Freedom from Bondage

It sounds like work!

“Breaking free from bondage.” Just that the sound of that phrase brings a certain amount of dread to most of us. It’s what’s needed to be free, but it’s so strenuous and downright uncomfortable. For the people trying to break free from long-term habits, stubborn issues like losing weight, or reaching a health or fitness goal, freedom equals pain.

The reason change often seems so difficult is that we are trying to make it happen backwards. We begin with the denial of a particular act or item, but the Bible says, “as a man thinks in his heart, so is he”, (Proverbs 23:7). This means that if you are ever going to experience freedom in any area, you are going to have to start seeing yourself, and thinking about yourself, as free on the inside before you see it on the outside.

A lasting change in any area takes place right in between your ears, in your mind. Our enemy, the devil, attacks us in one primary area—our minds. He does so with lies and deception that traps into thinking that we are, and always will be, slaves to the bondage that is in our lives. He knows that as long as he can get you to believe you are a slave to a certain habit, behavior, or thing, you will never be able to break free.

Counter that lie!

The truth is that Christ came to set us free from ALL bondage! In fact, if you are born again, the Bible says you are ALREADY free.

Whom the son has set free, is free indeed. (John 8:36)

This means that when you ask Jesus to come into your life, you THEN are free from the power that sin once had over you. Like a person who was in a jail cell with the door locked, Jesus came and unlocked the door, and said, “come on out, you’re free!”

But just as you are making your way out of the jail cell of your old life, Satan says, “Wait, who told you that you could leave? You are not really free, and you never will be. You will be in bondage to this thing, habit, or lifestyle forever!”

And so, many people stay in the jail cell, with the door wide open, when all they needed to know is that they have been set free and are able to step out into freedom!

Steps to freedom

Stepping out of bondage and into freedom does require action on your part. You have to initiate the process.

The first step is to confess to the Lord what you are in bondage to. The word “confess” (homologeo) means “to say the same thing.” In other words, you are to be in agreement with what God has said about the area you are in bondage to. You are to admit what you have been doing is wrong, sinful, and that you don’t want it in your life anymore. He then responds with forgiveness and the power to make changes.

The next step is knowing what the Word of God says. It’s from this step that God begins renew your mind through His Word, and help you to see yourself as the overcomer that He has created you to be. Knowing what God’s Word says also greatly empowers your prayers so you can specifically address the things your desire change in with hope of what God has promised.

This process of walking into total freedom can happen instantaneously, but often happens in steps and stages. The reason for this is simply because many of us have lived in bondage to things for many years, and it takes time for our minds to be renewed and our hearts to respond to the Lord and change.

The important thing to remember is that God has already given you everything you need to walk in total victory and freedom in every area of your life. The step that has to keep being taken is seeing yourself as you truly are in Christ…totally and completely set free!