Liberty for All
It’s not about how hard you aim—it’s about staying connected to the source.
Devotional Credit: Abide Above
Photo Credit: Unsplash
Today’s Abide Above devotional cuts to the root of a subtle but dangerous mindset: trying to grow spiritually through self-imposed effort. We’re reminded that spiritual liberty cannot be manufactured through religious rules, personal discipline, or outward regulations. The apostle Paul questions why believers—who have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world—would return to living as though they are still bound by its systems (Col. 2:20).
Legalistic practices such as self-denial or rigid religious routines may appear wise and humble, but they are powerless against the flesh. These outward efforts often serve to inflate the ego or provide false assurance through performance. True freedom—the kind that brings rest, joy, and real transformation—comes only by receiving from Christ, not contributing to Him. We are branches, not vines. Growth and deliverance come by the Holy Spirit, and always through the finished work of the Cross.
Personalized Journal Entry – Voice of the Holy Spirit Through Scripture
You have died with Christ, and your life is now hidden with Me. You are no longer subject to the elemental principles of this world, nor to the regulations that perish with use. Do not be deceived by practices that appear wise but are powerless to curb the flesh. These things inflate the ego, not the spirit.
I have freed you from the law of sin and death. You now live by the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. Stand firm in that freedom and do not return to the yoke of bondage. You are not under law, but under grace. The fruit that I bear in you comes not from striving, but from abiding. The life that now flows through you is not your effort but Mine—because Christ is your life.
Your old self was crucified with Him. So now, walk not by the flesh, nor by its rules, but by the Spirit. Where My Spirit is, there is liberty. And you are Mine.
Scripture references: Colossians 2:20–23; Romans 8:2; Galatians 5:1; Romans 6:6; 2 Corinthians 3:17; Colossians 3:3–4; Romans 6:14
Real-Life Analogy
Imagine using a disconnected garden hose to water your flowers. You might swing it around, point it perfectly, and even mimic the motions of someone who is watering. But unless the hose is connected to the source, it doesn’t matter how disciplined or precise you are—no water flows.
That’s what it’s like to try to live the Christian life by rules, routines, or religious rituals. You can follow all the right steps and still be spiritually dry. But once you’re connected—once the life of Christ flows freely through your yielded heart—everything changes. It’s not about pressure. It’s about connection.
Prayer of Confidence
Father, I thank You that I no longer need to perform to be free. I rejoice that the Cross has already accomplished what no law, regulation, or ritual ever could. Christ is my life now, and You have seated me with Him above the old systems of performance. Today, I trust You to live Your life through me. I yield my hands, my thoughts, and my steps—not to rules but to Your Spirit. I rest in the liberty that is already mine in Christ, and I walk in it joyfully, as one who is no longer striving but receiving.