When You Don’t Even Know You’re Free

Today is Juneteenth. This holiday has more relevance now more than ever. I have to be honest and say that I’ve never put much thought or celebration into Juneteenth before as I am right now in this season that we’re in.

Juneteenth is the date we celebrate the freedom of African American’s from slavery. In 1865 the last set of slaves in Galveston,Texas were notified that the civil war had ended and they were officially free. However, what they did not know was that the Emancipation Proclamation was signed two years earlier and they had been free for a couple years already.

This idea of being free and not knowing it spoke to my spirit as a Christian. It made me think about how many of us walk around bound to something that does not serve us not realizing that Jesus freed us from it a long time ago. Everything that holds us back from experiencing the full life that God has for us was nailed to the cross ages ago. We were set free the minute Jesus took his last breath.

How many times do we allow fear to keep us trapped and stagnant? – “Don’t fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you’re are Mine”- Isaiah 43:1

How often does the thoughts of others hold us back from progressing? – “For I know the thoughts I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope” – Jeremiah 29:11

How many of us are slaves to addiction? – “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” – Corinthians 10:13

How often do we think we are not sufficient enough? – “Now unto him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us” – Ephesians 3:20

Christ died for every sin so we can sin no more, however we choose sin everyday. Think about how crazy that sounds in the terms of slavery. Imagine a slave is well aware he is free from his master, but yet everyday he still goes into the cotton fields to work, and be whipped and beaten. How silly does that sound? About as silly as being enslaved by things that the cross already freed us from.

We are free from insecurity

We are free depression

We are free from anxieties

We are free from fear

We are free from addiction

We have been set free, but still act like slaves. The price was paid a long time ago. Maybe you’re just now getting the memo like those in Texas, but I pray from this day forward you claim and walk in your freedom. The chains of bondage have been broken. Now go and be free.

God Bless.

Happy Juneteenth!