Summary: For bondages to be broken we must deal with sin: that we have committed and that which has been committed against us, then we can be free.

Breaking Bondages

VCC August 19, 2000

Intro:God Wants Us Free!

Last week we saw the importance of dealing with sin issues.

Acts 10:38,39 -- “God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.”

Jesus gave us what we needed for victory

Through his death

We saw wee needed to deal with SIN ISSUES

Sins we commit

Sins committed against us.

Exodus 6:

Ex. 4:29-31, people heard news of freedom from slavery and beleived

Ex. 5:1, God says “Let my people go.”

5:21, the people no longer believed that God was in charge,

They had been slaves for all their lives...who did they think they were?

Luke 4:18-19, He has anointed me to...proclaim freedom for the prisoners.

These people were not in stone jails he was talking to but spiritual, emotional, relational, mental prisons that controlled the way that they acted, thought, responded, etc.

Areas in which bondages often function.

Persons: relatives, peers, parents, spouses, teachers, singers, leaders, animals

Places: school, bedroom town, scene of a tragedy, etc.

Often associated with tramatic situations

Circumstances: congested freeway, family get-togethers

Times of Year: death of spouse or relative, divorce, sickness

Institutions: denomination, religious system, governmental system, military, colleges, welfare systems

Patterns: perfectionism, compulsive rituals, patterns of thnking, traditions

Words: childhood mottos, nicknames, profanity

“You’ll never amount to anything”

Images: mental pictures, dreams, pornography

Attitudes: negativity, criticalness, inferiority

Sin: lust, greed, coveting, materialism, drunkeness

Substances: alcohol, drugs, food, nicotene,cafeine, etc.

How Controlling bondages develop 1 John 5:21

Intentionally giving allegiance to something or someone other than Christ (1 Cor. 7:23, 10:14)

denominations, people, ancestors, groups, (Catholic vow of poverty)

Refusing not to receive Christ’s forgiveness, grace, and love, not forgiving self, or others, so we stay bound to some past sinful experience, painful loss or person (1 Cor. 6:16)

Sexual sin...even thought life, things we view, etc. (1 Cor. 6:18)

Occultic practice

Curse

By being wrongfully treated or controlled by people or groups in our past

God through hurtful or fearful experiences in certain settings

Wrong thinking (2 Cor. 10:3-5, Phil. 4:8)

the devils lies...I’m all alone, I should have known better, thre’s no hope...etc

By making ungodly vows (Prov. 18:21) ... even informal ones as “I’ll never...”

Jesus Has Freedom

Definition: assurance that your needs for security, love, significance, acceoptance and worth are always met in Christ.

Evidences of Freedom in the life of a believer

Joy (John 16:22, Ps. 4:7, Gal 5:22)

Galatians 5:1,15; What has happened to your JOY?

Peace

Forgiving

Freedom to fail (our identiy is not in our performance)

Freedom to be rejected (Jesus was despised and rejected by men...knew God’s acceptance)

Enjoy life

Rest from struggles of life (John 6:28,29, Heb 4:10)

Mt. 11:28, come all who are weary and heavy burdened and I will give you rest.

Freedom in relationships (don’t have to prove something0

How to be free

Deal with any sin issues (Door One)

Forgive others who have sinned against you (or you are still bound to that person or group

Confess as sin and renounce any bondages/idols you are holding

An idol is anything you focus on more than Christ.

Believe you are free

Luke 4:18--Jesus came to set the captive free

Galatians 2:20 -- You were crucified with Christ, along with all your past

Written in the book where others were trying to steal their freedoms.

Problem is that many times we do not walk in faith, but by our feelings.

Harry Houdini--could not escape from one jail, frustrated and tired sat down agains the door of the cell and it swung open. He was free all the time and did not know it.

He answer is NOT SELF-HELP, BUT REALIZING CHRIST HAS DONE IT!

He took care of the sin. we are free (Rom 6:16-18,22)