Breaking Free to Live Your God-Given Purpose
Have you ever wondered why you sometimes feel stuck, unable to fully step into who you’re meant to be? Many believers struggle with this tension – knowing God has a plan for their lives but feeling held back by fear, confusion, or past limitations. The truth is, God didn’t just save you from something; He saved you for something extraordinary.
You Were Saved for Something, Not Just from Something
The full gospel doesn’t just stop at the cross – it includes the resurrection and everything that means for your life today. When we only focus on being saved from sin, we miss the incredible truth that God saved us because of our potential, not because of how bad we were.
Before sin ever entered the picture, God had a masterpiece in mind – you. Ephesians 1:4 tells us that “even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes.” You weren’t God’s afterthought; you were His forethought.
What Does It Mean to Be “Created Anew”?
When Ephesians 2:10 says we are “created anew in Christ Jesus,” it’s not describing something completely different from what God originally planned. The Greek word suggests a restoration to the original creation – God is restoring you to His original blueprint.
Think of it like this: God had an architectural plan for your life from the beginning of time, but sin prevented that blueprint from being built. Now, through Christ, God can construct that original design in your life. Your life becomes the canvas for the masterpiece God always had in mind.
Understanding What Held You Back
Before knowing God, we all operated under what Paul calls “the spirit of bondage” – a life driven by fear, controlled from the outside in. This bondage affected every area of our lives:
- Our identity was held hostage
- Our gifts were being misused or suppressed
- Our purpose was unclear or misdirected
- Fear controlled our decisions
Even our God-given abilities were being used for selfish reasons rather than for God’s glory and others’ benefit.
The Four Areas Christ Set You Free From
When Jesus died for you, He didn’t just address your sin problem – He completely liberated your life in four crucial ways:
1. Freedom from the Person of Sin
Jesus didn’t just free you from what you had become; He freed you from what you had “unbecome.” You were originally chosen, adopted, and marked by God. Sin caused you to unbecome all of that, but Christ restored your true identity.
2. Freedom from the Power of Sin
There was a power that enslaved your mind, emotions, and decision-making. Even when you wanted to do right, you couldn’t. Christ broke that enslaving power, freeing your mind to have direction and clarity about God’s plan for your life.
3. Freedom from the Penalty of Sin
The sentence hanging over your life – that you would never be good enough, never do enough, never have enough – has been completely removed. In Christ, you are already enough.
4. Freedom from the Prison of Sin
The domain that confined you through fear has been shattered. Fear of what others think, fear of failure, fear of stepping out – these limitations no longer define your boundaries. You’ve been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.
How Is This Freedom Being Activated in Your Life?
The Holy Spirit is actively working in your life right now to free you completely. Here’s what He’s doing:
- Regenerating you – making you born again
- Indwelling you – God’s presence is with you everywhere
- Sealing you – guaranteeing the completion of His work in you
- Revealing and illuminating truth to guide your decisions
- Transforming you progressively to be like Christ
- Empowering you with both desire and ability
- Producing fruit in you for the character you’ll need
- Making adjustments through conviction and correction
- Interceding and helping on your behalf
- Affirming your identity as God’s child
You Don’t Have to Walk in Fear
Many people hesitate to step into their calling because they’re afraid of messing up. But consider this: the God who knew you before time began, who turned the world upside down for you, who has all power and authority – do you think He’s just going to let you fail?
He’s not going to abandon you to figure it out alone. He’s actively involved in your success, making adjustments, providing help, and ensuring you can fulfill the purpose He designed for you.
Life Application
This week, challenge yourself to identify one area where you’ve been operating from the “spirit of bondage” rather than the “spirit of adoption.” Maybe it’s fear holding you back from pursuing a promotion, starting a ministry, or using your gifts more boldly. Maybe it’s confusion about your direction, or selfish motivations driving your decisions.
Ask yourself these questions:
- What fears are currently limiting my willingness to step into what God has for me?
- In what areas of my life am I still seeking approval or validation from others rather than resting in my identity in Christ?
- How might my gifts and abilities be used differently if I truly believed I was free from the need to prove myself?
- What would I attempt for God if I knew I couldn’t fail because He’s actively helping me succeed?
Remember, you are God’s masterpiece, created anew in Christ Jesus to do the good works He planned for you long ago. The same power that raised Christ from the dead is working in you to accomplish infinitely more than you could ask or think. It’s time to live like the free person you truly are.
