“𝘍𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘰𝘮”, 𝘢 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝟷-𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘥𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘯 𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘵𝘰𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴.𝘤𝘰𝘮. 𝘐 𝘢𝘮 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨.

For many of us, our journey to salvation in Christ alone involved a falling away of what would never hold us, so we could grasp the truth that wraps us in His secure embrace now and for eternity.

𝘍𝘰𝘳 𝘎𝘖𝘋 𝘴𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘏𝘦 𝘨𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘏𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘯𝘭𝘺 𝘚𝘰𝘯, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘪𝘯 𝘏𝘪𝘮 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘭𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. (𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝟑:𝟏𝟔, 𝐄𝐒𝐕) ⁣
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[𝘏𝘦] 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘭𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘴𝘭𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘣𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩. (𝐇𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐰𝐬 𝟐:𝟏𝟓, 𝐍𝐈𝐕) ⁣
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𝘐𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘚𝘰𝘯 𝘴𝘦𝘵𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘣𝘦 𝘧𝘳𝘦𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘥. (𝐉𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝟖:𝟑𝟔, 𝐄𝐒𝐕)

When His love and light break through to rescue us, we are set free:

– free from the penalty of sin and bondage to its devices

– free from deceptions from the enemy that blind us to GOD’s truth

– free from self-protection, self-doubt, pride and stubborn independence

– free from lack (He is and has everything we will ever need)

– free from judgment (from GOD, from self, or from others)

We are held securely, safe in His arms and His care, claimed as His child, eternally brought into the family of GOD. It is a reality that can never be threatened, never altered, never removed or changed or diminished.  Perfect love casts out all fear, setting us free in new ways:

– free to worship from a pure heart

– free to serve Him with joy

– free to give generously

– free to love lavishly

– free to grow in confidence as He equips/enables us

– free to truly thrive, growing in all the ways He envisions for us

– free to step out with courage when/how/where He directs

We are held.  It is a holding that brings peace, security, fresh vision, confidence, emboldening strength.  It is a holding that sets us free!

“But,” you might say, “we still live in a battle zone!  I don’t know about you, but daily, I still need to work hard to fend off whims of the flesh or attacks from the enemy!”  

Sadly, yes.  In this place of being truly held and beloved by the LORD JESUS, we still wrestle things that hold us back, that cloud our vision, that paralyze us with fear or taunt us with doubt.

The same things that held us back from embracing GOD’s truth of saving grace can sneak back in to hold us back from truly thriving, from fully experiencing the abundant life available to us through Christ.  What are those things and how can we break free from their clutches?

Conversely, are there ways the LORD lovingly holds us back?  As much as security in Him sets us free in glorious ways, His faithful protection also sets boundaries for us for our good and His glory.  When is being held back an act of His loving kindness?

Held or held back?  In bondage or truly free?  When are these scenarios good and honoring to the LORD, and when are they harmful and dishonoring to Him?  Join us this week on vinetobranches.com as we explore these questions.  

May we discover His holding that is secure enough to set us free, wise enough to direct our path, and kind enough to garner our delight and devotion to Him alone!