DAY 14: FREEDOM!

“Jesus replied, ‘I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin.’ ... 36So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” John 8:34,36 NLT

Wow. Freedom. Freedom from slavery to sin. Freedom from death. Freedom from the curse. Freedom from sickness and illness. Freedom from the demonic. Freedom from generational curses. Freedom from witchcraft. Freedom from ourselves. Freedom. 

This is the freedom that can only be found in CHRIST JESUS. The enemy can’t offer it. Only JESUS.  

In fact, during this morning’s corporate prayer, an intercessor saw a snake wrapped around someone’s neck. We simply entered into the Presence of the KING, poured our love upon HIM, confessed sin and renounced agreement with the enemy, and continued worshipping the KING. Towards the end of our time together, another intercessor saw a serpent. Its head was raised, and it was looking at us. Then it simply turned around and slithered away. Hallelujah! Freedom! 

Galatians 5:1a NASB says, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free...”

Because of CHRIST JESUS, we are now able to live in freedom from the consequences and power of sin. Hallelujah! This is the freedom we find when we first repent and then renounce every agreement with evil.  

Since we consist of three parts – spirit, soul, and body (see 1 Thessalonians 5:23) – freedom is manifested in our spirits, our souls, and our bodies.  I learned the freedom that comes from renouncing very practically when the act of renouncing (spirit and soul) brought about a physical healing (body). 

More than 15 years ago, I had three herniated discs in my back. They were so badly herniated that they were pressing the nerves affecting my entire left leg, leaving me in excruciating pain and 24-hour pain killers. In fact, I was unable to walk and was assisted by a wheelchair. I had back surgery, and thankfully, the surgery was successful. However, in the midst of all the doctor’s visits, my physician informed me that I would have to return to have additional surgery sometime in the future, because he said that I had a “bad back.” 

Of course, I continued to pray that the LORD would completely heal my back so that surgery would not be needed. 

All was well until about six months ago. My left leg was again in pain, reminiscent of what happened previously. All indications pointed to a back problem, and the possibility of surgery. The pain started off slowly and progressed until I was unable to sleep, unable to comfortably get out of bed, unable to walk without pain. All the while, I continued to pray, until one day, I said, “GOD, if YOU don’t heal my leg, I’m going to need to go to the doctor.”  

That night, I went into midnight prayer, asking GOD for the source of my back issues and for the solution. As I continued to press in, the HOLY SPIRIT reminded me that I had back problem as a child in the fifth grade – so I knew that there must have been something that happened during childhood. I went back into prayer and asked, “HOLY SPIRIT, what happened when I was a child? What is the source?” 

All this time, while I was praying at the midnight hour, I was walking back and forth in pain. And suddenly, I knew! Thank YOU, HOLY SPIRIT, for YOUR kindness in revealing the source. 

When I was a child of about four or five years of age, my cousin’s family would visit us periodically. My cousin is six months older than me, so we were very close. We would play around and get into various activities. One of these activities made me feel very guilty. I didn’t know that it was wrong, but it sure felt like it! Even with that, I willingly agreed. I began to dread my cousin’s visits. At one point, I put a stop to it, and asked GOD to forgive me. As I grew older, and I realized that what I’d done was sin, I repented again (this time, with understanding). 

During this midnight hour, the HOLY SPIRIT revealed that, though I’d repented, I had never renounced agreement with the evil spirit behind these activities. I immediately called out the spirit and renounced agreement with it, in JESUS’ Name. 

Instantly, the pain in my leg left! This happened the very second that I renounced evil agreement! Thank YOU JESUS! The HOLY SPIRIT revealed both the source and the solution...and healing happened, hallelujah!!! Freedom had come to my spirit, my soul, and my body! 

So, what about you? Have you ever wondered why you’re depressed? Why you have nightmares? Why you are cutting yourself? Why there’s a sickness that you have not overcome? It may be that you are holding on to sin that you haven’t confessed. It may be that you are holding on to unforgiveness, and have allowed bitterness to set in. It may be that you have not renounced agreement with the evil one.  

If you are ready for freedom to come, it’s time to get rid of what’s holding you back. It’s time to confess. It’s time to renounce. It’s time to find the freedom that is only found in CHRIST JESUS. 

Let’s pray: 

KING JESUS CHRIST, I confess my sins to YOU. HOLY SPIRIT, please reveal every place where I am holding on to something that doesn’t please YOU, even if I’ve forgotten about it. Uncover the deep places in my life. FATHER, I want to be free. I renounce and forsake every evil agreement that I’ve made, in JESUS’ Name. Thank YOU for setting me free. Amen and amen. 

“Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter varioustrials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect work, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James 1:2-4

Trial Resulting in Joy 

James 1:2 is not one of my favorite verses. To be very honest with you, it does not feel natural at all. It makes me wonder what James was going through when he wrote it. Only a person who can identify with pain or trials is able to write such a verse. This was his response to being persecuted; it was not some joy or brief joy but ALL joy! 

I looked into the word “encounter;” it means to fall into suddenly. So, this is a sudden trial, we have no way to prepare for it and the HOLY SPIRIT wants me to respond with Joy – not fear, not tears, not screaming, not crying but JOY!  

