The civilized educated citizens of western “Christian” nations have in recent generations lost touch with the source of their freedom. Many take the liberty in which they have lived for granted. As if personal freedom and liberty have always been and will always be their personal right granted by the civil governments.
Few retain the wisdom of their forefathers that recognized that freedom and liberty were direct provisions of God for those who follow Him and His ways. Their forefathers knew that believing alone was not enough to produce and maintain freedom and liberty. We are not talking about whether it is enough to get you to heaven when you die or not. We are talking about the kingdom reality of living in freedom and walking in liberty now in this life.
Jesus spoke to those 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.”
For an individual, family, tribe, or nation believing in JESUS is only the first step toward freedom and liberty. Many, if not most, Americans believe in Jesus, and yet our nation is apparently falling rapidly toward severe bondage that begins with fear and ends with the dreaded bondage of poverty and slavery.
There is a big distinction in a people who ABIDE IN THE WORD OF JESUS AND ARE DISCIPLED OR DISCIPLINED BY JESUS AND HIS WORD and those who only believe.
Today there are many of us within western nations who not only recognize the faith of our God-seeking forefathers, but also now ABIDE in Christ Jesus and His word as Christ Jesus ABIDES in us by the Spirit of God. We are able to hear directly from Jesus by the Holy Spirit and thereby know the truth that makes us free. The Word is alive in us for empowerment, correction, and direction. He is life in our bones that sets us free from the lust and pride of the self-life. It is His wisdom that brings peace and order of prosperous living of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
The Offence of Christ in Us
Christ in us is offensive to some of the people who are not yet fully in that place of ABIDING, but are to some degree trusting in their position in the church are their lineage of Christian traditions of believing in Jesus while yet abiding in some of the fallen world’s ways and man-made religious system’s influence.
“If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” The people that Jesus spoke this verse to were offended in this same way. 33 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’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Freedom is living under the rule of and by the life of the one true LORD and KING Christ Jesus.
God’s kingdom is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.
Bondage is living under the rule of any other god or system.
If you have not yet realized it, there is a war going on for the hearts of man between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness. We are a part of the war for the freedom of mankind on Planet Earth. One of the few things worse than the hell of war is the bondage of living captive under the rule of an evil tyrant king.
Sin is a tyrannous master often supported by man-made religious political systems.
The True Test of Character
One of the most difficult things for us is to remain free after the intervention of God has set us free. When times are difficult we seem to be able to turn to God and move into His ways of righteous living that leads to our freedom to live in His righteousness, peace, and joy. However, after a short time in prosperity we often return to our old lifestyle that got us into bondage.
In the same way nations of people, after a few generations of living in the peace of the last victory, historically begin to live independent of God and take the good times for granted. The people relax and sit down to eat and drink and then rise up to play. Soon they become self-seeking and seek after natural fleshly pleasures more than seeking God and His kingdom. Thus they are again headed back toward bondage and destruction.
God is looking for a people who, after He has set them free, will remain in His kingdom freedom in their personal lives and through all their successive generations. Paul warned us and wanted us to be aware of this truth. He spoke of how all the people of God were blessed, completely set free and delivered from their bondage. Yet most of their bodies were scattered in the wilderness outside the Promised Land.
“Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come” (1 Corinthians 10:1-11).
God is still jealous for His people and will not allow them forever to go after other gods and disregard His great love and magnificent provisions. He will have a people.
I personally believe that the people of the kingdom are coming forth – a people who will never turn back to the bondage of self and sin in seeking to become our own gods – a people who will get our pleasure from His presence and doing His will – a people who will not forget from where we have come. – a people who will not take His provisions for granted, as if we had gained these things by ourselves and as if all these things were for our consumption upon our own self-desires apart from His desires and directions.
Further, I believe this is the remnant of God’s people in America and the rest of the nations of the world that will survive whether or not their nations survive or not. All nations, tribes, families, and individuals must become the kingdom of our Lord Christ Jesus to be returned to Father God. It is the full grown sons of God who will make the enemies of Jesus His footstool.
Victory is before us, and a wasteland of ungodliness is behind us. God’s kingdom shall reign forever in the glorious colony from eternal heaven on earth. In the natural, we have not yet seen all the kingdoms of this world become the kingdoms of our God. However, it is clearly visible in the Spirit, and it is in the reality of the call of God within the heart of every son of God called according to His purpose.
As we agree with God and rejoice in what we see in the Spirit, it will eventually grow into place as all the forces of Heaven align with the vision of God’s kingdom in the hearts of His people.
God will not do this without the participating agreement of mankind. All that looks like it is bad and destructive to the existing world is in fact a part of God at work on the transformation of the earth. It is part of bringing the people on earth into full agreement with the plan of God for His kingdom to reign on earth through His people now and forever.
Every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD!
The kingdoms of this earth are become the kingdoms of our Lord.
Ron McGatlin
www.openheaven.com
basileia@earthlink.net