It was for freedom that Christ set us free, therefore,  stand firm and do not be burdened again by a yoke of bondage.

In Galatians 5, Paul shares with us what it means to truly BE FREE as followers in Christ:

Gal 5:4-7 (NASB)
“You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified BY LAW; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit, by FAITH, are waiting for the HOPE of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but FAITH working through LOVE. You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion did NOT COME from HIM who calls you.”

Amen!!! A true follower of Jesus Christ is one who has received the beautiful gift of grace and no longer relies on the law to prove them righteous. In Gal 5, Paul identified the problem: some believers were “falling from grace” by trying to the satisfy the Jewish law of circumcision as a means for proving their “righteousness by the law”. Paul states in Gal5:2:
“If you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you.”

What I believe Paul is stating here, is this: when we as believers rely on rule keeping, checking off boxes and religious performance to prove our faithfulness to God, as the Pharisees did, we will miss the true power of grace! What does grace do? It justifies! In our own strength, we could never live life well enough to truly please God. This is why scripture tells us that the only way to please God is by our FAITH (Heb 11:6) because our behavior will never be consistent enough to make us truly righteous.

I am not in any way supporting any level of hypocrisy. Sin is sin and must be confessed! But when we are making our best effort to follow Jesus and we fall short anyway…that is where true GRACE becomes the power of Christ IN US —through the power of the Holy Spirit, who fills us up the moment we place our faith in Jesus Christ and surrender our lives to His authority! (Titus 3:3-7).

Grace and the power of the  Holy Spirit go hand in hand.  When we receive and truly rely upon the grace of Jesus Christ for our salvation and no longer rely on our own strength, we become empowered in the Holy Spirit to operate BY THE SPIRIT.  Truly, with the receiving of the power of grace comes humility and faith operating through LOVE. (Gal 5:6)

In Gal 5:7-9  Paul says something that just makes my stomach turn:

“You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth?  This PERSUASION  did not come from HIM who calls you. A little leaven leaves the whole lump of dough.”

So, the question I am hoping we will ask ourselves is this: is anyone or anything in my life, trying to persuade me to doubt my salvation by faith through grace? Is anyone “disturbing your confidence” as Paul states in verse 10? If so, that person or group of people “shall bear HIS judgment”.

Then Paul states in verses 13 and 14, the difference between true freedom in Christ in which we walk by the Spirit rather than serving the flesh, and walking by the flesh:

For you were called to FREEDOM, only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love SERVE ONE ANOTHER. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Now let’s pause here for a moment. I have recently had the opportunity to witness some very distasteful behavior among those who call themselves  “Ministers” who are actually bullying and threatening other Ministers who refuse to submit to a certain coalition of Ministers claiming that anyone who will not “submit” to their “network” or “coalition” is rebelling against God.

Beloved in the Lord, we must be SO discerning in these end times of false prophets! By their fruits, ye shall know them!!!

To walk by the Spirit means to operate in grace, love, and wisdom from above. The power of the Holy Spirit will flow like a river through pure vessels (atom 9:23) who do not defile themselves with pride, malice, dissension, greed, jealousy, disputes, anger and strife. Paul gives us a list of “bad fruit” to avoid  in Gal 5:15-21:

But if you bite and devour one another, take care lest you be consumed by one another. But I say, Walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets, it’s desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please.

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God.

WOW…..

And there it is in black and white. The word of God delivered to us by Paul, who no doubt received heavy persecution for refusing to conform to the religious leaders of his day, gives clear instruction for how to avoid those who could bring havoc to your Christian walk…if you let them! But we are FREE to choose how we walk… Hallelujah!!!

One distinction that I want to share as well, is that freedom is NOT lawlessness.

Paul said: “If you are lead by the Spirit you are not under the law”. What does “under the law”  mean? I believe this statement means this: we are under the direction of the Holy Spirit NOT under the control of man’s religious laws!

When a man is operating under a “Spirit of control” they are “carrying out the desire of the flesh”. Jesus did not set us FREE by grace through faith (Eph 2:4-8) and seal us to him by the power of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:3-7) so that we would enter again into spiritual bondage!!! I will obey GOD and not MAN!

Paul then in Gal5:22 provides a clear list of what the fruits of the Spirit are:

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things, there is no law.

Amen!!! The law of man’s religion cannot stand against the fruits born of the Holy Spirit!!

So, here’s the bottom line:

1. If you are among “believers” who are not operating in the fruits of the Spirit, forgive them and then move on.

2. If you are being “recruited” by a group of believers who are telling you that you need their networks or coalition to back you or support you in order for you to rise to your true authority in Christ (that they claim is not available to you without their help)…it is time to say NO!

3. If you are being mistreated, belittled, or demeaned by those who call themselves “Ministers” and find yourself feeling discouraged,  unworthy, unloved and unsupported in your calling from God, then it is time to seek the Father’s heart and rest in his love and grace so your heart can heal. People will come and go but Jesus will NEVER leave you or forsake you!!! (Deut 31:6, John 14:18).

We are in the end times, and false apostles and prophets will arise among us. Now more than ever before, we MUST be discerning! If a Minister or Ministry or church body is not flowing in the fruits of the Spirit as defined in Galatians 5:22, then something is wrong. Be wise and discerning! Ask the Father to help you forgive their wrongdoing, but please do not become a victim of spiritual abuse—which sadly does occur within the church today.

Paul ends with these words of hope in Gal 5:25,26:

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.

Looking into Galatians 6:1,2 Paul offers us words of comfort and a call to forgiveness:

Brethren, even if a man is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, lest you be tempted. Bear one another burdens, and thus fulfill the law of Christ.

And in verse 9:

And let us not lose heart and doing good, for in due time we will reap a reward if we do not grow weary.

Jesus is our strong tower, our refuge and our hope! We can fall into his arms of love, grace, and mercy and receive help in our time of need! He is the perfector of our faith and our defender!

Stand firm today Beloved and do not be burdened by a yoke of bondage! Walk by the Spirit and rest in the grace of Jesus and walk by the power of the Holy Spirit who equips, empowers and delivers you from all evil in Jesus Name!

Hallelujah!!!

Ashley Gronholm

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