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SERVANT OF NATIONS FREEDOM RETREAT
PRAYER Dear Heavenly Father, We know that You are right here in this room with us and that You are present in our lives right now. You are the only all-knowing, all-powerful, and ever-present God. We are completely dependent upon You because without Jesus Christ we can do nothing. We choose to stand in the truth of Your Word and we refuse to believe the devil's lies. We thank you that the risen Lord Jesus has all authority in heaven and on earth. Father, thank You that because we are in Christ we share His authority in order to make disciples and set captives free. We ask You to protect our minds and bodies during this time. Please fill us with the Holy Spirit so that He can guide us into all truth. We choose to submit to His guidance alone during this time. Please reveal to our minds everything that You want us to deal with today. We ask for and trust in Your wisdom. We pray all this in faith, in the Name of Jesus. Amen.
DECLARATION In the Name and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ I command Satan and all evil spirits to release their hold on me in order that I can be free to know and choose to do the will of God. As a child of God, raised up and seated with Christ in the heavenly places, I declare that every enemy of the Lord Jesus Christ in our presence be bound. I say to Satan and all his evil workers that you cannot inflict any pain, any doubt, or in any way prevent God’s will from being done during this retreat in my life because I belong to the Lord Jesus Christ.
TRUTHS OF VICTORY
JOB 36 TRUTHS OF VICTORY
5 "God is mighty, but does not despise men; he is mighty, and firm in his purpose. 6 He does not keep the wicked alive but gives the afflicted their rights. 7 He does not take his eyes off the righteous; he enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever. 8 But if men are bound in chains, held fast by cords of affliction, God is Mighty and Has a Firm Purpose
9 he tells them what they have done— that they have sinned arrogantly. 10 He makes them listen to correction and commands them to repent of their evil. 11 If they obey and serve him, they will spend the rest of their days in prosperity and their years in contentment. 12 But if they do not listen, they will perish by the sword and die without knowledge. He Will Speak with You
13 "The godless in heart harbor resentment; even when he fetters them, they do not cry for help... 15 But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction. 16 "He is wooing you from the jaws of distress to a spacious place free from restriction, to the comfort of your table laden with choice food... 22 "God is exalted in his power. He Will Deliver You
Galatians 5:1 TRUTHS OF VICTORY
You are Destined for Freedom “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not letyourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”Galatians 5:1
Do not Live in Bondage! • As you live in the Spirit, you may still find certain sins or burdens that cling to your life. • They may be habitual sins, ungodly thoughts, guilt, inducing memories, bondage to fleshly lusts such as overeating, addictions, pornography, or sexual immorality, or a myriad of other things like these. • No matter how great your desire to follow Christ, these nagging sins entangle and weigh your spiritual life down like chains.
You CAN live in Freedom! • Well, take heart, for there is freedom through the resurrection power and authority of Jesus Christ! “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not letyourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.”
The reason we have been set free in Christ: FOR FREEDOM WE HAVE BEEN SET FREE!
What the alternative to freedom is? Be burdened again by a yoke of slavery
WHAT IS YOUR CHOICE? ( ) LIVE IN FREEDOM IN CHRIST ( ) LIVE BURDENED BY A YOKE OF SLAVERY
WHAT IS YOUR CHOICE? FREEDOM? SLAVERY?
Isaiah 61:1-3 TRUTHS OF VICTORY
We are on the Year of the LORD's Favor • 1The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the LORD's favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, (Isaiah 61:1-3)
GOD HAS COMMANDED JESUS TO • bind up the brokenhearted, • proclaim freedom for the captives • and release the prisoners from darkness THAT IS GOD’S PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE!
Hebrews 2:14 TRUTHS OF VICTORY
Christ already destroyed the devil • 14Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—(Hebrews 2:14) Jesus’ experience of humanity and His death for us destroyed the power of the strongholds over our lives.
1 John 2:13-14 TRUTHS OF VICTORY
YOU CAN OVERCOME THE EVIL ONE I write to you, young men, because you have overcome the evil one. I write to you, young men, because you are strong, and the word of God lives in you, and you have overcome the evil one. (I John2:13-14) IT IS POSSIBLE TO OVERCOME THE EVIL ONE!
