(February 1, 2020) Robert and Maureen McQuillan share …
‘We are free!’ That was the rapturous cheer by so many flag-waving Britons today, happy that their country is exiting from the EU after almost 50 years of union with Europe.
Thousands had flocked to a muddy patch of grass outside parliament on Friday night to toast their moment of history, singing patriotic songs and waving Union Jacks.
‘The crowd erupted into cheers as the clock hit 11 pm, the moment of Britain’s exit. After a barrage of fireworks, smoke filled the area as onlookers hugged, popped champagne corks and filmed the moment on their phones’ reports Elizabeth Howcroft and William James, Reuters.
Choruses of God Save the Queen and Land of Hope And Glory swung round Parliament Square, where revellers toasted in a new post-Brexit dawn.
’The most important thing to say tonight is that this is not an end but a beginning,’ said Prime Minister Boris Johnson in a televised address, reported SBS.
He – and Britain – now look forward to moving on in 2020!
Moving on… free from lies!
For some months we, and other contributors, have been encouraging Christians and churches to think in terms of moving ahead this new year.
But… to move on into all that God has for us we must be free from everything that binds and holds us back. We must get rid of all baggage that is dragging us down, chaining us to the past with its lies about failure and ‘I can’t, so I won’t’ declarations.
Today, countless Britons feel free and are looking forward in anticipation of freedom from what many considered bondage. Reminds us of 1989 when communism and the ‘Iron Curtain’ were disintegrating. People were being set free from the bondage of the control and lies of 70 years of evil communism with its lie after lie about life, the world outside USSR, their economy and history… and the existence of God.
One Romanian pastor said that communism was built on two pillars: Lies and intimidation. Sounds exactly like some of Satan’s tactics against us! Lies intimidate putting us in bondage, but truth always liberates.
For Russians and others, deliverance had come. Shackles fell away and people were unafraid and free to confront lies and discover truth for themselves.
And that’s what Jesus has done that for us spiritually! By his sacrificial death on Calvary, he freed us! But… Satan is so good, so clever at tricking us, troubling and deceiving our minds.
Going round the next corner
- Carl Henry said, ‘Some people live their whole lives just around the corner from the world of truth.’
- Bob Dylan, ‘Freedom just around the corner for you. But with the truth so far off, what good will it do?’
- Jesus declared: ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free’(8:12-47).
Let’s dare to go round the corner and discover (or rediscover) some of God’s truths…
In John 8:12-47, Jesus taught on the power of liberating truth. In verse 44, he clearly stated that Satan is the father of lies, darkness and bondage, that God is the Father of truth, light and freedom.
Darkness brings fear and bondage; Light brings faith and trust and freedom. Choosing which one to be in is really a no-brainer yet it’s amazing how many want to remain in the devil’s camp! Even after they become Christians, like Israel of old, some still want to go back to Egypt!
In this Johniac scripture Jesus was teaching about himself, who he really was and his power to set people free – linking with his relationship with and dependence on his Father. The religious Pharisees didn’t want to hear that so they tried to divert the subject (v33) but Jesus used their tactic as an opportunity to teach a spiritual truth (v34).
The Pharisees’ real problem was that they figured that because they were God’s people, they couldn’t possibly be deceived and come under any deceitful influence or bondage. Yet in fact they had been slaves to Egypt, Philistia, Babylon, now Rome, the religious law and Satan.
We all can fall for the same trick! That’s how subtle Satan is! We can so easily become slaves to the past, to believing we can’t achieve in life, let alone anything for God. We can be deceved and feel there’s no way we can move round the corner in 2020!
The truth about lies
‘Lie’ is pseudos – to deceive or attempt to deceive by falsehood. Unfortunately humans lie. Lies originate with Satan to our minds (Genesis 3:1 ‘Did God really say…?’) and when accepted drop into our heart and we wrongly accept them as truth. Sadly, Satan can often find human channels to deliver them. When believed lies result in putting us in all sorts of bondages, especially emotional shackles.
Lies and bondages go together like twins. Eg…
- I’m only as good – as what I do
- I’m uneducated – so what can I achieve?
- I’ve always been sick – so I’ll always will be
- I can’t be happy – unless things are going my way
- I’ve always been this way – so I can’t change
- I can’t do anything well – so how can I prove I’m perfect
- I’ll never be anything in life – nobody, not even God can help me.
Then the doubting broadens…
- I can’t ever trust God, even you, others because…
- I’m never going to know joy in life
- God couldn’t possibly love me
- How could God possibly have a plan for my life?
And so on. In fact, it’s been said that most of our unhappiness is caused by the lies we tell ourselves. We sort of help Satan out!
Jesus desires to be set us free from all Satan’s deceits through an understanding of the truth! He has already accomplished this for us on Calvary but we need to accept it. Freedom begins in the mind!
Let the penny drop!
‘Truth’ is aletheia – that which is unconcealed, manifested in the open, the reality of a matter.
We often speak of revealed truth as ‘The penny drops.’ In other words we’ve been misreading the situation until the truth shines through.
Eight things about God’s revelations:
- Something you can trust in (God has proved faithful)
- Can be accepted as genuine (He doesn’t lie)
- Necessary for both spiritual and emotional good health (Vital)
- Often comes piece by piece (As in good detective stories)
- May be difficult to accept due to certain barriers (Culture, religious)
- May be painful to face (I’ve been wrong, now I must change)
- Brings emotional and spiritual release and life (You start to live!)
- Stands forever (Even as he is faithful forever).
Let’s echo what Britons are declaring today – ‘We are free!’ and dare to move ahead in 2020 around whatever the next corner of life God has for us! And as we do so, let’s dump all baggage, past and present that would hold us back.
And as we do, remember this – the world is still blinded by the enemy but we don’t have to be! We’re children of light! Jesus has given us…
- A purpose in life and assurance he’s there for us
- The indwelling Holy Spirit to empower us
- Authority over Satan and evil spirits
- His strength to live a wholesome, overcoming life
- Assurance that we are now people of worth who can enjoy life to the full!
Satan binds the mind with baggage, but Jesus unlocks a whole new world of liberty, joy, happiness, new possibilities and purpose in life for us. God is our true Father who loves, forgives unconditionally and gives us real freedom and fulfilment in life. We can leave our mark in life!
Britons have reason to rejoice and move ahead round their corner – but Christians accepting Jesus’s liberating love and power have even greater cause to rejoice and dare travel round whatever 2020 corner he has for us!
‘You still don’t see him, yet you trust him – with laughter and singing (1 Peter 1:8bMessage).
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Dr Robert and Maureen McQuillan’s links are connectingwithyou333@gmail.com and Facebook (Scripture/other emphases in this Onliner ours. Appreciated images/pics:various general sources). Links: Carol Round’s Time For Your Baggage Check?
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Connecting with You! 
As a UK citizen, I can say you are so right: We are free, in various ways, and we are still free to enjoy our liberty as ‘Christ’s Ones’… a liberty some in the world do not enjoy. Recently I shared with a friend how on one occasion Queen Victoria was asked by a foreign dignitary about the secret of England’s greatness, her response was to reach for a copy of God’s Word. I believe the queen knew what it was to be free!