September 12, 2016
There is a song that I sometimes sing, that many of you may know and it goes something like this “My chains are gone, I’ve been set free, my God, My Savior has ransomed me, and like a flood His mercy reigns, unending love, Amazing grace”
It had me thinking about one of the things I came to realize while being in the military, that being the illusion of freedom.
When I had joined the military in July of 1999, I had high hopes and dreams of becoming more than who I was at that time(and eventually I did, but not the way I expected), and up until April 23, 2005, I fought for ‘freedom’ while all the while I was a slave held captive in chains of sin. I was bound in my addictions, and it only intensified coming into the military as the lifestyle of ‘freedom’ surrounded drinking, and was not only encouraged, but looked down upon if you did not ‘conform’. Inwardly I was dying, yet everyday I put on a uniform being told it represents something that I could not connect with.
I thought I knew what it was to be free only later realizing I was looking between the bars of my own prison being deceived into an illusion that I was free, and that I could help others be free, yet all the while I was chained and reaping destruction. We indeed have freewill, we will always have the freedom to choose good or evil. However, it was not until that day of April 23, 2005 that I was not only set free from the sin of drunkenness, but I tasted what true freedom is like, and there is only One who can give it. For there is only One who shed His blood on calvary for the forgiveness of my sins, of which no one can give, nor take away from me. The yoke of slavery was broke that day, and I felt it drop off my shoulders, and felt the lightness that I had never felt before.
The irony of the many who profess freedom, are often times, and from my own experience looking out of their own cage being bound by the chains in their heart. What does it gain a man to live this life to the ‘fullest’ through riches and prosperity, if in the end that same man will reap destruction? I find it ironic that a man imprisoned in Korea for His faith, has more freedom in Messiah that those who yell freedom here in America, yet while being enslaved by their own sin…which is truly free?
I was promising freedom by the military uniform of this world, while also being myself a slave to corruption:
2Peter 2:19promising them freedom, though THEMSELVES BEING SLAVES OF CORRUPTION– FOR ONE IS A SLAVE TO WHATEVER OVERCOMES THEM.
I have had many struggles since the beginning of my race over 11 years ago, but today, I can put on the uniform that matters, the armor of Yah, and have no doubts to what true freedom in Messiah Yeshua(Jesus) is really like. To be able to have His strength to overcome sin in my life, and not look back, because truly, those chains are gone, and I have been set free, my God my Savior has ransomed me! And I pray that I never forget who died to set me free! YHWH Yeshua!
Romans 6:16Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves servants for obedience, you are servants of the one whom you obey, whether of sin to death, or of obedience to righteousness?
17But thanks to Elohim that you were servants of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of teaching to which you were entrusted.
18And having been set free from sin, you became servants of righteousness.
19I speak as a man, because of the weakness of your flesh. For even as you did present your members as servants of uncleanness, and of lawlessness resulting in lawlessness, so now present your members as servants of righteousness resulting in set-apartness.
20For when you were servants of sin, you were free from righteousness.
21What fruit, therefore, were you having then, over which you are now ashamed? For the end thereof is death.
22But now, having been set free from sin, and having become servants of Elohim, you have your fruit resulting in set-apartness, and the end, everlasting life.
23For the wages of sin is death, but the favourable gift of Elohim is everlasting life in Messiah יהושע our Master.(ISR 98)
