04.09.03

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’ They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, "You will be made free“?’ Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.’” - John 8:31-36.

Today the hearts of the Iraqi people are flowing with the truth of Martin Luther King’s famous speech. The people of much of Iraq are clearly jubilant with the obvious shout of their heart being, “free at last!” “free at last!” “free at last!” In the center of Baghdad the people are hard at work to bring down a huge statue of Saddam Hussein. There is a noose around the neck of Saddam’s statue and people are chipping away at the base of the statue. Thousands of jubilant people are in the streets of Baghdad. Some are looting but with a feeling that they are taking back what has been taken from them. There are more battles to be fought but the people of Iraq finally are experiencing what freedom is all about - and they love it!!

So many of us are in a spiritual bondage; it is unseen but nevertheless very real. We can look around our lives and see some of the symbols of that bondage. It may be the beer cans in our refrigerator or out on our front lawn that speaks of that bondage. It may be the stash of illegal substances we have hidden in the toilet, or above a ceiling tile, or under a floorboard that speaks of our slavery. It may be the disc of obscene images that we have hidden or the pack of cigarettes in our pocket or purse that speaks of the harsh rule of the enemy over us. Recognition of the truth of that bondage is the beginning of the end of the enemies’ reign. The Iraqi people recognizing the truth about the brutal regime that has oppressed them are now destroying the symbols of that reign.

As we recognize the truth about our spiritual enemy in our own lives we too need to begin to cleanse our lives of the symbols of the enemies’ power and reign over us. The “truth” should empower you to take the action necessary to take back what is rightfully yours. Take back the land! Take back your freedom! Throw off the oppressor! Cleanse your life of the symbols and tools of the enemy! If you are “free” then you should begin to act like you are free and demonstrate your freedom to the enemy. As you begin to live and move in your freedom the enemy will grow weaker and weaker until eventually he disappears altogether and you will be finally - “free at last!”