Freedom in Christ

When Israel was delivered from Egyptian bondage, the chains of their slavery had been broken and they experienced a new freedom. God miraculously delivered them from the condemnation and judgment that fell on the whole land of Egypt. The blood of the sacrificial lamb provided protection, safety, and covering. Now as they were leaving Egypt, God fulfilled His promise to Abraham and they came out with great possessions and wealth. They had been slaves for four hundred years, now by God’s great grace and mighty arm they had been set free. Not only were they released from their captivity, they left Egypt under the shelter of the Almighty. By day the cloud of God’s presence sheltered them and by night they were protected and kept warm by the fire of His appearing.

God revealed Himself to them in many ways.

• Jehovah Jireh supplied their need throughout their journey.
• Jehovah Rapha kept them healthy and strong.
• El-Shaddai the Lord Almighty protected them.
• Jehovah Roi – the LORD our Shepherd guided them through the wilderness.
• Jehovah Shalom gave them peace.
• Jehovah M’Kaddesh gave them His law to sanctify and make them holy.
• Jehovah Nissi defended them from their enemies.

Throughout the forty years of wandering in the wilderness, God never failed to be their help and support.

God has done for us what we could never do for ourselves. He provided a Savior for our souls and He has brought us into Christ’s victory and new life.

Romans 8:1-2 NKJV There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

His victory is associated with all of our needs, captivity, depravity, sin and death. Everything Jesus Christ accomplished was done to vanquish our foes and bring us into His victory and newness of life. Through Christ, we are made to be more than conquerors. We have this confidence that since God is for us, nothing that is against us will prosper.

Romans 8:31-32 NIV84 What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?

In Christ, God has provided freedom and victory.

When Israel was initially released from Egyptian bondage, they rejoiced in their newfound freedom.

God gave them release from their suffering and captivity. They had suffered greatly and cried out to God day and night for redemption and deliverance. With a strong arm the Lord brought them out. They and their children came out with great possessions and joy.

Recognizing the insurmountable nature of the evil that opposed us, God sent Jesus Christ to bestow victory upon all who place their trust in Him.

To secure this triumph for you, God sent His Son into this world, who wielded unparalleled power to achieve this victory for every believer.

Ephesians 1:20 NIV84 That power is like the working of His mighty strength, which He exerted in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly realms,

Ephesians 1:21 NIV84 far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

Ephesians 1:22-23 NIV84 And God placed all things under His feet and appointed Him to be head over everything for the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills everything in every way.

We all were helplessly lost and bound by sin. The power of sin and death had captured our souls. God knew that we could not arise victorious over the evil that was against us, so Jesus Christ was sent to bring victory for everyone who puts their trust in Him. Look at this very closely.

Ephesians 4:7-8 NKJV But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ’s gift. Therefore He says: “When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, And gave gifts to men.”

Ephesians 4:9-10 NKJV (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

God’s Son came down, conquered, and ascended back to heaven so that He might lead captivity captive and give gifts to men. Anyone who puts their faith and trust in Him may enter into His victory. Ephesians 4:9 said, “Jesus descended.” The Greek word for descended is καταβαίνω — katabaino.  It is very significant. Jesus was not “cast down,” He “descended.” The language here is conclusive that Jesus descended to conquer. He came down to our level to rescue us from the powers that were against us. Salvation is of God. If He had been cast down, He would have been subject to the powers of sin, Satan, and death. Jesus descended with authority and power to conquer and bring liberty to captives. He had such power and authority that Satan could not cast Him down or conquer Him. All of the powers and authorities of darkness together were not able to destroy Him. Although He was addressing and coming against every power of evil, He was doing so with all authority and might.

Consider what God did for you through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 2:13 NLT You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for He forgave all our sins.

Colossians 2:14-15 NLT He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, He disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by His victory over them on the cross.

Christ was victorious in the cross and in the tomb. That may sound contrary to reason, but in the cross and the tomb Jesus waged war against sin and the power of sin. When He arose from the grave He came out in victory and the things that were against us were conquered.

Ephesians tells us that after defeating every foe, Christ exercised the authority and victory that He achieved by giving gifts to men.

Every time you gain a victory over evil, it is a declaration and manifestation of Christ’s victory. Part of Christ’s victory is seen in what His grace, mercy, and power achieves in our lives and bodies. Christ has captivated sinful people by redeeming them with His Own blood and by bringing them into His victory. This is the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. From the moment we are redeemed by the blood of Christ and the Spirit of God takes residence within us, the new life that is in Christ is made evident in our lives. The nature and character of evil that was prevalent in our lives has been replaced with the nature and character of the conquering Christ. What is defined and revealed as “the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” has set us free from sin and death. We are made to be a living testimony of His victory, power and glory. We are being made the testimony of the power of Christ to everyone around us.

Before Israel was delivered by God from Egyptian bondage, they suffered greatly under the power of their slavery.

At the hands of their taskmasters, they walked as dead men. Their backs were bleeding and they suffered much. When God brought them out, it was like they entered into new life. God was with them and the cloud of His presence overshadowed them. Every need they had He supplied. He was their Savior and Deliverer. He was their Provider and Keeper.

Do you see what God has done for you?

He has given a visual aid of this change in the vision of Ezekiel’s valley of dry bones, (Ezekiel 37). The hand of the Lord came upon Ezekiel and brought him out in the Spirit of the Lord to a valley that was full of dead dry bones. The Lord asked him if those dead dry bones could live. When Ezekiel looked on the hosts of dead dry bones he said, “O Lord God, You know!” Sometimes when we consider what is against us we cannot see how anything could help. When you are up against impossibilities, you need to know that nothing is too hard for God. The Lord said, prophesy to these bones, “O you dry bones, hear the word of the Lord… I will cause breath and spirit to enter you, and you shall live.” After the breath of God breathed upon the dead dry bones, life came into them and they rose up and became a mighty army.

When the Holy Spirit comes in, He will quicken and give new life to believers to become living witnesses of Jesus Christ. He frees us from sin and death, (Romans 8:2). He bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, (Romans 8:16). He helps us in our weaknesses by helping us when we pray by making intercession to the Father for us, (Romans 8:26-27).