Freedom

Christians are spiritually free.  

John 8:36 | Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth with set you free.”  

“But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?”  

Your word of the year is freedom! So what does that mean when it comes to 2023 and beyond? Let's take a deeper look at what freedom means straight from God's Word. 

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is a part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free.” 

Christians are free from sin’s power. 

Romans 5:21 | So just as sin ruled over all people and brought them to death, now God’s wonderful grace rules instead, giving us right standing with God and resulting in eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Christians are free in order to serve others. 

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.  

Christians are free in forgiveness because of Christ. 

Mark 2:24-25 | I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you’ve received it, it will be yours. But when you are praying, first forgive anyone you are holding a grudge against, so that your Father in heaven will forgive your sins, too. 

Forgiveness is not always an easy topic to cover in relation to embracing the plan God has for our lives. This journey of forgiveness can be challenging or untroubling, depending on what or who it is that you are faced with forgiving. Imagine for a moment standing on the bank of a river. You need to get across to the other side, but there are no boats around. Now imagine you are walking up and down the bank of the river and you run into a man who has a boat and agrees to take you across the river to get you to your destination. The boat represents forgiveness; the man represents Jesus. The river represents the issue that needs your forgiveness. God knows how difficult it can be for us to forgive, but He is able to journey with us through the process of forgiveness. If we don’t forgive, this issue stands in our way of getting to where God is trying to take us. He is telling us that we must first forgive to get to the other side of the issue.  

If you are praying and believing God for something and you seem to not be getting an answer, think about any areas of unforgiveness that you need to address. Is there someone who you are holding something against? Have you been trying to justify why you will never be able to forgive someone who hurt you deeply? I’m not saying you should welcome them back into your life or even have a relationship with them. Why not take this to God in prayer? Ask Him the best way to free your heart from the pain, and then lean into Him as He carries you over the water. 

This year, allow yourself to find freedom in Him, not in the world. He is always with you, and because of that, you can face anything that life brings your way. DaySpring has products and resources just for you to help you keep growing in Him 2023. Start each morning in His Word with the new Wide Margin Filament Bible from the DaySpring Signature Collection and pick up a devotional journal like Release: 90 Days to Embrace God’s Plans for Your LIfe that will keep your mind and heart focused on Him each day. Surround yourself with everyday items that can keep your word top of mind like this Today Has New Grace Ceramic Mug, this Katygirl planner or the Rooted in Love Hanging Cross. 

Looking for more? DaySpring has hundreds of products and resources to help you experience and express the life-changing message of God's love.