Live Free

You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. _{John 8:32}

This is a promise of Jesus to everyone who follows him, remains in him and stays within his teaching. His word does not merely illuminate truth, it is truth, and that truth brings a freedom that most of us have not fully embraced.

This concept of living free is hard for people to understand because they do not see themselves as being enslaved to anyone or anything. The truth that Jesus was explaining in John chapter 8 was that we were not born free but born captive, and everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin ^(v34). The devil takes that truth and creates the lie that you have nothing to be freed from, and the deception grows.

The devil delights in deceiving the Christian most of all. He manages to keep past sin in your thoughts to encourage continued guilt. You may have been forgiven, but he doesn’t want you to forget. He tells you that you are not good enough. He whispers at the prayer meeting, ‘don’t pray out loud, you’ll only make a fool of yourself’. ‘Don’t say anything in the study group, you’re not at the same level as everyone else.’ It is so easy for the devil to be convincing because we so often feel the weight of our own inadequacies, but it is all lies.

If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. ^{John 8:36}

Just like the woman at the beginning of chapter 8, who, after her accusers left, was set free from condemnation, we too can experience true freedom. Freedom from the lies, freedom from the accusations, freedom from guilt.

It was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief, his soul makes an offering for guilt. ^{Isaiah 53:10}

There are so many things that the devil tries to use to enslave us, from which Jesus longs to free us. Do not hold on to the things that Jesus spilled his blood for. His death bought your freedom.

Honour the sacrifice of Jesus by turning your ear away from the father of lies and live free in the truth of God’s word.