Prayer For True Freedom

What is True Freedom?

We read about freedom, dream about freedom, rejoice in the notion of freedom, teach, advocate, and hope for freedom, but what do we mean by freedom?

Freedom means many things to many people. We can view freedom politically, as having the opportunity to vote for particular ideas, people, or parties which best represent our views.

Closely tied to this is the notion of freedom of speech, where one has the liberty to voice their personal opinion or perspective.

Others understand freedom in a financial context, where people seek to free themselves of financial debt, outstanding credit, and burdensome loans.

What does true freedom look ? Does it look a voter’s ballot or someone walking prison? Is it seen in being able to buy anything I want or in the fact that I don’t owe a thing to anyone? Of course, it’s crucial to define what we mean by freedom so that we know what we’re looking for, what we’re hoping to attain.

We think that once our particular freedom is achieved, all our problems will be solved. Why?

Say a child runs outside and climbs a tree because he wants to get away and be free. In his exuberant effort to be free, the boy wanders out onto a tree limb, turns around, and begins severing the last connection he has with the world — the limb.

In his effort to achieve freedom, the boy finds himself in a worse situation than before — broken limbs and all!

Two sides of the freedom coin

Not surprisingly, the Bible says quite a bit about freedom, despite any impressions we might have about it being merely a book of restrictive rules.

In reality, if we are willing to consider it, the Bible can help us distinguish between what it means for us to be free from something and to be free to do or be something.

Freedom from and freedom to are two sides of the freedom coin.

It is interesting that many of the freedoms we seek today are seen as ends in themselves, as a final goal to be attained. It’s as though we think that once our particular freedom is achieved, all our problems will be solved. Why? Because we’ll have freedom! But freedom from what? And freedom to do or be what?

For example, let’s say that we’re in deep financial debt. We realize our desperate state and begin to strategically work our way financial bondage.

It may take months, years, or even decades, but eventually we hope to balance our budget and move from being in the red to in the black.

But, even if we accomplish our goal and attain financial freedom, particularly freedom from debt, have we really attained true freedom? In other words, does having no financial debt necessarily mean that we have attained financial freedom?

Not really. See, our hearts, which drove us into debt in the first place, remain unchanged. It may be the case, and unfortunately it often is, that as soon as we get debt, we plunge right back into it.

We act on our thoughts and behave according to our desires.

Interestingly, the Bible ns the human heart to a tree: “every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit.

A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit… For the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks.

The good man brings good things the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things the evil stored up in him” (Matthew 7:17-18; 12:33-35). The source of our actions is the heart. If it’s diseased, the fruit (our actions) is rotten too.

Of course, it’s always good to be debt, but to simply balance the books is only a peripheral remedy. It is merely treating the symptoms rather than dealing with the disease. True freedom is only achieved when our hearts are changed, not when the books are balanced.

The same can be said for political and verbal freedom. Both are significantly good and should be advocated and protected, but they are peripheral freedoms in comparison to true freedom. True freedom occurs only in the heart when it is changed and made new.

What then is this “true” freedom?

There is a debt that every human has, a disease that we all suffer from, which no human strategy can ever conquer or cure. It is not a bondage to external things primarily, though it does work its way out in external expressions. No, our problem is much deeper. It is bondage of the will, a captivity of the soul, a deadness of heart.

The Bible tells us that we were made by God to honor Him and delight in Him forever.

Yet, we chose to sin and rebel against God by abandoning our created purpose of worshiping Him in order to do our own thing and pridefully make a name for ourselves.

Due to our sin, we have all received the consequential penalty of sin, namely spiritual and physical death. Death reigns in all of us so every one of us is spiritually dead (separated from God) and will also die physically one day.

Not only this, but throughout our life, the effects of sin infect everything we do. The marring stains of sin are pervasive within each one of us, distorting the way we think, desire, and behave.

All of our thoughts, feelings, and actions are tainted by our sin.

Yet, in all of this, the human heart remains free in one regard: free to choose whatever it desires. But here’s the catch — the human heart is corrupted and enslaved by evil.

So, it does not naturally desire to do what honors God. All our thoughts, words, and actions are tainted in various degrees with prideful sin and rebellion against God.

So even though we are free to choose, we freely choose sin continually as a habit of nature.

Ultimately, the final consequence of our sin against God is hell, a state of total and unending disconnection and separation from God and all that is good, a place of unhindered and perpetual bondage to unrestrained evil, horror, and suffering resulting from everyone doing all their selfish and sinful hearts’ desires, no matter what harm it may cause to others.

