermon Summary

### Summary

Today, we explored the concept of being "unhooked" from sin and living a life that is Christ-centered, God-focused, and Spirit-led. Over the past weeks, we've discussed the gravity of sin, but today, we shifted our focus to the freedom that comes through Jesus Christ. Being unhooked means we are no longer slaves to sin; instead, we are free to be used by God in any capacity He chooses. This freedom starts with knowing the truth, which is rooted in the Word of God. Paul, in Romans 6, 7, and 8, emphasizes the importance of understanding and internalizing this truth.

Paul teaches that our freedom begins in the mind, knowing and understanding the truth of God's Word. This knowledge must move from intellectual understanding to heartfelt belief, which then translates into action. We must reckon ourselves dead to sin and alive to God, fully trusting in the promises of God as if they were tangible gifts. This belief should lead to a lifestyle that reflects our faith, as our actions are the true indicators of what we believe.

Paul also addresses the internal struggle between our sinful nature and our redeemed spirit. He acknowledges that while our flesh may still desire sin, we are not obligated to follow those desires. Instead, we are called to live by the Spirit, which empowers us to overcome the flesh. This Spirit-led life is marked by the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Living unhooked means we are not just free from sin but are also fruitful in our daily lives. Everywhere we go, we should leave evidence of the Holy Spirit's work in us. This fruitfulness is a testament to our freedom and our commitment to living a life led by the Spirit.

###

Key Takeaways

1. centered and Spirit-led. [39:52]
2. Heartfelt Belief: True freedom is not just about intellectual knowledge but also about heartfelt belief. When we truly believe in our hearts that we are dead to sin and alive to God, our actions will reflect this belief. This heartfelt conviction leads to a lifestyle that honors God.

3. Internal Struggle: Paul acknowledges the internal struggle between our sinful nature and our redeemed spirit. While our flesh may still desire sin, we are not obligated to follow those desires. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome the flesh and live a life that pleases God.

4. Spirit-Led Life: Living unhooked means being led by the Spirit in all aspects of life. The Holy Spirit acts as a spam filter, warning us against sinful desires and guiding us towards righteousness. By listening to and obeying the Spirit, we can live a life that is free from sin and full of God's purpose.

5. Fruitfulness: A Spirit-led life is marked by the fruit of the Spirit. Everywhere we go, we should leave evidence of the Holy Spirit's work in us. This fruitfulness is a testament to our freedom and our commitment to living a life led by the Spirit. It demonstrates that we are truly unhooked from sin and are living for God's glory.

### [39:52]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[39:52] - Introduction to Being Unhooked
[41:40] - Romans 6: Understanding Freedom
[43:30] - The Power of Knowing the Truth
[45:20] - Heartfelt Belief and Action
[47:12] - Reckoning Ourselves Dead to Sin
[49:11] - Belief Leading to Action
[50:59] - The Importance of Heart Knowledge
[53:06] - Practical Application of Belief
[55:18] - Legalism vs. Lawlessness
[57:13] - Presenting Our Bodies to God
[59:15] - The Internal Struggle
[61:09] - Freedom Through Jesus Christ
[62:34] - No Condemnation in Christ
[64:28] - Walking by the Spirit
[66:19] - The Holy Spirit as a Spam Filter
[68:15] - Living a Spirit-Led Life
[70:04] - Being Fruitful
[71:36] - The Cycle of Learning and Living
[73:16] - Proclaiming Our Freedom
[75:35] - Praise and Worship
[78:15] - 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 his sinful nature and his redeemed spirit?
What does Romans 8:1-14 say about the role of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer?

Interpretation Questions

How does knowing the truth of God's Word set us free from sin, according to the sermon and Romans 6? ([43:30])
What does it mean to "reckon" ourselves dead to sin and alive to God, and how does this belief translate into action? ([47:12])
How does Paul’s acknowledgment of the internal struggle in Romans 7 help us understand our own battles with sin? ([59:15])
What practical steps can we take to live a Spirit-led life as described in Romans 8? ([01:06:19])

Application Questions

Reflect on a time when you felt enslaved by a particular sin. How did knowing the truth of God's Word help you overcome it? ([43:30])
Think about an area in your life where you need to "reckon" yourself dead to sin. What specific actions can you take this week to live out this belief? ([47:12])
Paul talks about the internal struggle between our sinful nature and our redeemed spirit. How can you remind yourself daily that you are not obligated to follow sinful desires? ([59:15])
Identify one aspect of the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) that you want to cultivate this month. What specific action can you take to develop this fruit in your interactions with others? ([01:10:04])
The sermon mentioned the Holy Spirit acting as a spam filter, warning us against sinful desires. Can you think of a recent situation where you ignored this warning? How can you better heed the Holy Spirit's guidance in the future? ([01:06:19])
How can you leave evidence of the Holy Spirit's work in your daily life, as described in the sermon? Share a specific example of how you can be more fruitful in your workplace, family, or community. ([01:10:04])
The sermon ended with a call to proclaim our freedom in Christ. How can you share your testimony of being unhooked from sin with someone this week? ([01:13:16])

Sermon Clips

1. "When we are unhooked it means that we are no longer a slave to sin because of what Jesus did. We're not a slave to that and it means that we are no longer a slave to sin it means that I am free for God's use so you have to know that when you're free from something you need to be free for something. Does that make sense?" [39:52] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2. "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 will hurt you and what you do know will hurt you and 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." [43:30] (22 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3. "What you hide in your heart is what you hide in your heart. What you accept to be true you allow it to motivate you and direct you to what you do. I like Proverbs 4:20-23 says keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it are the issues of life. In order to be unhooked you have to start to read the word digest it meditate on it because it's the only way to live your life." [50:59] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4. "There has to be a connection between what we do and what we are reading and saying. Paul addresses this he says listen you have you have to have a no a no with your body too. Romans 6:12 says let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body he's talking about the literal physical body do not present your members to sin but present yourselves to God." [53:06] (32 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5. "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 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." [57:13] (31 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6. "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." [01:08:15] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7. "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." [01:11:36] (26 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

8. "This is the fruitful life. This is the unhooked life. This is a life where you are no longer a slave to sin, but you are free for God. This is the free life. We can make it more spiritual. We can talk about gifts. We can talk about miracle signs and wonders. And believe me, I love talking about it. But at the end of the day, I want you to be full of this fruit. I want you to be free." [01:13:16] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

9. "God wants us to be free to him. Free from sin. And then all of a sudden, God did something to embarrass me. Well, I ain't embarrassed myself yet, but it's about to come. He gave me a song. Don't worry, the praise team, they're going to come out here and sing it. I'm going to start it. Some of us in this room are dealing with the strongholds. We're dealing with that. And so, the song is, I am free." [01:15:35] (39 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

10. "If you didn't know what you are free from just believe you're trying to wonder what you need to be free from just believe that in the spirit things are being destroyed God is opening up deliverance for you now it's like it's an open heaven all you need to do is declare by faith that I am free from everything that has been holding me down I am free from it that has been holding me back." [01:18:15] (33 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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