Love Frees Us
I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20
Paul was free in Christ because his heart was filled with God’s love. Paul’s focus was taken off of self, and placed on the Lord and on others. We can never be free in Christ until we are free from self. Satan tempts us to walk through life with our focus on self, while the Lord guides us to walk through life with our focus on Christ and others. Love takes the focus from self and places on others.
If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. (John 14:15 NASB) When God’s love is in our hearts, we are motivated to serve the Lord by bringing souls to Christ because there is anguish in our hearts for lost souls. Jesus taught the people and healed people because of the perfect love in His heart. We are being molded to the mind and heart of Jesus meaning He will fill our hearts with His love, if we serve Him following the Spirit.
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) We are no longer slaves to the world, where Satan seeks to control us through the world. We overcome by making Christ the center of our life as we live as His servants.
They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. (John 17:16) We are not of this world because His love drives our life to be hidden in Christ. Our soul now lives in the Kingdom, and our soul is us: our personality, thoughts, and will — our flesh lives in the world. This is freedom because our soul is closer to Christ than to the world, and we live to minister to the world as an ambassador for Christ. This is how the Lord frees us, bringing our soul closer to Him into the Kingdom.
The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, There! for lo, the kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:20-21 ASV) We are created for our soul to live in the Kingdom which is within us. Our soul becomes one with the Holy Spirit. Our soul goes where our thoughts go and love redirects our thoughts to Christ. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. (Colossians 3:2) As love frees us from self, our thoughts change from things of the world to things above.
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. (Matthew 6:33) When we truly put Christ first He makes it possible that we can take care of ourselves and our family. We serve the Lord and He guides to take care of our worldly needs, because how can serve the Lord if our time is taken up trying to survive in this world? The Lord supplies our needs. If we truly live for Christ, then His needs are sufficient because our worldly desires go away and are replaced by the blessing of being close to Christ.
Today, minister to the world and ask the Lord to fill your heart with His love. The more love in our hearts, the freer we become.
Prayer: Lord, guide me in the Spirit to reflect your love to the world and fill my heart with your love and compassion. In Jesus’ name, Amen