A well-known verse of scripture has become a great worldwide quote, ‘and the truth shall set you free’. Many people may not experience this freedom that the Bible says they should have. To really be set free by the truth, it’s important to live the scripture rather than just being able to quote it.
What does being set free look like?
Many people may believe they are already free because they have the free-will to make their own decisions. This is an element of freedom, however, this isn’t the sense of freedom that Jesus is referring to in John 8:32.
And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:32 NKJV
Freedom here refers to freedom from the trap of the devil – sin and death. Therefore, when people experience the good and perfect gifts that come from their heavenly Father, that is freedom. Freedom is walking in righteousness, peace, health, prosperity and so much more. So, do you desire to be set free and experience these things?
Why aren’t people set free?
One of the reasons we don’t see this freedom that the scripture speaks of is because we do not actually know the truth.
Though you may have been in the faith for many years, it is still possible to not know the gospel truth. The question is, are you experiencing the freedom of God in your life the way you know you should? The abundant life that Jesus promised?
If you are, do share in the comments section below. Let’s acknowledge the goodness of God shining through your life. However, if you’re not experiencing abundant life, don’t worry, you’re not alone.
There are many areas in life where people desire to see freedom. It may be physical health, emotional health, or spiritual health. Yet sometimes people struggle in prayer asking for God to change things, but maybe it is their “knowing”, or lack thereof, that could be holding them back.
The latter part of John 8:32 is often quoted, but the first part says, ‘and you shall know the truth’. Did you see it?
It’s not just truth alone that makes you free, it’s only the truth you actually know that brings freedom to your life.
Knowing the truth results in freedom
A great teacher called Greg once shared how his young grandson got sick as a little boy. The church and the family of the boy all pulled together praying what Greg called “if it be thy will prayers”. Greg went on to explain that if he and the rest of the church actually knew that it was God’s will to heal his grandson, then they would have prayed the truth with authority. If wasn’t for ‘if it be thy will prayers’, Greg wondered whether his grandson might still be alive today.
Honestly, Greg wasn’t to know what may or may not have happened in the future. However, it was true that if they’d have known it was God’s will for him to be well, they could have helped to give the boy a fighting chance.
The focus isn’t on healing but about knowing the truth and experiencing the abundant physical, emotional and spiritual life that Jesus promised. Hosea 4:6 says ‘my people perish for lack of knowledge’. This lets us know that some of our ‘perishing’ is because of us not ‘knowing’. When we find ourselves in a similar position to Greg’s, we will certainly appreciate the time that we have spent establishing ourselves in God’s truth. If you continually seek to truly know and believe God’s truth without wavering, you will be made free.
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