RADICAL Liberation!
Have you had a liberation moment; a moment when you have a realization of how free you REALLY are? Free from the judgments and opinions of others. Free from the debilitating internal dialogue you abuse yourself with. Free of your life’s circumstance. Free from what the world expects from you. Free from your past. Free to live and believe for a beautiful and God honoring future. Have you ever felt so liberated?
Yesterday America united to celebrate our liberation and freedom as a nation; we celebrated and honored the fight it took to receive the liberties we are afforded daily. We as a nation can agree on the goodness of freedom; it’s the governing of our freedom that divides the red and blue lines of society. What does it look like to govern our personal freedom? How do I daily live out my radical liberation moments?
My name is Brittany Priess and I know the strong grip and slavery of sin in my life. I also know the sweet freedom that comes from encountering the saving grace of Jesus. I know the struggle of freedom and living in freedom daily. One of my primary weapons when governing the freedom I’ve been given through Christ is a short verse from 2 Corinthians. This verse is short, sweet, and super memorizable.
“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”
When I am struggling to live in a place of freedom I recall this verse, and ask myself some questions:
Where is the Spirit of the Lord?...in me.
What comes with the Spirit of the Lord?...freedom.
What does this mean for me?...I am free, I have authority to live like it.
Another thing that has helped me in governing my freedom is having a right understanding of spiritual freedom. Culturally being free means that we get to do what we want. Many people celebrated yesterday by eating and drinking as much as they want, doing whatever they want because work is closed, or by shooting off all the fireworks all in the name of ‘MERICA! That is all well and good, but as believers we are called to do something a bit different with our freedom.
“You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh ; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Galatians 5:13-14
We are set free for the sake of Love. We are set free so that we can love those the Lord puts in our lives. You and I are called to use our freedom to humbly love others; we are to choose loving others over our own flesh’s desires.
I have been freed from fear and empowered to love people without fear of rejection or abandonment.
I have been freed from lust and empowered love others with a pure heart and holy intentions.
I have been freed from hopelessness and empowered to love my creator and delight in His trustworthy heart.
I have been freed from death and empowered to laugh at the days to come and have joy in all circumstances.
The real fight for freedom comes after the smoke has cleared and the boom of the fireworks has stopped ringing in our ears. Let us persevere in freedom; in the words of George Washington in the broadway musical Hamilton, “Winning’s easy young [wo]man, governing harder.”
What have you been freed from and empowered to? How will you be free today?
It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1
Brittany Priess is a Criminal Justice Major that has traveled to 20 countries, served tirelessly with local youth, is a gifted speaker/trainer/leader and is passionate for missions, marginalized and manicures! She is THE perfect guest blogger for Belle & Sparrows!