[The below text has been machine transcribed and may contain errors. Please listen to audio for original and integral translation]
I’m excited about what’s coming up in the new year. There’s a lot of really good things happening here, and I hope you guys want to be a part of that. Let us know, again, like you said, if there’s something that, you know, you want to be a part of, and we’ll get you plugged in, we’ll get you info, and get you moving.So, as Steve said, I had a little message for everyone here today, and I thank you, and I appreciate the honor and a privilege it is to stand up here and speak to you and speak into your life. I appreciate that. Wi-Fi is getting emotional, I’m sorry.It’s just me. You’re stuck with me. Anyway, so a couple weeks ago, during worship time, I felt we had like a word and things going on about freedom.God gave me a couple impressions about that. And afterward, it hung on with me, because there’s some things about that that I think the Lord wants to speak to. And mostly, we’re going to be right in the scripture.We’re going to read straight from Galatians 5. This is his words, not mine. But my heart is to see us all free. And it’s a journey and not always instant, but God did provide everything we need to do that.So there’s a prerequisite, though, to that to start with. There’s something you have to do first. And the first step is receiving salvation.The freedom is for those that are saved. And so it’s part of the package of salvation. So the first thing I want to do is just pray generally for anyone that maybe hasn’t received that yet, hasn’t come to the Lord in that way, and you’re learning about him, but he hasn’t become Lord of your life yet.And Jesus paid a high price for that. He died and he rose again on the third day for our salvation. So Lord, I just thank you for that, Lord.Lord, and I pray for each one here, Lord, that they would come to know you in a saving way. And I pray right now for your salvation to be poured out in this place. Those that haven’t received it, I pray for receiving it right now in the name of Jesus.Lord, we know that you paid that price for us. We sang about it, we believe it, we know it. And God, I just pray for a revelation of that for all those hearts this morning that maybe haven’t truly received you yet.I thank you, God, for providing everything we need. Thank you, Jesus, for paying that price. So we cleared that up.Thank you, Lord. So that’s the first part. And the second part of this is a little disclaimer.So once we know things, right, then we’re accountable to those things. We’re held to that standard now. So as we learn things that you may already know, refreshing, or maybe it’s revelation to you today for the first time, once you know, we’re kind of held to live by that.This is straight out the Bible. This is God’s Word. So first I’m going to read Galatians 5, verse 1. And now I use the New Living Translation.Right now I kind of printed it out. So just so you know, that’s what I use generally. And so that’s where this comes from.So Galatians 5, verse 1 says, So Christ has truly set us free. Not now. Make sure that you stay free.Don’t get tied up again in the slavery to this law. And so that is really what my heart’s concern was after receiving the Word the other week. It’s just that we say the right things, we get set free, and often we find ourselves back again to the bondage, to the slavery, to the place where we got set free from.And Paul also obviously saw that happening in Galatia. He had to write to them about this. Here in Galatians 5, Paul is addressing the same thing.The same heart for the people. To be set free and stay that way. Here Paul’s teaching us about freedom.He’s teaching us and the Galatians about freedom. And I feel strong that today is the day to talk about that here at New Hope. Like I said, a few Sundays ago I received that Word.The Lord’s desire is for us to be free. But my concern as I was praying about that was that we do, we find ourselves back in that place, just like Paul is saying here in Galatians. So, what does freedom look like for us? Some of us have literally been in prison and have been set free from that, and I’m sure that’s a very different experience for those that have than those of us who haven’t.But you have a very real, tangible understanding of that, I think. And freedom looks different to those. Some of us have been set free from addictions.Smoking, alcoholism, drugs, or some other addiction. You’ve been set free from that. Thank you, Lord, for that.Some of us still need to be, but that’s what God’s about. Some of us need set free from mindsets. Believing something that’s a lie.Living in a way that isn’t agreeing with the Word. And that is why Jesus paid this price, so that we don’t have to live that way. So, does it mean that we can do everything and anything we want? Is that what freedom means? I think that our human nature definitely thinks that, right? We can just do whatever, right? And honestly, we’re designed that way.Human nature is free to choose. And I’m thankful for the Lord for making us that way, but some days I honestly am not. I wish that He would just make decisions for me sometimes, because it’s not easy.But there’s a reason for all of it, right? So, well, Jesus, our human nature will look at freedom, like I said, like letting go of restriction. But the Bible teaches us that when we are in Christ, we now have a new