The Truth Will Set You Free

“So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” …“Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:31-36 

It is a fair assumption that everyone reading this devotional wants to be free. It is an easy choice considering the alternative is slavery, and no one wants that. But there are other types of slavery than depicted in Biblical times, the monstrosity of slavery in the history of the United States and the human trafficking that still occurs in parts of the world. Today, we can be slaves to our habits, to technology, to our emotions and actions, addictions, even our thoughts. It is also a fair assumption that we would like to have the wisdom to be able to deal with those things.  We would like to be free. Fortunately, Jesus Christ is alive and reigns as King of the universe, and he offers real freedom to all of us. “if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.” 

Let’s start with the mind: We need to take captive our thoughts and examine them. Then, we need to take a close look at our thoughts and consider what we are thinking or believing and why. As we do this, we need to consider if our thoughts line up with what is true of Jesus and our new life in Him. Do our thoughts conform to the truths of the gospel? Ask yourself: Am I thinking or believing the good news about God, others, or myself?

God says you are loved, you are accepted, you are forgiven, and you are embraced. Your mind is like a computer and needs regular software updates. The Bible is the source of those updates. Download the amazing truths found in God’s word and your life will change.  Romans 8:5 says, “Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit.”

Setting your mind free requires us to be a sponge for the truth. A life that honors God with daily living requires a knowledge of God’s truth. A spiritually healthy soul that overflows with love, joy, and peace requires truth as well. If you want that type of output, you first need to consider the ideas you are inputting in your mind. Feelings of fear, confusion, worry, doubt, and wondering where you stand with God, come from inputting unhealthy and untrue thoughts. However, when you begin to set your mind on the incredible truths of the gospel, your output will be different.

Discussion Questions:

1. What does freeing your mind mean to you? 
2. If your goal is to free your mind by focusing on God’s truth, where do you start?