Maintaining Freedom

The keys to maintaining freedom from bondage to sin are fivefold:

1. Walk in the Spirit. This means actively and daily choosing to be in a listening & obeying mode to the Holy Spirit's guidance, and also asking for His help, so that lives of love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control will be the result. Our souls (mind, will, and emotions) and 'hearts' need to be in submission to the Holy Spirit; our physical bodies need to be in submission to our souls. This will become second nature to you as you cultivate an intimate personal relationship with God through prayer, Bible reading, giving thanks and praise to God, and wholesome Christian fellowship (we are now getting on to phases Gamma and Delta!). Jesus said "Abide in me, and you will bear much fruit" (John 15:5). Our responsibility is to abide in Him.

2. "Continue to set your mind on things above and not on earthly things" (cf Colossians 3:1-11). We are to continue to put our minds to good things, things which are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good-report, virtuous, and praiseworthy (Philippians 4:8), and so provide fertile soil for good growth in our lives. One of the best ways of putting your mind on these things is through Bible reading and study (see Delta).

Through studying the Scriptures we learn wisdom.  Bill Gothard in his Basic Life Principles Seminar outlines seven non-optional principles of life which the Scriptures teach us.  If we violate any of them, we will have conflicts in our lives.  These principles are:

DESIGN.  Thanking God for my physical features, abilities, gender, parents, siblings, & other "unchangeables" brings Self-Acceptance.  There are many aspects of our life over which we had absolutely no control.  If we dislike our height, eye colour, heritage, etc, then what we are actually doing is saying to God: „God, I don't like the way You made me"!  We must remember that in God's eyes we are perfectly and wonderfully made.  Thank God right now for the way He made you!  And if there are 'faults' which you cannot change, thank God for them too!  Treat them as special marks of ownership.  Remember, God knows every single thing about you, and loves you just the way you are! (see Psalm 139:13-17)

AUTHORITY.  Honoring my authorities (parents, government, church, work) brings Inward Peace.  We need to remember that Jesus was always under authority, and never did His own will!  Remember how Jesus was amazed at the faith of the centurion who understood this principle of being under authority (Luke 7:9)

RESPONSIBILITY.  Taking responsibility for our actions and asking for forgiveness when we do wrong brings a Clear Conscience.  The Bible says that without a clear conscience our faith suffers shipwreck (1 Timothy 1:19 ).

SUFFERING.  Transforming hurts into genuine love, & forgiving offenders brings Genuine Joy.  We are called to suffer as Christians, just like Christ suffered for us and did not revile in return.  We need to be able to say, along with Christ: „Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do".  Remember, Jesus was like a lamb led to the slaughter, and did not open his mouth to revile his enemies (Isaiah 53:7).

OWNERSHIP.  Yielding my rights to God brings True Security.  This principle is so liberating when grasped!  So often we get angry when „our rights" have been transgressed.  But do we really have a right that things will always work out the way we want them to?  Can we always expect that traffic lights will be green for us?  No!

FREEDOM.  Having our minds transformed from false thinking patterns brings Moral Purity.  We need to remember that Freedom in the Scriptures is not the freedom to do what we want, but the freedom to be able to do as we ought!

SUCCESS.  Hearing and obeying the teachings of the Bible brings Life Purpose.  As Joshua wrote: This book of the law shall not depart out of your mouth, but you shall meditate thereon day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then you shall make your way prosperous, and then you shall have good success (Joshua 1:8).

I highly recommend the attendance at a Basic Life Principles Seminar! (see www.iblp.org)


3. Take up your cross daily. Remember that YOU HAVE BEEN CRUCIFIED with Christ and are now a new creation! Therefore as and when your flesh raises its ugly head again, desiring to get you to walk in lust, greed, and pride, remember that you are actually dead to that old way of living, and that your spirit has no desire to walk in that way, and actively with your mind and will kill that desire. You can do it. You have the power and authority in Christ to do so! God wants you to fight. (1 Corinthians 9:27). God also wants you to call upon Him for His help, too, in the matter. Remember that no temptation has overtaken you except such that is common to man. But God is faithful, and with every temptation He will make a way of escape (cf 1 Corinthians 10:13).

4. If the temptation is getting too much, contact a Christian friend and talk about the temptation with them, and pray with them. Be specific, and both of you pray specifically and immediately. God wants and will give you the victory.

5. Prompt confession and renunciation of new acts of sin (which are, by definition, acts in which you fell short of the glory of God, you fell short of how Jesus would have acted on that occasion, you did not act in faith) as the Holy Spirit brings them to your attention.

At this point it is beneficial to have a prayer partner or triplet with whom you can openly confess your sins as required. Remember that John said:

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." (1 John 1:7)  See also James 5:16 and Luke 15:17-21.

Do not be embarrassed to confess your sins. That is a trick of the devil. He wants that cancerous activity to remain hidden so that it can destroy you and your witness! Submit to God's way, resist the devil, and he will flee from you (cf James 4:7).

Practising these things, you will truly be living in a level of freedom and victory you once had never thought possible, preparing you for life in love in community with others. Hallelujah!