TRUE FREEDOM ON THIS FOURTH OF JULY!
TRUE FREEDOM ON THIS FOURTH OF JULY!
Terrors are turned upon me; my honor is pursued as by the wind, and my prosperity has passed away like a cloud. —Job 30:15
About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword, and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. —Acts 12:1-3
When Peter came to himself, he said, “Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.” When he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many were gathered together and were praying.
But the word of God increased and multiplied. —Acts 13:24
We must be aware of Satan’s schemes. He will use anything he can to hinder those who are following our Lord God Almighty. In Job’s case, Satan took away his prosperity, killed his children, took away his health, took away the support of his wife and friends. Yes, life can change in a very brief time.
In the case of those following Jesus, governments can turn on them in a moment as well and imprison them or kill them. But our Lord sets the boundaries and He has the last Word. His plan is the one that will always prevail… always… even when we do not understand what is going on.
In Job’s case, prosperity was gone in moments. That can be true of an individual or a nation. In the case of James— he was killed in a moment. In the case of Peter— he was jailed in a moment. Yes, life can change quickly and that can be true in an individual’s life or a nation’s life.
We live in a very free country— America— and yet that freedom can be gone quickly. Anti-Semitism is on the rise and very open. Anti-Christian has been on the rise for quite some time. The government is not very supportive of either of these groups. Yes, life can change quickly.
But true freedom is not determined by prosperity, physical freedom or governments. True freedom is in Jesus who said, “If you continue in My word, you are truly My disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31-32) and “So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed” (John 8:36). Knowing Jesus is true freedom and a freedom that can never be taken away!
Actually, Jesus is the only true freedom. Only those who follow Him know that freedom. Every person that does not know Jesus needs to “be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will” (II Timothy 2:25-26). So, people are either truly free in Jesus forever or they are “in the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.” On this July 4th of 2024, which are you? Are you free in Jesus or in captivity to Satan? Those are the only two choices. Here’s how to escape the Satan’s captivity— https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYZw0dfLmLk
Dear Father, I thank You for the freedom You have given me in Jesus. If there are any who are being held captive by Satan reading this, please help them to call on Jesus and have the eternal freedom that He gives. May this be so by the power of Your Holy Spirit and in the authority of Your Son Jesus. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QANH8MWuyaE