The Battle of the Mind

The Battle of the Mind.

If you struggle with the idea that you are free even though you’ve put your faith in the Lord Jesus, you are not alone. For some of us, second-hand theology and religious traditions make it seem almost unreal.

I want to encourage you today that you are loved, and you are free. The Bible tells us in Galatians 5:1 that “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free” (NIV). In 2 Corinthians 3:17 we’re told “Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (NIV) John 8:36 minces no words, saying, “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” (NIV)

Here’s an analogy that might be helpful.

Let's say you were in prison for 40 years. For forty years all you've known is your cell and that someone came to lead you to meals or outside occasionally. It's really the only life you know.

You've tried the door many times, but it never moves unless the guard is there. By now it's deeply ingrained into your psyche that trying to get out always fails. Worse, it results in pain or suffering in one form or another.

Now along comes Someone New. He walks up to the door of your cell and tells you you're free to go.

He told you that you are free, maybe you even heard a clack as the bolt was withdrawn. The door slides aside. Given the pain you’ve endured for breaking the rules in the past, you stay in the cell. But now no one comes to take you to meals or let you outside. You've tried just going out unaccompanied many times, so you "know" that's not going to work. They’ll find you. They’ll berate you. They’ll throw you in “the hole.”

Finally, after you are half starved you think, "what's to lose," and you go out the door. You peer around the corner and see that there are no guards. But you've been set up by other prisoners before, so you go back inside and wait some more. Time passes slowly. Nothing changes.

You peer out a few more times. No one. So now you're truly hungry and you step out. No claxons sound. No lights flash. You walk past other prisoners and a few empty cells to the end of the hall. Still, no one is stopping you.

You try the door from the end of the hall that takes you to the front where visitors meet their loved ones. To your surprise, it opens! You call out; just to be safe. No one seems interested. You find more doors opening as you progress outside the building.

All that remains is the high fence. It’s covered and topped with razor wire—all except for the big gate. You walk up to it. The gate opens. There to greet you is the One who freed you. He runs to you enfolding you in a bear hug so deep you never want it to end.

YOU ARE LOVED BY GOD AND YOU ARE FREE!!

You have a new heart, a new spirit, and the Spirit of God lives in you, just as He promised.

Here's the promise:

Ezekiel 36:25–27 (NIV)
25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols.
26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.
27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

HE does all this.