life. That He bought.So, does that mean we are Jesus’ slaves? He owns us like a master? Is that what that means? Well, there’s sort of an ownership, yes. But it’s more like a relationship of family, type belonging to. Not like an item of possession.So, He set us up with our own will, which means we choose what we do, and we have the responsibility of those choices. Our Creator created our world with boundaries. All things have a beginning and an end.And we all need boundaries. To be free, we must stay in the boundaries. But the Lord set up for us that will keep us with Him, and we will be safe.So, let us read on in Galatians 5. We have much to learn here from the Word of God. As I read, I will talk about how these things apply to us. So, we’re going to read on in Galatians 5, starting in verse 2. Listen, I, Paul, tell you this.If you are counting on circumcision to make you right with God, then Christ will be no benefit to you. I’ll say it again. If you are trying to find favor with God by being circumcised, you must obey every regulation in the whole law of Moses.For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ. You have fallen away from God’s grace. But we live by the Spirit, eagerly to wait to receive, by faith, the righteousness God has promised us.So, what in the world are we talking about here? Paul’s talking about circumcision. Okay. But the main thing that he’s talking about is good works, doing things just to look good, one, for people, two, to look good, you think, in God’s sight.But the only way to please God is to obey Him. But that’s by giving Him our life, right? So, we can’t count on good works or doing what’s right in God’s sight, or in everyone’s sight, to be our salvation. We want to do that, and as we get to know the Lord, we’re going to want to do that.The closer we get to Him, our desires will match what He wants for us. But if you do it with the wrong motive, then it’s pointless, just like the Scripture said. It basically is saying that His dying on the cross meant nothing.It was pointless. And that is just not true. So, we are trusting in our own works.We are basically saying what Jesus did means nothing, and we don’t trust Him. None of us want to be there. We all trust the Lord, and if we don’t, we need to get to that place, because He’s the only one that we can trust, honestly.So, we’re going to jump to verse 13 in Galatians, straight down the page. For we have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters, but don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love.For the whole law can be summed up in this one command, love your neighbor as yourself. But if you’re always biting, devouring one another, watch out. Beware destroying one another.When we keep our eyes on ourselves, we’re going to end up back in our sin, in our slavery, because what we’re focused on is what we will desire, and what we will chase after, and that’s where we will end up. But if we keep our eyes on others, and we keep focused on helping someone else, then we’re fulfilling the law of loving other people, but we’re also keeping ourselves free from sin, from our slavery, from our bondage. We’re keeping ourselves where God wants us.So, I’m going to read on more here, but this time I’m using the Passion Translation. We’re reading in Galatians 5 again, and this time I’m starting at verse 16, and I’m going to read to 23, and I just liked how the Passion Translation says this. This is things that we hear often in church, and it shouldn’t be new to you, but maybe the way this is said will sound a little fresh.So, let me emphasize this. As you yield to the dynamic life and power of the Holy Spirit, you will abandon the cravings of your self-life. When your self-life craves the things that offend the Holy Spirit, you hinder him from living free within you.The Holy Spirit’s intense cravings hinder your self-life from dominating you. So then, the two incompatible and conflicting forces within you, your self-life, your flesh, and the new creation, life of the Spirit, but when you yield to the life of the Spirit, you will no longer be living under the law, but soaring above it. And that’s where we want to be.We want to be above it. We want to be where God has us. But when we yield to the life, the behavior of the self-life, which is basically our human nature, our flesh, is obvious.So we have sexual immorality, lustful thoughts, pornography, chasing after things instead of God, manipulating others, hatred of those who get in your way, senseless arguments, resentment when others are favored, temper tantrums, angry quarrels, only things of yourself, being in love with your own opinions, being envious of the blessings of others, murder, uncontrolled addictions, wild parties, and all the other similar behavior. Haven’t I already warned you that those who use their freedom for these things will not inherit the kingdom realm of God? But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine love in all its various expressions, joy that overflows, peace that subdues, patience that endures, kindness in action, a life full of virtue, faith that prevails, gentleness of heart, and strength of spirit. Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.And that is the part I really like. I loved how he illuminated those fruits of the Holy Spirit, and I love how they talk about them being limitless. Because that is, I believe, how it should be.It’s God’s Spirit. He is eternal. