Galatians 5:1 So Christ has truly set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don’t get tied up again in slavery to the law.

I am so thankful for the freedom available to us through the power of Jesus. I am so glad that I can boldly declare to people in my past that I am not who I was because of the grace of Jesus. Everything they can recount about my past life may be accurate, but it is no longer relevant because it has all be replaced by the freedom of Christ. His freedom keeps me free as I abide in Him. We must remember that our freedom flows from our connection to the Creator.

Too many have tasted freedom to only forfeit it on an altar of instant gratification, self-preservation, and repeating old habits. How do we forfeit our freedom?

We forfeit our freedom by repeating the deeds that brought bondage. It has been said that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing and expecting different results. Whatever leads you into bondage the first time will most certainly lead you into bondage if you participate in those deeds again. This is not evidence that God’s power is limited but rather that our commitment to staying free can sometimes wane and give way. When Jesus sets you free, stay free by abandoning the patterns of your past.

We forfeit our freedom by placing our trust in things other than Jesus. The power that sets you free is the same power it takes to keep you free. The same power that delivered you from sin, delivered you from addiction, or delivered you from self-destruction is the same power you need to stay free today. You never outgrow your need for God’s help and your dependence on God’s strength never lessens.

We forfeit our freedom by lessening our pursuit of Jesus. Galatians 5:7 states that “7 You were running the race so well. Who has held you back from following the truth? 8 It certainly isn’t God, for he is the one who called you to freedom.” A shift in intensity is usually a precursor to a change in direction. Stay free in Christ by staying in passionate pursuit of His purpose in your life.

Today’s Challenge: Rejoice in the truth that Jesus can set you free from all bondages on earth. Receive that freedom and stay in that freedom. It is your dependance on that freedom that sets you free and also keeps you free.