“Juneteenth – June 19, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, Liberation Day, and Emancipation Day – is a holiday celebrating the emancipation of those who had been enslaved in the United States.” The day is also celebrated outside the United States, with organizations in a number of countries using the day to recognize the end of slavery and to celebrate the culture and achievements of African Americans.”
In the life of the Believer, we have an even more momentous occasion, our freedom from sin and bondage! We are no longer slaves to sin! Because of the blood and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Son of the Living God!
So many of the Body of Believers do not understand the freedoms that God has purchased for them! Some have not so much as heard of any freedoms! Unfortunately, many are still bound long after first receiving salvation. A common belief that “it will be better by and by when the saints have gathered home.” This is actually a very true statement but taken out of context, you will miss the “right now, in this life” part! The good news is that Jesus did not come just to see you make it in heaven. There is so much more to the finished work of His Cross! Just like the Black and Hebrew slaves, God heard your cries long ago and sent Jesus to deliver you!
God came to give us the abundant life! The word of God says it pleases God to see us prospering! Surely, we know it must please Him to see us receiving the blessings provided through Jesus Christ, His Son! Until we renew our minds to the word of God and what God tells us we have already obtained, the Christian life will always be of unnecessary struggle in those areas we have not surrendered!
God says, Hosea 4:6, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.” NKJV
This verse speaks of ignorance. Ignorance is simply a lack of knowledge or not knowing any better. This scripture refers to the children of God! Who have even more reason to rejoice and thank God for all He has done! Ignorance is not bliss (pleasurable, paradise, heaven). What you don’t know will hurt you and has. Ignorance or not being informed about a certain matter is costly. It costs you wasted time, your monies spent and loss of peace and sleep! It is lethal!
Another example of slavery is the children of Israel mentioned in the Bible – God used Moses to lead millions of His children (Israel) from captivity. From Egypt (which represented slavery or bondage) to freedom (the Promised Land). They were oppressed and depressed. They cried out to God for help and He came to deliver them! But because they sinned repeatedly against God and murmured and complained, most of them missed the promises of God. He blessed them in the wilderness with whatever they needed. But they were unappreciative. They really lacked nothing! How did they miss it? They had unrenewed minds or ways of thinking!
They were still slaves to sin! Pharaoh wasn’t the only one with hardened hearts. The children of Israel’s hearts were that of unbelief, mistrust, and complaints! The Bible states you cannot receive the promises of God if you are double-minded! One minute you are on top of the world, trusting God full of faith and the next minute you are complaining to God, speaking negativity and defeat.
Living as slaves for an extended period for anybody can cause you to have a slave mentality and become a way of life for you! Even though you are free, you still think the same old way. In this, you also limit the move of God in your life!
Psalms 78:41, "Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel." NKJV
This is a moment for Americans to remember that you can believe in a change that you can’t see. That the Emancipation Proclamation, slavery was something that everybody knew was going to exist forever except for a few biased persons. But suddenly the Emancipation Proclamation began America on a track that in the long run led to an important change in citizenship and equality. What I hope is that people would realize that they have a right to demand and effect change because change is possible in this country. But we must do it in love and peace!
Sadly, “Together, these 10 countries – China, Democratic Republic of the Congo, India, Indonesia, Iran, Nigeria, North Korea, Pakistan, the Philippines and Russia – comprise 60% of all the people living in modern slavery, as well as more than half the world’s population, according to the Global Slavery Index of Feb. 2019.” Modern day slavery includes, forced child labor, forced marriages and human trafficking. Human trafficking is widespread even in America.
Definitely, change is necessary and possible for the child of God! To receive and walk out all He has provided for you! Cast off fear, doubt, and unbelief in God and His word!
Mark 9:23, "Jesus said, All things are possible if you can believe." NKJV
But change begins in your heart and mind! Celebrate the goodness of the Only True Living God! The freedoms of the Cross of Jesus Christ! Freedoms from guilt, shame, fear of death, wrath of God, bondage to sin, from satan’s dominion, freedom to approach God, freedom to relate to God as His child and His heir, freedom to partake and enjoy every spiritual blessing, freedom to bring our concerns and requests to God, freedom to walk with God throughout life, freedom to live out God’s purposes in your life, and freedom to enter the gates of heaven!
John 8:36, “Jesus declared, Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” NKJV
Moses Wafula