Blessing of Being the Lord’s Servant
These men are servants of the Most High God, who are telling you the way to be saved.
Acts 16:17
This is what the woman possessed by a demon kept saying to Paul. Even though it was the truth, she kept interfering with Paul’s ministry until he cast the demon out of her. Satan knows God’s servants, and tries to separate us from God, but he knows that we have power over him through the Holy Spirit.
The greatest and most blessed occupation in all creation is being a servant of our Lord, the creator of all things. 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). When we live as the Lord’s servant and realize that the Lord is our master, he sets us free. This is true freedom because he takes away our fear and worry so we can live with our hearts filled with his love, peace, and joy.
Many non-Christians believe that the Lord takes away their freedom and they have to give up their lifestyle. It is true that our lives are changed as our minds are renewed and old, sinful ways lose their attraction while the ways of God become natural and desirable. With minds and hearts renewed to the ways of God, we become servants of the Lord.
A servant of the Lord is still free in Christ. Freedom comes from seeking to do the will of God and not being controlled by the world, which means we are no longer burdened by a yoke of slavery. We are in control, walking through life with Godly wisdom and interfacing to the world through the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. The Lord walks with us through the Spirit, carrying us through life with all its trials and tribulations. A Christian can have faith and confidence that the Lord will guide him or her through any challenge this world presents.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (Matthew 6:33). Christians live for Christ guided by the Holy Spirit and can be confident that the Lord will provide for all earthly needs. He guides us and provides for our physical needs while we focus on being his servants. The key to peace is to trust the Lord as master, giving Him the responsibility of answering our prayers and guiding us through life. Our responsibility is to serve him as we are led by the Spirit.
This takes faith without doubt, putting everything in the Lord’s divine hands and trusting his ways and his timing independently of our own understanding. After all, we are not God. Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom (Psalm 145:3). We may not understand his thoughts and his ways, but know that he is God and that he loves us perfectly.
Today live as the Lord’s servant, trusting him in all things. Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; (Proverbs 3:5). Trust the Lord over your own understanding; then you will be free in Christ and have faith that is pleasing to God.
Prayer: Lord, guide me as your servant and help me to trust you with all my heart instead of leaning on my own understanding. Help me to be free in Christ and to reflect the love, peace, and joy that come from being free in Christ. Guide me to overcome Satan, who tries to steal my freedom through fear and anger. In Jesus name, Amen