Galatians 5:13 TRUTHS OF VICTORY
You were called to be free. You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. (Gal. 5:13)
THE GOOD NEWS! You were called to be free! • This is your call. • This is your destiny. • This is God’s plan for you. • This is the truth of God’s Word for you.
Careful! • You are free, but do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature and desires. • You are called to be free from the control of your sinful nature. • Do not use your freedom now to make wrong choices (based on your freedom) to indulge (pamper, treat) your sinful nature.
Nothing should master you but Christ! "Everything is permissible for me"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"—but I will not be mastered by anything. (1 Cor. 6:12)
Not everything is constructive "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"—but not everything is constructive. (1 Cor. 10:23)
AGAINS THE LAW OF FREEDOM? • We are free from the yoke of slavery • And from the control of our sinful nature and fleshly desires • Ultimately everything is permissible, but if it is controlling me, if it is not edifying, if it is not beneficial…it goes against the law of freedom in Christ.
John 8:31-36 TRUTHS OF VICTORY
The Truth Sets You Free • 31To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." 33They answered him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?" 34Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. 35Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. 36So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
YOU CAN BE FREE! • YOU ARE FREE TO MAKE YOUR OWN CHOICE THE SAME WAY YOU CHOSE TO ACCEPT JESUS AS YOUR SAVIOUR AND LORD, YOU CAN MAKE THE CHOICE TO BE FREE FROM BONDAGE. • IT IS YOUR WILL WHO MUST MAKE THIS DECISION. NOT YOUR FEELINGS; NOT STRONGHOLDS; NOT YOUT BROKEN SOUL; NOT IMPRESSIONS BADES ON YOUR EXPERIENCES.
DECLARATION • I MAKE A DECISION NOW OF MY OWN WILL TO BELIEVE IN THE TOTAL TRUTH OF GOD ABOUT MY LIFE AND ABOUT WHAT HE HAS DONE FOR ME. • I MAKE A DECISION NOW OF MY OWN WILL TO CHOOSE TO BE FREE FROM BONDAGE. • THIS DECISION IS BASED ON MY OWN WILL AND NOT ON MY FEELINGS; MY BROKEN SOUL; MY SINS; MY OWN EXPERIENCES; OR BASED ON STRONGHOLDS AND LIES OF THE ENEMY. • I DECLARE I CAN AND I WILL BE FREE FROM BONDAGE!
STATEMENTS OF TRUTH READ THEM TOGETHER AND OUTLOUD
PRAYER 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 philosophies of this fallen world, and I have deceived myself. 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 the Holy Spirit to guide me into all truth. I ask You to ”search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting“ . In the Name of Jesus, I pray. Amen.
1 THESSALONIANS 5:21-24 TRUTHS OF VICTORY
GOD’S WILL FOR YOU: TOTAL RESTORATION 21But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22abstain from every form of evil. 23Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? TOTAL RESTORATION IS THE HEALING OF YOUR ENTIRE BEING WHICH IS FORMED OF YOUR SPIRIT, YOUR MIND, YOUR SOULD AND YOUR BODY.
WHO WILL DO IT? THE GOD OF PEACE HIMSELF WILL DO IT HE IS FAITHFUL AND HE WILL BRING IT TO PASS
HOW WILL IT HAPPEN? • Examine everything carefully • Hold fast to that which is good (truth and obedience to God’s Word) • Abstain from every form of evil ( lies and sin)
BEFORE CHRIST: SPIRITUAL BONDAGE • SPIRIT: Dead and in total darkness. • MIND: Blind by the enemy. • SOUL: Broken and wounded. • BODY: Slave of sin and flesh desires.
WHAT IS SPIRITUAL BONDAGE? 2 Timothy 2:25-26 describes Spiritual Bondage 25Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. (NIV)
WHAT IS SPIRITUAL BONDAGE? 25with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, 26and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been (held captive by him to do his will. (NASB)
WHAT IS SPIRITUAL BONDAGE? “God's servant must not be argumentative, but a gentle listener and a teacher who keeps cool, working firmly but patiently with those who refuse to obey. You never know how or when God might sober them up with a change of heart and a turning to the truth, enabling them to escape the Devil's trap, where they are caught and held captive, forced to run his errands.” (The Message)