Maintaining Dependent Status True dependency=freedom

The nature of independence O Independence is not, in itself, sinful O How we exercise it, and what motivates it, determines its potential for good/evil O A child learns to walk O A child learns to disobey Independence: Any act that defies the intentions of God, His created order or His character

How’d we get there? O The seed of independence was planted at the fall thru pride O It came w/a 2-prong spirit of fear which the enemy uses to keep us independent O Fear of losing control O Fear of being revealed

Independence =freedom Independence =freedom? O It is a lie of the enemy O It is in the Western psyche (the “less than” mentality) O It can only be broken thru Christ O He gave all control over to the will of His Father O He became utterly revealed in His death

Where the Spirit of Lord is, there is freedom O 1. We are dependent on HS to bring us into salvation AND lordship O Mt 16:16 – “ Who do they say I am?” O Jn 20:22 – He breathed on them/salvation & establishes Lordship thru resurrection O Titus 3:5 – saves us….thru the H.S. O Acts 4:12 – salvation ONLY thru Jesus

Dependency on HS cont’d O 2. The H.S. teaches us God’s Word for growth, guidance/direction O 1 Pet 2:2 – crave the Word O Jn 8:31; 16:13 – Know the truth & be set free; guides us into truth/santifies O Rom 8:14 – mature sons are led by HS O Jn 17:17 – we are “set apart” by truth

Dependency on one another O 1 Cor 12: 7,11 – gifts are for common good O 1 Pet 4:8-11 – we express God’s grace toward one another O Rom 12:3-8 – we bring motivation by HS to each other

Dependency on one another cont’d… O 1 Cor 14:3 – we prophesy to strengthen, encourage and comfort each other O 1 Thes 5:14 – maintain a code of conduct O Rom 8:26-27 – we help each other win the victory thru prayer

The Challenge… O Who’s directing the work of your hands and the desires of your heart? O How are you “partnering” with God to achieve Kingdom purposes? O Are you advancing God’s Kingdom or your own agenda?

The Encouragement… O Gal 5:1 “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free.” O Freedom – emphasized by its position in the Greek sentence, meaning freed from the burden/yoke of the law, as in yoke of slavery O 2 Tim 1:9 “…who called us with a holy calling…by grace”