Daily Affirmations - Day 4 - Free Indeed - Spirit Freedom

Day 4: Spirit freedom

Through Jesus the law of the life-giving Spirit has set us free from the law of sin and death

Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Corinthians 3:17).

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O Lord our God, You are the Source and Sustainer of our lives (Acts 3:15; 17:28).

You gave humanity the precious gift of life, breathing Your very breath... into the nostrils of the man You had created from the dust of the ground— transforming his lifeless form into a living being (Genesis 2:7). But when humans disobeyed You and death threatened the existence You had planned for them, You provided the opportunity for them to be born again, this time, of... the Spirit (John 3:3-6).

In Your compassion for our "helpless estate", You provided a way from death to new life, by the sacrificial death of our Lord Jesus Christ and by His resurrection through the power of Your life-giving Spirit. The apostle Paul explains it clearly:

But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of His Spirit who lives in you (Romans 8:10-11).

Lord, Your life-giving Spirit brings us into a new and holy freedom (Galatians 5:13, 1 Peter 2:16). We are released from the weight of sin and guilt, receiving in their place righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17). And we are released from bondage to religious rules and rituals— from the struggle to rise by our own efforts from the trauma of our broken humanity.

Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, (for like Your old covenant people our eyes, hearts and minds are naturally dull and veiled). But You have made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life (2 Corinthians 3:5-6).

You call us from the burden of slavish striving for a legalistic righteousness of [our] own... to... the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith [in Christ] (Philippians 3:9). And we can walk about in freedom (Psalm 119:45), with unveiled faces lifted to the the light of Your glory (2 Corinthians 3:13-18).

Lord Jesus, in You are the embodiment and the fulfillment of the law of truth, justice, righteousness, love, mercy... all the attributes of the perfect law that gives freedom (James 1:25). In You are met the righteous requirements of the law, and as we contemplate [Your] glory, [we] are being transformed into [Your] image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Thank You Triune God— Father, Son, Holy Spirit— for life, liberty, and release from bondage to sin and striving. Thank you for Your mighty power that works a lifelong transformation in us, day by day, to look like truth, justice, righteousness, love, mercy, and all that You are.

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