This month, I had every intention of recording an older blog that I had written and posted a while ago, but when I woke up this morning, God instructed me to speak about freedom. As I slightly panicked because I did not have anything prepared or prerecorded to speak on freedom about, God reassured me that He would lead and guide me so that the message He wanted today’s listeners to hear would be delivered clearly. You are so special to God that this month, He simply wanted to take the time to remind you of the gift of freedom that He has already given you. In the bible, there’s a story in Acts chapter 16 verses 16-28 NIV about Paul and Silas being in prison:
16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.
19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”
16 Once when we were going to the place of prayer, we were met by a female slave who had a spirit by which she predicted the future. She earned a great deal of money for her owners by fortune-telling. 17 She followed Paul and the rest of us, shouting, “These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.” 18 She kept this up for many days. Finally Paul became so annoyed that he turned around and said to the spirit, “In the name of Jesus Christ I command you to come out of her!” At that moment the spirit left her.
19 When her owners realized that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace to face the authorities. 20 They brought them before the magistrates and said, “These men are Jews, and are throwing our city into an uproar 21 by advocating customs unlawful for us Romans to accept or practice.”
22 The crowd joined in the attack against Paul and Silas, and the magistrates ordered them to be stripped and beaten with rods. 23 After they had been severely flogged, they were thrown into prison, and the jailer was commanded to guard them carefully. 24 When he received these orders, he put them in the inner cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”
Paul had the freedom of choice, and after being followed around for days by the woman who predicted the future and becoming annoyed, he chose to command the spirit out of her by delivering her from fortune telling. That choice resulted in Paul and Silas both being beaten and thrown into prison. It was hard for Paul to walk around and hear the voice of the woman who could predict futures shouting daily with what Paul knew was an evil spirit but I bet it was hard for Paul and Silas to both be severely beaten with rods and thrown into prison with their feet bound too. Paul and Silas had the freedom to choose their response to being thrown into prison. They could have chosen to complain, yet with their feet bound, when midnight struck, they chose to pray and sing hymns to God. Paul and Silas had the freedom to choose their influence over the other prisoner’s when the prison doors flew open, and every prisoner's chains came loose. They could have chosen to encourage rebellion amongst the prisoners by killing the jailer or escaping but when the jailer woke up, they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the other prisoners in his house saving the jailer’s life (Acts 16:32 NIV).
I once heard a bishop preaching say, “I know life is hard, but here is the wonderful privilege that we all have, the freedom to choose our hard. Marriage is hard, but divorce is hard too. Getting up early every day to go to work and tend to your own business is hard, but being broke is hard too. Staying healthy and taking care of our bodies is hard, but being sick is hard too. Being studious is hard, but being dumb is hard too. Being good looking is hard but being ugly is hard too. Living for Jesus is hard, but the consequences of not living for Jesus is hard too.” God blessed you with freedom, so you have the power to choose your hard.
God sent me here today to remind you that you have been blessed with the gift of freedom. The freedom to choose your hard, the freedom to choose how you use your voice, the freedom to choose your thoughts, the freedom to choose your response, the freedom to choose your influence, the freedom to choose surrendering to God over the world. I believe that God wants you to know that there’s opportunity in freedom, there’s power in freedom, there’s growth in freedom, and there’s transformation in freedom. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. This month, stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1 NIV). You have freedom, so carefully decide on how you choose to use it throughout the month of November.
I once heard a bishop preaching say, “I know life is hard, but here is the wonderful privilege that we all have, the freedom to choose our hard. Marriage is hard, but divorce is hard too. Getting up early every day to go to work and tend to your own business is hard, but being broke is hard too. Staying healthy and taking care of our bodies is hard, but being sick is hard too. Being studious is hard, but being dumb is hard too. Being good looking is hard but being ugly is hard too. Living for Jesus is hard, but the consequences of not living for Jesus is hard too.” God blessed you with freedom, so you have the power to choose your hard.
God sent me here today to remind you that you have been blessed with the gift of freedom. The freedom to choose your hard, the freedom to choose how you use your voice, the freedom to choose your thoughts, the freedom to choose your response, the freedom to choose your influence, the freedom to choose surrendering to God over the world. I believe that God wants you to know that there’s opportunity in freedom, there’s power in freedom, there’s growth in freedom, and there’s transformation in freedom. It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. This month, stand firm then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery (Galatians 5:1 NIV). You have freedom, so carefully decide on how you choose to use it throughout the month of November.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father,
We honor you for being our King. Thank you for blessing us with your word which provides an overflow of wisdom, instruction, foresight, and understanding. Thank you for freedom God. Freedom through your one and only son Jesus Christ. This month we pray that you continue to give us strength to be able to recognize our freedom no matter where we are or what we may face. You have blessed us with the freedom of choice. You have blessed us with the freedom to pray for ourselves and others. You have blessed us with the freedom to be light in the midst of darkness. You have blessed us with the freedom to choose our hard. You have blessed us with the freedom to use our voices. You have blessed us with the freedom to learn. You have blessed us with the freedom to love. You have blessed us with the freedom to serve. You have blessed us with the freedom to totally surrender to you. You have blessed us with the freedom to have a relationship with you. Let us walk through the month of November always knowing that we have freedom. In Jesus name we pray, amen.
Heavenly Father,
We honor you for being our King. Thank you for blessing us with your word which provides an overflow of wisdom, instruction, foresight, and understanding. Thank you for freedom God. Freedom through your one and only son Jesus Christ. This month we pray that you continue to give us strength to be able to recognize our freedom no matter where we are or what we may face. You have blessed us with the freedom of choice. You have blessed us with the freedom to pray for ourselves and others. You have blessed us with the freedom to be light in the midst of darkness. You have blessed us with the freedom to choose our hard. You have blessed us with the freedom to use our voices. You have blessed us with the freedom to learn. You have blessed us with the freedom to love. You have blessed us with the freedom to serve. You have blessed us with the freedom to totally surrender to you. You have blessed us with the freedom to have a relationship with you. Let us walk through the month of November always knowing that we have freedom. In Jesus name we pray, amen.
Scriptures to Feed Yourself & Reflect On:
Acts 16:16-40 NIV (the story of Paul and Silas in prison)
Galatians 5:1 NIV
Acts 16:16-40 NIV (the story of Paul and Silas in prison)
Galatians 5:1 NIV