Freedom!

Freedom!

Now, the “Lord” I’m referring to is the Holy Spirit, and wherever he is Lord, there is freedom. 2 Corinthians 3:17 TPT

There is a Lord, and there are lords. There is a Lord that commands and holds your attention, almost daring you to look away. There are also lords that seek to compel obedience, not out of love, but from a sense of duty. There is a Lord whose heart seeks to bless, impact and impart that which is of himself into all who come to him. Then, there are other lords who are only known by their inner circle and no more. They cannot see beyond their noses, yet make empty boasts. They cannot even keep themselves from death or sickness, yet make mighty boasts about a tomorrow he cannot secure or predict, as well as things he does not understand. So, which lord have you come to know and submit to? 

The one who wrote this letter had met this Lord. He had seen him at work in his own life, as well as the lives of other people. A man who was steeped in Judaism now followed the way of Christ so fervently. What made him say these things? What would they mean? First, like Paul pointed out, it is for my benefit that God does all He does. Paul turned to the Lord for light and guidance, and he was not disappointed. Intellect, human connections, abilities and influence are limited in their impact, scope and reach, but the one who has God on his side has all he needs for life. Secondly, he does not force himself on me, or bend his will to suit my greed.

Is he Lord of my life's pursuits and priorities. Have I turned to him for all He wants me to have?  It is in turning to him, in total surrender and acknowledgement of his power, that i have access to what he offers. As long as I have alternatives, I will not turn the right way. And the Lord referred to here is the Holy Spirit, not my circle of influence, or my human network. As important as these are for life, there is a role that the Holy Spirit plays that nothing else can fulfil. He is the One who clarifies the perfect will of God, and also supplies the guidance, help and inspiration I need to embrace, pursue and fulfil it. That is freedom: the kind that comes from God through the Holy Spirit. 

The world claims to be free, but it forgets that addiction to sin is not freedom. The fact that I do something wrong now and there is no immediate accounting does not mean that I will get away with the consequences of my actions. The world itself is not free from the power of sin and death; how can it offer you freedom, when it does not even know what it means. It is the Son that sets free, and it is His Spirit that seals it. When I surrender my life to His Spirit, my life becomes the living expression of freedom. My life is set free from the shackles of sin and I can impact both the earth and also prepare for eternity. What could be bigger or better than these? Do I know this Lord? God's time of favour is here.