Free at last!

Last week we were talking about Jesus our kinsman Redeemer. Jeremiah 50:33-34 says, “Yahweh, Commander of Angel Armies, says: “My people, Israel and Judah, are oppressed, You hold them fast and will not let them go. But their Redeemer is powerful! My name is Yahweh, Commander of Angel Armies. I will take up their cause and rescue them. I will give the nation rest but make the people of Babylon tremble.”

What does redemption mean for us? We were once slaves to the powers of this world and to the law but now we are free. Free to do what? Last week we looked at the word “redeem” used in Galatians 4 which was the Greek word “exagorazō” being Strongs G1805 which means “to redeem by payment of a price to recover from the power of another, to ransom, to buy off”. The same word also means to “buy up for one’s self, for one’s use”. Isn’t that interesting?

Indeed Christ purchased our freedom from the gnarly grip of the enemy and translated us into the Kingdom of God. But, we were also purchased for a reason. God bought us for Himself, for His use. In our modern world and in our thinking, its like, what? So God owns me? Yes. Yes, He does! Haha!

1 Corinthians 2:20 AMP says, “You were bought with a price [you were actually purchased with the precious blood of Jesus and made His own]. So then, honor and glorify God with your body.” Romans 14:7- 8 says, “No one lives to himself and no one dies to himself. While we live, we must live for our Master, and in death we must bring honor to him. So dead or alive we belong to our Master.” When we believe in Jesus and give our lives to Him, we change ownership from the devil to Papa God. Now that’s a trade we should all make.

For those who do not make the trade and who do not do what God says, John 8:42-44 says, “Jesus said, “Then if God were really your father, you would love me, for I’ve come from his presence. I didn’t come here on my own, but God sent me to you. Why don’t you understand what I say?  You don’t understand because your hearts are closed to my message! “You are the offspring of your father, the devil,  and you serve your father very well, passionately carrying out his desires. He’s been a murderer right from the start! He never stood with the truth, for he’s full of nothing but lies—lying is his native tongue.  He is a master of deception and the father of lies!”

Take note I said those who do not do what God says at the beginning of the above paragraph. In John 14:15 Jesus said that loving Him empowers us to obey His commands. If we love Jesus, we have supernatural enablement to do what He asks us to do. So if we find ourselves consistently struggling to do what God’s word says, maybe we don’t love Jesus as much as we think we do. Which takes us to John 8:42-44 above.

We live in a world full of delusion that we can be autonomous and in charge of our own lives whereas in reality, in this world, you either belong to God or the devil. The only power you have is to choose who you want to bow your knee to. If you do not bow your knee to God, you are actually bowing your knee to the devil and saying, in not as many words, “Rebellion is where it’s at. God doesn’t run my life! I’ll do me. I can be great on my own.” In doing that, you are giving the devil access to your life. To run havoc, to steal, kill and destroy. It may not happen today, but be rest assured, destruction is coming.

Proverbs 14:12 says, “You can rationalize it all you want and justify the path of error you have chosen, but you’ll find out in the end that you took the road to destruction.” Does it say you will find out in the beginning or middle? Nope. In the end, when it is too late, that’s when most are going to wake up face to face with Jesus and realised, they messed up.

The price has already been paid for your redemption so you can escape being enslaved by the devil. Life in Jesus is freedom, peace and joy! I had a season in my life when I decided to do me. Worst season of my life. I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy! What posed as freedom was actually slavery and the longer I entertained it, the deeper I got entangled and the more hopeless life felt. Nothing was fulfilling. I would have moments were I would be like yeah I am enjoying this but at my core was emptiness and hopelessness.

Oh how wonderful it was to finally step into the light of Jesus’ love. To step into a brand new day where the Son was shining and take a deep breath of fresh air and just breathe in life. To be redeemed and find true freedom at last!

Love and blessings,

Melissa Tsingano.