For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters For you have been called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don’t use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. (Gal 5 v13) It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. (Gal 5 v1) So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. (John 8 v36) Freedom in Christ For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. (2 Cor 8 v17) We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. (Rom 6 v6,7) Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. (Heb 2 v15) Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. (Rom 6 v14)

Do you feel free in Christ? Since coming to know Christ, what have you been freed from? We have been set free from the penalty of sin. We are being set free from the power of sin. We will be set free from the presence of sin.

What can we be bound by/hold on to? Poor self-image v God’s image/identity in Christ Believing words/lies of significant others or society/culture (condemning thoughts & self-condemnation) Holding onto hurts, resentments, disappointments, bitterness, fear Bad/ungodly habits or behaviours Spiritual ties & oppressions (Family ties, soul ties, curses from promises made, vows/oaths taken) Addictive comforting and mind captivity (pornography, food, alcohol/drugs, video games, TV, shopping, devices)

What do you still need to be freed from by Jesus? What is inhibiting your freedom? What is holding you back, inhibiting your fullness of life, spoiling your joy? What burdens are you carrying? What is it that you are still bound by or trapped in or captive to? What are you holding on to that is unhealthy? What causes us irritation and offence? Write your issue on the note paper & scrunch it!

How can we experience freedom in Christ? Surrender all your life to Christ and surrender your burdens at his cross (“Let it go, in order to move forward.”) Live out of your new identity and worth in Christ Seek help and seek community Accept & address issues from the past Replace lies with the truth of God’s word (tell yourself the truth) Seek prayer and deliverance ministry where necessary Seek to become an authentic, fruitful disciple of Christ Be kind to yourself – God is! (You know you dont understand grace when…)

of St James of the certificate Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela of St James of the certificate Pyrenees Camino de Santiago - The Way of St James The five main routes

Pilgrims carry a stone, often brought from home, representing a burden or struggle all s/he wants forgiven or to forgive the memory/grief of a deceased loved one, and leave it at the foot of the Cruz Ferro (Iron Cross) on the mountain, along with millions of other stones left here over the centuries.

You are invited to write down your burden or whatever is holding you back or is inhibiting your freedom, joy or life; to scrunch up your paper and bring it to the foot of the cross and let it go; and then receive the Lord’s Supper.

6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. 12 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace. 15 Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! 16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. 17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. 18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.