Freed Indeed

Many people sought Jesus during His ministry on earth. Some went to Him to
get healed, and some longed to hear from Him and see His miracles. Jesus
said that He came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). He even spoke as
if He were a shepherd who would go out and search for a lost sheep (Matthew
18:12-14; Luke 15:1-7; John 10:1-18).

One such sheep was a man possessed by a legion of evil spirits (Mark
5:1-20). He was separated from his family. The Bible is silent as to what
led him to such a sad and lowly state, but Jesus found the man when he was
lonely, avoided, rejected, hopeless, and despised.

Nobody wanted him. Nobody associated with him. Until Jesus came. This man
did not seek Jesus, yet Jesus crossed the lake to find him. Jesus traveled
to reach out to him and set him free from evil spirits. And Jesus set him
free without cost or condition. As Jesus cared for this man, He cares for
us too.

Like the man who was possessed, we can know that Jesus pursues us with
God’s never-ending love. Because Jesus died and rose again for us, we can
put our trust in Him and have a relationship with God. If we are in Christ,
we can be freed from evil’s control. The Holy Spirit empowers us to reject
sin, and reminds us of the promise of the resurrection, that one day, we
will be freed from sin and death completely.

So, no matter what we face—worries dragging us down, fears tormenting us,
or other trials we experience in a world that’s broken by sin—we can know
that Jesus is always with us. In Him, we find true freedom. We have peace
even in the midst of struggles, and the promise of ultimate wholeness when
Jesus returns and makes all things new. Like the man who was set free from
demons, we can be completely freed indeed. • Golda Dilema

• What things around you cause you to feel like you are a stranger,
despised, avoided, or lonely in this world? Consider taking a moment to
talk to God about these things, knowing that He cares for you.

• Read Romans 8. How does Jesus’s love free us from the power of sin and
death? How does His love give us hope for the future and comfort in the
present?

“So if the Son [ Jesus] sets you free, you will be free indeed.” John 8:36
(NIV)

Read Verses:

Ps.118.5|Mark.5.1-Mark.5.20|2Cor.3.17|John.8.36