Galatians 5:1

Devotional Thoughts

By David Wilkerson

Centuries before Jesus was born, the prophet Isaiah prophesied that God would send a deliverer to mankind who would liberate mankind, and Jesus himself stood in a Jewish synagogue one Sabbath and reminded the world of this prophecy when he read:

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed. . . . Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:18, 21).

Jesus was proclaiming to the whole world, “My mission on earth is to liberate every bruised life.” Liberate means “to set free from all bondage; to do away with all that oppresses.” If you believe the truth of Christ’s words, then you know he is saying to you, “I am sent to liberate your life, to release your life from all oppression and bondage. I come to set your spirit free.”

Paul preached about “the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Romans 8:21) and urged the Galatians, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made [you] free” (Galatians 5:1).

Christ came to call every believer to live in liberty. If we believe it, why do we go on living the same old miserable way? Is it because we think a life totally free of fear and guilt is just too incredible? Life without a heavy burden of condemnation or depression? Life in the presence of a loving, gentle Savior who care about all our needs?

Does it all sound too good to be true? Well, believe it! Because that is exactly the kind of life Christ wants every one of his children to enjoy. Not just a few of his children, but all of them! This life is freely offered to all who simply trust him for it.