This is the reason to stay away from the feeling of happiness. Being happy is very fleeting; it has no substance; it is only around when things are good. There is no strength or backbone to being happy. But JOY, wow, this is where we want to be; this is the emotion that lasts through the good times and the bad times. The joy from the LORD has a backbone; it is not broken easily; it is not easily swayed. This is why we don’t want joy produced by situations or ourselves; we want the joy of the LORD. The joy of the LORD is present when you suddenly face various trials you were not prepared for. 

Please note that “trial” (peirasmos) in verse two means trial, probation, testing, being tried; temptation; calamity, affliction. 

Tempted/Testing By Desire 

“But each one is tempted when he is dragged away and enticed by his own desire. 15 Then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is full grown, it brings forth death.” James 1:14-15

In this same chapter, James now talks about another type of test or trial. He is referencing temptation but using the same word as he did in verse two. There is a trial, or temptation that drags an individual away. The meaning of “dragging” here is literally to be dragged away from the right thing. While the first testing in verse two is sudden and by the end of verse four it is producing endurance, the end of verse 14 is producing death. We have to watch our desires very carefully; we have to ask questions. What is the foundation of my desire; what really birthed this desire in me? 

Faith produces or gives birth to endurance, but personal desire gives birth to sin when temptation is involved.  

Solution 

Circumcise your heart. We have to be honest with ourselves and actually cut off the barrier between ourselves and YESHUA.  

“Thus says ADONAI to the people of Judah and to Jerusalem: ‘Break up your unplowed ground and do not sow among thorns. 4 Circumcise yourselves to ADONAI and remove the foreskins of your heart.’” Jeremiah 4:3-4

Circumcision is not an easy thing to do, and it causes much pain. Interesting, though, is that the LORD did not ask us to come to HIM so HE can do the circumcision of the heart. HE said that we should do it. HE is asking us to take the knife and actually cut off the foreskin around our heart. 

Prayer: 

LORD, in the period of testing, be our Source of Joy. Help us not to be blinded and consumed with pain which is our natural response. Teach us how to respond with Joy at ALL times. FATHER of Lights, reveal when our own desires have crept into our hearts so we can cut it off removing any foreskin on our hearts. We want only YOUR desires in our hearts, and we choose to circumcise our hearts to YOU over and over again. In JESUS’ Name. Amen. 

Have you ever done something and you were too ashamed to tell anyone? Do you think you will get in trouble if you do? You might get in trouble with people, but GOD will be so very proud of you.

Some time ago, a high school student came to me, confessing that she had cheated on a test. No one caught her, but there was a weight in her heart that would not leave. She felt so bad and had no peace. As soon as she confessed, we prayed, asking GOD for forgiveness, and the weight on her heart lifted. She was filled with peace again.  

Recently, a young man came to me and confessed he had a problem with pornography. As soon as he confessed, he said it was like a dark cloud lifted off of him. While he still had to go through a process of asking for forgiveness, rejecting that lifestyle, and changing his behavior, the first step was confession. 

But why does GOD love truth so much? After all, HE is GOD and already knows what we did wrong. Why confess it? 

“Surely You desire truth in the inner being. Make me know wisdom inwardly. 9Cleanse me with hyssop and I will be clean. Wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 10 Let me hear joy and gladness, so the bones You crushed may rejoice. 11 Hide Your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.” Psalm 51:8-11

“So confess your offenses to one another and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous person is very powerful.” James 5:16

 The Bible teaches us that part of being free from anything that holds us back, any sin we have committed, is to confess. Telling the truth, owning up to our sins, is the first step to being forgiven and healed. GOD does not like coverups. The LORD says directly that a person who covers up his sins, will not do well in life. See Proverbs 28:13: 

“One who covers up his transgressions will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them finds mercy.” Proverbs 28:13

Another important question to ask and answer is “what is sin?” Sin is anything done against the laws of GOD; therefore, sin is disobedience to GOD, which is lawlessness. But how do you know the laws of GOD? By reading the Bible. Let’s look at some of the basics of GOD’s law, the Ten Commandments. 

“You shall have no other gods before Me. … 4 You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; 5 you shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, 6 but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. 7 You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain. 8 Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy … 12 Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you. 13 You shall not murder. 14 You shall not commit adultery. 15 You shall not steal. 16 You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. 17 You shall not covet your neighbor’s house; you shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.” Exodus 20:3-17 

Ask the HOLY SPIRIT who lives inside of you if you have broken any of these laws. If you have, confess it, own up to it, tell GOD you are sorry, and HE will forgive you. Some sins need to be confessed out loud to someone you trust that can help you through the process of changing behaviors, so you don’t sin again. Ask GOD to show you who HE wants you to confess to. The LORD will lead you. If you need help with this, download the Remnant Tribe app, and request prayer. We will pray along with you.  

Remember, GOD is not ashamed of you. HE wants you to come clean so HE can forgive you and clean you from the sin. HE wants to give you the power to move forward with life, filled with joy and good success.

Pray this prayer: 

Dear KING JESUS CHRIST, thank YOU for not being ashamed of me. I have sinned in so many areas [name the ones you remember]. I ask you to please forgive me. I also ask you to show who to confess my sins to so that my heart and mind may be healed, and they can help me change my behaviors, so I do not sin again. Please fill me with YOUR joy and peace today. In KING JESUS CHRIST’s Holy Name, amen.