John 8:31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”33 They answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?” 34 Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35 Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

It is the trick of the devil to convince his captives that they are comfortable with their chains. He often blinds people to the bondage with which he has captured their life. That is how he operates. Jesus gives this group of people in John 8 the formula to experience His divine freedom and they do not even realize they are in bondage. I wonder how often we are that way. I wonder how often we become comfortable with something that Jesus wants to set us free from. Are we that blind also?

How can I stay free from the bondage of the enemy?

• Don’t get comfortable with your chains.

Refuse to believe that the bondage you experience now is impossible to be broken. Don’t assume that your current chains are things you will have to live with for the rest of your life. And no matter what, don’t get comfortable with it. Jesus wants to set you free. A healthy discontentment with your current state of affairs is the first step to experiencing the freedom that Jesus offers.

• Realize that every sin comes with bondage.

John 8:34 says, “Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, everyone who sins is a slave to sin.” Sin is not just an event we participate in from time to time. But every time we sin, the devil attaches a chain to our life. You may think the sin or the chain is no big deal. You may think you can carry the weight with no problem. Anyone who has done any endurance training knows that it is those small weights that can wear you down. The same is true with sin. What you do not confess and get freedom from will eventually wear you down and wear you out. Why not give it to Jesus?
Proverbs 6:27 asks, “Can a man scoop a flame into his lap and not have his clothes catch on fire?” The obvious answer is no. The same is true for sin. You cannot touch it and be unaffected.

• Embrace the freedom of Jesus by embracing His word.

John 8:31 says, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Embracing and applying the truth of Gods word not only sets you free but also it keeps you free. The enemy has no point of attachment to the child of God who is embracing the truth of God’s word. When we ignore the truth, the devil gains a foothold in our life.

Today’s Challenge: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any chains of the enemy that have attached themselves to your life. Then ask Jesus to set you free and keep you free as you apply the word of God to your life. Living a life of freedom is not just about willpower. It has a lot to do with embracing His power that He imparts as we follow His word step-by-step.

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