Freedom From the Beloved Enemy
Freedom comes when we let go of what once trained us but no longer defines us.
Devotional Credit:
Abide Above – Beloved Enemy
Photo Credit:
Unsplash
In today’s devotional from Miles Stanford, the law is described as a “beloved enemy” for the believer. It is beloved because many Christians see it as their trusted companion for living a righteous life. Yet, when the law is placed in the hands of the Holy Spirit, it becomes an instrument that brings us to the end of self-effort. Its purpose is not to help us succeed in our own ability, but to bring us to the place where we cry out with Paul, “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Many Christians readily accept that justification comes only through the finished work of Jesus at Calvary, yet then fall into the trap of creating a new set of rules to achieve sanctification. In doing so, they unknowingly place themselves back under a system of self-reliance. The inevitable result is failure, which opens the door to condemnation from the enemy. Even those who are active in ministry can live in a hidden sense of defeat when they are unknowingly trying to perfect themselves by law-keeping.
J.C.M. points out that this cycle leads to bitterness of soul, doubts, and fears. The law is unbending and indivisible. As L.S.C. notes, to take up any part of it obligates a person to keep all of it without fail. This is why Galatians warns that those who rely on the law are bound to it in its entirety, and breaking one point is the same as breaking it all.
The true message of the gospel is that the law was a schoolmaster meant to lead us to Christ, but once faith has come, we are no longer under that schoolmaster. We are now free to live from the life of the risen Lord within us, not from a checklist of requirements we cannot keep. This is where real liberty, joy, and fruitfulness are found.
Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
You are not under the law, but under grace. I fulfilled the righteous requirements of the law on your behalf so that you would no longer be bound to its demands. The law was given to reveal the depth of your need for Me, not to equip you to live without Me. I have taken your place, bore the curse, and given you My life as your source of righteousness.
Stop measuring your standing by rules you cannot keep. Your life is hidden in Me. I am your holiness, your peace, your joy, and your sufficiency. Rest in what I have finished. Yield to My indwelling presence, and let My Spirit bear fruit in you without the yoke of the law. I have called you to freedom, not to bondage. Walk with Me, and let that freedom be expressed in love and faith.
Scripture References: Romans 6:14, Galatians 2:20, Galatians 3:10–13, Galatians 3:24–25, Galatians 5:1, Galatians 5:4, Romans 7:4–6, Romans 8:1–4, Colossians 3:3, James 2:10, Philippians 3:9
Real-Life Analogy
Imagine trying to ride a bicycle with the training wheels still attached, even though you have already mastered balancing on two wheels. At first, those training wheels gave you stability, but now they only slow you down and keep you from the full freedom of the ride. In the same way, living under the law after receiving the life of Jesus keeps you from enjoying the liberty He purchased for you.
Today, when you catch yourself trying to “measure up” or prove your worth by your performance, pause and turn to the Lord. You can say, “Lord, I trust You to live Your life through me in this moment.” Let His Spirit move you forward in freedom rather than being held back by rules that no longer define your standing with Him.
Prayer of Confidence
Lord, thank You that You have redeemed me from the curse of the law. I rest in Your finished work and in the freedom You have given me. I praise You that my righteousness is not found in my ability to keep rules, but in Your life within me. I rejoice that I am no longer under a schoolmaster, but under Your grace. Today I walk in the liberty You purchased for me, trusting You to express Your life in all I do.