By: Elizabeth Haarberg

Freedom

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking this SoundCloud link.

Christianity is rooted in absolute truth. Jesus talked about the importance of truth and the connection to freedom.

“So Jesus said to those Jews who had believed in Him, If you abide in My word [hold fast to My teachings and live in accordance with them], you are truly My disciples. And you will know the Truth, and the Truth will set you free.”
John 8:31-32 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

If truth will set us free, what do lies do? By deduction, lies create bondage.

“You are of your father, the devil, and it is your will to practice the lusts and gratify the desires [which are characteristic] of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a falsehood, he speaks what is natural to him, for he is a liar [himself] and the father of lies and of all that is false.”
John 8:44 Amplified Bible, Classic Edition

God, Jesus, and Holy Spirit are truth and freedom versus the devil who provides lies and bondage. Pretty simple but more difficult when we are in the cross hairs of believing a lie about ourselves or others.

To reduce the chances of believing the lies, Jesus says stay close to God and live out the word, or the Bible. Praying, worshiping, and meditating on the words will allow the Holy Spirit to infiltrate our mind and body. Not only will we live in truth, we will also experience the fruit of the Spirit.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;”
Galatians 5:22-23 English Standard Version

If the truth sets us free and we have no bondage, we can experience the fruit of the Spirit, no matter the circumstances in our life. This allows us to exhibit God’s love to others around us so we can disciple others out of the truth and love Jesus gives us.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, Colorado