Born to Be Free
“And the chief captain answered, ‘With a great sum obtained I this freedom.’ And Paul said, ‘But I was FREE BORN.’” – Acts 22.28(KJV)
When a man or woman has made Jesus their Lord, they have passed from eternal death to eternal life. No longer are they under the control of satan. No longer under the dominion of death. The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus is pumping through their veins, and everything God has – has been placed at their disposal.
Yet, many of those same men and women are living day to day in anything but life to the overflow. They are walking around discouraged, disillusioned, and defeated in a sea of lack, death, and impossibilities at every turn. Why? Because although they have made Jesus their Lord and are trying to serve Him with all their heart – they are still living in bondage because they do not know who they really are.
In this passage from Acts 22, we find the Apostle Paul again being bound and headed for imprisonment for spreading the Gospel. During that day and age, it was illegal to bind a person who was a Roman citizen without first being tried and condemned as guilty. However, the guard binding Paul did not know he was a Roman. After he had gone through his ordeal of tying him down for scourging, Paul let him know who he was.
Upon learning Paul's identity, the guard went immediately to his commander, saying, “what are you about to do? This man is a Roman!” The commander rushed to Paul to confirm the details for himself. Sure enough, when he asked him if he was a Roman citizen, Paul’s answer was yes.
At that, the commander replied, “with a great sum obtained I this freedom….” In other words, this did not come cheap. But Paul said, “Yes, but I was born free!”
Instantly, those who were about to examine him and flog him withdrew from him, and the commander also was frightened, because he realized that Paul was truly a Roman citizen and he had put him in chains.
The fact was, Paul was not just born free – he also knew it. Had he not known who he was and known the rights he was entitled to – he would have gone through something he was free from. It’s the same way with you and me.
There is much going on in the life of Believers from which we were Born Free – and it is time we knew it – all of it – and begin speaking up, like Paul did, against these things that have no right to assail us.
Real freedom is not about doing just anything you want to do. Real freedom is the liberty to do whatever God called you to do, and have all that God has promised you in His Word.
To tap into these heavenly reservoirs of abundant life and living, we must both be totally convinced of who we really are in Him and boldly lay hold of every one of our Covenant Rights.
The word peace in Hebrew is translated “complete wholeness”. Isaiah 26.3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in You.” God will keep in absolute peace and wholeness the person who sets their mind permanently on Him.
How in the world can we keep God on our mind all the time? By constantly focusing on our Redemption. We have no identity without redemption. Life in God hangs on redemption because it was Love that gave His Son to redeem us – and everything hangs on Love. (Matthew 22:37-40) Furthermore, it is impossible to think about Redemption without thinking about Jesus because He embodies it – He is our Redeemer!
When we continually identify with our Redemption, it opens our mind and heart to meditate on all which that redemption entails – every benefit, every promise, of our Covenant with God. The reason this will take place for the one who stakes his identity on his Redemption is because, by doing so, one opens themselves up completely to the Lordship of Jesus – Who is the Word of the Living God.
Just like the virgin Mary received and became impregnated with the very Word of God – even so we will become impregnated with His very life – everything promised us in His Word – when we continually embrace our true identity of redemption.
“For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [lead the lives of those native-born to the Light]. For the fruit (the effect, the product) of the Light or the Spirit [consists]in every form of kindly goodness, uprightness of heart, and trueness of life. And try to learn [in your experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [let your lives be constant proofs of what is most acceptable to Him].” –- Ephesians 5.8-10 AMP
Do you know what is most acceptable to Him? Living out the full measure of your Redemption. That is walking in the Light.
In Ephesians 5 we are informed that the Light of God uncovers and reveals everything hidden – “….all things….are made manifest by the Light….” (vs.13) Whatever needs to be uncovered or revealed to you so that you can experience Life in abundance – God’s Light dwelling within you will produce that result.
The most free life you will ever live is being in complete submission to the will of God – because He (not the devil) is the Author of Freedom. Galatians 5.13 states that, “….you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity of the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
What a more beautiful way to live than to use our God-given freedom to love and bless other people. “For all the law is fulfilled in one word even this: you shall love your neighbour as yourself.”
Amazingly, this is the key to walking in the spirit, because right after these verses, this is exactly what verse 16 of Galatians 5 says, “I say then; walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
It is virtually impossible to walk outside of Love, outside of the Light of God, outside of Freedom, outside of Abundant Life – when you are locked in to your Redemption, focused intently on God alone. That is really being Born-Free!
We have to enforce our freedom in God – and that can only be done by being so deeply rooted in our identity of Redemption. In this way, nothing will be able to pull us off of what belongs to us through the Blood of Jesus.
It is time to stand fast in our liberty by which the Anointing has made us free – not allowing ourselves to be entangled with the yoke of bondage of the law of sin and death ever again. (see Galatians 5.1)
Let us be strongly encouraged to take a fresh, intent look at our Redemption and never again allow anything to divert our fixed gaze from that true identity.
The Life of God requires our strict focus in order to experience His best. So next time something contrary to what God wants for you tries to slip its chains around you – look it straight in the eye and declare:
“This I KNOW, I was BORN FREE ! And I take my stand in that Freedom ! ”
Copyright © First Love Ministries International aka FERVOUR
All Rights Reserved
“And the chief captain answered, ‘With a great sum obtained I this freedom.’ And Paul said, ‘But I was FREE BORN.’” – Acts 22.28(KJV)
When a man or woman has made Jesus their Lord, they have passed from eternal death to eternal life. No longer are they under the control of satan. No longer under the dominion of death. The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus is pumping through their veins, and everything God has – has been placed at their disposal.
