Freedom – The Presidential Prayer Team

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” – Romans 8:15

There’s a lot of talk about slavery these days. The truth is all people have a tendency to be a slave to sin and fear. Believers in Christ walk by the Spirit, not after the demanding flesh. God loved the world so much that He sent His son Jesus to set everyone free from fear, sin and death. Jesus is like Moses who brought the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage, or like the brave men who fought in the Civil War to free the slaves. However, in Christ you are free from sin, death, and fear.

In today’s verse, Paul admonishes his readers to not fall back into the spirit of slavery. Know that you, as a believer in Christ, are free because of whose child You are. The Holy Spirit cries to Abba, or Papa, Father. Now, instead of fear, you can be bold to obey Him and live a peaceful life. “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace” (Romans 8:5-6).

It takes a certain boldness to live in freedom, taking responsibility to follow after the Spirit. Live your life by the grace and freedom He has given you, receiving His forgiveness and love and spreading it to others. Pray that American leaders and citizens will become servants of God to be truly free.

Today’s Verse: Romans 8:15

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

All Scripture quotations and audio are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Recommended for further reading: Genesis 3:1-13

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.

He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” ²And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, ³but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” ⁴But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. ⁵For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” ⁶So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. ⁷Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths.

⁸And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden. ⁹But the Lord God called to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” ¹⁰And he said, “I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked, and I hid myself.” ¹¹He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten of the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” ¹²The man said, “The woman whom you gave to be with me, she gave me fruit of the tree, and I ate.” ¹³Then the Lord God said to the woman, “What is this that you have done?” The woman said, “The serpent deceived me, and I ate.”