Pastor’s Corner: “Perspectives from Heaven”
Romans 8:15 (NLT) – 15 So you have not received a spirit that makes you fearful slaves. Instead, you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children.[ Now we call him, “Abba, Father.”
I woke up this morning with the words “I’M NO LONGER A SLAVE” going over and over in my mind. No Longer Slaves to Fear: Nine times in the book of Leviticus God reminded His people that He delivered them from Egypt. After 400 years in captivity, slavery had become a mindset, a learned, generational way of life. After Moses pleaded, “let my people go,” over and over, on the night called Passover their freedom was won. In one night God delivered them. But their mentality, the way they viewed life, the way they thought of themselves—that would take time. To realize they were elevated to being God’s chosen people, the sons and daughters of the Almighty and they were no longer slaves to fear – that’s a radical change of life and thinking for them and for us.
Leviticus 26:13 – “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, that you should not be their slaves; I have broken the bands of your yoke and made you walk upright.”
Too many of us also live in a slave mentality. We are slaves to fear, habits and broken lives, slaves to past wounds, slaves to our flesh or the false peace the world offers. As Christians, it is easy to say we are no longer slaves, but how we live reveals whether our minds have been renewed. Difficulties, struggle and pain in our lives reveal whether we are still living like slaves even though we have been freed. We need to be reminded more than nine times!
It takes time for your mind to start thinking like a free person. Romans 12:2 (NIV) – 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will. Salvation takes a moment, but walking in the freedom God has given takes surrendering your heart and mind, learning to trust Him as your Lord and savior. Facing these radical times as a church, community, nation and world gives us an opportunity to grow into the reality of the freedom we have given rather than to be placed into more bondage (enemies plan). Take this opportunity to have your mind renewed and given the reality of Heaven’s perspective of Freedom. We are Promised Land People!
I encourage you to step into your true identity. Embrace the fact that you are God’s precious child, His son or daughter. Until we realize who we really are, we miss out on so much. Grow in your knowledge and understanding of the Lord, until you can walk in the power and authority of your true identity. The Jews asked Jesus how He dared to promise freedom. He answered, “Whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. A child of God abides forever, free. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John 8:36).
Today, In the face of earthly freedoms being taken away, we celebrate freedom from heaven as a son and daughter of the King (Abba Father) that can never be taken away!
Don’t forget that we are joining every day at 10:00am to pray together!
Bless your families and your homes – we love you and are praying for you!
In His Grace,
Pastor Hamilton and Family