I trust your year is off to a great start! Since the beginning of this year, I am determined to live free in 2023–free of care, free of worry, free of debt, free of sickness, free of pain, and free of any other offense of the curse! How about you? Are you ready to live free in 2023? It’s one thing to read about being free and hear about being free, but it’s an entirely new level when you’re actually living free! This is exactly what God desires for you and me, and I want to give you three ways that will help us to live free.
First of all, we must aggressively lean into and hold fast to the Word of God. If it’s already a daily priority, press in even more deeply. When you’re spending time in His Word, you’re strengthening your faith and shoring up your heart. It will rewrite your history, change your DNA and your thought patterns. You won’t even realize all of the ways that the Word is changing you as you give yourself to it until you are faced with a situation that requires a miracle. You’ll be facing a mountain, and something will rise up inside of you, and words will come out of your mouth that didn’t originate from you–they were inspired by the Spirit of God because of the Word you have attended to.
Proverbs 4:20-23, My son, attend to my words; Incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; Keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.
Making the Word of God your priority may sound simple and basic, but it truly is the starting point for living the life God intended for you to live. Every word in the Bible is alive and powerful, and when you read, speak, and meditate on those words, life and power will flow into you and through you. You’ll speak bold words and watch impossible problems turn around, because THAT is the power of God’s Word. It’s not just a book, it is THE BOOK!
Secondly, if you want to live free in ‘23, you must walk in love. It may take casting away harbored unforgiveness, bitterness, and offense. Friend, I implore you, carry it no further! Choose to intentionally walk in love every single day. Go above and beyond in your relationships and encounters with people. Search for opportunities to proactively share the love of God through your actions, your words, your prayers, and your generosity. Determine to be a blessing any time you have the opportunity to do so, and this definitely includes the people you spend the most time with–your family.
One of our favorite passages from the Bible is found in Mark 11:22-24 where Jesus tells us how to move mountains. It’s awesome! But this instruction is contingent upon our love walk.
Mark 11:25-26, And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have aught against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.
Part of living free in 2023 should be living free of offense, unforgiveness, and strife. The quality of love that flows out of you is a direct result of the quality of your spiritual input. When you are keeping yourself spiritually full, you’re not only keeping yourself in a place of freedom; you’re allowing yourself to radiate love to others. Use every opportunity that comes your way to walk in love, and you will experience that satisfaction that comes from keeping the enemy under your feet!
Finally, the amazing gift of praying in tongues has been given to us, allowing us to communicate with the Creator of the universe anytime we choose. Many in the body of Christ have treated this supernatural ability as optional, but it is nothing to shy away from or take lightly. The Holy Ghost truly is our greatest asset in this day and hour, and our ability to hear accurately from Him comes by spending time praying in tongues.
I Corinthians 14:2, For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries.
People who speak in tongues have the advantage, and the more you do it, the more you experience your life being led by the Spirit of God. The devil works tirelessly to deceive believers where speaking in tongues is concerned because his plans often get thwarted when a believer learns to yield to the Spirit.
Friend, I encourage you to increase the use of this gift these days. People may not understand how you’re able to avoid so many pitfalls the rest of the world is enduring, but you’ll know. God only has His blessing planned for you! While the rest of the world is in complete chaos, you can enter into the rest His Word declares because you are attending to the Word, you are walking in love, and you’re staying built up by praying in other tongues.