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.And these are the fruits from Him. So it makes sense to me. So those who belong to Christ, we’re back to NLT, have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to His cross and crucified them there.Thank you, Lord. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. So this doesn’t mean that we have to do some super spiritual things all the time.It doesn’t mean that everyone in here, you all could, have to stand up here and give messages. It doesn’t mean that you should have to do some big, elaborate, you know, spiritual thing all the time. But what it does mean is that we seek the Lord every day, and we follow His lead.And I believe most of us in this room are doing that daily. And I’m thankful and grateful to be a part of a church that seeks the Lord and wants to follow Him. Sometimes it may mean stepping out of your comfort zones, but it always means you can trust with your whole life the Lord.And the closer you get to Him, the more our desires will line up. We will stop wanting to please our flesh and our sinful nature. So I’m going to read on a little more in Galatians.We’re going to move into chapter 6, just a couple verses, because here He gives us a response. Here we are encouraged to help others. This is another way that we can stay out of sin.Being honest and accountable to other people, it keeps us on track. Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help those people back onto the right path. Be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself.Share each other’s burdens, and in that way obey the law of Christ. So that is what the church is about. That’s why we’re here.I don’t know that we utilize this as much as we should or could, but I do know that that is the point of church, is here to help each other get through this life following the Lord. And we need to be able to do that so we all can stay free. So I do humbly encourage you, if you’re in a situation like that, find somebody to pray with you, to encourage you.This church is full of those people. Thank you all for doing that. Ultimately, this message is about choices.It comes down to making the right choices. We have to choose to follow the Lord as he designed, and we choose to be free. He gives all the grace, forgiveness, all we need to be free.Free to be who God created you to be. And walk the path he puts before you. He set us up this way.So today we’re all aware now, right? If you didn’t read Galatians 5 before, you did today. And we’re all made aware of that, and so that means we don’t have any excuses. But to try to be our best and allow the Lord to set us free and stay that way, no one’s perfect, but the Holy Spirit is, and he will help us to stay free.If we stumble, we can call on him, and he’ll pick us right back up, and he’ll put us right back on the path. But we have to ask. This isn’t an automatic thing because now we’re saved and God’s just waiting, and oh, there you, oh, I see you.I’ll pick you up. You have to ask. And so we have to confess with our mouth.We have to say, Lord, help me. And I say that a lot in my life, and I’m grateful because he’s always there to help me. Like I’ve said before, the Lord is a gentleman.He doesn’t force us to do anything, but he patiently waits to be tagged in and to help us. So Lord, we thank you for your message today. We thank you for the truth that sets us free.We thank you that you set us free. We thank you for this idea. Maybe it’s a refresher for some.Maybe it’s new for some. Maybe whatever it is, Lord, I believe and I trust your word to go forth and accomplish all that it has planned for this day. So I pray for each heart here, Lord, that they would receive whatever you have for them today.And Lord, we just thank you for setting us free so we can stay free. Thank you, Jesus, for having your way in our lives. Thank you for being a part here at this church and not being done yet.Lord, using each one of us as your vessel in this place and in this valley and in our communities and in our influences. And Lord, I just pray for each heart here, Lord, that they would just know you better today. And they would know that they are set free and they can stay that way.Thank you, God. Amen. We do have a video real quick to worship to before we go as a response.I know that was quick, but that’s it. So we’re going to go ahead and queue up the video and join in. Celebrating your freedom.Hallelujah. I’m coming to you. I’m coming to you.Oh! Will you pray for us? Oh, sure. Oh, my. Oh, Lord, we just are so excited, God, because, Lord, we serve a God that reigns.That reigns over everything, God. Every doubt, every fear, every disbelief, Lord. Lord, we just give it all to you, God, because you are our hope, you are our future, Lord.And I just praise you and thank you, God, for this message today, Lord. Father God, let it resonate, Lord, through this church, through your people outside these walls, God, that there is freedom in your name, Jesus Christ. And, Lord, we just thank you for all the things that you’ve done for us and you continue to do and battle for us even in the heavenlies, Lord, before we even see any of it.And, Lord, we just praise you and thank you for each one that came out today. And, Lord, we just pray, Lord, for a good week. Testimonies to follow, God, of your goodness.And we thank you for being Jesus, being our Savior. Oh, amen.