The Bible Speaks - Healed, Delivered, Set Free

[00:00:00] Let us pray, bread together on our knees

[00:00:07] Let us pray, bread together on our knees

[00:00:14] When I fall on my knees with my face to the rising sun

[00:00:21] Oh Lord, never see all the need

[00:00:27] Welcome to the Bible Speaks with Elgin Carelock

[00:00:30] The Bible Speaks is a weekly ministry of Harvest International

[00:00:33] Our prayer is that the Bible Speaks will encourage you in your study of God's word

[00:00:38] You will be able to contact Elgin at the address given at the end of this broadcast

[00:00:44] And now, here's Elgin

[00:00:57] Brothers and sisters, I welcome you in the name of our risen Savior Jesus to Christ

[00:01:03] To another Bible Speaks

[00:01:06] And today I wanted to speak with you about the difference between what is fact and what is truth

[00:01:16] It is a fact that inflation has caused our money to not go as far as it used to

[00:01:23] But the truth is God will supply all of our needs if we trust Him

[00:01:30] With Jesus' death, burial and resurrection, we gain power and dominion over many aspects of our lives

[00:01:39] So I wanted to speak on the topic of healed, delivered and set free

[00:01:48] Our inspirational texts are Isaiah 53 verse 5, 1 Corinthians 10 verse 13 and John 8 verse 36

[00:02:02] And I will read them as we cover each section

[00:02:06] So first I'd like to discuss being healed

[00:02:10] Isaiah 53 verse 5 reads, But he was wounded for our transgressions

[00:02:19] He was bruised for our iniquities The chastisement of our peace was upon him

[00:02:26] By his stripes we are healed Which refers to the spiritual healing from sin that Jesus' suffering and death procured for us

[00:02:38] The stripes he suffered were result of beatings and crucifixion and are seen as the price paid for human transgressions

[00:02:47] The healing here pertains to the restoration of the relationship between God and man, which sin had damaged

[00:02:56] It means that through Jesus' atonement individuals are forgiven and cleansed from sin thus being spiritually healed and made whole

[00:03:07] Throughout the Old Testament we hear of the sacrifices that were made for the atonement of sin

[00:03:13] And I wanted to share a few of those with you so you understand what it was like prior to Jesus' sacrifice

[00:03:21] There were daily sacrifices, Sabbath sacrifices, monthly sacrifices, annual festivals that included sacrifices

[00:03:31] Personal sacrifices for sin and atonement and then free will offerings which too were sacrificial in nature

[00:03:43] These sacrifices often had smaller categories within them

[00:03:48] For example under personal sacrifices there were sacrifices for unintentional sin, peace offerings and unintentional desecration of holy things

[00:04:00] With the new covenant sealed by the blood of Jesus sacrifices were no longer needed or acceptable to God

[00:04:08] Therefore they were healed from the pressure and financial strain of maintaining such a rigorous sacrifice practice

[00:04:19] The comprehensive healing power of Christ's sacrifice is also extended to emotional and mental health by some believers

[00:04:29] The peace and reconciliation with God that came through Jesus' atonement are seen as sources of psychological and emotional healing

[00:04:39] Providing relief from guilt, anxiety and spiritual unrest

[00:04:45] Finally the phrase by his stripes we are healed is a profound declaration of the redemptive work of Christ

[00:04:53] It encapsulates the belief that Jesus' suffering was not meaningless but had a redemptive purpose for humanity

[00:05:01] Providing a pathway to holistic healing spiritually, physically and emotionally

[00:05:09] This healing is accessed through faith in Jesus Christ and is a cornerstone of our doctrine regarding salvation and the effects of atonement

[00:05:20] Delivered

[00:05:22] 1 Corinthians 10 verse 13 reads

[00:05:27] There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man

[00:05:32] But God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able

[00:05:38] But will with the temptation also make a way to escape that you may be able to bear it

[00:05:46] Paul's message in 1 Corinthians 10 is one of hope and responsibility

[00:05:53] It encourages believers with the promise that God monitors our trials and actively provides support

