"It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery" (Galatians 5:1). If you have received Christ as your Savior, He has already set you free through His victory over sin and death on the cross. The question is: Are you living victoriously in Christ's freedom or are you living in bondage, however subtle or strong?
Christ offers you freedom from personal and spiritual conflicts, freedom from sin and the negative programming of your past, freedom from the damaging effects of guilt and unforgiveness. Freedom opens the pathway to knowing, loving, worshiping and obeying God. It is the joyful experience of living by faith according to what God says is true and in the power of the Holy Spirit, and it means not carrying out the desires of the flesh. It doesn't mean perfection, but it is a growing and abundant life in Christ who alone can meet our deepest need for life, identity, acceptance, security and significance.
Regaining Your Freedom
If you are not experiencing this life of freedom, it may be because you have not stood firm in the faith or lived according to who you are in Christ. Somehow you have returned again to a yoke of slavery (see Galatians 5:1). Your eternal destiny is not at stake, but your daily victory is.
No matter how difficult your life might be, there is great news for you. You are not a helpless victim caught between two nearly equal but opposite heavenly superpowers. Satan is a liar and a deceiver, and the only way he can have power over you is if you believe his lies. Only God is omnipotent (all powerful), omnipresent (always present) and omniscient (all knowing). Sometimes the reality of sin and the presence of evil may seem more real than the presence of God, but that's part of Satan's deception. Satan is a defeated foe, and we are alive in Christ.
The Steps to Freedom in Christ do not set you free. Who sets you free is Christ; what sets you free is your response to Him in repentance and faith. The Steps provide an opportunity for you to have an encounter with God, the Wonderful Counselor, by submitting to Him and resisting the devil (see James 4:7). They are a means of resolving personal and spiritual conflicts that have kept you from experiencing the freedom and victory Christ purchased for you on the cross. Your freedom will be the result of what you choose to believe, confess, forgive, renounce and forsake. No one can do that for you.
In this video clip, it demonstrates the power of addiction and the stronghold it develops in your life, but also exemplifies that if you choose to recogize, acknowledge, renounce, and surrender it to God, he will heal you from any addiction as portrayed in this clip.
THE BATTLE FOR YOUR MIND
There is a battle going on for your mind — the control center of all that you think and do. The opposing thoughts you may experience as you go through these steps can affect you only if you believe them. You may have nagging thoughts such as, This isn't going to work or God doesn't love me. Don't believe Satan's deceptions; don't pay any attention to accusing or threatening thoughts.
The battle for your mind can only be won as you personally choose truth. As you go through the process, remember that Satan is under no obligation to obey your thoughts. Only God has complete knowledge of your mind, because He alone is omniscient (all knowing). Find a private place where you can verbally process each step. You can submit to God inwardly, but you need to resist the devil by reading aloud each prayer and in that way verbally renounce, forgive, confess, etc.
These Steps address critical issues between you and God. You probably will find it possible to process them on your own because Jesus is the Wonderful Counselor. However, some people do feel they need additional help. If you experience difficulty, ask your pastor or a counselor or someone familiar with the Steps to help you.
Both gaining and maintaining your freedom will be greatly enhanced if you first read Victory over the Darkness and The Bondage Breaker. They will help you further understand the reality of the spiritual world and your relationship to it. While these Steps can play a major role in your continuing process of discipleship, there is no such thing as instant maturity. Renewing your mind and conforming to the image of God is a lifelong process.
Regardless of the source of any difficulty you may have, you have nothing to lose and possibly everything to gain by praying through these issues. If your problems stem from a source other than those covered in these Steps, you may need to seek professional help. The real focus here is your relationship with God. The lack of resolution of any one of these issues will affect your intimacy with Him and your daily victory in Christ.
TRUST GOD TO LEAD YOU
Each Step is explained so you will have no problem knowing what to do. It doesn't make any difference whether or not there are evil spirits present; God is always present. If you experience any resistance, stop and pray. If you experience some mental opposition, just ignore it. It is just a thought, and it can have no power over you unless you believe it. Throughout the process, you will be asking God to lead you. He is the One who grants repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth that sets you free (see 2 Timothy 2:24-26). Begin the Steps with the following prayer and declaration. It is not necessary to read the words in the parentheses; they are there for clarification or reference.
