Freedom in the New Year

Jesus promises total freedom to us, but it's not automatic

Toward the end of every year—especially turbulent years like this one—people ask me if I have any predictions about the coming year. If you’re a committed reader of this site, you know that I don’t like to make predictions. I definitely don’t like to set dates about prophetic future events.

That’s just asking for trouble. You have probably heard of certain individuals who insist particular prophetic events are going to happen within a particular time frame. In virtually every case, they are proven to be wrong, and they lose credibility. I am confident of the things I preach and teach, but I’d rather point to the signs and evidences I see in the Bible, but let God measure time and keep the dates.

The one “prediction” I’ll make about 2024 is that the conflict in Israel isn’t about to be over anytime soon. In fact, things may even be heating up. There will be tension between Israel and Gaza—and probably Israel and the rest of the world—for the foreseeable future. Possibly even until Jesus comes back for His Church in the Rapture.

Instead of making assumptions about the coming months, I want to share with you a message on my heart as we enter 2024. It’s a message about freedom in the life of the believer.

The Promise of Total Freedom

Before I got saved, I was in bondage in every area of my life. I was a horrible husband, I was verbally abusive. My priorities were totally wrong. And honestly, I’ve never met a person who wasn’t in some kind of bondage when they got saved.

But today I’m a free man. When you’re set free, you’re safe to be around. You’re able to love, say “I’m sorry” and show affection. Every relationship in your life changes when you experience total freedom.

As we enter 2024, I want others to experience that same freedom. It begins with God’s Word:

Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”—John 8:31-32 NKJV

The truth will make us free. What an amazing promise! But hearing that promise and living within it are two different things. Even though Jesus promises total freedom to every person, it’s not automatic. That’s because we are multi-dimensional beings, and you have to account for those dimensions to understand how people get set free.

In Mark 12, Jewish leaders asked Jesus what was the most important commandment. He said the greatest commandment was to “love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30).

The heart represents our spirit, the real and eternal us. The soul is our will and emotions. The mind, of course, is our intellect. God created these multiple dimensions of our lives to give us the ability to fully know and love Him.

However, Satan is evil, and tries to ensnare us within those four dimensions. Bondage happens across all four of these dimensions.

So to find total freedom, we have to be set free spiritually, emotionally, mentally and physically. Now, if that sounds like a lot to you, remember that Jesus has already done all the hard work. All we have to do is put ourselves in a position to be set free.

The True Cause of Depression

The reason many people try to find freedom but fail is because they only see one dimension of their issue. As an example, consider depression. Did you know that more than 20 percent of American adults—50 million Americans—reported experiencing some kind of mental illness during the previous few years? And more than half of those adults don’t receive any kind of treatment for depression.

Our society faces an epidemic of depression, and there are multiple reasons for it.

A psychiatrist or psychologist might treat depression with cognitive therapy or medication. But those focus only on the mind. A doctor might ask about eating or exercise or stress, but that focus is only about the physical body. Meanwhile, a pastor will offer passages of Scripture to encourage us or help us take captive negative thoughts. He’s addressing the emotional side of depression.

But depression involves all four dimensions: the mental, physical, emotional and physical parts of our lives. And though it impacts us on every level, depression is not an emotional, physical or mental problem. It’s primarily a spiritual one. 

I know cognitive therapy has helped so many people. I know many faithful physicians who prescribe certain medications for patients who have anxiety. And I recognize that some people may suffer from chemical imbalances and other diagnoses that impact their mental health.

But it’s clear to me that the number-one reason for depression in our society is a demonic spirit. Satan, as evil as he is, uses our misfortune as an opportunity. He takes a circumstance, hurt, rejection or failure and twists it. He puts us under an oppressive cloud—think of it as a wet spiritual blanket—and this causes depression.

So while depression may manifest itself within every dimension of our lives, you have to treat it in the right dimension in order to be set free. It’s a spiritual problem, and the only way to deal with a spiritual problem is a spiritual approach. We have to rise up and say, “Demon spirit of depression, I reject you. I reject the spirit of heaviness and will instead stand and praise my God.”

I’ve experienced other areas of bondage that require a similar approach. Lust manifests as a physical behavior but it is a mental problem, which we treat by meditating on God’s Word. Low self-esteem impacts our emotions but that problem is mental—it’s believing a lie about yourself. Anger is spiritual. After all, Paul writes “Be angry, and do not sin” (Ephesians 4:26).

Four Important Actions

Jesus promised us total freedom but we have to claim it by taking four important actions:

1. Dedicate our lives to God’s Word. Jesus said precisely this in the verses from John 8 quoted above: “If you abide in my word.” We have to live in His Word. We have to fill our lives with His truth and His teachings.

2. Expose our darkness to His light. Humbly and truthfully, we must admit our sins and struggles. Setting aside our human pride, we give them over to Him.

3. Recommit to Jesus. The focus on freedom isn’t on getting free from something, but being set free to love Jesus and others. This begins with a personal relationship with Jesus.

4. Allow God into all four areas of our lives. He works in our hearts, souls, minds and bodies as we put our faith in Him.

When we invite God’s Word into all dimensions of who we are, it will change us, heal us and set us free. It has the power to break any chain and release us from any bondage so that we can be the people He has called and created us to be.

Are you ready to open all four dimensions of your life to God and His Word in 2024? When you do, only then will you find total freedom.

My prayer for you as we enter a new year is that you will replace the lies of the devil with the truths of God’s Word. I pray that His Word will set you free, snap the chains, and turn on the light within your life so you can be the people He has called you to be.

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If you’re looking ahead at 2024, don’t forget about the Tipping Point Prophecy Conference on Saturday, September 21, in Grapevine, Texas. This one-day conference features Tipping Point contributors as well as Max Lucado, Jonathan Cahn, Billy Crone, Ed Young, and Jack Hibbs. I’d love to see you there!