Yet, God in His love sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to come to earth and willingly die in the place of sinful humans us to absorb all our sin, rebellion, and wrongdoing.

Therefore, all who entrust their complete life to Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of their sins will be saved from their bondage to sin and given eternal life in Him and enjoy an intimate and personal connection and relationship with God himself.

It sees Jesus Christ as beautiful and desires to love Him as the Lord and Savior of our life. By faith, we give our life to Jesus and receive His forgiveness and freedom from sin. Not only this, but we are now free to do the very thing we were created to do — to honor and enjoy God forever.

And this joy in God is from our heart — our new heart given to us by God.

This is true freedom. This is grace.

Connect with a mentor now!

Источник: //thelife.com/what-is-true-freedom

Kenneth Copeland Ministries – A Prayer of Agreement for Debt Freedom

If you’re reading this, you know one thing is true: Debt is a burden. It may bring us the things we need or want more quickly, but the chains can be heavy and the road to freedom often long.

That’s why God’s will for you is to have everything you need—DEBT FREE. How do we know? He tells us His will is for us to be “the head, and not the tail” (Deuteronomy 28:13), “to owe no man any thing but to love” (Romans 13:8), and that we “lend to many…but…not borrow” (Deuteronomy 28:12). He wants us to have the upper hand in life, and not for others to decide the terms of our prosperity.

Even if you are already in debt, there is a way out—God’s Word. Kenneth Copeland says, “Once you make a decision to become debt free, God sees you debt free.” That’s powerful! 

How do you get there?

Begin by coming into agreement according to the Word of God. Matthew 18:19 says, “If any two of you on earth agree (harmonize together, make a symphony together) about whatever [anything and everything] they may ask, it will come to pass and be done for them by My Father in heaven” (AMPC).

Agreement is a covenant term. A covenant agreement the Word and led by the Holy Spirit, places Jesus right in the midst to bring that agreement to pass. Coming into agreement is one of the most powerful tools God has given us as believers. Believers agreeing together in the Holy Spirit are a powerful, unstoppable force.

A Biblical agreement is the Word of God. Some people think that as long as you just have more than one person in a room praying, you have agreement. But that’s not true agreement. If you want to get into true Biblical agreement with someone or even a group of people, all parties must be standing on the Word of the living God. 

You can be done with debt for good and live a stress-free, debt–free life. Start today by using these steps to write and execute a prayer of agreement for debt freedom.

Step 1. Write Your Prayer of Agreement

• List all debts that you presently owe and all bills that need to be paid. Be specific about what you are believing for. Philippians 4:6 says, “Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God” (AMPC). 
• Locate at least three scriptures to stand on concerning your debt freedom and include them in your agreement. These could include:
  • Proverbs 22:7: “The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower is slave to the lender” (NIV).
  • Romans 13:8: “Owe no man any thing, but to love one another” (KJV).The Amplified Bible, Classic Edition, says, “Keep debt and owe no man anything, except to love one another.” 
  • Deuteronomy 28:12: “The Lord will open to you His good treasure, the heavens, to give the rain to your land in its season, and to bless all the work of your hand. You shall lend to many nations, but you shall not borrow” (NKJV). 
• Claim your spiritual authority.

  Write down a declaration that you are binding Satan concerning your finances and releasing angels to go out and minister on your behalf. 
   

• Release your faith.

   Within your agreement, write:“We release our faith, believing for our total debt freedom now! We speak to the mountain of debt and command it to be removed. We call those things which be not as though they were (Romans 4:17, KJV).Whatever things we desire, we believe that we receive them (Mark 11:22-25, NKJV).Jesus, the High Priest of our confession, will bring it to pass (Hebrews 3:1, NKJV).”
   

• Note that you will continually praise God for your debt freedom. Praise keeps the door of abundance wide open. 
   
• Sign and date the agreement.  All those who are standing in agreement should sign and date the document. 

Step 2. Formally Present Your Agreement to Your Heavenly Father

• This acknowledges that He is the Source of all supply. 
• Lay hands on the list and pray according to Romans 13:8. 
• Take Communion over the agreement. 

Step 3. Roll the Care Over Onto the Lord

• Be sure to turn it completely over to Him. Don’t carry the care or burden any longer. If you lose sleep over your debt or try to figure it out yourself, you’re not casting your care on Him.

Step 4. Keep It Before You and Refer to It Often

• You can agree over your debt freedom and give God praise for it over every meal. This will keep your faith alive and activated. 

• Continually offer thanksgiving and praise to God for the answer. There’s power in praise!

