Today is the 4th of July, the day America celebrates its independence from the British Empire. It is a day marking freedom from the oppression of the British Crown—a day of great rejoicing. But friends, this freedom was not simply given; it was not free, because true freedom never is.
The Founding Fathers of the United States had to fight for American independence. King George III of England would not simply allow the colonies to walk away. He sent soldiers to crush the rebellion, and much blood was shed for the liberty we enjoy today. It was a long and bitter struggle until the Americans prevailed and the British Empire retreated.
Similarly, in the spiritual struggle against sin, the world, and the devil, freedom is not free. The enemy will not allow his captives to walk away freely; he will fight to the bitter end to keep us in the chains of sin. If we want to be truly free, we must be willing to fight. We must be willing to "crucify" the sin in our lives and stand firm in the heat of the battle.
Jesus is our Great Captain. With Him leading the line, victory is guaranteed. However, that guarantee is only for those who actually take to the field of battle and engage the enemy. We must be willing to fight for the long haul and never grow weary in our struggle against sin. If sin defeats us in one skirmish, we must remember that losing a battle is not the end of the war. Let us get back up through the strength of Jesus and fight again today.
Freedom is not free. But all those who are willing to endure the pain of the struggle—the "wilderness" of withdrawing from the things of this world, the loneliness of walking alone with Christ, and the heavy weight that comes with resisting temptation—will be free at last.
One day, on the Sea of Glass in Heaven, we will sing the Song of Moses and the Lamb—the ultimate song of victory. Let us fight for our spiritual freedom in prayer, always remembering that freedom is never free.
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