Freedom! Who doesn’t want to be free? America is called the "land of the free and the home of the brave." The cry of this land has long been, "Give me liberty, or give me death!" According to the dictionary, freedom is the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action. To be free is to be independent. We all want to be independent from the power of others, but the problem is that such absolute independence simply does not exist in reality.
The truth is there is only one absolutely independent being in the universe: God. He is the self-existent One who sustains Himself. All other beings are dependent upon Him and subject to His laws. Therefore, the idea of being completely independent and doing your own will without restraint is a fallacy. While God allows us the freedom to make choices contrary to His will, we are never free from the consequences. As the scripture says, "The wages of sin is death."
God has a law, and He expects all intelligent creatures to submit to it. This is the Law of Love, also known as the Law of Liberty. It consists of two parts: supreme love for God and loving your neighbor as yourself.
To transgress this law is to place yourself in opposition to the most powerful Being in the universe. Persistence in this rebellion can only lead to death.
Here, the "evil brilliance" of the Devil is revealed. Because God’s law is a constant reminder that we cannot simply do whatever we want, Satan accuses God of being a tyrant. He whispers, "God’s laws are against your happiness; they restrain you from reaching your true potential. Don’t follow them—do what makes you happy, and you will be truly free."
Satan promises liberty in disobedience. He suggests that to be free, you must follow your own will rather than God's. But what is God’s will? It is to love Him through obedience and to love your neighbor by not killing, robbing, lying, or committing adultery. The Devil calls this "bondage" and encourages us to "follow our hearts" instead.
Once the Devil persuades us that God’s way is bondage, he offers his own version of "freedom":
"Respect no one." * "Be a rebel."
"Do whatever makes you happy, even if others are hurt in the process." But many of us miss the catch: your "will" becomes the Devil's will. It is the Devil who is directing your life. He convinces us that we are independent, yet we ignore the fact that he has become our guide. By listening to him, we don’t become free—we become his slaves. Satan's brilliance lies in making it appear that you are acting independently when, in reality, you are under his control. He promises liberty while bringing you into cruel bondage.
In the grand scheme of the universe, there are really only two wills:
Obey God and do His will.
Disobey God and do Satan’s will.
Satan is the leader of rebellion, and all who practice sin are under his control. The most perfect form of slavery is to make the slaves believe their bondage is actually freedom.
We see this today: people go from relationship to relationship because of selfishness, experience mental health crises, and remain enslaved to diverse lusts—all while claiming they are "free." We are often miserable and exhausted, serving the cruelest of masters, yet we cling to the illusion of independence.
"Whoever sins is a slave of sin... but if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed." (John 8:34-36)
Only Jesus can save us from Satan’s power and deception. Many people believe they are doing their own will until the Holy Spirit opens their eyes to the reality of spiritual slavery. Only Christ can break the chains of sin.
Unless you allow Him to set you free, you remain a slave to the Adversary. It is only in obeying God that we find true liberty. Let us proclaim this liberty and point those in bondage toward Jesus, for He is the only One who can set the willing soul free.
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