Print a sample prayer of agreement below.

prayer_of_agreement_for_debt_freedom.pdf

Once you’ve completed these steps, it is important to stay on the same page with those with whom you’ve come into agreement: to stay in agreement. Stand strong and firm, continue to praise God for your debt freedom—you will see results.

When you use these steps to write and execute a prayer of agreement for debt freedom, you are on your way to seeing a manifestation! Don’t give up. Don’t give in. See yourself debt free, as God sees you. Then, before you know it, you will be living in prosperity—debt free!

Related Articles: 

5 Steps to a Debt-Free Life

What the Bible Says About Praying With Others

Источник: //www.kcm.org/real-help/finances/pray/a-prayer-agreement-debt-freedom

Sermon: True Freedom – John 8

Imagine a husband taking his wife out to a nice restaurant for their anniversary. Over candle light he expresses his love for his wife by quoting a list of her physical features as if reading the information from her driver's license.

• You are 5' 4″ tall.
• You weight is 120 pounds.
• You were born in January.
• You have brown hair and brown eyes, and you live on East Maple Street.

Now imagine the same situation with the husband saying,

You walk in beauty, the nightOf cloudless climes and starry skies,And all the is best of dark and night,

Meet in the aspect and your eyes.

While the romantically challenged husband in the first situation communicated information that was accurate, he failed to communicate the depth, the magnitude, and beauty of his love for his wife.

Love is more than a list of factual information. Love is a mysterious and beautiful relationship between two people.

I mention the use of poetry to introduce the idea of what Jesus is speaking about in John 8. Jesus does not use poetry, but He is proclaiming information that is explosive, emotional, and transformational. The concepts of truth, sin, and freedom are more than fill in the blank answers from a Sunday School quiz.

We have a hint that the subjects discussed in John 8:31-36 are massive theological concepts illustrated in the discussion describing the difference between a son and a slave. Jesus is proclaiming freedom not from individual sins or a specific act of disobedience, but He offers freedom from the nature or condition that enslaves all people.

The truth to which Jesus refers is more than the factual correctness that dominates so much of western Christianity.

We can quote verses about evangelism, prayer, or compassion, yet we rarely seek to extend compassion prayerfully bringing the gospel to those living in darkness.

The freedom that Jesus offers is not a political system; it is a release from the chains that enslave one's soul.

I. Possibility of freedom

Jesus makes one of the most amazing Inspirational claims in history. Consider for a moment the incredible hope expressed in the promise that Jesus can set people free. Unless you have lived a sheltered life, you have probably experienced an enslaved soul or have known loved ones who struggle to break free from ungodly chains.

These ungodly chains my be easy to identify an immoral addiction, or the chains may be more “acceptable” fear, greed, poverty, worldliness, doubt, anger, bitterness, legalism, racism, insecurity, despair, and depression. Whatever category you classify your slavery, the result is the same – a failure to experience the abundant life promised by following Christ.

To those living in bondage, Jesus offers freedom!

A. The freedom offered by Jesus is spiritual

His freedom is not a political revolution. True freedom is not about changing your outward circumstances. This is a significant concept because it reveals that Jesus can free you wherever you are.

Paul was on the road to Damascus persecuting Christians. The prodigal was in a pig pen. Peter was in a boat fishing. One woman was drawing water from a well. Another woman found freedom when caught in adultery.

A thief was on a cross of execution when Jesus set his soul free!

Spiritual freedom is not dependent upon physical circumstances that may have led or contributed to your bondage. Jesus can set you free in your marriage without causing a divorce. Jesus can set you free when you are overdrawn in your checkbook without making a deposit.

But, one of the main truths of divine freedom is Jesus is more concerned about setting your soul free than defeating the Roman Empire or some other external force in your life.

B. Jesus' freedom is also purposeful

Jesus describes the freedom He offers resulting from abiding in His truth.

Freedom is not a lack of restraint that allows one to fulfill any selfish desire, but genuine freedom takes place in the arena or stadium of divine truth.

As we abide in Christ we are released from the chains of the world and released to be all that God created us to be. a fish has been created to swim in water, we are created to live in the truth of Christ's love.

Consider playing an instrument the piano.

Who is free the toddler who has never taken a lesson but freely bangs on the piano keys, or the person who has taken lessons, reads music, and creates beautiful even worshipful sounds with the same piano? Obviously, the skilled musician is free to play the instrument as it was designed.

We were created to walk in fellowship with almighty God, but sin hinders that relationship by enslaving us in a separated life from God. Christ is the only one who can set us free to enjoy the life as a child of God instead of living as a slave of the world.

