You Can Break Free

Some people are being held in the grip of things they never imagined would now have control over them. They are being led around like slaves and can’t seem to find release from the dark grip that pulls them through life contrary to the freedom they were given in Jesus Christ.

When I was a young man there was a span of several years when I studied a number of different styles of martial arts – Chinese, Japanese and Korean. Each one brought very unique forms of self-defense. One Japanese style known for its hand techniques taught me how to get out of a wrist grab.  This technique was used if someone comes up to you and grabs your wrist in an attempt to take you somewhere against your will.

Our sensei (teacher) demonstrated this simple technique. Once grabbed, he rolled his wrist into the gap between the attacker’s index finger and thumb while pulling his arm back toward his chest.  When properly executed his arm would out pop out of the attacker’s grip releasing him from unwanted control. The wrist bone close the surface on the inside of the sensei’s wrist became like a knife-edge that cut through the attacker’s grip. The biggest and stronger students in the room could not hold the sensei no matter how hard they tried to grip him. When it was our turn the same held true. It was a remarkably simple, yet powerful move.

When hell grips your life the weak point in hell’s grip is when you choose to live in the light. Living in the light of God’s truth is the gap between hell’s thumb and index finger. Paul wrote, “But everything exposed by the light becomes visible--and everything that is illuminated becomes a light.”  (Ephesians 5:13) The exposure of hell’s deception to the light of truth is the first step toward freedom.

Whatever we bring to the light is exposed and actually becomes light. No matter how complicit we were in a particular sin, hell cannot continue to hold a person who has made the decision to live a life exposed to the light of truth and transparency. Once exposed the grip of darkness is broken and the previously hidden areas of our lives that bred shame and sorrow are now transformed into something beautiful.

You are no longer defined as a sinner. You are now a saint. Your new identity gives you the ability to break free from any lie hell will use in an attempt to enslave your life. You no longer have to yield to the controlling grip of sin. You can choose freedom instead, because as Paul said, “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” (Galatians 5:1) Once you make the choice to live in the light you will begin to live a life that continually breaks free from  hell’s attempt to take you in a direction contrary to your true identity.

Jesus wants us to live free because our freedom is destined to become a living illustration of a resurrected life. Sight is the first step toward a life of freedom. Look down at your spiritual wrist and identify any lie that has taken hold of your life and break free!