In John 8:31-32, Jesus said, “If you abide in My Word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
One reason I quote this verse so often is because it typifies God’s will for you. God’s will is that you be set free. But set free from what?
First of all, God wants, of course, for you to have eternal, everlasting life. That’s why He sent Jesus to earth to live and die in the first place. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.”
But everlasting life doesn’t mean just living forever. You will live forever anyway, whether you believe in Jesus or not. The question is where will you live. Will you live forever in His presence, in the glory of heaven or will you live for all eternity separated from Him and His love. One way is eternal life. The other is eternal death.
God sent His Son, Jesus, to set us free from eternal death and those of us who believe in Him have the assurance of everlasting life.
However, when Jesus said that if we would abide in His Word, we would know the truth and be set free, He wasn’t just talking about being set free from eternal death. He was also talking about being set free from the bondages that are here, now, on earth.
Many Christians live their entire lives under the bondages of sickness, poverty and the letter of the law. When Jesus came to set us free, He came to set us free completely.
Romans 8:2 says, “For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.” And in John 10:10, Jesus said, “I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”
If this is true, then why are so many Christians still under bondage? Why are they not set free?
Well, here’s the answer. God said in His Word, over and over again, that it is faith that causes His promises to take effect. In other words, when God promises something in His Word, we must believe that what He promised is the truth and that it will come to pass.
But, we must not just believe that it can come to pass in someone else’s life, but we must believe that it will come to pass in our own life. Why? Because God said it would, and we believe God. It’s when God’s promise gets from your head and into your heart where you know it that it is faith.
Jesus came to set us free from everything that binds us. And we can be set free, if we can believe that we will be set free. In the town of Nazareth, Jesus taught the good news of the kingdom, but unlike the other villages who received His teachings, Nazareth did not.
Because they didn’t believe the words of Jesus, Jesus could not do any great miracles there. Mark 6:5 says, “Now He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief.”
We must not be like the people of Nazareth. Only when we believe God’s Word completely will we receive the fullness of abundant life. God’s will is for you to be set free. Not just in eternity, but today.
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Dr. Larry Ollison is founder and Senior Pastor of Walk on the Water Faith Church and founder of Larry Ollison Ministries. With over forty years in the ministry, he is a very popular speaker nationally and internationally and ministers the Word of Faith through radio, television, Internet, and daily e-mail devotionals. As the author of twelve books (including The Power of Grace, The Practical Handbook for Christian Living, Breaking the Cycle of Offense, Life is in the Blood, and recently released The Paradise of God), he is in frequent demand for radio/TV interviews, book signings, and magazine publications.
Dr. Ollison was raised a Southern Baptist. While majoring in theology at Southwest Baptist University, he received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. For many years he traveled extensively speaking at Full Gospel Business Men's meetings and conventions. He later earned an M.A. in Theology and a Ph.D. and Th.D. from Life Christian University.
Currently President of International Convention of Faith Ministries (ICFM), Dr. Ollison is also Vice-President of Spirit FM Christian Radio Network, Missouri State Director of Christians United for Israel (CUFI), and a Trustee on the boards of several international ministries. He is also the host of The Cutting Edge Radio Broadcast and authors The Cutting Edge Daily Devotional.
As the owner of a marine dealership, his extensive business background brings a unique flavor to his teaching. He founded and served as chairman of the Missouri State Marine Board, President of the Marine Dealers’ Association, Vice-President of a bank holding company, along with holding several directorships in various corporations.
Dr. Ollison's strongest areas of teaching are the blood of Jesus, faith, relationships, the Hebrew language, the Holy Spirit, the end times, and heaven. During ministry, he operates freely in the gifts of the Holy Spirit. His use of humor and his ability to make a theological concept simple makes it enjoyable and easy for everyone to understand. Countless testimonies have been received from people who say their lives have been changed after experiencing Dr. Ollison's unique ministry.
Dr. Ollison is a pastor, pilot, teacher, and author. His number one goal is to meet the needs of the people through the teaching of faith in God's Word. He and his wife, Loretta, have two children and six grandchildren.