3 Key Heart Attitudes to Find Freedom in Christ

Would you like to find freedom in Christ? In this post I share three key heart attitudes that help when we are facing even the slightest bit of captivity.

My three-year-old shrieked enough to make me think she was bleeding, so I came running. As I turned the corner, I saw her dilemma. She was entangled in the baby doll stroller.

The first time I saw her sitting in it, I told her not to do that again because she was too small for it; she would break it or get stuck. But she did it again and couldn’t get out on her own. She needed me to come and untangle her from being wedged between its bars.

Isn’t that how we are with sin? We get into something God said no to and we get trapped in it. Or our own ignorance harms us? Then we need HIS help to get free.

Don’t get me wrong, we are saved when we believe and confess. That’s salvation. Romans 10:9. But Paul warns us:

It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 NASB

Why Do We Go Back to Sinning Again?

Why do we then? Because we have a habit of thinking the wrong way and doing sinful actions. When we realize that, that’s when we decide we don’t want to live that way. We change our mind, which is the very meaning of the word repent.

Do we, like the murmuring Israelites, prefer to revert to a slavery mentality because we think the walk of faith God has for us is too difficult? (They said, “We should go back to Egypt.”)

Instead of living in bondage to sin, we can choose to be washed with the water of the Word (Ephesians 5:26). Sanctification is a good process.

The power of sin is bossy, but we don’t have to listen. More than that, Jesus gave us power through His Spirit to leave it in the dust and begin running free again.

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. Romans 8:12-13 NLT

Entangled, Not Separated

Sins and addictions that we become entangled in doesn’t separate us from God’s love. We know this because of the unshakeable promises found in Romans 8:37-39. Nothing will ever separate us from His love!

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:37-39 NLT

That sin that you got trapped in again? God still loves you. And because He loves you, He gave you the power to “put to death” those sinful deeds. It takes using the Word and speaking it over your life. There is power of life and death in the tongue (Proverbs 18:21).

Would you like to taste freedom? Breakthrough and victory is found in God. There is unmistakable power in this promise:

And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free. John 8:32 NASB

3 Keys to Find Freedom in Christ

If we were to boil it down to what we needed to find freedom in Christ, I’d say there are three keys. We need to be flexible to have certain heart attitudes in the process of surrender.

Fear of the Lord.

Proverbs 14:27 (NLT) declares, “Fear of the LORD is a life-giving fountain; it offers escape from the snares of death.” The fear of the Lord is not being afraid of God but a holy respect. If you’re ever afraid of God, something is off. Maybe the only freedom needed there is an adjusted mindset.

The fear of God is the death of every other fear; like a mighty lion, it chases all other fears before it. —Spurgeon

A teachable spirit.

Being teachable simply means capable of being taught. Jesus taught as much as He delivered people. I wrote in my post, 3 Ways to Be Teachable (and you can catch the three indications of being teachable in that post as well), “If I’m going to be taught, then I need to be able to receive. Some of my most precious moments in life are when I am figuratively sitting at the feet of Jesus in His presence, with a yielded heart, and He talks to me.”

Humility.

Wow, did I ever have a lot to learn about humility. Have I ever told you about my Walmart story? (*facepalm) Anyway, may we remember every day to walk in humility. Our human pride is an unyielding barrier to freedom. James 4:6 AND 1 Peter 5:5 say that God gives GRACE to the humble. Grace makes us grow!

I get it. Confessing my sin to God, much less another human, is embarrassing sometimes. But that’s pride. Let the wings of humility take you right into God’s beautiful grace. It’s never worth it to hang on to pride.

Find Freedom in Christ and See Victory

These three heart attitudes will help us find freedom in Christ! They are key even when we are facing even the slightest bit of captivity.

When you blow up a balloon it is changed into something useful. Just like a blown up balloon, we’re being stretched into something useful. When we are stretched in this way, we don’t return the way we were before. It’s in this stretching we discover that we aren’t satisfied with anything else but being victorious.

What other heart attitudes are helpful in finding freedom in Christ?

Do you want to know more about this kind of freedom? Discover a greater freedom in Christ with the Blogger Voices Network’s online event What Freedom in Christ Looks Like! We have an incredible line up of writers and free gifts for you!