The Freedom That Holds No Chains

Walking in the open spaces of God’s grace”

Devotional Credit: Day by Day by Grace by Bob Hoekstra
Photo Credit: Unsplash

When Jesus declared that those whom the Son sets free are truly free, He was not speaking of a partial or conditional liberty. He was describing a complete release from the penalty and power of sin, and the opening of a new life that is rooted in His life. Bob Hoekstra reminds us in this devotional that God’s promises are not theoretical encouragements, but divine guarantees. Among the greatest of these is the promise of spiritual freedom in Jesus, which changes both where we stand and where we are going.

This freedom is not only a release from something, it is an invitation into something greater. In Him, we are freed from death and welcomed into life. We are no longer under condemnation, but have been declared righteous before the Father. We have been rescued from hell’s certainty and granted a heavenly inheritance that cannot decay or be taken away. And we are no longer left to the poverty of human striving, but brought into the wealth of God’s abundant spiritual blessings in Christ.

Each of these aspects of freedom flows from the finished work of Jesus and is received the moment we trust in Him. It is not a freedom we must maintain by effort or earn by performance, but a freedom preserved in the One who gave it. This is why living by faith in God’s promises is essential. The freedom He has given is perfect and complete, but we experience its reality as we trust and walk in it daily.

To know this freedom is to stop carrying the weight of our old chains. They have been broken, not by our struggle to be free, but by the mighty work of Jesus at the cross and His life in us. Every step forward is an opportunity to leave the dungeon of fear and guilt behind, walking in the light of the One who opened the door forever.

Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture

I have set you free, and that freedom is not fragile. The chains you once bore have been shattered, never to bind you again. In Me, you have passed from death into life, from condemnation into the righteousness I have given you. I have taken you out of the kingdom of darkness and brought you into My kingdom of light, where your inheritance is secure and cannot fade.

Your freedom is not merely the absence of what once enslaved you, it is the presence of My life within you. This is the life where grace reigns, where peace is unshakable, where joy springs from knowing you are Mine. I do not call you to maintain your freedom by your own strength, but to walk in the reality that I Myself am your freedom. As you trust Me, you will see the doors open, the burdens lift, and the lies lose their grip.

You are not defined by your past, nor are you subject to the fears of the future. You are seated with Me in the heavenly places. The power that raised Me from the dead is at work in you, sustaining you, guiding you, and keeping you. Rest in My finished work and let My life be your daily liberty.

Scripture References: John 8:36, 2 Peter 1:4, John 5:24, Romans 5:18, Matthew 23:33, 1 Peter 1:3-4, Romans 7:18, Ephesians 1:3, Colossians 1:13, Ephesians 2:6, Romans 8:1-2, Galatians 5:1

Real-Life Analogy

It is like walking out of a dark, airless room into the open fields on a bright morning. The closed space might have felt familiar after so long, but it was never life-giving. Now the sun warms your face, the air fills your lungs, and there is nothing keeping you from moving forward. The door behind you is not only unlocked, it cannot be shut again.

In the same way, when you encounter a moment today where old fears or guilt try to press in, remember that the door to that place no longer exists for you in the Lord. You can turn toward the light of His presence and say, “Lord, I trust You to live Your life through me in this moment, free from the weight that once held me.”

Prayer of Confidence

Lord, thank You that my freedom is not dependent on my ability to keep it, but on Your finished work and Your life within me. Thank You that I have passed from death to life, from condemnation to justification, from poverty to the riches of Your grace. I rest in the truth that my chains are gone forever, and I walk today in the liberty that You alone provide.