Jesus said in John 8:32, "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." That is a great promise from the heart of Jesus to His people. But we must hear it in the context of the first part of this passage! In John 8:31, Jesus says, "To the Jews who had believed him, if you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."
There is a connection between holding to or obeying the truth and the freedom Jesus promised. He loves us and wants us to walk in freedom. However, the freedom Jesus promised only becomes a reality in our lives as we walk in the truth God has given us and that His word prescribes for us. In this quest to walk in God's truth, we sometimes take baby steps and sometimes take giant leaps of faith. With our eyes on Jesus and seeking to walk in His commands and promises, we must keep moving forward. Then we will experience the freedom God promises us! It is all by God's grace and power that we can do these things, but it is something God expects of us because there is too much at stake for us to just exist in this life falling prey to the pressures and temptations of this world. I have lived parts of my Christian life that way, and they are certainly not the high points of my life!
I believe every believer would agree that when we walk in His truth, we experience His freedom, power, love, and grace in a fuller capacity. When we don't, we experience a sense of being distant from God and a lack of freedom to walk out and in our divine destiny. That's not because God has walked away from us but because we have distanced ourselves from Him through the wrong choices we have made. God loves us with perfect love, and in His perfect love, He desires to bring us into the freedom that allows us to walk in this world above the rising tides of temptation, fear, and worry.
I love singing songs that declare God's freedom, like "I Am Free" by The Newsboys. However, I like it a whole lot more when that freedom is a reality in my life! For these verses to become a reality in our lives, we must invite others into our private world. Maybe a pastor, a mentor, a close friend, or an accountability partner who knows our areas of weakness can help us in our quest to follow Jesus. We all need someone that can inspire us, exhort, and encourage us. I used to think I was weak if I couldn't walk in freedom on my own. I later realized how weak and prideful I was if I couldn't ask for the help I needed to reach higher heights in my quest to walk in God's love and freedom. We need each other! We are the family of God, and together we can overcome the world. Maybe your weakness is worry, fear, doubt, or some secret sin. There is help for you, just like there was for me, but we need to ask for it! Ask God and ask someone near and dear to you. Please don't put it off! Do it today, and you will be closer to walking in that freedom you have been dreaming about!
Please remember that wherever you are in your relationship with the Lord, He loves you with full and perfect love. He is your biggest fan and will give you that desire of your heart to know Him and to make Him known. Freedom awaits, Jesus, paid for it on the cross and will gladly show us by the power of the Holy Spirit how to walk in that promised life of freedom!
Your brother in His Eternal Kingdom, Brian Weller
Hebrews 10:24 says, "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds."
Philippians 3:14 "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."