Yet, many of those same men and women are living day to day in anything but life to the overflow. They are walking around discouraged, disillusioned, and defeated in a sea of lack, death, and impossibilities at every turn. Why? Because although they have made Jesus their Lord and are trying to serve Him with all their heart – they are still living in bondage because they do not know who they really are.
In this passage from Acts 22, we find the Apostle Paul again being bound and headed for imprisonment for spreading the Gospel. During that day and age, it was illegal to bind a person who was a Roman citizen without first being tried and condemned as guilty. However, the guard binding Paul did not know he was a Roman. After he had gone through his ordeal of tying him down for scourging, Paul let him know who he was.
Upon learning Paul's identity, the guard went immediately to his commander, saying, “what are you about to do? This man is a Roman!” The commander rushed to Paul to confirm the details for himself. Sure enough, when he asked him if he was a Roman citizen, Paul’s answer was yes.
At that, the commander replied, “with a great sum obtained I this freedom….” In other words, this did not come cheap. But Paul said, “Yes, but I was born free!”
Instantly, those who were about to examine him and flog him withdrew from him, and the commander also was frightened, because he realized that Paul was truly a Roman citizen and he had put him in chains.
The fact was, Paul was not just born free – he also knew it. Had he not known who he was and known the rights he was entitled to – he would have gone through something he was free from. It’s the same way with you and me.
There is much going on in the life of Believers from which we were Born Free – and it is time we knew it – all of it – and begin speaking up, like Paul did, against these things that have no right to assail us.
Real freedom is not about doing just anything you want to do. Real freedom is the liberty to do whatever God called you to do, and have all that God has promised you in His Word.
To tap into these heavenly reservoirs of abundant life and living, we must both be totally convinced of who we really are in Him and boldly lay hold of every one of our Covenant Rights.
The word peace in Hebrew is translated “complete wholeness”. Isaiah 26.3 says, “You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on You because he trusts in You.” God will keep in absolute peace and wholeness the person who sets their mind permanently on Him.
How in the world can we keep God on our mind all the time? By constantly focusing on our Redemption. We have no identity without redemption. Life in God hangs on redemption because it was Love that gave His Son to redeem us – and everything hangs on Love. (Matthew 22:37-40) Furthermore, it is impossible to think about Redemption without thinking about Jesus because He embodies it – He is our Redeemer!
When we continually identify with our Redemption, it opens our mind and heart to meditate on all which that redemption entails – every benefit, every promise, of our Covenant with God. The reason this will take place for the one who stakes his identity on his Redemption is because, by doing so, one opens themselves up completely to the Lordship of Jesus – Who is the Word of the Living God.
Just like the virgin Mary received and became impregnated with the very Word of God – even so we will become impregnated with His very life – everything promised us in His Word – when we continually embrace our true identity of redemption.
“For once you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of Light [lead the lives of those native-born to the Light]. For the fruit (the effect, the product) of the Light or the Spirit [consists]in every form of kindly goodness, uprightness of heart, and trueness of life. And try to learn [in your experience] what is pleasing to the Lord [let your lives be constant proofs of what is most acceptable to Him].” –- Ephesians 5.8-10 AMP
Do you know what is most acceptable to Him? Living out the full measure of your Redemption. That is walking in the Light.
In Ephesians 5 we are informed that the Light of God uncovers and reveals everything hidden – “….all things….are made manifest by the Light….” (vs.13) Whatever needs to be uncovered or revealed to you so that you can experience Life in abundance – God’s Light dwelling within you will produce that result.
The most free life you will ever live is being in complete submission to the will of God – because He (not the devil) is the Author of Freedom. Galatians 5.13 states that, “….you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity of the flesh, but through love serve one another.”
What a more beautiful way to live than to use our God-given freedom to love and bless other people. “For all the law is fulfilled in one word even this: you shall love your neighbour as yourself.”
Amazingly, this is the key to walking in the spirit, because right after these verses, this is exactly what verse 16 of Galatians 5 says, “I say then; walk in the spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”
It is virtually impossible to walk outside of Love, outside of the Light of God, outside of Freedom, outside of Abundant Life – when you are locked in to your Redemption, focused intently on God alone. That is really being Born-Free!
We have to enforce our freedom in God – and that can only be done by being so deeply rooted in our identity of Redemption. In this way, nothing will be able to pull us off of what belongs to us through the Blood of Jesus.
It is time to stand fast in our liberty by which the Anointing has made us free – not allowing ourselves to be entangled with the yoke of bondage of the law of sin and death ever again. (see Galatians 5.1)
Let us be strongly encouraged to take a fresh, intent look at our Redemption and never again allow anything to divert our fixed gaze from that true identity.
The Life of God requires our strict focus in order to experience His best. So next time something contrary to what God wants for you tries to slip its chains around you – look it straight in the eye and declare:
“This I KNOW, I was BORN FREE ! And I take my stand in that Freedom ! ”
Copyright © First Love Ministries International aka FERVOUR
All Rights Reserved