Freedom & Deliverance
Hmm....now that's a point to ponder eh?
Put another way, Jesus offers deliverance, but freedom is our choice.
What does that mean?
Say you've been victim to abuse...our gracious God may have delivered you from that (you're no longer being abused) but the scars and pain, bitterness and anger still has you bound. Therefore, you're delivered but not yet free.
Say you've been delivered from a destructive and dysfunctional relationship that was against Gods will- but if you're holding on to the "should haves, could haves, would haves" or playing the blame-game or unable to move on with a clean heart and fresh perspective, then you're delivered but not free.
I think of the children of Israel. By God's grace, they were delivered from 400 years of Egyptian slavery under Pharaoh, survived 10 tragic plagues and miraculously crossed the Red Sea on dry land and yet even after this exodus, they wandered the wilderness for 40 years until they were able to drop their slavery mindset. Would you believe they even grumbled and complained to Moses and wished they had just stayed in Egypt. They were all too comfortable as slaves that they had a hard time embracing their freedom. Sounds insane, right?
But, if we're being honest, do we do the same? Do we stay enslaved to the tradedy of our lives, bound with pain, crippled by fear...sometimes even wishing we were back living in the comfort of that destruction rather than praising God that we've been saved, released, and set free while embracing the promise of a better future?
Deliverance is by God's GRACE, FREEDOM is by your CHOICE.
How can you find freedom from your deliverance?
Approach the throne with GRATITUDE....lay the pain at the foot of the cross and trust that God has a purpose for your pain but that you no longer choose to live with it. Some people choose to remain in pain as an identification badge. You don't know who you are without carrying that pain, that failure, that mistake....but God wants to give you a NEW identity, separate from who you were. Clean. New. Fresh. FREE. Declare freedom from your circumstance today! Break the chains that bind you.
You've been in bondage LONG ENOUGH!!! Put on your NEW identity and walk confidently in alignment with the plans He has created you for TODAY. Today. Today. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Not next year. NOW!
Deliverance + Freedom = Redemption!