True Freedom

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.” (2 Cor. 3:17 NIV)

Scripture teaches us that true freedom comes from being in God’s presence. From dwelling in the fullness of Holy Spirit. It’s about a daily intimate walk with the LORD that brings transformation in our hearts, and is evident in our everyday life.

Rebellion was never God’s plan. Where the activation of the Spirit is no longer present, a false sense of freedom takes its place – it’s called rebellion. Truly being set free is having an understanding of God’s authority in our life, and a knowing of the need for it to live a balanced life.

Rebellion is the flesh resisting what God wants to do in our life whether subtle or unnoticed. It’s the broadest definition of humankind’s sinful nature.

When a person is in rebellion for whatever reason they will despise any kind of authority. The definition of rebellion is: opposition to one in authority, defiance of or resistance to an established government. In this case disobedience to God’s direction and Holy Spirit’s counsel.

A “rebellious spirit” is someone who lives to contradict authority or to follow their own way of life. Part of the ‘nature’ of this spirit is actually a form of having control or needing to be in control in itself. The sense of losing control comes from fear. Fear of being ‘being taken advantage of’ or not knowing who to trust. Fear causes many reactions in a person the most extreme being paranoia.

Scripture teaches us that God has not given us a spirit of fear but a spirit of LOVE, POWER and a SOUND mind. (2 Tim 1:7 NIV)

In fact, this scripture teaches us that when we are living in God’s will, we have a sound mind. It’s just the opposite of what fear does, which is birthed from rebellion and therefore an unhealed mind.

Many Christians today still have an unhealed mind because they refuse to surrender all to the LORD because that cycle of fear of being vulnerable, or whatever their fear is, keeps them from fully opening up. With fear comes mistrust. Because fear distorts truth and trust becomes a huge factor.

Those that allow this oppressive spirit of rebellion will often associate healthy authority with control; even if it is not the case, especially if they’ve had unhealthy authority figures in their life or those who they perceive to have hurt them. This can cause people to distort the truth to further justify their rebellion. By the time they’ve ‘given their mind over to the strongholds of the adversary, they are already blind to it, and the truth has been turned on its head.

That’s why Paul said to those that had lost their faith and were sliding off the cliff so to speak, he said, “What then has become of your blessing? For I can testify that, if it were possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth? (Gal 4:15-16 NIV)

As most Ministers know, this is a common occurrence when a person loses their faith.

An unhealed rebellious Christian can do more harm to the body of Christ than someone who is not a Christian. In fact, throughout history, it is those in the Church who have come against the Church of Jesus Christ. Manipulation is not excluded from this spirit. It just depends on how prideful a person is as to how far they will go.

Don’t take my word for it, always measure what is said with what God’s Word has to say on it.

Scripture puts rebellion right up there with divination.

In 1 Sam 15:23 the Prophet Samuel says this to Saul, “For rebellion is like the sin of divination, and arrogance like the evil of idolatry.”

The enemy will always try to attempt to break down any kind of authority in the church and twist it so that leaders will shy away from what Scripture says on this topic and render the church “powerless”.

This is dangerous because it demeans the very structure God has set up to protect the church and diverse groups of people in it.

God has given every believer authority over these oppressive strongholds to overcome them. When we make a decision not to, we leave ourselves open to spiritual attack which starts in the mind.

In fact, it is very difficult for a believer to know or truly see the will of God for their life unless the mind is renewed or unless we are walking in alignment and obedience with the LORD and we are willing to let God change us on the inside.

Our own physical body is not excluded from this process because we cannot worship in totality without our own body being submitted to God as well as our mind, as the body forms part of what is conceived in the mind.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—God’s good, pleasing and perfect will.” (Romans‬ ‭12:1-2‬)

Once the mind is renewed, there is clarity of thought and we are able to see what God wants for our lives. clearly see and know the will of God for our life and the direction we should go.

When a person is in rebellion they are usually antagonistic against most things concerning the Spirit and God’s Church. It doesn’t happen overnight, it happens as a person makes choices that follow the natural and not the Spirit.

Slowly, they’ll move further and further away from God and become more intellectually orientated than spiritually minded. They start seeing the very ‘way of faith’ and worship that they once knew, as wrong and fanatical. Not because it is, but because they’ve shifted.

Let me add that, of course, it’s important for us to use our intellect but as believers, it’s more important for us to first seek out what Holy Spirit is saying.

If we say we are led by Holy Spirit, then that’s what we should mean, and that’s what should show in our actions and in our life.

The Word must go via our spirit first, then to our mind. In other words, let Holy Spirit dictate not your intellect. Let your spirit be a filter for what your mind receives and conceives.

Sadly when people rebel they’ll either blame the church, their leaders, or others in their previous spiritual circle.

A good leader will not retaliate. They will often stay silent unless enough trouble has been stirred where there is a need to speak out to protect the flock.It does no good to add fuel on this kind of destructive fire, it’s not from the LORD. It’s better to show restraint and to stay focused on the cause of Christ to which we are called instead of being caught up in foolish arguments. Apart from ensuring the flock is safe, genuine leaders won’t fall for such antics that are birthed in anger and resentment, instead of reconciliation and love.

It’s very sad when this happens because usually people who lose their way, tend to speak more about “love” than anything else, yet they struggle to forgive and reconcile in any kind of healthy way, because the talk about love or loving others comes more from a place of woundedness than anything else. At this point, the mind has already shifted.

This kind of talk is destructive and while it may fool some who don’t know what’s really going on, those with discernment who are following in God’s will are able to see it for what it really is. This is why I say to people look at the fruit not the gifts. Especially when the adversary sows confusion.

What will be your measure to know truth? You must know what God’s Word, has to say, it’s our guide to truth and our measure as believers.

Gal 4:15-16 Paul speaks to those in his own tribe: “What then has become of your blessing? For I can testify that, if it were possible, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?”

We must understand that’s often there is a history and confidentiality unknown to the general

public about what appears to be happening when the enemy attacks. Leaders are bound in their Office to keep confidence wherever possible, even though sometimes there is a cost.

True freedom can only come to one and all from surrendering all that we are to Jesus. That’s honest free will.

The Word says, draw near to God and God will draw near to you. Then it says that you can resist the devil and he must flee.

Prophet Marietjie had a ‘prophetic saying’ in 2018. She said, “Flee you flea!”. I say, amen to that!

Having a “sense of freedom” because we have cast down every boundary, authority & Covering that God has placed to protect us, is not true freedom, it’s a false sense of freedom that comes from gratifying our fleshly nature. It has a name, rebellion.

It is the carnal nature having “its way” which has gradually “overtaken” our spirit and God’s will is no longer the focus in our life.

Stay focused, keep your mind on Jesus. Don’t “run off a cliff” because someone else is doing it or because you’re taken in by lopsided stories which amount to gossip. This comes from an un-renewed mind or even a mind that might have been undergoing healing that has lapsed into a state of the old self, that breeds distortions to justify the position of the flesh.

Stay on track! God knows your heart. Don’t be led by FEAR, be led by LOVE and know the TRUTH as the truth is what will set you free. (John 8:32)

Remember:

THE lies of the enemy will ALWAYS be exposed by the light of GOD and the TRUTH WILL ALWAYS PREVAIL, it may take time but it will prevail and be made known. Holy Spirit will always guide us into TRUTH. Make sure you are obeying the LORD and following in God’s truth and will for your life. –   Apostle Deborah Bell

And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. (2 Tim 2:24)

Blessings

Apostle Deborah Bell

Lead Apostle, DGFC & DGAN Apostolic Network