II. Perils of freedom

Even though Jesus clearly declared that freedom was possible, the sad reality is that very few experience it. The following is not an exhaustive list, but several perils or roadblocks hindering freedom are identified in the text.

A. The first peril is Ignorance

Jesus is declaring new truth to some who did not know that freedom was available. The Bible describes those who lacked knowledge of Christ's ministry as “living in darkness,” and Jesus came to bring light to those who lived in darkness.

B. A second peril is arrogance

The Pharisees' statement that they had never lived as slaves is not just inaccurate; it is arrogant. Israel had experienced slavery under the Assyrian Empire, Babylonian Empire, Persian Empire, and now the Roman Empire.

But their greatest slavery was to their own sin. They were unwilling to admit that they had failed to meet God's holy standard. They lived by a legalistic code and arrogantly rejected the offer of God's amazing grace.

C. Reluctance

Reluctance is the third peril that prevented some from responding to Christ's offer of freedom. The context reveals that some had placed their faith in Christ (v.

30), while others believed what Jesus was preaching but had not taken the next step placing their faith in Him. This group was not ignorant.

They were not arrogant because they recognized a need for Christ, but they were unwilling to surrender to the lordship of Christ.

D. Complacency

Contained in the text is the exhortation to be free indeed or complete freedom. This exhortation seems to stand in contrast to those who would accept marginal freedom.

A little bit of freedom was acceptable instead of trusting Christ for abundant freedom. Attending synagogue, offering some sacrifices, and celebrating the traditional “holy day” festivals was okay for most people.

Jesus offers true freedom from the top shelf instead of settling for the cheap prizes at the bottom shelf.

But on their last visit to Chuck-E-Cheese, the daughter hit the jackpot on one of the games winning a large number of tickets. As they were going to the redemption center to claim her prizes she said, “Daddy I don't have to choose from the bottom shelf this time.

Today, I have enough for the good prizes on the top shelf.”

I am convinced most individuals who call themselves “Christians” live complacent lives choosing blessings from the bottom shelf when abundant freedom is available. Are you living “fee indeed?”

III. Process of freedom

Jesus identifies a process for experiencing true freedom with the words, “If..then.” The process should not be confused with a legalistic formula. He does not say, “If you have a daily quiet time with thirty minutes of prayer, tithe faithfully, and only miss Sunday School twice a year, then you can be free.

” While Jesus does not prescribe a formula, His words do reveal a way in which things operate in His kingdom. For example, you are free to watch the sun rise each morning, but you must do two things to see it. You must get up early in the morning, and you must face east.

If you sleep until ten o'clock and look west, you will miss the sunrise even though you are free to watch it. Why? Because there is a way things work.

The little word “if” is a big concept in the kingdom of God. The word represents an invitation. True freedom will not attack you; rather you must respond to God's invitation to accept His complete freedom. As we have already discussed, most do not accept God's offer.

Jesus also reveals the expectation to abide.

Two concepts emerge from the text related to abiding in truth. First, abiding refers to perseverance. True freedom is not found through a casual glance at the claims of Christ, but one must be willing to “dwell” in the Word of God (v.31). This is not a 30 day trial of faith.

Jesus is not talking about a 12 week Bible study. Jesus offers freedom to those who abide in His Word. Abide comes from the root word abode meaning home or dwelling place. The word picture communicated is one of moving to a new home.

It represents a significant and ongoing change in one's life.

The second concept of abiding is place or location. Jesus declares that true freedom is found in, “MY word.” Freedom is not found in self-help programs, legalistic religion, the teaching of Buddha, or Muhammad. Freedom is not found in the pop psychology of Dr. Phil, Oprah, or through selfish indulgence of unrestrained sin. True and complete freedom is found in Christ.

Conclusion

Most of us have experienced the crunch of high gasoline prices. When my teenage daughter asks to ride with her parents because she doesn't want to use the gas in her car, you know that gas is expensive. Imagine if congress allowed drilling for oil in my backyard to help reduce the cost of gas.

What do you think the impact would be upon prices? None! Why? Because they aren't in major oil reserves in my backyard! The soil deposits in this geographic region do not contain the chemicals necessary for producing large quantities of fuel those of Texas, Alaska, or Saudi Arabia.

Not matter how hard I work and no matter how sincere I believe, digging for oil in my backyard will not produce the desired result. To get oil, you must dig where there is a deposit of oil.

Источник: //www.lifeway.com/en/articles/sermon-freedom-truth-slavery-salvation-john-8