And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. 
(John 8:32,36)

As a young man, a friend of mine had a job working with chickens. To transport the chickens, they placed them in cages and tied their feet together with strings. When they reached their destination after miles and miles of travel, he would open the cages and cut the strings in order to let the chickens out.

But even after they were set free, the chickens would just lay there. They thought they were still bound and refused to get up. My friend had to slap the chickens around a little to get them up and moving. Once they realized they were free, the chickens really enjoyed their freedom. You can imagine the sight of happy chickens running around everywhere.

To this day, many Christians are still lying there, waiting for something to happen so that they can be free. The truth is, you are free! Jesus has already purchased your freedom! Through faith in His blood right now, shake yourself, get up, get moving, and go forward!

The Good News

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.
(Rom. 1:16-17)

What is the Gospel? The Gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The central theme of the ten sermons in the book of Acts is the Gospel. Paul’s epistles also record what happened in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, not only in what was seen, but in what was unseen.

Paul not only records what man saw, but also what God saw. Everything Jesus did, He did it for us. It is set to the credit of our account as though we did it. In the mind of God and in the economy of God, everything Jesus did, He did it for us.

The Gospel is good news, a message that makes you glad.  It is a celebration of triumph of Christ. First John 3:8 says, “…For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.” Jesus came to destroy, loosen, undo, dissolve, or unravel every strategy and scheme of the devil!

When you understand what Jesus did for you, it will make you glad! The good news is not that God can help you, wants to help you, or is someday going to help you, but that He has already helped you!

Resurrection Realities

I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.
(Rev. 1:18)

We need to live every day in the light that Jesus is alive. When Jesus was raised from the dead, He took His blood into the heavenly Holy of Holies and obtained eternal redemption for us . Through faith in the blood of Jesus you I can meet with God. When you meet with God, He will bring radical change to your life.

Who is redemption available to? Romans 3:22 says, “…upon all them that believe, for there is no difference.” It is available to everyone who will believe and exercise faith in the blood of Jesus. In other words, our confidence and assurance is in what Jesus did on the cross. His blood was shed to restore our fellowship with God. We can know Him personally and intimately. We can fellowship with Him and receive from Him.

Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus…through faith in His blood….
(Rom. 3:24-25)

Notice the words and phrases used in these verses: redemption, in Christ Jesus, and through faith in His blood. Redemption simply means “the purchase of freedom.” Jesus purchased our freedom with His own blood. We have faith in His blood because we understand the value and the power in it!

Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
(Heb. 9:12)

The freedom and redemption that is ours in Christ is not temporary. The Goodspeed translation of Hebrews 9:12 says that His blood “secured our permanent deliverance.” It is permanent! It is eternal! Christ hath redeemed us!

For the enjoyment of this blessedness, nothing is necessary except faith in the blood. The blood alone has done everything. Andrew Murray

Our freedom from the curse of the law has already been purchased (Galatians 3:13). In Him we have redemption through His blood (Colossians 1:14). Freedom form the power of sin, Satan, fear, sickness, and poverty is ours today through faith in His blood!