[00:06:01] However, it also places responsibility on believers to be vigilant, to use the resources God gives and to actively choose the way out that God provides in times of temptation

[00:06:15] This balance of divine provision and human responsibility is the key to understanding how Christians are expected to handle temptations

[00:06:25] When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we were delivered from the bondage of sin

[00:06:32] God watches over us and the Holy Spirit guides us so when temptation or trials appear, we have the ability to resist

[00:06:42] That doesn't mean that it's easy though, just possible

[00:06:47] In actuality, the greatest temptation we face comes from our flesh and not Satan

[00:06:54] Our flesh is based on worldly appetites and it knows what you like and the way you like it and can make it very difficult to maintain focus

[00:07:04] A good example is fasting

[00:07:08] When I'm on a 10 day fast, days 9 and 10 are the toughest because my flesh wants what it hasn't had during the previous days

[00:07:18] And will try to get me to justify breaking the fast earlier

[00:07:23] I usually win that argument, but not always, just saying

[00:07:29] In Luke 9 verse 23, reading from the New Living's translation, Jesus said

[00:07:37] If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross daily and follow me

[00:07:47] The inclusion of the word daily signifies that following Jesus is not a one time decision but a continual day to day commitment

[00:07:58] Discipleship requires a persistent choice to follow Jesus' teachings and example regardless of circumstances

[00:08:06] It's about making an ongoing conscious decision to live according to the principles of the Kingdom of God every single day

[00:08:16] Take up your cross daily is a call to profound spiritual commitment and transformation

[00:08:23] It encapsulates the essence of Christian discipleship which involves daily choices that reflect a commitment to Jesus

[00:08:31] A willingness to endure suffering for his sake and a life oriented toward eternal rather than temporal values

[00:08:40] It is both a challenge and an invitation to live a life of significant spiritual depth and purpose

[00:08:49] Being set free, John 8 verse 36 reads

[00:08:55] So if the sun sets you free, you will be free indeed

[00:09:02] In John 8, Jesus begins by declaring, truly truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin

[00:09:13] This introduces the idea that sin has an enslaving power over individuals, binding them to a cycle of wrongdoing and separation from God

[00:09:24] The phrase practices sin implies a continual habitual action

[00:09:30] It's not about a single act of sin or occasional lapses of judgment but a consistent pattern or lifestyle of sinning

[00:09:40] Jesus is highlighting that sin, when habitually practice has a power and an enslaving effect on a person's life

[00:09:51] The comparison to slavery is deliberate and powerful

[00:09:55] In Jesus' time, slavery was a well understood concept that implied total control by a master over a slave

[00:10:03] By saying that those who practice sin are slaves to sin, Jesus meant that continuous sinning leads to a loss of control

[00:10:12] Where sin dictates one's actions, thoughts, and ultimately one's life

[00:10:18] By stating this, Jesus underscores the need for deliverance

[00:10:23] He implies that true freedom from this bondage cannot come from human effort alone, but must be the work of someone with authority over sin

[00:10:33] Shortly after this statement, he declares, so if the sun sets you free, you will be free indeed

[00:10:42] This positions him as the liberator whose authority and power can overcome the slavery of sin, offering a freedom that is complete and transformative

[00:10:55] Brothers and sisters, when Jesus declares, if he sets someone free, they are free indeed

[00:11:03] He is speaking of the profound spiritual reality

[00:11:07] It is an invitation to all who hear his word to come to him for true freedom that only he can provide

[00:11:15] A freedom that liberates us from the deepest forms of bondage in our lives and leads to ultimate fulfillment and eternal life with God

[00:11:26] Brothers and sisters, I thank you once again for joining me today and I look forward to our discussion on tomorrow

[00:11:34] Until then, God bless

[00:12:00] Harvest International, Post Office Box 6690 Ocala, Florida 34478

[00:12:07] Again, that's Harvest International, Post Office Box 6690 Ocala, Florida 34478