May the Lord bless and guide you as you go through these Steps. Then, having found your freedom in Christ, you can help others experience the joy of their salvation.
PRAYER
Dear Heavenly Father,
I acknowledge Your presence in this room and in my life. You are the only omniscient (all knowing), omnipotent (all powerful) and omnipresent (always present) God. I am dependent upon You, for apart from You I can do nothing. I stand in the truth that all authority in heaven and on Earth has been given to the resurrected Christ, and because I am in Christ, I share that authority in order to make disciples and set captives free. I ask You to fill me with Your Holy Spirit and lead me into all truth. I pray for Your complete protection and ask for Your guidance. In Jesus' name, amen.
DECLARATION
In the name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, I command Satan and all evil spirits to release me in order that I can be free to know and to choose to do the will of God. As a child of God who is seated with Christ in the heavenlies, I command every evil spirit to leave my presence. I belong to God and the evil one cannot touch me.
Step 1 COUNTERFEIT vs. REAL
The first step toward experiencing your freedom in Christ is to renounce (verbally reject) all past or present involvement with occult practices, cult teachings and rituals, and non-Christian religions.
You must renounce any activity or group which denies Jesus Christ or offers guidance through any source other than the absolute authority of the Bible. Any group that requires dark or secret initiations, ceremonies, promises or pacts should also be renounced. Begin this step by praying aloud:
Dear Heavenly Father,
I ask You to bring to my mind anything and everything that I have done knowingly or unknowingly that involves occult, cult or non-Christian teachings or practices. I want to experience Your freedom by renouncing all counterfeit teachings and practices. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Even if you took part in something and thought it was just a game or a joke, you need to renounce it. Satan will try to take advantage of anything he can in our lives, so it is always wise to be as thorough as possible. Even if you were just standing by and watching others do it, you need to renounce your passive involvement. You may not have even realized at the time that what was going on was evil. Still, go ahead and renounce it.
If something comes to your mind and you are not sure what to do about it, trust that the Spirit of God is answering your prayer, and renounce it.
STEP 2 DECEPTION vs. TRUTH
God's Word is true, and we need to accept His truth in the innermost part of our being (see Psalm 51:6). Whether or not we feel it is true, we need to believe it is true! Jesus is the truth, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth, the Word of God is truth and we are admonished to speak the truth in love (see John 14:6; 16:13; 17:17; Ephesians 4:15).
The believer in Christ has no business deceiving others by lying, telling white lies, exaggerating, stretching the truth, or anything relating to falsehoods. Satan is the father of lies and he seeks to keep people in bondage through deception. It is the truth in Jesus that sets us free (see John 8:32-36,44; 2 Timothy 2:26; Revelation 12:9). We will find real joy and freedom when we stop living a lie and live openly in the truth. After confessing his sin, King David wrote, "How blessed [happy] is the man ... in whose spirit there is no deceit!" (Psalm 32:2).
We have been called to walk in the light (see 1 John 1:7). When we are sure God loves and accepts us, we can be free to own up to our sins and face reality, instead of running and hiding from the truth and painful circumstances.
Start this step by praying the following prayer aloud. Don't let any threatening, opposing thoughts, such as, This is a waste of time or I wish I could believe this, but I just can't, keep you from praying and choosing the truth. Even if this is difficult for you, work your way through this step. God will strengthen you as you rely on Him.
Dear Heavenly Father,
I know that You want me to know the truth, believe the truth, speak the truth and live in accordance with the truth. Thank You that it is the truth that will set me free. In many ways I have been deceived by Satan, the father of lies, and I have deceived myself as well.
Father, I pray in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, by virtue of His shed blood and Resurrection, asking You to rebuke all evil spirits that are deceiving me. I have trusted in Jesus alone to save me, and so I am Your forgiven child. Therefore, since You accept me just as I am in Christ, I can be free to face my sin and not try to hide. I ask for the Holy Spirit to guide me into all truth. I ask You to "search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way."1 In the name of Jesus, who is the truth, Amen.
There are many ways in which Satan, the god of this world, seeks to deceive us. Just as he did with Eve, the devil tries to convince us to rely on ourselves and to try to get our needs met through the world around us, rather than trusting in the provision of our Father in heaven.
1. The Steps to Freedom in Christ by Neil Anderson pp. 5-18.
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