True Freedom

We often associate freedom with self-sufficiency. The world tells us that to be truly free, we must be able to stand on our own, chart our own path, and rely on no one. But the Gospel offers a radical redefinition of freedom, one that doesn’t rest in human independence, but in wholehearted dependence on Jesus and the empowering of the Holy Spirit.

The problem with the illusion of self-sufficiency is that often doesn’t break until we face our limitations. Like a climber who refuses a guide and gets lost in a storm, we sometimes press forward in life convinced we can handle it alone until the storm reveals how lost we really are.

Proverbs 14:12 warns, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Jesus says plainly in John 15:5, “You cannot do anything without me.” That’s not a threat it’s an invitation to abide in Him and bear lasting fruit.

True freedom is not the absence of dependence but the right placement of it. It is not found in casting off all authority, but in coming under the authority of the One who gives life. Jesus has unlocked the prison of sin. The door is wide open. But like the prisoner who stays in his cell, some of us hesitate to walk out. John 8:36 reminds us, “If the Son gives you freedom, you are free!” Galatians 5:1 echoes this truth: “Christ has set us free! This means we are really free.”

But here's the deal: this freedom is not just release from sin, it’s empowerment for holy living. Romans 8:2 tells us that the Holy Spirit gives us life and sets us free from sin and death. Galatians 5:16 urges us to walk by the Spirit so that we do not give in to selfish desires. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead now lives in us, enabling us not only to say no to sin but to boldly proclaim Christ to the world (Acts 1:8).

Dependence on the Spirit is not a backup plan for when we’re weak, it’s the only way forward. Without Him, we are like a passengers on a powerless ship drifting in the ocean waiting to be resuced. When the tugboats come to pull that ship to shore, we are rescued and brought home. The Holy Spirit is our tugboat, our power and guide, leading us safely where we could never go on our own.

Walking in the Spirit results in a life that bears fruit. Fruit that blesses others and glorifies God. Galatians 5:22–23 describes the Spirit’s fruit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These virtues are not the result of personal effort or moral resolve; they are the natural outcome of staying connected to Jesus.

Corrie ten Boom once said, “Trying to do the Lord’s work in your own strength is the most confusing, exhausting, and tedious of all work. But when you are filled with the Holy Spirit, then the ministry of Jesus just flows out of you.”

The key is dependence. True worship is the posture that says, “God, I need You every hour.” It’s not weakness—it’s surrender. And that surrender is where the power begins.

The Apostle Paul understood this intimately. In 2 Corinthians 12:9, God tells him, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” Paul responds not with resistance but with joy, saying, “I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.” Psalm 121 offers the same reminder: “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

So many of us are worn out from trying to handle everything on our own. We pray as a last resort instead of a first step. We treat the Holy Spirit as a supplement rather than our source. But the invitation of the Gospel is clear: come and receive fresh empowerment. The Spirit is not optional. He is essential. And He is available.

In Christ, we are no longer slaves to sin or bound by the pressures of performance. The truest form of independence is the freedom we find when we declare our total dependence on Jesus and the Holy Spirit. So let us stop striving and start abiding. Let us stop pretending strength and start embracing the grace that is more than enough.

Are you tired? Weak? Unsure of how to move forward?

Look to the One who never fails. He is your strength, your freedom, and your guide.True independence begins when we surrender completely to Him